Analyze the Relationships Between Inputs and Scale Economies in Potato Production in Ardabil Province

Potato is one of the agriculture important products in Ardebil province that about 24 thousand hectares of land in this province allocated to this product. Based on available evidence, consumption of inputs in the production process in this region is not optimal and producing does not do according to the principles of production economics. This study aims to explain the production structure and the economies of scale. the required data collected by questionnaire from 156 Ardebil potatoes farmer in 1389 year. To this end, the Translog cost function with cost share equations was utilized by SURE technique. Results showed that own price elasticities of seed, labor and machines inputs are negative, and the labor and seed inputs have complementary relationship with machine input, while water input has substitution relationship with seed, labor and machine inputs. Finally, the cost elasticity is 0/69 which indicates there is economies of scale in the process of production

Measuring Technical Efficiency in Potatoes Production (Case Study: Ardabil Province, Iran)

The main purpose in each micro level organization and macro level of national economic system undoubtedly is to increase the rates of economic growth through the economic and efficient utilization of resources. This would be promoted through the developed techniques and by realization of effective potentials in opportunities and defective limitations. This could guarantee economic foundations for next generations besides a high standard of living for current one. Ardebil province, producing 705 thousand tons of potatoes through 21231 hectares of planted land is the second producer of potatoes in Iran. This study estimates technical efficiency of potatoes plants in Ardabil province by using Stochastic Frontier Production Function by Maximum Likelihood. Some 216 random samples from potatoes producers in agricultural year 1387-1388 have been interviewed. First flexible function was coordinated by using cross-sectional data and Translog function was selected from these functions as the top priority. The technical efficiency for potatoes planters was calculated at 68 percent which lets us to recognize that by using the current amounts of inputs it is possible to increase products up to 32 percent on average. As a result it is advisable for farmers to use inputs more efficiently and mix them more properly so that they can reach a higher profit and post revealing advantages

Optimization of Image Quality and Patient Dose in Digital Radiography of the Chest

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Digital systems have been replacing with screen-film analogue systems in diagnostic radiology departments, rapidly. Despite the differences in the properties of new x-ray imaging detectors, the same radiographic protocols that had been used for radiographic film-screen are used for digital imaging systems, without any review yet. In this study, the image quality and the patient dose in digital imaging of the chest are evaluated and optimized. METHODS: Two digital radiography machines from two separated hospitals (Imam Khomeini and Bu Ali Hospitals-Sari) have been used in this experimental research. Imaging and dose measurement are carried out at different source to phantom distances and kilo-voltages. For measurement of the image quality, a contrast-detail radiography (CDRAD) phantom is used. For evaluation of optimization, the Inverse Image Quality Figure per patient dose squared (IQFinv/E2) is used. FINDINGS: Evaluation of measured data for optimization shows that for both of these two digital radiography machines, despite of increasing in patent dose, with reducing of kilo-voltage, the IQFinv/E2 is increased. The maximum values of this parameter for Imam Khomeini and Bu Ali Hospitals are measured 0.0180 and 0.0083, respectively.  CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that despite the traditional notion of using higher kilo-voltages for chest radiography, with increasing kilo-voltage, the ratio of image quality per patient dose is reduced. So, for optimization of chest radiography, as much as possible the kilo-voltage should be reduced based on the size of patient and clinical purpose