Foot contact detection for sprint training

We introduce a new algorithm to automatically identify the time and pixel location of foot contact events in high speed video of sprinters. We use this information to autonomously synchronise and overlay multiple recorded performances to provide feedback to athletes and coaches during their training sessions. The algorithm exploits the variation in speed of different parts of the body during sprinting. We use an array of foreground accumulators to identify short-term static pixels and a temporal analysis of the associated static regions to identify foot contacts. We evaluated the technique using 13 videos of three sprinters. It successfully identifed 55 of the 56 contacts, with a mean localisation error of 1.39±1.05 pixels. Some videos were also seen to produce additional, spurious contacts. We present heuristics to help identify the true contacts. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

A novel high molecular weight metalloproteinase cleaves fragment F1 of activated human prothrombin

A hemorrhagic proteinase, jerdohagin, was purified from Trimeresurus jerdonii venom by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatographies. It was a single chain polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 96 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE under the non-reducing and reducing conditions. Internal peptide sequencing indicated that it consisted of metalloproteinase, disintegrin-like and cysteine-rich domains and belonged to the class III snake venom metalloproteinases (class P-III SVMPs). Like other typical metalloproteinases, hemorrhagic activities of jerdohagin were completely inhibited by EDTA, but not by PMSF. Jerdohagin preferentially degraded a-chain of human fibrinogen. Interestingly, jerdohagin did not activate human prothrombin, whereas it cleaved human prothrombin and fragment F1 of activated human prothrombin. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of drained weight in canned prawn under commercial conditions

A general formula for the prediction of drained weight of canned prawn processed under laboratory condition has been worked out earlier (Chaudhuri et al., 1978). Attempts were made in this communication to modify the general formula to predict the drained weight under commercial conditions of processing particularly blanching, as the moisture content of meat depends on the quantum of heat received during blanching (Govindan, 1975).

Effect of weight of otter boards on the horizontal opening of trawl nets

The paper gives briefly the experiments carried out to determine the optimum weight of otter board that should be used for a trawl gear for better efficiency.

On the optimum buoyancy-weight relation for a bottom trawl

Comparative fishing operations were carried out with 0.55; 0.75 and 1.00 buoyancy-weight relations of bottom trawl in order to find out the optimum relation. Two nets, 18.26 m. (60') two seam nylon and 16.16 m. (23') two seam cotton trawls, were used for the experiment. The results showed that the total catch per trawling hour with 0.75 B-W relation was 16.5% and 32.08% more than that with 0.55 and 1.00 B-W relation for nylon net used. A similar trend was noticed with cotton trawl also as the catch rate with 0.75 B-W relation was 13.89% and 25.78% more than that with 0.55 and 1.00 B-W relations. However, the analysis of catch composition indicated that the off bottom fishes like lactarius, upenoides sp., synagris sp. etc., were of more percentage with 1.00 B-W relation, near bottom fish like saurida, sciaenids etc., were more with 0.75 B-W relation, while the bottom fishes like soles, prawns, skates and rays etc., were more with 0.55 B-W relation.

A statistical study on weight loss in frozen prawns

This paper deals with an extensive study conducted to estimate the extent of weight loss in frozen prawns. The weight Joss varied from 7 to 12% in peeled and deveined (PD), 5 to 7% in headless (HL) and about 7% in cooked and peeled (CP) prawns from the date of processing to the date of inspection, normally within two weeks. To compensate the weight loss nearly 11% of excess material is being added with every frozen block resulting in an average annual loss of Rs. 2.68 crores in foreign exchange. The relevant data pertain to the period 1971 to 1973 and the annual average loss was estimated for the ten years ending 1973.

Length-weight and tail length-total length relationship in Panulirus homarus Linnaeus on the south-west coast of India

Length-weight relationships of Panulirus homarus caught from the Kanniyakumari coast was found to be W=0.000566 L super(2-50). The relationship between tail length and total length was also investigated and compared with that of Panulirus polyphagus. Same relationship did not hold good for the two sexes as in the case of P. polyphagus. For a given tail length, the head length, the total length and the weight appear to be relatively larger for females of small sizes of P. homarus.

Relation between weight and linear measurement of shell in C. madrasensis (Preston)

Relation of weight to height, length and breadth in the Indian backwater oyster Crassostrea madrasensis (Preston) is reported. The relative importance of the variables on weight was found to be height, length and breadth in their order of preference. The multiple regression V = -0.4017 + 0.46743 X + 0.8278 Y + 0.1130 Z can be used to estimate the meat weight (logarithm) for given dimensions of length, height and breadth (all in logarithms). An exponential relation between weight and height is also observed.

Length-weight relationship and relative condition factor in Daysciaena albida (Cuv.) and Gerres filamentosus (Cuv.)

The length-weight relationship of Daysciaena albida and Gerres filamentosus were calculated separately for indeterminants, mature males and mature females. The logarithmic regression equation obtained for D. albida - males: log w = -1.5055 + 2.8618 log l; females: log w = -0.9260 + 2.4089 log l; indeterminants: log w = -l.7188 + 3.0616 log l. The regression co-efficients between males and females, males and in determinants and female and in determinants showed significant differences. In G. filamentosus the relationship can be expressed as males: log w = -1.3224 + 2.8740 log 1; females: log w = -1.2874 + 2.8381 log l; indeterminants: log w = -0.8167 + 2.2558 log l. The difference in regression co-efficients between male and female are insignificant at 5% level whereas significant differences were observed between males and indeterminants and females and indeterminants. The relative condition factor (Kn) was calculated for the above two species. In D. albida the reasons for the fluctuations of Kn values can be attributed to both spawning cycle as well as feeding intensity whereas in G. filamentosus it synchronies mainly with spawning cycle.

Training needs of traditional marine fishermen in Kerala

Training needs of 80 fishermen in 25 subject areas revealed a mean training need score of 23.0l; 95% wanted to get trained. The training needs were fairly strong in all subject areas, with the highest demand being for fishery engineering. Training need was also high for areas related to fishery technology. Most of the fishermen preferred to have the training at their own village, and in the months of June or July for an average period of 20.85 days. Education and income were positively related to intensity of training needs whereas age, number of family members, number of employed family members and experience in fishing were negatively correlated with it. These six variables explained 27 of the variance in training need intensity.