Journal Articles by Kevin R. Roberts
Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how school districts have implemen... more Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how school districts have implemented food safety programs based on HACCP principles. Specific objectives included: 1. Evaluate how schools are implementing components of food safety programs and 2. Determine foodservice employees food-handling practices related to food safety. Methods: The study included a national sample of 34 school districts in eight states, including 11 small, 9 medium, 6 large, and 8 mega districts. Six researchers collected data on-site in each of the school's food production facilities. Data collection instruments included a Faculty Observation Form, a Food Safety Observation Form, and a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Verification Checklist. All instruments were pilot tested prior to use. The research protocol was reviewed and approved by the University's Institutional Review Board prior to data collection. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. A recent health inspection report was collected from each school and qualitative data were also compiled. Results: Of 34 schools visited, food safety plans were available in 33 schools, although few were customized to the specific school. Most of the recommended standard operating procedures related to HACCP were used. However, researchers found few records of corrective actions. The health inspection scores for most schools were high, which reflects that food safety practices had been adequately operationalized. Overall, school facility observations were positive. Approximately 60% of employees failed to wash their hands as recommended by the 2009 Food Code. Most employees washed their hands before preparing food, but many times, improper hand washing procedures were used. Applications to Child Nutrition Professionals: School foodservice employees performed well, but there are opportunities for food contamination to occur. Directors and managers can utilize this data to evaluate their food safety programs and practices to assure they are achieving their intended goal to serve safe and wholesome food to schoolchildren. Keywords: HACCP, food safety, school foodservice, employee behaviors, facility
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Papers by Kevin R. Roberts
A peer-reviewed article SUMMARY Statistics show that 59% of foodborne illnesses are traced to res... more A peer-reviewed article SUMMARY Statistics show that 59% of foodborne illnesses are traced to restaurant operations. Food safety training has been identified as a way to assure public health, yet evidence supporting the effectiveness of training has been inconclusive. A systematic random sample of 31 restaurants in three midwestern states was selected to assess the effect of training on food
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Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA, is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a ... more Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA, is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a geologic nuclear waste repository. As part of the site characterization studies, actinide solubilities and speciations were studied at pH 6, 7, and 8.5 at 25{degrees}C in two different groundwaters from the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The groundwaters differ substantially in total dissolved carbonate concentration, and to a lesser extent in ionic strength. In the waters with higher carbonate content, the solubilities of neptunium(V) decreased, whereas those americium(III) increased at 25{degrees}KC and decreased at 60{degrees}C. The solids formed were sodium neptunium carbonates and americium hydroxycarbonates. Plutonium solubilities did not significantly change with changing water composition because the solubility-controlling solids were mostly amorphous Pu(IV) polymers that contained only small amounts of carbonate.
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Materials and methods Resist solutions were prepared by dissolving 1% to 66% sucrose in de-ionize... more Materials and methods Resist solutions were prepared by dissolving 1% to 66% sucrose in de-ionized water. Dry films were subsequently produced by spin-coating the sucrose solutions onto bare silicon wafers, and then dehydrating the films. Film thickness ranged from 8 nm to 2200 nm for dilutions of 1% to 66% sucrose, respectively. Introduction Electron-beam patterning of nanoparticle filled sucrose resist has been demonstrated using a Vistec EBPG5000+. Cross-linking of the sucrose appears to be the mechanism of fixing the resist. Resist thicknesses of 8-2200 nm are readily achievable, making this technique amenable to the patterning of nanoparticles, especially those in water-based solutions. Results The dosage necessary to cross-link the sucrose has been found to be ~50 mC/cm2 at 100kV. The NP filled sucrose which is not exposed can be subsequently removed with water and ultra-sonics. The cross-linked sucrose holding the NPs to the surface can be removed through oxygen plasma treatm...
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Journal of food protection
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Recently Jang et al. reported the observation of half-height magnetization steps in cantilever ma... more Recently Jang et al. reported the observation of half-height magnetization steps in cantilever magnetometry measurements of mesoscopic annular Sr2RuO4 particles. Such magnetization features were interpreted as the presence of half-quantum vortices. In an attempt to examine our findings, very recently Cai et al. (1202.3146) have performed magnetotransport measurements of micron-size rings fabricated from small Sr2RuO4 crystals. While fabrication of such samples and subsequent verification of our findings is highly desirable, we would like to point out that, at the current state of affairs, the direct comparison is incomplete partly due to the fact that the measurements of Cai et al. were lacking an important ingredient -- the in-plane magnetic field. We would also like to offer clarification on few questionable statements made by the authors of 1202.3146.
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ABSTRACT Solubility and speciation are important in understanding aqueous radionuclide transport ... more ABSTRACT Solubility and speciation are important in understanding aqueous radionuclide transport through the geosphere. They define the source term for transport retardation processes such as sorption and colloid formation. Solubility and speciation data are useful in verifying the validity of geochemical codes that are a part of predictive transport models. Solubility experiments will approach solution equilibrium from both oversaturation and undersaturation. In these experiments, we have approached the solubility equilibrium from oversaturation, Results are given for solubility and speciation experiments from oversaturation of {sup 237} NpO{sub 2}{sup +} {sup 239}Pu{sup 4+}, and {sup 241}Am{sup 3+}/Nd{sup 3+} in a neutral electrolyte containing a total carbonate concentration similar to groundwater from the Yucca Mountain region, Nevada, which is being investigated as a potential high-level nuclear waste disposal site, at 25{degrees}C and three pH values. In these experiments, the solubilitycontrolling steady-state solids were identified and the speciation and/or oxidation states present in the supernatant solutions were determined.
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Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society, Jan 17, 2015
Women urgently need a self-initiated, multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) that simultaneousl... more Women urgently need a self-initiated, multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) that simultaneously reduces their risk of acquiring HIV-1, HSV-2, and HPV (latter two associated with increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition) and prevent unintended pregnancy. Here, we describe a novel core-matrix intravaginal ring (IVR), the MZCL IVR, which effectively delivered the MZC combination microbicide and a contraceptive. The MZCL IVR contains four active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs): MIV-150 (targets HIV), zinc acetate (ZA; targets HIV and HSV-2), carrageenan (CG; targets HPV and HSV-2), and levonorgestrel (LNG; targets unintended pregnancy). The elastomeric IVR body (matrix) was produced by hot melt extrusion of the non-water swellable elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA-28), containing the hydrophobic small molecules, MIV-150 and LNG. The solid hydrophilic core, embedded within the IVR by compression, contained the small molecule ZA and a macromolecule CG. Hydrated ZA/CG from the core wa...
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Radiochimica Acta, 1994
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Toulouse, France ; ; All previous knowledge leading to this estimate is of NpO2(c) is indirect, b... more Toulouse, France ; ; All previous knowledge leading to this estimate is of NpO2(c) is indirect, based on thermodynamic cycles. The phase itself has heretofore not been observed as a precipitate from aqueous solution. Recent attempts (e.g., Nitsche et al., 1993; Efurd et al., 1996) to establish solubility controls on Np in oxidizing groundwaters (including J-13 groundwater) starting from high
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ABSTRACT Solubility and speciation are important in understanding aqueous radionuclide transport ... more ABSTRACT Solubility and speciation are important in understanding aqueous radionuclide transport through the geosphere. Results are compared from solubility and speciation experiments from oversaturation and undersaturation of {sup 237}NpO{sub 2{sup +}}, {sup 239}Pu{sup 4+}, and {sup 241}Am{sup 3+}/Nd{sup 3+} in a modified UE-25p-1 groundwater (from the Yucca Mountain region, Nevada, which is being investigated as a potential high-level nuclear waste disposal site) at 60 C and three pH values (6.0, 7.0, 8.5). In the oversaturation experiments, the solubility-controlling steady-state solids were identified and the speciation and/or oxidation states present in the supernatant solutions were determined. The characterized solids were then reintroduced into fresh solutions of the modified UE-25p-1 groundwater to approach the steady state from undersaturation. For the undersaturation experiments, the solubility-controlling steady-state solids were also identified and the speciation and/or oxidation states present in the supernatant solutions were determined. The Np solubility decreased with increasing pH in both the over- and undersaturation experiments. The steady-state concentrations from the two experiments agreed to within an order of magnitude. Pu concentrations from over- and undersaturation agree very well in the pH 6 and 7 experiments. The pH 8.5 oversaturation experiment resulted in a steady-state concentration one order of magnitude above its undersaturation counterpart. For the Am/Nd solutions, the pH 6 and pH 7 experiments resulted in equivalent steady-state concentrations from both over and undersaturation. The pH 8.5 oversaturation experiment was 100 times more soluble than its undersaturation counterpart. 48 refs.
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PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000
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Radiochimica Acta, 2003
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Physical Review B, 2013
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Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2007
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Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2006
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Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 2009
Within the framework of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), this study compared the rel... more Within the framework of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), this study compared the relative usefulness of utilizing a focus group or survey methodology when eliciting restaurant employees' beliefs about performing three important food safety behaviors (handwashing, using thermometers, and cleaning and sanitizing work surfaces). Restaurant employees completed both a survey and focus group interview assessing their beliefs about
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Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 2009
This study sought to determine if no experience, basic experience, or well-informed experience (d... more This study sought to determine if no experience, basic experience, or well-informed experience (defined as basic experience and formal food safety training) in a foodservice operation would influence attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control toward three important behaviors that can help prevent foodborne illness (handwashing, using thermometers, and sanitizing work surfaces). Results suggest that formal training increases respondents' appreciation
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Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 2011
Little research has been conducted in applying a theoretical framework to explore restaurant mana... more Little research has been conducted in applying a theoretical framework to explore restaurant managers' beliefs about food safety training. Understanding managers' perceptions of employee food safety training is integral in assuring food safety education is provided for food handlers. The goal of this study was to investigate the antecedents that affect restaurant managers' willingness to support food safety training for
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Journal Articles by Kevin R. Roberts
Papers by Kevin R. Roberts