Viscosity approximation methods for nonexpansive mappings and monotone mappings

AbstractViscosity approximation methods for nonexpansive mappings are studied. Consider the iteration process {xn}, where x0∈C is arbitrary and xn+1=αnf(xn)+(1−αn)SPC(xn−λnAxn), f is a contraction on C, S is a nonexpansive self-mapping of a closed convex subset C of a Hilbert space H. It is shown that {xn} converges strongly to a common element of the set of fixed points of nonexpansive mapping and the set of solutions of the variational inequality for an inverse strongly-monotone mapping which solves some variational inequality

SIFT Saliency Analysis for Matching Repetitive Structures

The ambiguity resulting from repetitive structures in a scene presents a major challenge for image matching. This paper proposes a matching method based on SIFT feature saliency analysis to achieve robust feature matching between images with repetitive structures. The feature saliency within the reference image is estimated by analyzing feature stability and dissimilarity via Monte-Carlo simulation. In the proposed method, feature matching is performed only within the region of interest to reduce the ambiguity caused by repetitive structures. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method, especially in the presence of respective structures

Mindfulness, self-efficacy, and self-regulation as predictors of psychological well-being in EFL learners

IntroductionMindfulness, self-efficacy, and self-regulation play vital roles in shaping the psychological well-being of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This study investigates the interconnections among these constructs and their implications for the psychological well-being of 527 Chinese EFL learners.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among Chinese EFL learners enrolled in a university in China. Participants were recruited through a non-probability convenience sampling method from English language courses. They completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing mindfulness, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and psychological well-being. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and mediation analysis were employed to explore the relationships among these constructs.ResultsThe study found that mindfulness and self-efficacy independently and directly predicted psychological well-being among Chinese EFL learners. Additionally, self-regulation emerged as a significant mediator in the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being, suggesting that mindfulness enhances well-being indirectly through improved self-regulation skills.DiscussionThese findings underscore the critical roles of mindfulness practices, self-efficacy beliefs, and self-regulation skills in promoting psychological well-being among EFL learners. The implications of this study extend to mindfulness-based interventions and programs designed. However, the study’s cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the use of self-report measures may introduce biases. Moreover, the sample’s limited diversity and homogeneous demographic profile, attributed to the convenience sampling from a single university, may constrain the generalizability of the findings. Future research could adopt longitudinal designs and diverse participant samples to further elucidate these relationships and enhance the robustness of the findings

Activities and Role of School-Based Counselors in the US: A National Survey of American Counseling Association Members

This study was conducted to determine: how a US sample of American Counseling Association (ACA) affiliated school-based counselors viewed their role; the extent to which various activities were practiced; and, how demographic variables (e.g., work setting and professional identity) were related to both perceptions of role and practice. Participants (N = 249) completed the International Survey of School Counselors Activities-US (ISSA-US) online, which measured both perceptions of the appropriateness of 42 activities and whether these activities are reported to be enacted. US counselors had a broad definition of their role and showed a high degree of consensus regarding the appropriateness of activities. Grade level proved to be an important determinate of the level of enactment of both group counseling and college and career counseling. The implications for of these findings for redefining the role of school counselors in the US and for international comparative research are discussed

Coverage-Guaranteed Sensor Node Deployment Strategies for Wireless Sensor Networks

Deployment quality and cost are two conflicting aspects in wireless sensor networks. Random deployment, where the monitored field is covered by randomly and uniformly deployed sensor nodes, is an appropriate approach for large-scale network applications. However, their successful applications depend considerably on the deployment quality that uses the minimum number of sensors to achieve a desired coverage. Currently, the number of sensors required to meet the desired coverage is based on asymptotic analysis, which cannot meet deployment quality due to coverage overestimation in real applications. In this paper, we first investigate the coverage overestimation and address the challenge of designing coverage-guaranteed deployment strategies. To overcome this problem, we propose two deployment strategies, namely, the Expected-area Coverage Deployment (ECD) and BOundary Assistant Deployment (BOAD). The deployment quality of the two strategies is analyzed mathematically. Under the analysis, a lower bound on the number of deployed sensor nodes is given to satisfy the desired deployment quality. We justify the correctness of our analysis through rigorous proof, and validate the effectiveness of the two strategies through extensive simulation experiments. The simulation results show that both strategies alleviate the coverage overestimation significantly. In addition, we also evaluate two proposed strategies in the context of target detection application. The comparison results demonstrate that if the target appears at the boundary of monitored region in a given random deployment, the average intrusion distance of BOAD is considerably shorter than that of ECD with the same desired deployment quality. In contrast, ECD has better performance in terms of the average intrusion distance when the invasion of intruder is from the inside of monitored region

Five Dimensions of School-Based Counseling Practice: Factor Analysis Identification Using the International Survey of School Counselors’ Activities

This article describes a factor analytic study designed to identify the underlying dimensions of school-based counseling practice that will be useful in describing cross-national differences in school-based counseling practice and in enabling comparative research on school-based counseling policy and effectiveness. Practicing school-based counselors (N = 2913) from 10 countries (China, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, South Korea, Malta, Nigeria, Turkey, the United States, and Venezuela) used the International Survey of School-Based Counseling Activities (ISSCA) to rate the centrality of 40 activities to the role of a school-based counselor. Factor analysis determined that five dimensions adequately described the school-based counselor role: Counseling Services; Advocacy and Systemic Improvement; Prevention Programs; Administrator Role; and Educational and Career Planning. Analysis of Bartlett Factor Score averages revealed that each country demonstrates a unique profile which reflects that country’s dominant mode of practice. This lead article describes these dimensions and the cross-national differences on these dimensions. Subsequent articles in this special issue describe country-specific results and explain factors that affect practice within each country