CONSUMER DEMAND FOR MANDATORY LABELING OF BEEF FROM CATTLE ADMINISTERED GROWTH HORMONES OR FED GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN

This study estimates the value of policies that would mandate labeling of beef from cattle produced with growth hormones or fed genetically modified corn. At no cost, 85 percent of resondents desired mandatory labeling of beef produced with growth hormones and 64 percent of respondents preferred mandatory labeling of beef fed genetically modified corn. Estimates suggest that consumers would be willing to pay 17.0 percent and 10.6 percent higher prices for beef on average to obtain information provided via mandatory labeling about whether the beef is from cattle produced with growth hormones or fed genetically modified corn, respectively.beef, contingent valuation, genetically modified foods, growth hormones, mandatory labeling, Demand and Price Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Rapid induction bonding of composites, plastics, and metals

The Toroid Bonding Gun is and induction heating device. It is a self contained, portable, low powered induction welding system developed for bonding or joining plastic, ceramic, or metallic parts. Structures can be bonded in a factory or in a the field. This type of equipment allows for applying heat directly to the bond lines and/or to the adhesives without heating the entire structure, supports, and fixtures of a bonding assembly. The induction heating gun originally developed for use in the fabrication of space Gangs of bonders are now used to rapidly join composite sheet and structural components. Other NASA-developed applications of this bonding technique include the joining of thermoplastic composites, thermosetting composites, metals, and combinations of these materials

Ceramic susceptor for induction bonding of metals, ceramics, and plastics

A thin (.005) flexible ceramic susceptor (carbon) was discovered. It was developed to join ceramics, plastics, metals, and combinations of these materials using a unique induction heating process. Bonding times for laboratory specimens comparing state of the art technology to induction bonding were cut by a factor of 10 to 100 times. This novel type of carbon susceptor allows for applying heat directly and only to the bondline without heating the entire structure, supports, and fixtures of a bonding assembly. The ceramic (carbon film) susceptor produces molten adhesive or matrix material at the bond interface. This molten material flows through the perforated susceptor producing a fusion between the two parts to be joined, which in many instances has proven to be stronger than the parent material. Bonding can be accomplished in 2 minutes on areas submitted to the inductive heating. Because a carbon susceptor is used in bonding carbon fiber reinforced plastics and ceramics, there is no radar signature or return making it an ideal process for joining advanced aerospace composite structures

Method of Attaching Strain Gauges to Various Materials

A method is provided to bond strain gauges to various materials. First, a tape with an adhesive backing is placed across the inside of the fixture frame. The strain gauge is flatly placed against the adhesive backing and coated with a thin, uniform layer of adhesive. The tape is then removed from the fixture frame and placed, strain gauge side down, on the material to be tested. If the material is a high reluctance material, the induction heating source is placed on the tape. If the material is a low reluctance material, a plate with a ferric side and a rubber side is placed, ferric side down, onto the tape. The induction heating source is then placed upon the rubber side. If the material is an insulator material, a ferric plate is placed on the tape. The induction heating source is then placed on the ferric plate. The inductive heating source then generates frequenty from 60 to 70 kilocycles to inductively heat either low reluctance material, ferric side, of ferric plate and provides incidental pressure of approximately five pounds per square inch to the tape for two minutes, thoroughly curing the adhesive. The induction heating source, and, if necessary, the plate or ferric plate, are then removed from the tape after one minute. The tape is then removed from the bonded strain gauge

DEMAND FOR BEEF FROM CATTLE ADMINISTERED GROWTH HORMONES OR FED GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN: A COMPARISON OF CONSUMERS IN FRANCE, GERMANY, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE UNITED STATES

This study compares consumer valuations of beef steaks from cattle produced without growth hormones or genetically modified corn in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In general, European consumers place a higher value on beef from cattle that have not been administered growth hormones and/or fed genetically modified corn than United States consumers. There is a larger divergence between the two cultures with regard to the issue of biotechnology and genetic engineering than with the issue of growth hormones. Results suggest that liberalizing trade policy for hormone-treated beef may be welfare reducing for the European Union.Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Marine leptopel, its recovery, measurement and distribution

Leptopel, the colloidally or otherwise finely particulate organic and inorganic detritus suspended in natural bodies of water, varies in chemical composition and in relative quantities with reference to depth, latitude and proximity to land. The leptopelic material may be quantitatively recovered by passing the water through an ultrafilter of inert, insoluble adsorptiv.e powder. Apparatus has been designed to so recover such samples in situ at various depths