Impact of Vegetable Preparation Method and Taste-Test on Vegetable Preference for First Grade Children in the United States

How children rate vegetables may be influenced by the preparation method. The primary objective of this study was for first grade students to be involved in a cooking demonstration and to taste and rate vegetables raw and cooked. First grade children of two classes (N= 52: 18 boys and 34 girls (approximately half Hispanic) that had assented and had signed parental consent participated in the study. The degree of liking a particular vegetable was recorded by the students using a hedonic scale of five commonly eaten vegetables tasted first raw (pre-demonstration) and then cooked (post-demonstration). A food habit questionnaire was filled out by parents to evaluate their mealtime practices and beliefs about their child’s eating habits. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant differences in preferences for vegetables in their raw and cooked states. Several mealtime characteristics were significantly associated with children’s vegetable preferences. Parents who reported being satisfied with how often the family eats evening meals together were more likely to report that their child eats adequate vegetables for their health (p=0.026). Parents who stated that they were satisfied with their child’s eating habits were more likely to report that their child was trying new foods (p<.001). Cooking demonstrations by nutrition professionals may be an important strategy that can be used by parents and teachers to promote vegetable intake. It is important that nutrition professionals provide guidance to encourage consumption of vegetables for parents so that they can model the behavior of healthy food consumption to their children.

Learning approach and perception of learning context in economics education : a causality test

In the study of student learning literature, the traditional view holds that when students are faced with heavy workload, poor teaching, and content that they cannot relate to – important aspects of the learning context, they will more likely utilise the surface approach to learning due to stresses, lack of understanding and lack of perceived relevance of the content (Kreber, 2003; Lizzio, Wilson, & Simons, 2002; Ramdsen, 1989; Ramsden, 1992; Trigwell & Prosser, 1991; Vermunt, 2005). For example, in studies involving health and medical sciences students, courses that utilised student-centred, problem-based approaches to teaching and learning were found to elicit a deeper approach to learning than the teacher-centred, transmissive approach (Patel, Groen, & Norman, 1991; Sadlo & Richardson, 2003). It is generally accepted that the line of causation runs from the learning context (or rather students’ self reported data on the learning context) to students’ learning approaches. That is, it is the learning context as revealed by students’ self-reported data that elicit the associated learning behaviour. However, other research studies also found that the same teaching and learning environment can be perceived differently by different students. In a study of students’ perceptions of assessment requirements, Sambell and McDowell (1998) found that students “are active in the reconstruction of the messages and meanings of assessment” (p. 391), and their interpretations are greatly influenced by their past experiences and motivations. In a qualitative study of Hong Kong tertiary students, Kember (2004) found that students using the surface learning approach reported heavier workload than students using the deep learning approach. According to Kember if students learn by extracting meanings from the content and making connections, they will more likely see the higher order intentions embodied in the content and the high cognitive abilities being assessed. On the other hand, if they rote-learn for the graded task, they fail to see the hierarchical relationship in the content and to connect the information. These rote-learners will tend to see the assessment as requiring memorising and regurgitation of a large amount of unconnected knowledge, which explains why they experience a high workload. Kember (2004) thus postulate that it is the learning approach that influences how students perceive workload. Campbell and her colleagues made a similar observation in their interview study of secondary students’ perceptions of teaching in the same classroom (Campbell et al., 2001). The above discussions suggest that students’ learning approaches can influence their perceptions of assessment demands and other aspects of the learning context such as relevance of content and teaching effectiveness. In other words, perceptions of elements in the teaching and learning context are endogenously determined. This study attempted to investigate the causal relationships at the individual level between learning approaches and perceptions of the learning context in economics education. In this study, students’ learning approaches and their perceptions of the learning context were measured. The elements of the learning context investigated include: teaching effectiveness, workload and content. The authors are aware of existence of other elements of the learning context, such as generic skills, goal clarity and career preparation. These aspects, however, were not within the scope of this present study and were therefore not investigated.

A research opportunity : “3D-ROSE” : virtual reality preparation for children having radiotherapy or imaging procedures

Professor Christian Langton is a medical physicist at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. He has developed a way of preparing children who are about to have either radiotherapy or MRI imaging procedures and is seeking research partners to develop and test these further. This is a great opportunity for nurses interested in research, and who have access to a children’s hospital, to work with Professor Langton on some truly innovative, multidisciplinary research.

Preparation of mesoporous bioglass coated zirconia scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been regarded as a potential candidate for bone substitute due to its high mechanical strength. However, porous YSZ is biologically inert to bone tissue. It is therefore necessary to introduce bioactive coatings onto the walls of the porous structures to enhance its bioactivity. In this study, porous YSZ scaffolds were prepared using a replication technique and then coated with mesoporous bioglass due to its excellent bioactivity. The microstructures were examined using scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical strength was evaluated via compression test. The biocompatibility and bioactivity were also evaluated using bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) proliferation test and simulated body fluid test.

Development and pilot test of a peer-support based Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management program : a study protocol

Background: People with cardiac disease and type 2 diabetes have higher hospital readmission rates (22%)compared to those without diabetes (6%). Self-management is an effective approach to achieve better health outcomes; however there is a lack of specifically designed programs for patients with these dual conditions. This project aims to extend the development and pilot test of a Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program incorporating user-friendly technologies and the preparation of lay personnel to provide follow-up support. Methods/Design: A randomised controlled trial will be used to explore the feasibility and acceptability of the Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program incorporating DVD case studies and trained peers to provide follow-up support by telephone and text-messaging. A total of 30 cardiac patients with type 2 diabetes will be randomised, either to the usual care group, or to the intervention group. Participants in the intervention group will received the Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program in addition to their usual care. The intervention consists of three faceto- face sessions as well as telephone and text-messaging follow up. The face-to-face sessions will be provided by a trained Research Nurse, commencing in the Coronary Care Unit, and continuing after discharge by trained peers. Peers will follow up patients for up to one month after discharge using text messages and telephone support. Data collection will be conducted at baseline (Time 1) and at one month (Time 2). The primary outcomes include self-efficacy, self-care behaviour and knowledge, measured by well established reliable tools. Discussion: This paper presents the study protocol of a randomised controlled trial to pilot evaluates a Cardiac- Diabetes Self-Management program, and the feasibility of incorporating peers in the follow-ups. Results of this study will provide directions for using such mode in delivering a self-management program for patients with both cardiac condition and diabetes. Furthermore, it will provide valuable information of refinement of the intervention program.

HyperCard test engine using Rasch Analysis

This paper will focus on the development of an interactive test engine using Rasch analysis of item responses for question selection and reporting of results. The Rasch analysis is used to determine student ability and question difficulty. This model is widely used in the preparation of paper-based tests and has been the subject of particular use and development at the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER). This paper presents an overview of an interactive implementation of the Rasch analysis model in HyperCard, where student ability estimates are generated 'on the fly' and question difficulty values updated from time to time. The student ability estimates are used to determine question selection and are the basis of scoring and reporting schemes.

Preparation and characterisation of tri-calcium phosphate scaffolds with tunnel-like macro-pores for bone tissue engineering

Calcium Phosphate ceramics have been widely used in tissue engineering due to their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In the physiological environment, they are able to gradually degrade, absorbed and promote bone growth. Ultimately, they are capable of replacing damaged bone with new tissue. However, their low mechanical properties limit calcium phosphate ceramics in load-bearing applications. To obtain sufficient mechanical properties as well as high biocompatibility is one of the main focuses in biomaterials research. Therefore, the current project focuses on the preparation and characterization of porous tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) ceramic scaffolds. Hydroxapatite (HA) was used as the raw material, and normal calcium phosphate bioglass was added to adjust the ratio between calcium and phosphate. It was found that when 20% bioglass was added to HA and sintered at 1400oC for 3 hours, the TCP scaffold was obtained and this was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Test results have shown that by applying this method, TCP scaffolds have significantly higher compressive strength (9.98MPa) than those made via TCP powder (<3MPa). Moreover, in order to further increase the compressive strength of TCP scaffolds, the samples were then coated with bioglass. For normal bioglass coated TCP scaffold, compressive strength was 16.69±0.5MPa; the compressive strength for single layer mesoporous bioglass coated scaffolds was 15.03±0.63MPa. In addition, this project has also concentrated on sizes and shapes effects; it was found that the cylinder scaffolds have more mechanical property than the club ones. In addition, this project performed cell culture within scaffold to assess biocompatibility. The cells were well distributed in the scaffold, and the cytotoxicity test was performed by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-di- phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay. The Alkaline Phosphatase (Alp) activity of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell system (hBMSCs) seeded on scaffold expressed higher in vitro than that in the positive control groups in osteogenic medium, which indicated that the scaffolds were both osteoconductive and osteoinductive, showing potential value in bone tissue engineering.

Preparation and thermal energy storage properties of paraffin/calcined diatomite composites as form-stable phase change materials

A composite paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) was prepared by blending composite paraffin and calcined diatomite through the fusion adsorption method. In this study, raw diatomite was purified by thermal treatment in order to improve the adsorption capacity of diatomite, which acted as a carrier material to prepare shape-stabilized PCMs. Two forms of paraffin (paraffin waxes and liquid paraffin) with different melting points were blended together by the fusion method, and the optimum mixed proportion with a suitable phase-transition temperature was obtained through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Then the prepared composite paraffin was adsorbed in calcined diatomite. The prepared paraffin/calcined diatomite composites were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR) analysis techniques. Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by DSC method. DSC results showed that there was an optimum adsorption ratio between composite paraffin and calcined diatomite and the phase-transition temperature and the latent heat of the composite PCMs were 33.04 ◦C and 89.54 J/g, respectively. Thermal cycling test of composite PCMs showed that the prepared material is thermally reliable and chemically stable. The obtained paraffin/calcined diatomite composites have proper latent heat and melting temperatures, and show practical significance and good potential application value.

Preparation of mesoporous bioglass coated zirconia scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been regarded as a potential candidate for bone substitute due to its high mechanical strength. However, porous YSZ is biologically inert to bone tissue. It is therefore necessary to introduce bioactive coatings onto the walls of the porous structures to enhance its bioactivity. In this study, porous YSZ scaffolds were prepared using a replication technique and then coated with mesoporous bioglass due to its excellent bioactivity. The microstructures were examined using scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical strength was evaluated via compression test. The biocompatibility and bioactivity were also evaluated using bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) proliferation test and simulated body fluid test.

Voluntary Control of Multisaccade Gaze Shifts During Movement Preparation and Execution

Ramakrishnan A, Chokhandre S, Murthy A. Voluntary control of multisaccade gaze shifts during movement preparation and execution. J Neurophysiol 103: 2400-2416, 2010. First published February 17, 2010; doi: 10.1152/jn.00843.2009. Although the nature of gaze control regulating single saccades is relatively well documented, how such control is implemented to regulate multisaccade gaze shifts is not known. We used highly eccentric targets to elicit multisaccade gaze shifts and tested the ability of subjects to control the saccade sequence by presenting a second target on random trials. Their response allowed us to test the nature of control at many levels: before, during, and between saccades. Although the saccade sequence could be inhibited before it began, we observed clear signs of truncation of the first saccade, which confirmed that it could be inhibited in midflight as well. Using a race model that explains the control of single saccades, we estimated that it took about 100 ms to inhibit a planned saccade but took about 150 ms to inhibit a saccade during its execution. Although the time taken to inhibit was different, the high subject-wise correlation suggests a unitary inhibitory control acting at different levels in the oculomotor system. We also frequently observed responses that consisted of hypometric initial saccades, followed by secondary saccades to the initial target. Given the estimates of the inhibitory process provided by the model that also took into account the variances of the processes as well, the secondary saccades (average latency similar to 215 ms) should have been inhibited. Failure to inhibit the secondary saccade suggests that the intersaccadic interval in a multisaccade response is a ballistic stage. Collectively, these data indicate that the oculomotor system can control a response until a very late stage in its execution. However, if the response consists of multiple movements then the preparation of the second movement becomes refractory to new visual input, either because it is part of a preprogrammed sequence or as a consequence of being a corrective response to a motor error.

Preparation and characterization of multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported platinum for cathode catalysts of direct methanol fuel cells

Multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported Pt (Pt/MWNT) nanocomposites were prepared by both the aqueous solution reduction of a Pt salt (HCHO reduction) and the reduction of a Pt ion salt in ethylene glycol solution. For comparison, a Pt/XC-72 nanocomposite was also prepared by the EG method. The Pt/MWNT catalyst prepared by the EG method has a high and homogeneous dispersion of spherical Pt metal particles with a narrow particle-size distribution. TEM images show that the Pt particle size is in the range of 2-5 nm with a peak at 2.6 nm, which is consistent with 2.5 nm obtained from the XRD broadening calculation. Surface chemical modifications of MWNTs and water content in EG solvent are found to be the key factors in depositing Pt particles on MWNTs. In the case of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) test, the Pt/MWNT catalyst prepared by EG reduction is slightly superior to the catalyst prepared by aqueous reduction and displays significantly higher performance than the Pt/XC-72 catalyst. These differences in catalytic performance between the MWNT-supported or the carbon black XC-72-supported catalysts are attributed to a greater dispersion of the supported Pt particles when the EG method is used, in contrast to aqueous HCHO reduction and to possible unique structural and higher electrical properties when contrasting MWNTs to carbon black XC-72 as a support.

Novel Method for Preparation of Polypropylene Blends with High Melt Strength by Reactive Compounding

Ultrafine full-vulcanized polybutadiene rubber(UFBR) with particle sizes of ca. 50-100 nm were used for modifying mechanical and processing performances of polypropylene(PP) with PP-g-maleic anhydride(PP-g-MA) as a compatibilizer for enhancing the interfacial adhesion between the two components. The morphology, dynamical rheology response and mechanical properties of the blends were characterized by means of SEM, rheometer and tensile test, respectively.

Preparation and evaluation of a proton exchange membrane based on oxidation and water stable sulfonated polyimides

A series of novel oxidation and water stable sulfonated polyimides (SPIs) were synthesized from 4,4'-binaphthyl-1,1',8,8'-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), and wholly aromatic diamine 2,2'-bis(3-sulfobenzoyl) benzidine (2,2'-BSBB) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. These polyimides could be cast into flexible and tough membranes from m-cresol solutions. The copolymer membranes exhibited excellent oxidative stability and mechanical properties due to their fully aromatic structure extending through the backbone and pendant groups. Moreover, all BTDA-based SPI membranes exhibited much better water stability than those based on the conventional 1,4,5,8-naphthalenecarboxylic dianhydride. The improved water stability of BTDA-based polyimides was attributed to its unique binaphthalimide structure. The SPI membranes with ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 1.36-1.90 mequiv g(-1) had proton conductivity in the range of 0.41 x 10(-1) to 1. 12 x 10(-1) S cm(-1) at 20 degrees C. The membrane with IEC value of 1.90 mequiv g(-1) displayed reasonably higher proton conductivity than Nafion((R)) 117 (0.9 x 10(-1) S cm(-1)) under the same test condition and the high conductivity of 0.184 S cm(-1) was obtained at 80 degrees C. Microscopic analyses revealed that well-dispersed hydrophilic domains contribute to better proton conducting properties. These results showed that the synthesized materials might have the potential to be applied as the proton exchange membranes for PEMFCs.

Preparation and physical properties of enhanced radiation induced crosslinking of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH)

Preparation and physical properties of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) crosslinked by enhanced radiation have been studied through various methods. It was found that the most effective agent for irradiation-crosslinking was triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) among four kinds of polyfunctional monomers. Gel content (65.6%) was formed for EVOH-44 (content of ethylene is 44 mol%) at 200 kGy with 5% TAIC, but for EVOH-32 (content of ethylene is 32 mol%), only 37.4% gel content was formed under the same conditions. This result showed that the more the content of ethylene units comprised in EVOH, the easier the chemical bonds could be formed between different molecular chains. Tensile strength and elastic modulus increased after crosslinking at high test temperature and elongation at break decreased at the same time. Hygroscopicity of EVOH showed noticeable decrease after enhancement radiation-crosslinking.