3D freeform surfaces from planar sketches using neural networks

A novel intelligent approach into 3D freeform surface reconstruction from planar sketches is proposed. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network is employed to induce 3D freeform surfaces from planar freehand curves. Planar curves were used to represent the boundaries of a freeform surface patch. The curves were varied iteratively and sampled to produce training data to train and test the neural network. The obtained results demonstrate that the network successfully learned the inverse-projection map and correctly inferred the respective surfaces from fresh curves

Experiences of the Pre and Post Retirement Period of Female Elite Artistic Gymnasts: An Exploratory Study

This study explored retirement experiences of eight, female, former elite artistic gymnasts. Particular attention was afforded to coping strategies employed and dynamics of gymnast’s relationships with significant members of their social support network, in light of identity impact, across the retirement transition period. Retrospective, semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcripts were analysed through content analysis, and represented via pen profiles. Pre-retirement planning emerged as fundamental to the quality of the retirement transition. Keeping in contact with sport was the most frequently cited coping strategy. Social support networks adjusted pre- to post-retirement, identifying parents and partners as the consistent members of these networks across the transition. Findings provide formative recommendations to enhance the post-career education within current lifestyle management programmes, and for the design of a transitional support programme for gymnasts. The study findings may be of relevance for policy and practice in elite sport transitions more generally

Experiences of the Pre and Post Retirement Period of Female Elite Artistic Gymnasts: An Exploratory Study

his study explored retirement experiences of eight, female, former elite artistic gymnasts. Particular attention was afforded to coping strategies employed and dynamics of gymnast’s relationships with significant members of their social support network, in light of identity impact, across the retirement transition period. Retrospective, semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcripts were analysed through content analysis, and represented via pen profiles. Pre-retirement planning emerged as fundamental to the quality of the retirement transition. Keeping in contact with sport was the most frequently cited coping strategy. Social support networks adjusted pre- to post-retirement, identifying parents and partners as the consistent members of these networks across the transition. Findings provide formative recommendations to enhance the post-career education within current lifestyle management programmes, and for the design of a transitional support programme for gymnasts. The study findings may be of relevance for policy and practice in elite sport transitions more generally

The properties of highly luminous IRAS galaxies

From a complete sample of 154 galaxies identified with IRAS sources in a 304 sq deg area centered on the South Galactic Pole, a subsample of 58 galaxies with L sub IR/L sub B > 3 was chosen. Low resolution spectra were obtained for 30% of the subsample and redshifts and relative emission line intensities were derived. As a class these galaxies are very luminous with = 2.9 x 10 to the 11th power L sub 0 and (L sub IR) max = 1.3 x 10 to the 12th power L sub 0. CCD images and JHK photometry were obtained for many of the subsample. The galaxies are for the most part newly identified and are optically faint, with a majority showing evidence of a recent interaction. Radio continuum observations of all galaxies of the subsample were recently obtained at 20 cm VLA with about 75% being detected in a typical integration time of about 10 minutes

The ESO Key-Programme ``A Homogeneous Bright QSO Survey'' - I The Methods and the ``Deep'' Fields

This is the first paper in a series aimed at defining a statistically significant sample of QSOs in the range $15 < B < 18.75$ and $0.3 < z < 2.2$. The selection is carried out using direct plates obtained at the ESO and UK Schmidt Telescopes, scanned with the COSMOS facility and searched for objects with an ultraviolet excess. Follow-up spectroscopy, carried out at ESO La Silla, is used to classify each candidate. In this initial paper, we describe the scientific objectives of the survey; the selection and observing techniques used. We present the first sample of 285 QSOs ($M_B < -23$) in a 153 deg$^2$ area, covered by the six ``deep'' fields, intended to obtain significant statistics down $B \simeq 18.75$ with unprecedented photometric accuracy. From this database, QSO counts are determined in the magnitude range $17 < B < 18.75$.Comment: 21 pages uuencoded compressed postscript, to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplements, 199