Happy meals at McDonald\u27s : A qualitative field study of family dinner at McDonald\u27s

The purpose of this study was to examine the family meal at McDonald’s as a family dinner ritual and as an arena for socialization of children. A field study, including six McDonald’s restaurants in Omaha, Nebraska, was conducted during the months of May and June. Approximately 25 hours of observations were recorded using the method of participant observation. The main sample consisted of 58 families (adults with children) and included single mothers, single fathers, two-parent families, as well as grandparents with children and other family constellations with children and adults. The most common family type at McDonald’s was single mothers with children. The families in the main sample were predominantly white, but blacks, Latinos, and Asians were also represented. The family dinner ritual at McDonald’s was characterized as a ‘happy meal’, although it is lacking in-depth conversation. Since McDonald’s seemed to take care of most of the practicalities in the preparation phase and provided entertainment in the form of toys for the children, a play area, and TVs, the families were free to enjoy their meal. From their parents and the McDonald’s environment, children are taught a number of lessons about public behavior, food, meals, gender roles, and environmental issues. It is hypothesized that the ‘happy meal’ experience offered at McDonald’s is the key to McDonald’s popularity among parents with young children and especially single parents. The overall socialization of children at McDonald’s is discussed and the notion of ‘happy meals’ is critically evaluated

Slushflow hazard control. A review of mitigative measures.

Slushflow hazard detection and control are based on both active and passive mitigative measures performed above and within the starting zones as well as along the path and in the runout zone. The main aim of preventive measures is to regulate the use of hazardous areas, detect acute slushflow hazard, reduce the possibility of slushflow release and to restrict their size and runout and the consequences of destructive events. Automatic warning systems are based either on recording the rise of the water table in the snowpack or on slushflows in motion. Methods of prevention of slushflow release are principally based on the control of water influx, drainage patterns and snowpack stability in potential starting zones. Similar control measures may also be applied to restrict the size of slushflows along tracks. The main principles for reducing the runout and consequences are control of drainage direction, retardation or stopping of the snowmasses and restrictions on land-use. The principle methods and their use are summarised

Weather and snowpack conditions essential to slushflow release and downslope propagation

Rapid mass movement of water-saturated snow, usually known as slushflow or slush avalanche, is a major natural hazard in Norway. Slushflows occur in winter during heavy rainfall, as well as due to intense thaw in spring. The basic interrelations between ground conditions, snowpack properties and water supply, critical to slushflow release and downslope propagation, has been studied. The analytical approach to these problems and the major conclusions are summarized. Altogether 31 slushflow periods and more than 80 slushflow sites, critical to human activity and located close to meteorological stations, were examined. The geomorphic and vegetational site characteristics, snowpack development and flow path morphology were established by field work as well as interpretation of maps and meteorological records. Estimation of precipitation and meltwater were based on meteorological data transformed to the starting zones. Drainage channels and water-saturated snowfields are the typical starting zones of slushflows. Slushflows due to cyclonic activity are normally released within 24 hours of rain and snowmelt. Five main combinations of winter snowpack and current weather were identified to characterize the slushflow periods. Cohesionless new snow and coarse grained snow are most liable to start flowing, and tend to spread out downslope. The most favourable conditions for large slushflows are coarse grained snowpacks with depth hoar at the base, and when water is in abundance during spring break-up. Acute hazard may be predicted based on meteorological records and weather prognosis

Cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and behavioral effects of intravenous lidocaine in healthy, conscious horses and evaluation of the relationship with lidocaine and monoethylglycinexylidide serum concentrations

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the serum concentrations of lidocaine/ monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) and their effects on several systems in horses. Five healthy, conscious horses received a two-hour placebo intravenous infusion followed by a two-hour lidocaine infusion (bolus of 1.3 mg/kg over ten minutes followed by a continuous rate infusion of 0.05 mg/kg/min). Lidocaine and MEGX serum concentrations were sampled every ten to fifteen minutes during the experiment, and the presence of muscle fasciculations and loss of balance as well as the respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular systems of the five horses were evaluated by means of different non-invasive methods. During the lidocaine infusion, the mean (f SD) lidocaine and MEGX concentrations were respectively 768.88 +/- 93.32ng/ml and 163.08 +/- 108.98 ng/ml. The infusion of lidocaine significantly influenced the presence of fasciculations, caused a statistically but non-clinically significant decrease of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, which were both correlated with lidocaine and MEGX serum concentrations, and it increased the duodenal contractions frequency, which was correlated with the serum lidocaine concentration. In this study, mild hypotensive and prokinetic effects of short-term lidocaine infusion were observed

A palynological investigation of the offshore Cretaceous sequence on the south-west coast of South Africa

Until recently, there has been very limited academic palynological study of South Africa’s offshore west coast Cretaceous sequences. For this thesis, an in-depth study of the palynological sequence as well as a combination of other disciplines was undertaken for Offshore Sites C-B1 and O-A1, situated off the west coast of Cape Town. The study has yielded copius amounts of mostly well-preserved palynomorphs (trilete spores, pollen, diniflagellate cysts and foraminiferal test linings) ranging from Early to Late Cretaceous in age. Both Offshore Sites consist mostly of sandstone and siltstone lithologies but it was the carbonaceous mudstone-rich intervals that were targeted for palynomorph extraction. The Petroleum Agency, SA (previously SOEKOR) has identified ten time periods (nine in the Cretaceous and one in the Tertiary) from these lithologies but for this study, only eight of these time periods that span the Barremian to the Campanian stages of the Cretaceous were utilized.. Over 550 samples that include cuttings, sidewall and core samples, have been provided by the Petroleum Agency, SA representing offshore Cretaceous sedimentary strata from the west coast of South Africa. All of these samples have been analysed palynologically. A wide variety of palynomorphs have been described from these samples and are fully illustrated. These include angiosperms, gymnosperms, spores of known and unknown botanical affinity, four species of algae and one species of fungi. These palynomorphs are compared with published descriptions and illustrations to aid and effect identifications. Several new palynomorphs were found, however formal naming will only be undertaken at a later stage. Palynological data indicates that the gymnosperms and ferns dominated the plant groups during both the Early and Late Cretaceous intervals of both Offshore Sites. Angiosperms only really became a significant part of the vegetation during the Late Cretaceous. Gymnosperms found at both Offshore Sites are dominated by the genera Classopollis, Podocarpidites, Zonalapollenites, Balmeiopsis and Exesipollenites. Cyathedites, Gleicheniidites and other trilete schizeaceous types dominated the spore population. The information gained from the identification of the microfossils present in these two Offshore Sites contributes not only to amplifying the biostratigraphy of this part of the geologic column but also to reconstruct the Cretaceous palaeoflora and palaeo-environment. The age ranges of the palynomorphs present have provided a general Cretaceous age bracket for these two Offshore Sites, supporting the Petroleum SA’s findings. However these palynomorphs do not always age-define the level they were found in and on more than one occasion Tertiary palynomorphs were located at the base of the Cenomanian and Turonian stages (Late Cretaceous Period). The pollen and spore assemblage include many species that are known from both northern and southern hemispheres, although the northern hemisphere representatives are usually represented by only a few individuals. There is a noticeable difference between the Early and Late Cretaceous floras. Early Cretaceous floras are dominated by gymnosperms and fern spores with only a few angiosperm pollen grains present. Late Cretaceous flora is much richer in angiosperm pollen and in Tertiary flora. Botanical affinities were used to reconstruct the palaeoflora of both Offshore Sites. The forests that existed during the Cretaceous were probably cool, moist and temperate, located in the highlands of a slowly developing rift valley. The dominant trees in these forests produced palynomorphs attributable to Podocarpaceae, Microcachryidites, Balmeiopsis and Exesipollenites. The lowland woodlands consisted primarily of cheirolepideacean conifers with the undergrowth including varieties of ferns and bryophytes. Results of the pollen and spore analysis suggest that neither west coast sites fits into any established pollen zonation. Therefore new pollen zones were established for this thesis and will hopefully contribute to the understanding of the palaeoflora of this part of the southern hemisphere. Zones are used to designate each Offshore Site into divisions that characterize the essential changes in the vegetational history as well as divide the history of the palaeoflora in the Cape Basin. Offshore Site C-B1 consists of 5 zones (CI, CII, CIII, CIV and CV) and four subzones namely Subzone CI-A, CI-B, CV–A & CV–B. Offshore Site O-A1 is comprised of 5 zones namely OI, OII, OIII, OIV and OV. Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions were deduced by studying the palaeoflora and palynodebris in each zone / facies of each Offshore Site. The Early Cretaceous was tropical, humid and warm with palaeoflora indicators such as Classopollis and Ephedripites suggesting the start of a shift towards warmer more semi-arid conditions. In comparison, the beginning of the Late Cretaceous assemblages suggested a shift to hotter, humid and then semi arid conditions. By the end of the Late Cretaceous the environment had once again reverted back to warm, wet and humid conditions. Using the core depth as scale, the relative frequencies of the organic matter types in Offshore Sites C-B1 and O-A1 were plotted using CONISS – the distance cluster analysis program which identified four main groups of samples in each core (Facies CB- D1 to D4 and OA – D1 to D4) on the basis of their organic content. These eight palynofacies assemblages (Facies CB- D1 to D4 and OA – D1 to D4) show the gradual and immediate changes in palynodebris and could reflect environmental and geological changes. The palynodebris component for both Offshore Sites supports the origin of the sediments deposited into the Cape Basin as continent-derived and transported into the Cape Basin via fresh water sources. The presence of sporomorphs and resins in the palynodebris reflects a great diversity of hinterland vegetation. Plant and cuticle palynodebris found at both Offshore Sites suggest stable dry conditions terrestrially and near shore deposition. Amorphous organic material and the presence of green algae throughout both Offshore Sites indicate a terrigenous source associated with shallow fresh to brackish water of lagoons and swamps. The presence of marine palynomorphs supports deposition in a marine or saline esturine marsh environment

Optimising postoperative pain management in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

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