Cluster Dependent Classifiers for Online Signature Verification

In this paper, the applicability of notion of cluster dependent classifier for online signature verification is investigated. For every writer, by the use of a number of training samples, a representative is selected based on minimum average distance criteria (centroid) across all the samples of that writer. Later k-means clustering algorithm is employed to cluster the writers based on the chosen representatives. To select a suitable classifier for a writer, the equal error rate (EER) is estimated using each of the classifier for every writer in a cluster. The classifier which gives the lowest EER for a writer is selected to be the suitable classifier for that writer. Once the classifier for each writer in a cluster is decided, the classifier which has been selected for a maximum number of writers in that cluster is decided to be the classifier for all writers of that cluster. During verification, the authenticity of the query signature is decided using the same classifier which has been selected for the cluster to which the claimed writer belongs. In comparison with the existing works on online signature verification, which use a common classifier for all writers during verification, our work is based on the usage of a classifier which is cluster dependent. On the other hand our intuition is to recommend to use a same classifier for all and only those writers who have some common characteristics and to use different classifiers for writers of different characteristics. To demonstrate the efficacy of our model, extensive experiments are carried out on the MCYT online signature dataset (DB1) consisting signatures of 100 individuals. The outcome of the experiments being indicative of increased performance with the adaption of cluster dependent classifier seems to open up a new avenue for further investigation on a reasonably large dataset

Interval valued symbolic representation of writer dependent features for online signature verification

This work focusses on exploitation of the notion of writer dependent parameters for online signature verification. Writer dependent parameters namely features, decision threshold and feature dimension have been well exploited for effective verification. For each writer, a subset of the original set of features are selected using different filter based feature selection criteria. This is in contrast to writer independent approaches which work on a common set of features for all writers. Once features for each writer are selected, they are represented in the form of an interval valued symbolic feature vector. Number of features and the decision threshold to be used for each writer during verification are decided based on the equal error rate (EER) estimated with only the signatures considered for training the system. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, extensive experiments are conducted on both MCYT (DB1) and MCYT (DB2) benchmarking online signature datasets consisting of signatures of 100 and 330 individuals respectively using the available 100 global parametric features. © 2017 Elsevier Lt

Remunerativeness led acreage response of arecanut in Karnataka state

The decision of farmers regarding allocation of farm resources, in general, and land resource which have supply inelasticity is crucial. This decision of farmers in case of commercial plantation crops will be highly influenced by the policies and programmes formulated by the government. The formulated developmental programmes mainly aim at increasing the overall production of the economy and its success depends on the reactions of farmers to such programmes. The increased production can be achieved either through extensive or intensive cultivation or the mix of two. In this context it becomes imperative to have a better insight about the farmers’ response to various price and non-price factors. To understand the behavioural mechanism of arecanut growers in major areca growing districts of Karnataka, Nerlovian lagged adjustment model was employed. The result revealed that it is the expected price (remunerativeness) which has resulted in extensive cultivation in most of the areca growing belts. The result was contrasting in case of Dakshina Kannada where the response of farmers to expected price was negative, which might be due to the fact that growers in this region have shifted to alternative crop i.e., rubber, which is equally remunerative due to wide prevalence of yellow leaf disease. The other likely reason would be the limitation of area for further expansion, since area expansion has met its saturation in the locality. To prove the remunerativeness of arecanut enterprise, representative district Shimoga was chosen. The economics of arecanut cultivation revealed that it is remunerative compared to other major crops of the study area

Market integration of arecanut in Karnataka state: An error correction model approach

Arecanut, being an important commercial and plantation crop of Karnataka, its influence on state economy is significant and profound. To stabilize the vital arecanut economy in the state, government has to emphasize on both production and market related issues. But the existing government policies are favoring the production related aspects. While the existing fewer government policies related to marketing are devised devoid of information on market integration, which is unscientific. In order to formulate scientific policies in case of arecanut, consideration of market integration becomes imperative. In order to assess the existence of market integration in arecanut, data on monthly modal prices of arecanut was collected through Agmarknet from seven representative markets in Karnataka state. Cointegration and error correction model were employed to test the presence of market integration and the results of the study revealed that the arecanut markets in the state are integrated with high speed of adjustment. Thus, it can be concluded that integrated arecanut markets are efficient in price transmission. Hence, in order to stabilize arecanut economy government has to stabilize the prices in one important market, which will be transmitted to other markets automatically with a speed equal to coefficient of error correction, eventually reducing the cost of stabilization

Synthesis of some 2, 6-bis (1-coumarin-2-yl)-4-(4-substituted phenyl) pyridine derivatives as potent biological agents

A convenient one-pot, three-component synthesis of 2, 6-bis (1-coumarin-2-yl)-4-(4-substituted phenyl) pyridine derivatives (3a–k) by Chichibabin reaction has been reported. These compounds were synthesized by the reaction of 3-acetyl coumarin (1a) or 5-bromo 3-acetyl coumarin (1b) with substituted aromatic aldehydes (2a–k) and ammonium acetate under acidic conditions and the structure was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectroscopic methods. The newly synthesized compounds (3a–k) were evaluated for antimicrobial activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity and ferrous ion-chelating ability. The mode of action of these active compounds was carried out by docking receptor GlcN6P synthase. Compounds 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d have displayed potential antimicrobial activity and some of the compounds have shown promising antioxidant properties

Incorporating Cost of Irrigation Water in the Currently Underestimated Cost of Cultivation: An Empirical Treatise

This study highlights that even though water for irrigation substantially contributes to production of principal crops, the cost of cultivation discounts its role, since it does not incorporate the cost of irrigation water in the cost of cultivation methodology followed by Directorate of Economics and Statistics/Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (DES-CACP). The study suggests modifications in data and methodology in estimating cost of cultivation of crops considering the field data from Karnataka. Estimating the net returns from the DES Cost of Cultivation Scheme data for TE 2008-10 according to market prices, economic prices and natural resource valuation (including cost of water), the study highlights that the extent of under estimation of cost of cultivation varies from 16 per cent to 49 per cent of the cost of cultivation in the case of groundwater irrigated crops and 4 per cent to 14 per cent in the case of canal irrigated crops. The minimum support price (MSP) offered did not include the cost of irrigation water of the principal crops cultivated in Karnataka. The study also suggests focusing on removal of market imperfections in addition to an MSP which properly accounts for cost of irrigation water, to enable farmers to reap a favourable proportion of consumer’s rupee

Activation of α-secretase by curcumin-aminoacid conjugates

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