Visual attribute discovery and analyses from Web data

Visual attributes are important for describing and understanding an object’s appearance. For an object classification or recognition task, an algorithm needs to infer the visual attributes of an object to compare, categorize or recognize the objects. In a zero-shot learning scenario, the algorithm depends on the visual attributes to describe an unknown object since the training samples are not available. Because different object categories usually share some common attributes (e.g. many animals have four legs, a tail and fur), the act of explicitly modeling attributes not only allows previously learnt attributes to be transferred to a novel category but also reduces the number of training samples for the new category which can be important when the number of training samples is limited. Even though larger numbers of visual attributes help the algorithm to better describe an image, they also require a larger set of training data. In the supervised scenario, data collection can be both a costly and time-consuming process. To mitigate the data collection costs, this dissertation exploits the weakly-supervised data from the Web in order to construct computational methodologies for the discovery of visual attributes, as well as an analysis across time and domains. This dissertation first presents an automatic approach to learning hundreds of visual attributes from the open-world vocabulary on the Web using a convolutional neural network. The proposed method tries to understand visual attributes in terms of perception inside deep neural networks. By focusing on the analysis of neural activations, the system can identify the degree to which an attribute can be visually perceptible and can localize the visual attributes in an image. Moreover, the approach exploits the layered structure of the deep model to determine the semantic depth of the attributes. Beyond visual attribute discovery, this dissertation explores how visual styles (i.e., attributes that correspond to multiple visual concepts) change across time. These are referred to as visual trends. To this goal, this dissertation introduces several deep neural networks for estimating when objects were made together with the analyses of the neural activations and their degree of entropy to gain insights into the deep network. To utilize the dating of the historical object frameworks in real-world applications, the dating frameworks are applied to analyze the influence of vintage fashion on runway collections, as well as to analyze the influence of fashion on runway collections and on street fashion. Finally, this dissertation introduces an approach to recognizing and transferring visual attributes across domains in a realistic manner. Given two input images from two different domains: 1) a shopping image, and 2) a scene image, this dissertation proposes a generative adversarial network for transferring the product pixels from the shopping image to the scene image such that: 1) the output image looks realistic and 2) the visual attributes of the product are preserved. In summary, this dissertation utilizes the weakly-supervised data from the Web for the purposes of visual attribute discovery and an analysis across time and domains. Beyond the novel computational methodology for each problem, this dissertation demonstrates that the proposed approaches can be applied to many real-world applications such as dating historical objects, visual trend prediction and analysis, cross-domain image label transfer, cross-domain pixel transfer for home decoration, among others.Doctor of Philosoph

Perovskite phase formation and ferroelectric properties of the lead nickel niobate–lead zinc niobate–lead zirconate titanate ternary system

The ternary system of lead nickel niobate Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PNN), lead zinc niobate Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZN), and lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3 (PZT) was investigated to determine the influence of different solid state processing conditions on dielectric and ferroelectric properties. The ceramic materials were characterized using x-ray diffraction, dielectric measurements, and hysteresis measurements. To stabilize the perovskite phase, the columbite route was utilized with a double crucible technique and excess PbO. The phase-pure perovskite phase of PNN–PZN–PZT ceramics was obtained over a wide compositional range. It was observed that for the ternary system 0.5PNN–(0.5 - x)PZN–xPZT, the change in the transition temperature (Tm) is approximately linear with respect to the PZT content in the range x [H11505] 0 to 0.5. With an increase in x, Tm shifts up to high temperatures. Examination of the remanent polarization (Pr) revealed a significant increase with increasing x. In addition, the relative permittivity ([H9280]r) increased as a function of x. The highest permittivities ([H9280]r[H11505] 22,000) and the highest remanent polarization (Pr [H11505] 25 μC/cm2) were recorded for the binary composition 0.5Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.5Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3

The morphotropic phase boundary and dielectric properties of the xPb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3-(1−x)Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 perovskite solid solution

The solid solution between the normal ferroelectricPb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3(PZT) and relaxor ferroelectricPb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PNN) was synthesized by the columbite method. The phase structure and dielectric properties of xPZT-(1−x)PNN where x=0.4–0.9and the Zr/Ti composition was fixed close to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were investigated. With these data, the ferroelectric phase diagram between PZT and PNN has been established. The relaxor ferroelectric nature of PNN gradually transformed towards a normal ferroelectric state towards the composition 0.7PZT-0.3PNN, in which the permittivity was characterized by a sharp peak and the disappearance of dispersive behavior. X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated the coexistence of both the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases at the composition 0.8PZT-0.2PNN, a new morphotropic phase boundary within this system. Examination of the dielectric spectra indicates that PZT-PNN exhibits an extremely high relative permittivity near the MPB composition. The permittivity shows a shoulder at the rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition temperature TRT=195°C, and then a maximum permittivity (36 000 at 10kHz) at the transition temperature Tmax=277°C at the MPB composition. The maximum transition temperature of this system was 326°C at the composition x=0.9 with the relative permittivity of 32 000 at 10kHz

High temperature phases in the 0.98PbZrO3–0.02Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramic

The phase evolution with temperature in the 0.98PbZrO3–0.02Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3ceramic was investigated with dielectricpermittivity and polarization measurements, hot stage transmission electron microscopy, and high temperature x-ray diffraction. Below 190 °C, the ceramic is in the antiferroelectric phase with characteristic 14{110}csuperlatticediffractions. In this stage, typical antiferroelectric 180° domains were observed. Between 190 and 220 °C, an intermediate phase, which is characterized by 12{110}c-type superlatticediffractions, was detected. Evidences are found to suggest that this intermediate phase is ferroelectric. The 12{110}c-type superlatticediffraction persists even into the paraelectric phase above 220 °C. In addition, there exists an incommensurate phase between the low temperature antiferroelectric phase and the intermediate ferroelectric phase

Development and Quality Examination of the Training Model for Enabling Registered Nurses to Use Yoga in Developing Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The purpose of this research study was to develop and examine the propriety of the training model for enabling registered nurses to use yoga in developing children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The samples were 186 registered nurses specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry affiliated to the Ministry of Public Health. The specification of sampling groups was a Confidence Level of 95% in accordance with the table created by Darwin Hendel. Stratified Random Sampling and proportional calculation were then employed to classify hospital type. Research instruments were 1) training needs questionnaires for the registered nurses training program which uses yoga in developing children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 2) quality evaluation forms for the training model for enabling registered nurses to use yoga in developing children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The results revealed that the training model for enabling registered nurses to use yoga in developing children with neurodevelopmental disorders was comprised of 1) Principles and Concepts 2) Objectives 3) Definitions 4) Learning Plans 5) Developmental Process 6) Qualifications and Roles of Participants and 7) Knowledge and Skill Assessment. In terms of the research application, according to the consideration of experts and participants, the application qualifies in the aspects of Utility, Feasibility, Propriety and Accuracy t

Elder Women Making Family through Celebratory Foods: Kentucky, New Zealand, Thailand

This study, which describes how older women of three counties experience the preparation of annual celebratory foods, is uniquely responsive to the theme of EKU’s 2011-2012 Chautauqua Lecture Series, “Living with Others: Challenges and Promises.” How women of different countries lead their families in preparing traditional foods together each year demonstrates how, although each culture is unique, the challenges and promises of living with others are fulfilled and managed in many similar and little-examined women’s ways in countries around the globe

Phase transitions and ferroelectric properties in BiScO3-Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3-BaTiO3 solid solutions

Ceramics solid solutions within the ternary perovskite system Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3-BiScO3-BaTiO3 were synthesized via solid-state processing techniques. The crystal structure of sintered ceramics was analyzed by x-ray diffraction. A stable perovskite phase was obtained for all compositions with a BaTiO3 content greater than 50 mol %. Furthermore, a change in symmetry from pseudocubic to tetragonal was observed as the mole fraction of BaTiO3 increased. Dielectric measurements show a dielectric anomaly associated with a phase transformation over the temperature range of 30 °C–210 °C for all compositions. Examination of the polarization hysteresis behavior revealed weakly nonlinear hysteresis loops. With these data, ferroelectric phase diagrams were derived showing the transition between the pseudocubic relaxor behavior to the tetragonal normal ferroelectric behavior. This transition was also correlated with changes in the diffuseness parameter

The promise of internationally collaborative research for studying occupation: the example of the older women's food preparation study

Growing awareness of the Western perspectives underpinning occupational science and occupational therapy’s values, theories, and evaluation tools has given rise to questions about culturally relevant knowledge and practice with non-Western populations. To make sense of attempts to develop cross-cultural knowledge taking place within the profession and discipline, the authors review epistemological perspectives and methodological advances in anthropology and psychology. Thus informed, they both summarize and critique constructivist and positivist approaches to knowledge development and practice that cross or resist the crossing of cultures. The authors outline a multicultural collaborative research method that supports extending and refining the profession’s knowledge in a way that both honors local perspectives and reveals concepts that cross cultures. Insights from a study that explored the meaning of food preparation to older Thai, American, and New Zealand women provide illustrative examples