Search results for "EED"
showing 10 items of 5952 documents
Predicting Coaches' Adherence/Dropout: A Prospective Study
2015
The objective of this study was to examine motivational variables based on self-determination theory (SDT) and positive psychology as predictors of coaches' adherence and dropout. A prospective study was performed using a sample of 286 coaches who were tracked over a two-year period. Initially coaches' motivation and psychological need satisfaction were measured; two years later they were contacted and asked if they were still coaching in their original sport. Those who did not were considered as drop-outs for the current study. Logistic binary regression analyses were performed to analyse predictors of persistence and dropout. Need Satisfaction Index (NSI), perceived competence and percei…
Automatic multi-seed detection for MR breast image segmentation
2017
In this paper an automatic multi-seed detection method for magnetic resonance (MR) breast image segmentation is presented. The proposed method consists of three steps: (1) pre-processing step to locate three regions of interest (axillary and sternal regions); (2) processing step to detect maximum concavity points for each region of interest; (3) breast image segmentation step. Traditional manual segmentation methods require radiological expertise and they usually are very tiring and time-consuming. The approach is fast because the multi-seed detection is based on geometric properties of the ROI. When the maximum concavity points of the breast regions have been detected, region growing and m…
Distance-based relevance feedback using a hybrid interactive genetic algorithm for image retrieval
2011
Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems aim to provide a means to find pictures in large repositories without using any other information except the own content of the images, which is usually represented as a feature vector extracted from low-level descriptors. This paper describes a CBIR algorithm which combines relevance feedback, evolutionary computation concepts and distance-based learning in an attempt to reduce the existing gap between the high level semantic content of the images and the information provided by their low-level descriptors. In particular, a framework which is independent from the particular features used is presented. The effect of different crossover strategies…
Improving distance based image retrieval using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm
2015
Image retrieval is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem.A multiobjective genetic algorithm is hybridized with distance based search.A parameter balances exploration (genetic search) or exploitation (nearest neighbors).Extensive comparative experimentation illustrate and assess the proposed methodology. Relevance feedback has been adopted as a standard in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR). One major difficulty that algorithms have to face is to achieve and adequate balance between the exploitation of already known areas of interest and the exploration of the feature space to find other relevant areas. In this paper, we evaluate different ways to combine two existing relevan…
HSDPA Link Adaptation Improvement Based on Node-B CQI Processing
2007
In this paper HSDPA link adaptation (LA) based on Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) reports is optimised. A pre-processing of the last received CQI reports is done before the execution of the LA algorithm in the Node-B in order to obtain more profitable channel quality estimations and hence improve the LA performance. Different types of processing techniques are presented and assessed, considering from the simplest sample averaging to some more elaborated predictive algorithms. Results demonstrate that a non negligible enhancement in the LA performance can be obtained if medium and high speed users are considered.
Saliency Based Aesthetic Cut of Digital Images
2013
Aesthetic cut of photos is a process well known to professional photographers. It consists of cutting the original photo to remove less relevant parts close to the borders leaving in this way the interesting subjects in a position that is perceived by the observer as more pleasant. In this paper we propose a saliency based technique to automatically perform aesthetic cut in images. We use a standard method to estimate the saliency map and propose some post processing on the map to make it more suitable for our scope. We then apply a greedy algorithm to determine the cut (i.e. the most important part of the original image) both in the cases of free and fixed aspect ratio. Experimental result…
Problematic internet use prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
The health and socio-economic challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have led to greater reliance on the internet to meet basic needs and responsibilities. Greater engagement in online activities may have negative mental and physical health consequences for some vulnerable individuals, particularly under mandatory self-isolation or ‘lockdown’ conditions. The present study investigated whether changes in levels of involvement in online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., watching TV series,online sexual activities, video games, social networks, gambling, online shopping, and instant messaging) were associated with problematic internet use, as well as whether certain psychol…
Does breastfeeding have a long-term positive effect on dental occlusion?
2019
Background Breastfeeding produces beneficial effects on a baby's early growth and development, and general well-being. Some studies have associated breastfeeding with better occlusal development. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of breastfeeding on occlusal development in children. Material and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the occlusions of 320 children belonging to the Spanish INMA Project cohort, monitored from gestation onwards. The association between the duration of breastfeeding and different occlusal traits in mixed dentition (overjet, overbite, openbite, midline displacement, incisor crowding, incisor spacing, diastema, maxim…
Structural assessment of the EU-DEMO WCLL Central Outboard Blanket segment under normal and off-normal operating conditions
2021
Abstract Within the framework of the EUROfusion design activities concerning the EU-DEMO Breeding Blanket (BB) system, a research campaign has been carried out at the University of Palermo with the aim of investigating the structural behaviour of the DEMO Water-Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) Central Outboard Blanket (COB) segment. The assessment has been performed considering three different loading scenarios: the Normal Operation (NO), the Over-Pressurization (OP) and the Upward Vertical Displacement Event (VDE-up). In particular, NO scenario represents the loading case referring to the nominal operating conditions, whereas the OP scenario refers to the loading conditions due to an in-box LOCA…
Impact of non-programmable renewable sources in Day-Ahead Market in Sicily. Reasons to make more flexible and smarter the national transmission grid.
2014
This article describes technical and market aspects that characterize the Sicilian electrical system, the non-programmable renewable sources impacts on the energy markets (Day-Ahead Market and ancillary services market) and on Sicilian system operation, to evaluate the grid integration of renewable energy sources in a future Sicilian smart grid.