Yes

No description available.

Sri Lanka is one of the leading countries in export of high quality corundum (Al2O3) gemstones due to the Precambrian rocks geological background. Combined highgrade metamorphic silicates and carbonate rocks makes perfect conditions for crystallization of this mineral. Weathered and eroded rocks have been transported by fluvial processes and formed gem gravels that are located throughout the country but mainly in the Highland complex of Sri Lanka. In order to determine whether a gemstone is corundum or any other gem mineral different techniques and instrumental methods are used. This report focuses on instrumental methods used to measure the minerals physical properties in order to get a definite mineral identification. Mineral identification in gemological circles is critical for determining the commercial value of a specimen. Factors like transparency and color of and inclusions in gemstone have to be taken into account when evaluating the value of a specimen. It also needs to be distinguished from artificial gemstones and heattreated specimens that in recent years have become more common due to more advanced techniques. By examine inclusions and the chemical composition of a rough or facetted specimen the origin and process can be determined. / Sri Lanka är ett av de ledande exportländerna av högkvalitativ ädelkorund (Al2O3) som bildats i landets prekambriska bakgrund. Hög metamorfos av silikat- och karbonatrika bergarter har skapat rätt miljö för mineralet att bildas. Vittrad berggrund har transporterats och avsatts av fluviala processer och ädelstensförande grus finns i huvudsakligen i Sri Lankas Highlandkomplex. För att kunna avgöra om en ädelsten är korund eller ett annat mineral används olika tekniker och instrument. Denna rapport fokuserar huvudsakligen på instrumentella metoder som mäter fysikaliska egenskaper hos mineral för att därigenom kunna få en definitiv mineralidentifikation. Inom gemologi är det absolut nödvändigt med mineralidentifikation för att bestämma det kommersiella värdet av en ädelsten. Även faktorer som transparens, färg och inneslutningar hos en ädelsten måste undersökas vid värdering. Syntetiska och eller värmebehandlade ädelstenar har blivit allt mer vanliga genom utvecklig av avancerad teknik och att skilja dessa från naturliga stenar är också viktigt. Genom undersökning av inneslutningar och den kemiska sammansättningen av en ädelsten kan dess ursprung och i vissa fall de geologiska bildningsprocesserna fastställas.

Abstract not available

This study analyses the technological change in the aggregate tea sector of Sri Lanka, by contributing to an understanding of total factor productivity change with assessment of the extent and nature of such changes from 1960/61 to 1994/95. The total factor productivity measures are then used to define a conceptually sound measure of the production cost of land degradation, providing insight into the scarcity of soil in the tea sector. Total factor productivity in the tea sector, increased at an estimated annual rate of 1.82 percent during the study period. This resulted from an estimated annual rate of increase of 0.01 percent in total output and a considerably larger rate of 1.81 percent annual decrease in total input. Thus, the reason for total factor productivity growth was largely due to cost savings associated with decreased use of inputs rather than increased output. Land and capital inputs showed significant negative growth trends, confirming a lack of long-term investment in the tea sector. As expected, all the partial factor productivities showed increases over the study period due to lower use of those individual inputs; the most significant changes occurring in the partial productivities of land and capital inputs. The terms of trade and the returns to costs ratio, exhibited an annual rate of decrease of around 3.7 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively. The producer terms of trade growth rate of -3.7 percent, has been brought about by an estimated annual rate of increase in prices received of 10.6 percent compared with an increase of 14.3 percent in prices paid. The Sri Lankan tea industry, once pre-eminent in the world, has been going through intermittent crises for a long time due to problems related to low productivity and the high cost of production. The management of the nationalised plantations proved inadequate to meet the task of adjusting to the new challenges of raising productivity and remaining competitive. The contribution of the tea industry to the economy declined. Among other causes, stagnating crop productivity was found to be an important factor. Land degradation in the form of soil erosion, was found to be a serious problem for the entire tea sector. Careless and ecologically unbalanced agricultural practices, have over the years, led to varying degrees of degradation of the tea soils. However, these physical measures of land degradation do not necessarily reveal an economic or social problem. In the second part of the study, an attempt is made to quantify the impact that land degradation has on tea production. Based on the theoretical relationship of the impact of technological progress and land degradation on tea production, a regression model was fitted to deconstruct the total factor productivity variable. The objective of this approach is to find an economic value for land degradation by quantifying the extent of this impact on aggregate tea production in Sri Lanka. One of the key points to come out of this estimation exercise, is the difficulty of isolating the impact of individual factors on measured total factor productivity. On the basis of available data and the chosen model, it could be concluded that the impact of technological progress has outweighed the negative effect of land degradation in the tea sector, over the study period. Considering the fact that investment in tea research is mainly on developing varieties of vegetatively propagated clonal tea, and the associated very long gestation periods involved, a much larger lag length of the order of 25-35 years is recommended for the research investment variable, to enable calculation of the marginal internal rate of return to public investment in tea. Importantly, a larger set of data will become available over the next decade or so which will enable appropriate lags to be incorporated in future research on productivity in the tea industry.

No description available.

The purpose of the present research was to provide ideas for positive stress management in the orchestra world to help achieve high-level performances. The author developed the Orchestral Performance and Stress Survey and distributed it to 230 musicians of three orchestras that comprised full-time and part-time professional as well as community orchestra musicians. The survey sought to identify stress-causing and performance-enhancing factors in the orchestra environment. Questions on the musicians' background allowed for comparisons to identify groups with particular needs. Results show that musical training often does not include stress management training. Playing-related injuries are common. Two-thirds of full-time musicians who responded have suffered injuries that forced them to stop playing for more than one week. On average, musicians reported that stress neither detracts from, nor enhances performances. The most stressful concert types were classical concerts. Highly critical audiences are the most stressful. / School of Music

Thesis (M.Econ-Res.)--University of Wollongong, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 115-123.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Leipzig, 1999.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2010. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed February 17, 2010). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-268).