Crop classification using airborne radar and LANDSAT data

Airborne radar data acquired with a 13.3 GHz scatterometer over a test-site near Colby, Kansas were used to investigate the statistical properties of the scattering coefficient of three types of vegetation cover and of bare soil. A statistical model for radar data was developed that incorporates signal-fading and natural within-field variabilities. Estimates of the within-field and between-field coefficients of variation were obtained for each cover-type and compared with similar quantities derived from LANDSAT images of the same fields. The classification accuracy provided by LANDSAT alone, radar alone, and both sensors combined was investigated. The results indicate that the addition of radar to LANDSAT improves the classification accuracy by about 10; percentage-points when the classification is performed on a pixel basis and by about 15 points when performed on a field-average basis

ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES CONTAINING ETOPOSIDE USING ALBINO RATS AS EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODEL

Objective: Etoposide is a potent anticancer drug and a major limiting factor that hinders therapeutic use as its high levels of systemic circulation often associated with various off-target effects, particularly cardiotoxicity. The present study focuses on the evaluation of the anticancer activity of optimized etoposide nanoparticles compared with marketed etoposide formulation in experimental animal models.Methods: Albino rats (180–200 g) were used for the study. The anticancer effect of the formulated etoposide nanoparticles was evaluated by induction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The animals housed in cages and kept on a 12 h light/dark cycle. Following the acclimatization for 1 week, HCC will be induced in rats by adding 100 mg/L of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) in drinking water for 8 weeks. Drug treatment (etoposide [9 mg/kg] in 0.5 % carboxymethyl cellulose; p.o.) can be started at the end of 1 week after cancer induction and dose of 9 mg/kg of etoposide and lyophilized nanoparticles will be administered through oral route on 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Nanoformulations were evaluated in healthy rats, and anticancer activity was studied in DENA treated rats.Results: The results showed that the polymeric nanoparticles containing etoposide was screened for its anticancer activity by counting the liver nodules of rats with hematoxylin and eosin stain when comparing control and etoposide-treated group.Conclusion: The results of the study concluded that in rats treated with nanoformulations, the numbers of liver nodules were found to be significantly reduced

Fekete-Szegö Inequality for Universally Prestarlike Functions

MSC 2010: 30C45The universally prestarlike functions of order α ≤ 1 in the slit domain Λ = C [1;∞) have been recently introduced by S. Ruscheweyh. This notion generalizes the corresponding one for functions in the unit disk Δ (and other circular domains in C). In this paper, we obtain the coefficient inequalities and the Fekete-Szegö inequality for such functions

An Application of Differential Subordination

We apply the general theory of differential subordination to obtain certian interesting criteria for -valent starlikeness and strong starlikeness. Some applications of these results are also discussed

Purification and characterization of a DNA synthesis inhibitor protein from mouse embryo fibroblasts

A DNA synthesis inhibitor protein was purified from the conditioned medium of cycloheximide treated mouse embryo fibroblasts. This protein has a molecular weight of 45,000 as determined by gel filtration and Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The levels of the [35S] methionine la belled 45 kDa protein in the medium and matrix were monitored across two cell cycles in synchronized cultures. The 45 kDa protein was present in higher levels in the medium of non-S-phase cells depicting a peak between the two S- phases. The DNA synthesis inhibitor protein was immunologically related to a chicken DNA-binding protein which showed similar cell cycle specific variations at the intracellular level. The purified 45 kDa protein inhibited DNA synthesis in murine and human cells. In mouse embryo fibroblasts, the DNA synthesis was inhibited to an extent of 86% by 0 · 25 μg/ml of the inhibitor, while higher amounts of the inhibitor were required to arrest DNA synthesis in human skin fibroblasts: in these cells, 4 μg/ml of the inhibitor inhibited DNA synthesis to an extent of 50%. The high levels of the 45 kDa protein in the medium of non-S phase cells and its DNA synthesis inhibitory potential suggest that this protein may be involved in the regulation of DNA synthesis during the cell cycle

Translocation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during serum stimulated growth of mouse embryo fibroblasts

Serum-stimulated mouse embryo fibroblasts specifically secrete two proteins of molecular weights 48,000 and 26,000. The 48 kDa protein showed affinity to concanavalin A and was precipitated by antibody to plasminogen activator inhibitor. Immunoflowcytometry using anti plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 serum indicate the presence of the 48 kDa protein in quiescent cells; this protein was virtually absent in serum-stimulated cells. The presence of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 related protein in quiescent cells and its absence in serum-stimulated cells in combination with the observation on the absence of this protein, in the medium of quiescent cells and its presence in the medium of stimulated cells indicate that the 48 kDa protein was transferred from the cells into the medium upon serum-stimulation. The serum-mediated transfer of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from the cells into the medium was inhibited by actinomycin-D suggesting that the transfer process required actinomycin-D sensitive events. Treatment of pre-labelled quiescent cells with medium containing 20% fetal calf serum resulted in the gradual transfer of the labelled 48 kDa protein to the extra cellular matrix. These studies indicate that exposure of quiescent cells to fetal calf serum results in the transfer of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from the cells to the growth mediumvia extracellular matrix. The translocation of the protease inhibitor from the cells to the matrix and medium may enable the cellular and possibly the membrane proteases to act on growth factors or their receptors thereby initiating the mitogenic response

Economic viability of mechanized fishing units and socio-economics of fishing ban in Kerala

In open access unregulated marine fisheries, the viability of a fishing unit greatly influences the entry or exit of vessels in the fishing industry. The economic performance of fishing operations is affected by various factors including fluctuations in revenue, diminishing catch per unit of effort, unforeseen increases in the cost of key inputs and catch and effort restrictions. Capital and labour will continue to enter the fishery until the economic rents are totally dissipated and profits to individual units are reduced to the level of their opportunity costs. In the long run, the reduction in catch rates lead to reduction in fishing effort levels. The economic performance also plays a crucial role in the investment decisions at micro level. The paper analyses the viability of various mechanized fishing units in the Kerala state using different economic and financial indicators. Socioeconomic impact of fishing ban on fishing labour was also worked out and suggestions were given for improving the livelihood security of fish workers

A study of cavitation induced surface erosion in abrasive waterjet cutting systems

Current jet cutting systems experience severe nozzle erosion and associated maintenance and downtime costs. An experimental investigation was conducted to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the generation of cavitation in a high pressure water jet cutting system, and to characterise cavitation induced accelerated surface erosion by slurries. The analysis of surface morphology indicates that the shearing induced by cavitation played a major role in the erosion process. The results promise a feasible solution to reduce nozzle wear, and to enhance material removal in the jet cutting process

Sustainability of marine fish production in Kerala-A Bioeconomic analysis

The study has been undertaken in Kerala State in lndia with an - overall objective of analyzing the bioeconomic conditions of commercially exploited marine fishes for assessing their sustainability in the context of existing management practices. Maximum Sustainable Yield, Maximum Economic Yield and open access levels of yield and effort were analyzed using Gompertz-Fox growth model. The study concluded that the fishing effort exceeded the ecanomically optimal levels and there is unnecessary wastage of money, manpow and fuel in the fishing industry. The study stressed the urgent need for cap&lr@ fisheries management in the State which at present follows an open access fishery where regulations exist only in the form of seasonal -. closure in the monwan seaso

Supply - Demand Analysis of fish in India

The economic growth, population pressure and changes in the dietary pattern have contributed to the increase in demand for animal origin foods in lndia. The fish prices had increased many times than all other food items over the years. An analysis of fish demand and supply situation in lndia is done and projections were made for the year 2020. Price and income elasticities of fish demand were estimated using exponential function. Export demand and tastes and preferences of consumers were not included in the demand analysis. The fish supply was projected using trend extrapolation method. Estimates of demand model showed that the household expenditure on fish in general as elastic. The study revealed that with the projected population and percapita income growth rates, fish demand in year 2020 will exceed the total fish supply from marine, inland and aquaculture sectors with the current production trend