This book describes the fundamental and theoretical concepts of optimization algorithms in a systematic manner, along with their potential applications and implementation strategies in mining engineering. It explains basics of systems engineering, linear programming, and integer linear programming, transportation and assignment algorithms, network analysis, dynamic programming, queuing theory and their applications to mine systems. Reliability analysis of mine systems, inventory management in mines, and applications of non-linear optimization in mines are discussed as well. All the optimization algorithms are explained with suitable examples and numerical problems in each of the chapters. Features include: * Integrates operations research, reliability, and novel computerized technologies in single volume, with a modern vision of continuous improvement of mining systems. * Systematically reviews optimization methods and algorithms applied to mining systems including reliability analysis. * Gives out software-based solutions such as MATLAB (R), AMPL, LINDO for the optimization problems. * All discussed algorithms are supported by examples in each chapter. * Includes case studies for performance improvement of the mine systems. This book is aimed primarily at professionals, graduate students, and researchers in mining engineering.

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are largely Latinx men, women, and children. They work in crop, dairy, and livestock production, and are essential to the U.S. agricultural economy-one of the most hazardous and least regulated industries in the United States. Latinx migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the eastern United States experience high rates of illness, injury, and death, indicating widespread occupational injustice. This second edition takes a social justice stance and integrates the past ten years of research and intervention to address health, safety, and justice issues for farmworkers. Contributors cover all major areas of health and safety research for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families, explore the factors that affect the health and safety of farmworkers and their families, and suggest approaches for further research and educational and policy intervention needed to improve the health and safety of Latinx farmworkers and their families. Among the chapter topics are: Occupational injury and illness in Latinx farmworkers in the eastern United States Mental health among Latinx farmworkers in the eastern United States The health of women farmworkers and women in farmworker families in the eastern United States The health of children in the Latinx farmworker community in the eastern United States Community-based participatory research with Latinx farmworker communities in the eastern United States Farm labor and the struggle for justice in the eastern United States Accessibly written and comprehensive in its scope, this second edition of Latinx Farmworkers in the Eastern United States: Health, Safety, and Justice will find an engaged audience among researchers, students, and practitioners in public health, occupational health, public policy, and social and behavioral sciences, as well as labor advocates and healthcare providers.

This book is dedicated to the spiky little freshwater ruffian known better as the ruffe, pope, 'tommy ruffe' and other local names. A fascinating little fish, the ruffe is long overdue a book all of its own. Much loved by many anglers, ruffe can also be problematic when introduced beyond their native range. Scientist, author and broadcaster Dr Mark Everard details fascinating aspects of the biology, angling and wider contributions to society of the ruffe.

This book explores recent advances on the use of microbes for agri-forestry biotechnological applications. It provides technical concepts and discussions on the use of microorganisms for processes such as bioprocessing, bioremediation, soil enhancement, aquaponics advances, and plant-host symbiosis. The book provides an overview of the microbial approach to the tools and processes used in agriculture and forestry that make or modify products, improve plants for specific uses, and make use of livestock in agricultural systems. The authors discuss the main process conditions that enhance agri-forestry applications with the use of microbes and introduce the use of genetically modified (GM) microbes in agrobiotechnology. Finally, the authors explore the main technological advances in the production of secondary metabolites with potential applications in agri-forestry. This book is intended for biotechnologists, biologists, bioengineers, biochemists, microbiologists, food technologists, enzymologists, and related researchers.

Provides a comprehensive environmental assessment of advanced nanocatalyst for biodiesel production in world's energy demand supply. Discusses the green platform based nanocatalyst like metal oxides/sulphides, 2D-dimensional layered material synthesis and their relevance for biodiesel production. Presents pathway for a cheaper, cleaner and environmentally friendly processing techniques for biodiesel production

This radical book aims to inject new insight and urgency into the discourse on the retrofitting of commercial and residential buildings in the face of the climate emergency. It is about the why, how and who should take the lead in revolutionising buildings in the face of serious climate and social change. Buildings contribute very significantly to the output of carbon, particularly in developed countries where the stock is old, but it is neither feasible nor desirable to demolish them all and start again! If existing buildings cannot in be replaced in the short-term by new zero carbon stock, retrofitting and adaptation of the existing building stock is critical and urgent. This book explains why and how the improvement of buildings requires a complex, holistic approach that brings all stakeholders together with respect and understanding. Yet to do this against a limited time frame is challenging. The book analyses what must be done, explores how it could be achieved and sets out a manifesto for action by all those engaged: from policy makers, to educationalists, designers, constructors, investors, funders and occupiers. By bringing together authors from across the built environment disciplines, the book stimulates debate within policy, practice and education circles which must lead to action if we are to avoid catastrophe. This is a unique addition to the literature on the sustainability of existing buildings and their retrofitting for the benefit of all.

This volume explores agricultural commercialization from a gender equality and right to food perspective. Agricultural commercialization, involving not only the shift to selling crops and buying inputs but also the commodification of land and labour, has always been controversial. Strategies for commercialization have often reinforced and exacerbated inequalities, been blind to gender differences and given rise to violations of the human rights to food, land, work and social security. While there is a body of evidence to trace these developments globally, impacts vary considerably in local contexts. This book systematically considers these dynamics in two countries, Cambodia and Ghana. Profoundly different in terms of their history and location, they provide the basis for fruitful comparisons because they both transitioned to democracy in the early 1990s, made agricultural development a priority, and adopted orthodox policies of commercialization to develop the sector. Chapters illustrate how commercialization processes are gendered, highlighting distinctive gender, ethnic and class dynamics in rural Ghana and Cambodia and the different outcomes these generate. They also show the ways in which food cultures are changing and the often-problematic impact of these changes on the safety and quality of food. Specific policies and legal norms are examined, with chapters addressing the development and implementation of frameworks on the right to food and land administration. Overall, the volume brings into relief multiple dimensions shaping the outcomes of processes of commercialization, including gender orders, food cultures, policy translation, national and sub-national policies, corporate investments and programmes, and formal and informal legal norms. In doing so, it offers insight not only on our case countries, but also provides proposals to advance rights-based research on food security. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food security, agricultural development and economics, gender, human rights and sustainable development.

This book examines the current situation, levels of adoption, management practices, and the future outlook of conservation agriculture in India, and also in other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. While conservation agriculture is proposed as an important means to combat climate change, improve crop productivity and food affordability, and to protect the environment, the adoption of conservation agriculture in India, and south-east Asia more broadly, has been slow. This volume reflects on the current status of conservation agriculture in India, asking why adoption has been slow and putting forward strategies to improve its uptake. The chapters cover the various aspects of crop management such as soil, water, nutrients, weeds, crop residues, machinery, and energy, in a range of environments, including irrigated and rainfed regions. The impact of climate change and the economic considerations behind the adoption of conservation agriculture are also discussed. The volume concludes by discussing the future outlook for conservation agriculture in India, in particular drawing out parallels with other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of conservation agriculture, sustainable agriculture, crop and soil management, and environmental and natural resource management.

An ideal reference book for students (undergraduates and postgraduates) studying Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying, or Architecture, etc. Of use to the Construction-related legal profession, Property Managers and Letting Agents. Builders (and homeowners, interested in identifying faults in their property), should also benefit from this book. Covers a wide range of new and old building terms, techniques, technologies, and materials, but much more extensively than the average dictionary. The alphabetical format makes it easy to check up on terms and subject-areas quickly -- and the detailed coverage (including helpful drawings/illustrated figures) provides clear guidance to the reader.

This framework document provides a practical approach for designing representative studies and developing uniform sampling guidelines to support estimates of health outcomes that are explicitly linked to exposure to land-based contaminants from ASGM activities.

Plant phenotyping is rapidly developing technology that involves the quantitative analysis of structural and functional plant traits. It is widely recognised that phenotyping needs to match similar advances in genetics if it is to not create a bottleneck in plant breeding. Advances in plant phenotyping for more sustainable crop production reviews the wealth of research on advances in plant phenotyping to meet this challenge, including new technologies such as optical and thermographic sensors, as well as alternative carrier systems such as field robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The book details the use of plant phenotyping to analyse traits such as crop root functionality, yield performance and disease resistance. Edited by a world-renowned researcher in plant science, Advances in plant phenotyping for more sustainable crop production will be a standard reference for university and other researchers in plant science, as well as those in computing and engineering science with a research focus on computer vision, data mining and image-based plant phenotyping. The book will also be a key resource for plant breeders, government and private agencies involved in advocating for a more sustainable agriculture, agricultural engineers, as well as suppliers of agricultural technology.

Advances in Food Safety and Environmental Engineering is a compilation of selected papers from the 2022 4th International Conference on Food Safety and Environmental Engineering (FSEE 2022) and focuses on the research of food engineering and environmental engineering. The proceedings feature the most cutting-edge research directions and achievements related to health and environment. Subjects in these proceedings include: Food Safety and Health Food Nutrition Food Processing and Preservation Environmental Engineering and Technology Ecology and Ecosystem Management This collection of papers aims to promote food safety and environmental development, resource sharing, flexibility and high efficiency. An additional goal is to promote scientific information exchange globally between scientists from the best universities, research centers and high-tech companies.

This third book from editors Rick Best and Jim Meikle brings together and presents insights into a number of key concepts in the study of construction firms, projects and the group of activities that loosely define the construction industry. The value for readers comes from the collection of a variety of topics in a single volume, which provide a basic understanding of the complexities of construction as more than a set of practical concerns such as labour management and materials handling. Instead, the focus is on analysis of the industry and its component parts from the viewpoints of construction economists and others seeking to understand the drivers and challenges that shape an area of economic activity that is a major contributor in all economies. The aim of this book is to provide an overview and discussion of several aspects of what makes construction tick. It is unlike other industry sectors in many ways, being project-based with often intense competition for work. Where the first book, Measuring Construction, focused on particular areas associated with quantifying various aspects of construction activity and the second, Accounting for Construction, looked more at how we record and report on construction activity, Describing Construction gives readers the views of experts in the field of how the construction industry is described, what its make-up is, it even asks the question: is construction a single industry? This book will change the way most readers understand the 'construction industry', whatever that may be, not from the point of view of visible on-site activities, but through a scientific approach to analysis and understanding of how projects, firms and various sectors of the industry work and how things are changing and may continue to change in future. It is essential reading for students and researchers in construction management, quantity surveying, architecture and engineering.

Wine is one of the oldest forms of alcoholic beverages known to man. Estimates date its origins back to 6000 B.C. Ever since, it has occupied a significant role in our lives, be it for consumption, social virtues, therapeutic value, its flavoring in foods, etc. A study of wine production and the technology of winemaking is thus imperative. The preparation of wine involves steps from harvesting the grapes, fermenting the must, maturing the wine, stabilizing it finally, to getting the bottled wine to consumers. The variety of cultivars, methods of production, and style of wine, along with presentation and consumption pattern add to the complexity of winemaking. In the past couple of decades, there have been major technological advances in wine production in the areas of cultivation of grapes, biochemistry and methods of production of different types of wines, usage of analytical techniques has enabled us to produce higher quality wine. The technological inputs of a table wine, dessert wine or sparkling wine, are different and has significance to the consumer. The role played by the killer yeast, recombinant DNA technology, application of enzyme technology and new analytical methods of wine evaluation, all call for a comprehensive review of the advances made. This comprehensive volume provides a holistic view of the basics and applied aspects of wine production and technology. The book comprises production steps, dotted with the latest trends or the innovations in the fields. It draws upon the expertise of leading researchers in the wine making worldwide.

Discusses the digitalization of agriculture including telematics, precision farming, blockchain, and AI Looks at the impact of AI on sustainable agriculture Presents a multi-layered architecture relevant to security in precision agriculture Covers machine learning architectures for forecasting weather conditions

Mine Design, Planning and Sustainable Exploitation in the Digital Age covers mine planning, design and exploitation taking cognizance of new developments, especially those associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the positive influence that it has, and will have, on the mining industry. It refers to latest best practices with emphasis on the social license to operate and sustainable (green) mining. The book covers surface and underground mining in some detail and addresses relevant associated aspects such as risk management, green mining and the importance of real community relations. It is organized as follows: Surface Mining Underground Soft Rock Mining Underground Hard Rock (Metal/Non-metal) Mining Green and Sustainable Mining It has many relevant photos and figures that help the reader and includes appropriate support design and types commonly used in the various mining methods. Mine Design, Planning and Sustainable Exploitation in the Digital Age is mainly aimed at mining, geological engineering and other undergraduate and postgraduates interested in the mining resources industry. It will also serve as a useful reference book for practitioners in the mining industry who want an easy-to-use book.

The book uses archival data to examine how access to micro-finance credit played a role in facilitating adjustment to blight during the Great Famine of Ireland. The author argues that the worst affected districts with a microfinance fund experienced substantially smaller population declines and larger increases in buffer livestock during the famine than those districts without a fund. The potentially limited capacity of credit access to mitigate the effects of a major environmental shock on the poorest, most vulnerable borrowers is also a key topic of discussion.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on sustainable forest management. The first chapter discusses the varying definitions of sustainable forest management (SFM) in tropical landscapes, as well as the trade-offs associated with SFM. The chapter also reviews the spatial scales of assessing SFM and explores expanding the scope of SFM from individual strands to forested landscapes. The second chapter provides a comprehensive review of the current research undertaken in sustainable forestry. It considers the concept and evolution of sustainable forestry and the challenges which arise as a result of implementing SFM practices. The third chapter reviews the role and impact of forest certification schemes in the achievement of SFM. The chapter summarises the wealth of research available on the development of forest certification and how individual elements can be optimised to further improve the model. The fourth chapter discusses the recent history and implementation challenges of SFM across the Congo Basin, including logging concessions, land zones and the processes and institutions required to implement effective SFM policies. The final chapter analyses the potential trade-offs between ecosystem services and biodiversity in the southern Patagonian forests. The chapter explores the implementation of SFM as a strategy to mitigate these trade-offs at a landscape level.

The Routledge International Handbook of Comparative Psychology is an international reference work that offers scientists and students a balanced overview of current research in the field of comparative psychology and animal behavior. The book takes an integrative approach to animal behavior, with most of the chapters discussing research involving both proximate (developmental and mechanistic) and ultimate (functional and phylogenetic) levels of analysis. Chapters cover the major ideas of core topics in the field and examine emerging research trends to provide readers deeper understanding of these ideas. One of the strengths of this book is its the coverage of core topics in comparative psychology and animal behavior from different - and diverse - perspectives. The diverse perspectives come from the wide range of focal species studied by chapter authors, a range traditionally quite atypical for comparative psychology, and from the widespread international representation of the authors and the diversity of departments and research centers at which these authors work in. The first part of the Handbook examines historical and foundational principles and theories in the field. The second part focuses on individual behavior systems. The final part of the book is devoted to a diversity of ideas that extend our understanding of behavior into new directions. The Routledge International Handbook of Comparative Psychology is an essential resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and established academics, as well as others who are interested in comparative psychology and animal behavior.

First published in 1988, The Bhopal Syndrome documents one of world's worst industrial disaster: The Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984. The tragedy exposed a variety of issues plaguing rapid development such as the negligence of corporations and government, prioritizing of commercial benefits over human lives, inadequate post-disaster rehabilitation and compensation, and frightening levels of environmental pollution. The author argues that the Bhopal gas tragedy is being replicated across the globe at various intensities facilitating a dangerous normalisation. He asserts that workers and consumers should fight for their 'right to know' about working conditions, chemicals used in pesticides, the harm caused by producing such chemicals, how these chemicals end up on our food as well as the manner in which the chemicals interact in our body. Climate crisis and undeterred industrial development still haunt our reality making this book an essential read for any concerned citizen and for students of disaster management, industrial disasters, climate change, environment, toxicology and workers' rights.

This open access book provides an evidence-based roadmap for revitalising Indian agriculture while ensuring that the growth process is efficient, inclusive, and sustainable, and results in sustained growth of farmers' incomes. The book, instead of looking for global best practices and evaluating them to assess the possibility of replicating these domestically, looks inward at the best practices and experiences within Indian states, to answer questions such as -- how the agricultural growth process can be speeded up and made more inclusive, and financially viable; are there any best practices that can be studied and replicated to bring about faster growth in agriculture; does the prior hypothesis that rapid agricultural growth can alleviate poverty faster, reduce malnutrition, and augment farmers' incomes stand? To answer these questions, the book follows four broad threads -- i) Linkage between agricultural performance, poverty and malnutrition; ii) Analysing the historical growth performance of agricultural sector in selected Indian states; iii) Will higher agricultural GDP necessarily result in higher incomes for farmers; iv) Analysing the current agricultural policy environment to evaluate its efficiency and efficacy, and consolidate all analysis to create a roadmap. These are discussed in 12 chapters, which provide a building block for the concluding chapter that presents a roadmap for revitalising Indian agriculture while ensuring growth in farmers' incomes.

Covers computational approaches as applied to problems in the air and water pollution domain Delivers generic methods of modeling with spatio-temporal analyses using soft computation and programming paradigms Includes theoretical aspects of environmental processes with their complexity and programmable mathematical approaches Adopts a realistic approach involving formulas, algorithms and techniques to establish mathematical models/computations Provides a pathway for real-time implementation of complex modeling problems formulations including case studies

Women are contributing to disciplines once the sole domain of men. Field biology has been no different. The history of women field biologists, embedded in a history largely made and recorded by men, has never been written. Compilations of biographies have been assembled, but the narrative-their story-has never been told. In part, this is because many expressed their passion for nature as writers, artists, collectors, and educators during eras when women were excluded from the male-centric world of natural history and science. The history of women field biologists is intertwined with men's changing views of female intellect and with increasing educational opportunities available to women. Given the preponderance of today's professional female ecologists, animal behaviorists, systematists, conservation biologists, wildlife biologists, restoration ecologists, and natural historians, it is time to tell this story-the challenges and hardships they faced and still face, and the prominent role they have played and increasingly play in understanding our natural world. For a broader perspective, we profile selected European women field biologists, but our primary focus is the journey of women field biologists in North America. Each woman highlighted here followed a unique path. For some, personal wealth facilitated their work; some worked alongside their husbands. Many served as invisible assistants to men, receiving little or no recognition. Others were mavericks who carried out pioneering studies and whose published works are still read and valued today. All served as inspiration and proved to the women who would follow that women are as capable as men at studying nature in nature. Their legacy lives on today. The 75 female field biologists interviewed for this book are further testament that women have the intellect, stamina, and passion for fieldwork.

The book provides valuable information on wild plants and their ethnopharmacological properties, discussion on ethnobotany, phytotherapy, diversity, chemical and pharmacological properties including antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antiprotozal properties. The chapters include a wide range of case studies, giving updated evidence on importance of wild plant resources from different countries including Nepal, India, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Peru, etc. In addition, some specific species are used to explain their potential properties. Discussing traditional usage and pharmacological properties of wild plants, this book is entirely different from other related publications and useful for the researchers working in the areas of conservation biology, botany, ethnobiology, ethnopharmacology, policy making, etc.

Investigating the process of agrarian change, this book analyzes costs and productivity under the main systems of primitive agriculture. The conclusion is that technical, economic and social changes are unlikely to take place within primitive agriculture unless the rural community concerned is exposed to the pressure of population growth: a conclusion that is in sharp contrast to generally accepted ideas. The themes in the book are central to the discussion of the problems of population explosion and the world's undernourished peoples.