Thesis--School of Advanced Airpower Studies, 1996. / Shipping list no.: 1998-0921-M. "August 1997." Includes bibliographical references. Also available via Internet from the Air University Press web site. Address as of 10/28/03: http://aupress.au.af.mil/SAAS%5FTheses/Lewis/lewis.pdf; current access is available via PURL.

Mine abandonment and the discharge of contaminated mine water is recognised globally as a major source of surface water and groundwater pollution. Contamination generally arises from the oxidation of sulphide minerals, principally pyrite, by the mining process, and the subsequent chemical reactions can lead to the discharge of mineralised, often acidic, iron, and sulphate rich waters. In many historically mined river catchments, mine water discharge is the main cause of poor water quality. Within the UK, managing the legacy of abandoned mines is one of the principal challenges presented by modern environmental legislation, particularly the EU Water Framework Directive, a challenge that is exacerbated by the diverse and widespread nature of historical mining. The impact and hazard associated with abandoned mining in one of the UK’s most intensively mined regions, the Almond River Catchment, Scotland, was examined via: 1) a detailed GIS mapping and investigation of historical mining processes in the catchment, 2) mine site discharge sampling, 3) detailed site investigations, 4) geochemical modelling of four mine waste sites and 5) analysis of temporal and spatial river water quality in the catchment. The results are then brought together to produce a catchment scale mine water hazard map. Mapping has identified over 300 mine sites in the catchment including coal, oil shale and ironstone mine wastes and flooded coal and oil shale mines. The historical development of oil shale retort methods has been shown to have an impact on potential hazard. Sampling of discharge waters from the different mining activities, in conjunction with detailed mineralogical analysis and geochemical modelling at the four mine waste sites has characterised the main hazards. Ironstone and pyrite bearing coal mine wastes discharge waters with highly elevated Fe and sulphate concentrations, up to 160mgl-1 and 1900mgl-1 respectively, due to extensive pyrite oxidation and acid generating salt dissolution (principally jarosite). Coal mine wastes show variable mineralogy, due to the diverse nature of coal bearing strata, and discharge waters with variable chemistry. Oil Shale mine wastes are generally depleted in pyrite due to historic processing and discharge low sulphate waters with moderately elevated Fe concentrations, up to 5mgl-1. Flooded coal mines discharge sulphate dominant alkaline waters, due to the availability of carbonate minerals in the mine complex, with elevated Fe concentrations, up to 50mgl-1, while flooded oil shale mines discharge waters with moderately elevated Fe concentrations, up to 4mgl-1, due to lower pyrite content in mine strata and reduced availability of oxygen related to mine abandonment age. Once in the surface water environment iron and sulphate display significant concentration-flow dependence: iron increases at high flows due to the re-suspension of river bed iron precipitates (Fe(OH)3); sulphate concentrations decrease with increased flow as a result of dilution. Further examination of iron and sulphate loading at low flows indicates a close correlation of iron and sulphate with mined areas; cumulative low flow load calculations indicate that coal and oil shale mining regions contribute 0.21 and 0.31 g/s of iron, respectively, to the main Almond tributary. Decreases in iron loading on river sections demonstrate the deposition and diffuse storage of iron within the river channel. This river bed iron is re-suspended with increased flow resulting in significant transport of diffuse iron downstream with load values of up to 50 g/s iron. Based on this hazard classification, a catchment scale mine water hazard map has been developed. The map allows the prioritisation of actions for future mine water management.

A extração e comercialização das castanhas do Brasil (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) é uma importante fonte de renda na região norte do Brasil. O processamento das castanhas nas indústrias ainda necessita de melhorias. Por isso, o Brasil está atrasado na questão da qualidade do produto em relação às exigências feitas pelo mercado externo. A Bolívia, que é a maior exportadora de amêndoas, utiliza tecnologia para processamento das amêndoas e com isso consegue satisfazer as exigências impostas pelo mercado internacional, sendo mais competitiva do que o Brasil nesse segmento. Sistemas de visão computacional e sistemas inteligentes estão sendo amplamente utilizados para melhoria dos processos de produção e dos produtos em diversas áreas do conhecimento. Visando a melhoria dos processos nas indústrias brasileiras de beneficiamento das castanhas, este trabalho utilizou conceitos de visão computacional com foco em duas das várias etapas de beneficiamento: classificação das castanhas e seleção de suas amêndoas. Assim, esta dissertação apresenta o software desenvolvido para seleção das amêndoas e também uma metodologia de classificação por origem. O software desenvolvido para a seleção das amêndoas apresentou na distinção entre intactas e quebradas uma média de identificações corretas de 95,7%. Já para a metodologia de classificação, teve 84% de identificações corretas na identificação das origens. / Extraction and trading of the Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) is an important source of income for the northern region of Brazil. The factory processing of the Brazil nuts still needs improvements. This is in the mean reason why Brazil is losing ground in the foreign market due to the demands made on the issue of product quality. Bolivia, today is the largest exporter of nuts, and uses technology for nuts processing satisfying the requirements imposed by the international market, being more competitive than Brazil in this segment. Computer vision and intelligent systems are being widely used to improve production processes and products in many areas of technology. Aiming to improve the Brazilian industrial nuts processing, this study used computer vision concepts with focus on two of the various stages of processing: classification of nuts and selection of its almonds. Thus, this dissertation presents the software developed for selection of almonds and also a method of classification by origin. The software developed for the selection of almonds showed the distinction between intact and broken with an average accuracy of 95.7%. As for the methodology of classification, this had 84% accuracy in identifying the sources.

A extração e comercialização das castanhas do Brasil (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) é uma importante fonte de renda na região norte do Brasil. O processamento das castanhas nas indústrias ainda necessita de melhorias. Por isso, o Brasil está atrasado na questão da qualidade do produto em relação às exigências feitas pelo mercado externo. A Bolívia, que é a maior exportadora de amêndoas, utiliza tecnologia para processamento das amêndoas e com isso consegue satisfazer as exigências impostas pelo mercado internacional, sendo mais competitiva do que o Brasil nesse segmento. Sistemas de visão computacional e sistemas inteligentes estão sendo amplamente utilizados para melhoria dos processos de produção e dos produtos em diversas áreas do conhecimento. Visando a melhoria dos processos nas indústrias brasileiras de beneficiamento das castanhas, este trabalho utilizou conceitos de visão computacional com foco em duas das várias etapas de beneficiamento: classificação das castanhas e seleção de suas amêndoas. Assim, esta dissertação apresenta o software desenvolvido para seleção das amêndoas e também uma metodologia de classificação por origem. O software desenvolvido para a seleção das amêndoas apresentou na distinção entre intactas e quebradas uma média de identificações corretas de 95,7%. Já para a metodologia de classificação, teve 84% de identificações corretas na identificação das origens. / Extraction and trading of the Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) is an important source of income for the northern region of Brazil. The factory processing of the Brazil nuts still needs improvements. This is in the mean reason why Brazil is losing ground in the foreign market due to the demands made on the issue of product quality. Bolivia, today is the largest exporter of nuts, and uses technology for nuts processing satisfying the requirements imposed by the international market, being more competitive than Brazil in this segment. Computer vision and intelligent systems are being widely used to improve production processes and products in many areas of technology. Aiming to improve the Brazilian industrial nuts processing, this study used computer vision concepts with focus on two of the various stages of processing: classification of nuts and selection of its almonds. Thus, this dissertation presents the software developed for selection of almonds and also a method of classification by origin. The software developed for the selection of almonds showed the distinction between intact and broken with an average accuracy of 95.7%. As for the methodology of classification, this had 84% accuracy in identifying the sources.

Si les reliures arabes et islamiques ont connu une immense variété de décors au travers du Moyen-Age, la période allant du XIIIᵉ au XVᵉ siècle représente sans conteste un âge d’or quant à la richesse et la beauté des œuvres réalisées. Si pendant longtemps ce sont les formes géométriques et circulaires qui ont dominé, les conquêtes mongoles dès le XIIIᵉ ont contribuées à la diffusion du décor central en forme de mandorle de la Perse vers l’empire Mamelouk puis vers l’empire Ottoman. Celle-ci était largement utilisée par les relieurs persans dont l’art a certainement connu une influence artistique venant de Chine. Ce sont les artistes persans qui ont porté le décor en forme de mandorle à son plus haut degré de raffinement esthétique. La mandorle n’est apparue dans le répertoire des relieurs mamelouks qu’à partir de la fin du XIVᵉ siècle et a couramment été utilisée à partir de la deuxième moitié du XVᵉ siècle. C’est également à partir de cette période qu’elle apparaît sur les reliures ottomanes avec des mandorles polylobées ornées de belles arabesques et de décors floraux fins et raffinés réalisés de plus en plus souvent sur des fonds dorés. La fin du XVᵉ siècle est marquée par l’apparition des décors réalisés à l’aide de plaque qui va rapidement se répandre et remplacer les mandorles réalisées à l’aide de petits. L’influence esthétique des décors en forme de mandorle fut telle qu’elle se répandit jusque dans les répertoires des décors des reliures de la Renaissance italienne. Cette étude présente l'évolution et la diffusion du décor en forme de mandorle réalisé à l'aide de petits fers du XIIIᵉ au XVᵉ siècle sur la base d'un échantillon composé de quatre-vingt-douze reliures. / Arab and Islamic bindings offer a very large variety of patterns throughout the Middle Ages. The period from 13th to the 15th century is undoubtedly a golden age regarding the beauty of their ornement and decoration.If during a long time circular and geometric profiles dominated the bindings decoration, the Mongol conquests from the 13th century have contributed to the diffusion of almoond profile from Persia to the Mamluk and Ottoman's bindings. It was widely used by Persian bookbinders whose art has certainly experienced an artistic influence from China. Persian artists have worn the almond shape at its highest degree of aesthetic refinement. The almond profile only appeared into the Mamluk binder's repertoire until the end of the 15th century and commonly used from the second half of 15th century. It is also from this period that it appears on the Ottoman bindings with lobed profiles usually filled with beautiful arabesques and floral ornamentoften on gilded background. In the late 15th century appears the technique of pressure moulding, that involved the pressing of the leather with large stamps. This technique quickly spread and replace almond shape using small stamps. The aesthetic influence of the almond profile was such that it were introduced into the Italian bookbinder's repertoire by the middle of the 15th century. This study presents the developments and dissemination of the almond profile made with small stamps from the 13th to the 15th century on the basis of a sample of ninety two bindings.

Areas of California's Central Valley are sinking at rates up to 1 foot per year due to subsidence caused, in part, by the state's years-long drought, challenging growers to locate additional water sources for their crops. Supply and demand theory guided this correlational study. The purpose of the study was to examine the financial impact of drought on almond demand. This study included annualized historical almond industry data for the United States (N = 97), downloaded from a United States Department of Agriculture database. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the model was capable of predicting almond demand, F(3,92) = 483.579, p < .001, R2 = .940. Both supply and price were statistically significant in the final model, with supply (p < .001) accounting for a higher contribution to the model than price (p = .015). Fine effect's contribution (p = .267) to the model was not statistically significant. The results of this study could enable almond industry leaders to increase profit margins through market predictability understanding and mitigate fiscal risks associated with variable labor and groundwater pumping costs. The implications for positive social change include the potential to restore employment opportunities, stabilize migratory worker prospects, and reduce water utilization to preserve natural resources.

Bibliography: leaves 169-185 / viii, 185 leaves, [1] leaf of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Pathology, 1987

<p>Reliable methods to analyze food for the presence of almond are important – not only for those allergic to almond, but also for monitoring the compliance with labelling regulations (EG directive 2003/89). Until now the Swedish National Food Administration has used methods like rocket immunoelectrophoresis and real-time PCR to detect almond in food. These methods are, however, not sensitive enough for protecting the most sensitive individuals. Therefore, the performance of a commercial ELISA kit was tested with regard to specificity/cross reactivity and limit of detection for almond both in solution and in different matrixes.</p><p>The limit of quantitation was at least 3,1 ppm (mg/kg) in solution and similar concentrations were measured in bisquits and chocolate. The ELISA method was about 100-fold more sensitive than rocket immunoelectrophoresis and PCR.</p><p>The specificity of the test kit was evaluated against a number of different nuts and seeds. No important cross reactivity was found. The antibodies against almond used in the kit can not differentiate between almond and apricot kernel. For such purposes the PCR method could be used.</p>

Reliable methods to analyze food for the presence of almond are important – not only for those allergic to almond, but also for monitoring the compliance with labelling regulations (EG directive 2003/89). Until now the Swedish National Food Administration has used methods like rocket immunoelectrophoresis and real-time PCR to detect almond in food. These methods are, however, not sensitive enough for protecting the most sensitive individuals. Therefore, the performance of a commercial ELISA kit was tested with regard to specificity/cross reactivity and limit of detection for almond both in solution and in different matrixes. The limit of quantitation was at least 3,1 ppm (mg/kg) in solution and similar concentrations were measured in bisquits and chocolate. The ELISA method was about 100-fold more sensitive than rocket immunoelectrophoresis and PCR. The specificity of the test kit was evaluated against a number of different nuts and seeds. No important cross reactivity was found. The antibodies against almond used in the kit can not differentiate between almond and apricot kernel. For such purposes the PCR method could be used.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.