485,248 research outputs found
Multi-layer Architecture For Storing Visual Data Based on WCF and Microsoft SQL Server Database
In this paper we present a novel architecture for storing visual data.
Effective storing, browsing and searching collections of images is one of the
most important challenges of computer science. The design of architecture for
storing such data requires a set of tools and frameworks such as SQL database
management systems and service-oriented frameworks. The proposed solution is
based on a multi-layer architecture, which allows to replace any component
without recompilation of other components. The approach contains five
components, i.e. Model, Base Engine, Concrete Engine, CBIR service and
Presentation. They were based on two well-known design patterns: Dependency
Injection and Inverse of Control. For experimental purposes we implemented the
SURF local interest point detector as a feature extractor and -means
clustering as indexer. The presented architecture is intended for content-based
retrieval systems simulation purposes as well as for real-world CBIR tasks.Comment: Accepted for the 14th International Conference on Artificial
Intelligence and Soft Computing, ICAISC, June 14-18, 2015, Zakopane, Polan
Antismoking campaigns’ perception and gender differences: a comparison among EEG Indices
Human factors’ aim is to understand and evaluate the interactions between people and tasks, technologies, and environment. Among human factors, it is possible then to include the subjective reaction to external stimuli, due to individual’s characteristics and states of mind. These processes are also involved in the perception of antismoking public service announcements (PSAs), the main tool for governments to contrast the first cause of preventable deaths in the world: tobacco addiction. In the light of that, in the present article, it has been investigated through the comparison of different electroencephalographic (EEG) indices a typical item known to be able of influencing PSA perception, that is gender. In order to investigate the neurophysiological underpinnings of such different perception, we tested two PSAs: one with a female character and one with a male character. Furthermore, the experimental sample was divided into men and women, as well as smokers and nonsmokers. The employed EEG indices were the mental engagement (ME: the ratio between beta activity and the sum of alpha and theta activity); the approach/withdrawal (AW: the frontal alpha asymmetry in the alpha band); and the frontal theta activity and the spectral asymmetry index (SASI: the ratio between beta minus theta and beta plus theta). Results suggested that the ME and the AW presented an opposite trend, with smokers showing higher ME and lower AW than nonsmokers. The ME and the frontal theta also evidenced a statistically significant interaction between the kind of the PSA and the gender of the observers; specifically, women showed higher ME and frontal theta activity for the male character PSA. This study then supports the usefulness of the ME and frontal theta for purposes of PSAs targeting on the basis of gender issues and of the ME and the AW and for purposes of PSAs targeting on the basis of smoking habits
ABCD Neurocognitive Prediction Challenge 2019: Predicting individual fluid intelligence scores from structural MRI using probabilistic segmentation and kernel ridge regression
We applied several regression and deep learning methods to predict fluid
intelligence scores from T1-weighted MRI scans as part of the ABCD
Neurocognitive Prediction Challenge (ABCD-NP-Challenge) 2019. We used voxel
intensities and probabilistic tissue-type labels derived from these as features
to train the models. The best predictive performance (lowest mean-squared
error) came from Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR; ), which produced a
mean-squared error of 69.7204 on the validation set and 92.1298 on the test
set. This placed our group in the fifth position on the validation leader board
and first place on the final (test) leader board.Comment: Winning entry in the ABCD Neurocognitive Prediction Challenge at
MICCAI 2019. 7 pages plus references, 3 figures, 1 tabl
Inter-individual cognitive variability in children with Asperger's syndrome
Multiple studies have tried to establish the distinctive profile of individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS). However, recent reports suggest that adults with AS feature heterogeneous cognitive profiles. The present study explores inter-individual variability in children with AS through group comparison and multiple case series analysis. All participants completed an extended battery including measures of fluid and crystallized intelligence, executive functions, theory of mind, and classical neuropsychological tests. Significant group differences were found in theory of mind and other domains related to global information processing. However, the AS group showed high inter-individual variability (both sub- and supra-normal performance) on most cognitive tasks. Furthermore, high fluid intelligence correlated with less general cognitive impairment, high cognitive flexibility, and speed of motor processing. In light of these findings, we propose that children with AS are characterized by a distinct, uneven pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses.Fil: González Gadea, María Luz. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tripicchio, Paula. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Rattazzi del Carril, Alexia. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Báez Buitrago, Sandra Jimena. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Catolica Argentina; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Julián Carlos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Roca, María. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Manes, Facundo Francisco. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; AustriaFil: Ibanez Barassi, Agustin Mariano. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; Austria. Universidad Autonoma del Caribe; Colombi
3D medical volume segmentation using hybrid multiresolution statistical approaches
This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright © 2010 S AlZu’bi and A Amira.3D volume segmentation is the process of partitioning voxels into 3D regions (subvolumes) that represent meaningful physical entities which are more meaningful and easier to analyze and usable in future applications. Multiresolution Analysis (MRA) enables the preservation of an image according to certain levels of resolution or blurring. Because of multiresolution quality, wavelets have been deployed in image compression, denoising, and classification. This paper focuses on the implementation of efficient medical volume segmentation techniques. Multiresolution analysis including 3D wavelet and ridgelet has been used for feature extraction which can be modeled using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to segment the volume slices. A comparison study has been carried out to evaluate 2D and 3D techniques which reveals that 3D methodologies can accurately detect the Region Of Interest (ROI). Automatic segmentation has been achieved using HMMs where the ROI is detected accurately but suffers a long computation time for its calculations
Neurophysiological Profile of Antismoking Campaigns
Over the past few decades, antismoking public service announcements (PSAs) have been used by governments to promote healthy
behaviours in citizens, for instance, against drinking before the drive and against smoke. Effectiveness of such PSAs has been
suggested especially for young persons. By now, PSAs efficacy is still mainly assessed through traditional methods (questionnaires
and metrics) and could be performed only after the PSAs broadcasting, leading to waste of economic resources and time in the
case of Ineffective PSAs. One possible countermeasure to such ineffective use of PSAs could be promoted by the evaluation of the
cerebral reaction to the PSA of particular segments of population (e.g., old, young, and heavy smokers). In addition, it is crucial to
gather such cerebral activity in front of PSAs that have been assessed to be effective against smoke (Effective PSAs), comparing
results to the cerebral reactions to PSAs that have been certified to be not effective (Ineffective PSAs). &e eventual differences
between the cerebral responses toward the two PSA groups will provide crucial information about the possible outcome of new
PSAs before to its broadcasting. &is study focused on adult population, by investigating the cerebral reaction to the vision of
different PSA images, which have already been shown to be Effective and Ineffective for the promotion of an antismoking
behaviour. Results showed how variables as gender and smoking habits can influence the perception of PSA images, and how
different communication styles of the antismoking campaigns could facilitate the comprehension of PSA’s message and then
enhance the related impac
A QBF-based Formalization of Abstract Argumentation Semantics
Supported by the National Research Fund, Luxembourg (LAAMI project) and by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, UK), grant ref. EP/J012084/1 (SAsSY project).Peer reviewedPostprin
The role of trait emotional intelligence and social and emotional skills in students’ emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties : a study of Greek adolescents’ perceptions
The emergence of the Trait Emotional Intelligence construct shifted the interest in
personality research to the investigation of the effect of global personality characteristics
on behaviour. A second body of research in applied settings, the Social and Emotional
Learning movement, emphasized the cultivation of emotional and social skills for
positive relationships in a school environment. In this paper we investigate the role of
both personality traits and social and emotional skills, in the occurrence of emotional and
behavioural strengths and difficulties, according to adolescent students’ self-perceptions.
Five hundred and fifty-nine students from state secondary schools in Greece, aged 12-14
years old, completed The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Adolescent Short
Form, The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters, and The Strengths and
Difficulties Questionnaire. It was found that students with higher Trait Emotional
Intelligence and stronger social and emotional skills were less likely to present
emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer difficulties and more likely to present
prosocial behaviour. Gender was a significant factor for emotional difficulties and grade
for peer difficulties. The paper describes the underlying mechanisms of students’
emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties, and provides practical implications
for educators to improve the quality of students’ lives in schools.peer-reviewe
- …