Polarimetric radar data decomposition and interpretation

Significant efforts have been made to decompose polarimetric radar data into several simple scattering components. The components which are selected because of their physical significance can be used to classify SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) image data. If particular components can be related to forest parameters, inversion procedures may be developed to estimate these parameters from the scattering components. Several methods have been used to decompose an averaged Stoke's matrix or covariance matrix into three components representing odd (surface), even (double-bounce) and diffuse (volume) scatterings. With these decomposition techniques, phenomena, such as canopy-ground interactions, randomness of orientation, and size of scatters can be examined from SAR data. In this study we applied the method recently reported by van Zyl (1992) to decompose averaged backscattering covariance matrices extracted from JPL SAR images over forest stands in Maine, USA. These stands are mostly mixed stands of coniferous and deciduous trees. Biomass data have been derived from field measurements of DBH and tree density using allometric equations. The interpretation of the decompositions and relationships with measured stand biomass are presented in this paper

An Optimization Approach for Pricing Analysis on a Bank Wealth-Management Equity Structured Product

This paper researches on the pricing and design of a certain stock-type structured product. Firstly, a semi-analytic pricing model is deduced by discounting the payoff function of the product. Secondly, the difference between publishers\u27 and investors\u27 required rate of return is explained with market segmentation theory when estimating the pricing model’s parameters, which defines the cost and sale price of a product. Finally, with sensitivity analysis, it is concluded that publishers can increase their profits by extending the due date of the product or publishing it with relatively large asset volatility. The study aims to help publishers make reasonable product design and pricing decisions

Effects of Different Soccer Stud Configurations on Knee Kinematlcs and Shoe-Surface Traction of Sidestep Cutting Movement on Natural Grass

The purpose of this study was to inwstigate the effect of different stud configuration on knee joint kinematics of sidestep cutting movement on natural grass. A total of 14 amateur soccer players participated in the tests. Participants were asked to complete tasks of 45" sidestep cutting at the speed of 5.0M+-2m/s on natural grass. They selected soccer s h m with firm ground design (FG), artificial ground design (AG) and turf cleats (TF) randomly. During 45" cut, peak knee flexion (p less than 0.001) and abduction angles (

An Optimization Approach for pricing of Discrete European Call options Based on the Preference of Investors

Firstly, a method for measuring the risk aversion of investors was proposed based on the prospect theory. Secondly, under a sole hypothetical condition in which the risk aversion degree for different assets is the same in a market, the pricing of discrete European options was given based on the objective probability. Thirdly, it was proven that the European option price obtained was a non-arbitrate price. And then, both for the binomial tree, which is a complete market, and for the trinomial tree, which is an incomplete market, pricing European options were discussed by implementing the method provided in this paper. Lastly, an illustration is used to demonstrate how to estimate preference parameters from market data and how to calculate options prices. The result states that the method in this paper is the same as the traditional risk-neutral methods in a complete market, but it is different from the traditional risk-neutral methods in an incomplete market, and more, the price obtained in this paper is affected by the objective probability and also contains the risk attitude of the investors

Emergency Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Through the Left Radial Artery is Associated with Less Vascular Complications than Emergency Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Through the Femoral Artery

OBJECTIVE: To compare the advantages and disadvantages of emergency percutaneous coronary intervention through the left radial artery with those of emergency percutaneous coronary intervention through the femoral artery. METHODS: A total of 206 patients with acute myocardial infarction who required emergency percutaneous coronary intervention and were admitted to our hospital between January 2011 and August 2013 were divided into the following two groups: a group that underwent percutaneous coronary intervention through the left radial artery and a group that underwent percutaneous coronary intervention through the femoral artery. The times required for angiographic catheter and guiding catheter placement, the success rate of the procedure and the incidence of vascular complications in the two groups were observed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in catheter placement time or the ultimate success rate of the procedure between the two groups. However, the left radial artery group showed a significantly lower incidence of vascular complications than the femoral artery group (

Characterization of ASTER GDEM Elevation Data over Vegetated Area Compared with Lidar Data

Current researches based on areal or spaceborne stereo images with very high resolutions (less than 1 meter) have demonstrated that it is possible to derive vegetation height from stereo images. The second version of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM) is a state-of-the-art global elevation data-set developed by stereo images. However, the resolution of ASTER stereo images (15 meters) is much coarser than areal stereo images, and the ASTER GDEM is compiled products from stereo images acquired over 10 years. The forest disturbances as well as forest growth are inevitable in 10 years time span. In this study, the features of ASTER GDEM over vegetated areas under both flat and mountainous conditions were investigated by comparisons with lidar data. The factors possibly affecting the extraction of vegetation canopy height considered include (1) co-registration of DEMs; (2) spatial resolution of digital elevation models (DEMs); (3) spatial vegetation structure; and (4) terrain slope. The results show that accurate co-registration between ASTER GDEM and the National Elevation Dataset (NED) is necessary over mountainous areas. The correlation between ASTER GDEM minus NED and vegetation canopy height is improved from 0.328 to 0.43 by degrading resolutions from 1 arc-second to 5 arc-seconds and further improved to 0.6 if only homogenous vegetated areas were considered

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the adaptive mechanisms of halophyte Suaeda dendroides encountering high saline environment

Suaeda dendroides, a succulent euhalophyte of the Chenopodiaceae family, intermittently spread around northern Xinjiang, China, has the ability to grow and develop in saline and alkali environments. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of S. dendroides response to high salt conditions. 27 sequencing libraries prepared from low salt (200 mM NaCl) and high salt (800 mM NaCl) treated plants at 5 different stages were sequenced using Illumina Hiseq 2000. A total of 133,107 unigenes were obtained, of which 4,758 were DEGs. The number of DEGs in the high salt group (3,189) was more than the low salt treatment group (733) compared with the control. GO and KEGG analysis of the DEGs at different time points of the high salt treatment group showed that the genes related to cell wall biosynthesis and modification, plant hormone signal transduction, ion homeostasis, organic osmolyte accumulation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification were significantly expressed, which indicated that these could be the main mechanisms of S. dendroides acclimate to high salt stress. The study provides a new perspective for understanding the molecular mechanisms of halophytes adapting to high salinity. It also provides a basis for future investigations of key salt-responsive genes in S. dendroides