A simple spreadsheet model to incorporate seasonal growth into length-based stock assessment methods

The paper describes a method by which seasonal growth can be incorporated into length-converted catch curves and cohort analyses using a spreadsheet. The method is based on calculating the length of fish using seasonal growth parameters on a daily basis. A LOOKUP function is then used to find the age corresponding to the length.

Centrifuge modelling-based verification of response spectra design methods for some vulnerable structures

Residential RC framed structures suffered heavily during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat, India. These types of structures also saw severe damage in other earthquakes such as the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey and 921 Ji-Ji earthquake in Taiwan. In this paper the seismic response of residential structures was investigated using physical modelling. Idealised soft storey and top heavy, two degrees of freedom (2DOF) portal frame structures were developed and tested on saturated and dry sand models at 25 g using the Schofield Centre 10-m Beam Centrifuge. It was possible to recreate observed field behaviour using these models. As observed in many of the recent earthquakes, soft storey structures were found to be particularly vulnerable to seismic loads. Elastic response spectra methods are often used in the design of simple portal frame structures. The seismic risk of these structures can be significantly increased due to modifications such as removal of a column or addition of heavy water tanks on the roof. The experimental data from the dynamic centrifuge tests on such soft storey or top-heavy models was used to evaluate the predictions obtained from the response spectra. Response spectra were able to predict seismic response during small to moderate intensity earthquakes, but became inaccurate during strong earthquakes and when soil structure interaction effects became important. Re-evaluation of seismic risk of such modified structures is required and time domain analyses suggested by building codes such as IBC, UBC or NEHRP may be more appropriate. © Springer 2006.

A vision-based remote control

This Chapter presents a vision-based system for touch-free interaction with a display at a distance. A single camera is fixed on top of the screen and is pointing towards the user. An attention mechanism allows the user to start the interaction and control a screen pointer by moving their hand in a fist pose directed at the camera. On-screen items can be chosen by a selection mechanism. Current sample applications include browsing video collections as well as viewing a gallery of 3D objects, which the user can rotate with their hand motion. We have included an up-to-date review of hand tracking methods, and comment on the merits and shortcomings of previous approaches. The proposed tracker uses multiple cues, appearance, color, and motion, for robustness. As the space of possible observation models is generally too large for exhaustive online search, we select models that are suitable for the particular tracking task at hand. During a training stage, various off-the-shelf trackers are evaluated. From this data differentmethods of fusing them online are investigated, including parallel and cascaded tracker evaluation. For the case of fist tracking, combining a small number of observers in a cascade results in an efficient algorithm that is used in our gesture interface. The system has been on public display at conferences where over a hundred users have engaged with it. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Species identification and authentication of some of the most important seafood products in Iranian markets using biotechnological methods based on DNA

This study describes the molecular identification of sixteen fish species present in processed products imported into Iran for human consumption. DNA barcoding using direct sequencing of about 650 bp of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I gene revealed incorrect labeling (31.25%). Substitution of fish species constitutes serious economic fraud, and our results increase concern regarding the trading of processed fish products in Iran from both health and conservation points of view.

DEVELOPMENT OF CURRENT-BASED MICROSCOPIC DEFECT ANALYSIS-METHODS AND ASSOCIATED OPTICAL FILLING TECHNIQUES FOR THE INVESTIGATION ON HIGHLY IRRADIATED HIGH-RESISTIVITY SILICON DETECTORS

Current based microscopic defect analysis methods such as current deep level transient spectroscopy (I-DLTS) and thermally stimulated current (TSC) have been further developed in accordance with the need for the defect analysis of highly irradiated (Phi(n) > 10(13) n/cm(2)) high resistivity silicon detectors. The new I-DLTS/TSC system has a temperature range of 8 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 450 K and a high sensitivity that can detect a defect concentration of less than 10(10)/cm(3) (background noise as low as 10 fA). A new filling method using different wavelength laser illumination has been applied, which is more efficient and suitable than the traditional voltage pulse filling. It has been found that the filling of a defect level depends on such factors as the total concentration of free carriers generated or injected, the penetration length of the laser (laser wavelength), the temperature at which the filling is taking place, as well as the decay time after the filling (but before the measurement). The mechanism of the defect filling can be explained by the competition between trapping and detrapping of defect levels, possible capture cross section temperature dependence, and interaction among various defect levels in terms of charge transferring. Optimum defect filling conditions have been suggested for highly irradiated high resistivity silicon detectors.