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A Quality Enhancement Framework with Noise Distribution Characteristics for High Efficiency Video Coding
No full textVideo coding effectively reduces the amount of video data while unavoidably producing compression noise. Compression noise can cause significant artifacts in compressed video, such as blocking, ringing, and blurring, which seriously affects the visual quality of videos and the value of videos for content analysis. In compressed video quality enhancement, few methods based on deep learning fully consider the relationship between video content and compression noise or the possibility of uniting the encoder or the decoder to enhance the quality of compressed video. In an approach different from existing methods, we propose a video quality enhancement framework based on the distribution characteristics of compression noise. The proposed framework consists of two parts: at the encoder, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based in-loop filtering network combined with noise distribution (IFN-ND) characteristics for the I frame instead of high efficiency video coding (HEVC) standard in-loop filters; at the decoder, we propose a CNNbased quality enhancement network combined with the noise distribution characteristics (PQEN-ND) for the P frames. The noise characteristics are extracted from the code stream to further improve the performance of the proposed networks. The experiments show that the proposed method can significantly improve the quality of HEVC compressed video, achieving an average 12.84% reduction in the BD rate and up to a 1.0476 dB increase in the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR)
Anticipatory effects on whole-body dynamic stability in side cutting
No full textThe purpose of this study was to identify the anticipatory effects on factors that influence the ability to generate medial ground reaction forces in changes of direction, and the implications for injury risk markers. Twenty recreational soccer players completed 12 anticipated and 12 unanticipated side cutting tasks, whilst 3D motion capture and force plate data were collected. Five distinct movement strategies were found to represent factors that influence the medial ground reaction force vector, and comparisons were made between the two conditions using multiple t-tests in SPM1D. Whole-body dynamic stability is compromised by limited anticipation time, with a greater demand on a corrective hip strategy following a narrower foot placement and reduced sagittal plane loading efficiency. This may have implications for change of direction performance and injury risk
Development and validation of a new instrument to measure nursing students compassion strengths: The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators.
No full textDespite considerable research and rhetoric on the importance of compassion in nursing, progress has been hindered by the lack of an adequate psychometric instrument to measure its multidimensional nature. This paper reports several studies conducted over three stages, to develop and validate a new instrument to measure nurses’ compassion strengths. A purposive sample of UK pre-registered nursing students studying at a University took part in this study. The eight indicators highlight the multidimensional nature of compassion. The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators (BCSIs) demonstrated robust psychometric properties and could provide the means by which nursing students can empower themselves, as they strive to develop their professional identity as compassionate practitioners. This new measure will also help other researchers and educators who wish to study the development of compassion strengths in nursing
Exploring the effects of postpartum depression on relationships and how healthcare services can be improved
No full textThe aim of this dissertation is to examine the effects of postnatal depression upon relationships within the family and how healthcare services can be improved. This library-based dissertation consists of a collection of secondary research in and around the discussion of postpartum depression. This study found that there are significant impacts of maternal depression that has a substantial effect upon the mother and other family members including children. The effects can cause a decline in development within children and adult growth. Overall, through thorough evaluation and analysis of fifteen literature reviews this thesis has concluded that the healthcare services must increase their levels of support and introduce more early interventions in order to maintain a healthier experience of motherhood and childhood. This will increase the mental health for both parents and children as it has proven to have a catastrophic impact on relationships and home environments
Video for (micro) teaching, an opportunity or a challenge? (A mixed methods case study)
No full textThis paper reports on a small-scale practitioner-led initiative that responds to some of the problems that have been linked to the task of microteaching and the use of video in university-led Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes at a university in the north west of England.Though there have been many studies about the use of video for teacher development, few have been conducted in the context of ITE for vocational, further education sector (14+) in the UK. This study addresses this gap.The focus of the study is on the viewing of a specifically designed in-house developed video of microteaching, as a resource to support trainee teachers for their micro-teach task in the initial stages of the course. It investigates how and to what extent the video supports trainees in their understanding of the task as a whole. It also examines reasons for trainees' reluctance to have their micro-teach filmed and to use the footage to analyse and reflect on it. It also explores trainees’ attitudes and beliefs about the use of video analysis of their teaching in practice.A mixed methods research design is adopted, consisting of an online questionnaire for trainee teachers (n=82); an online questionnaire for teacher educators (n=8); and three focus groups of trainees.The data indicates that viewing a specifically edited video resource enhanced trainees’ levels of confidence in their preparedness for microteaching and many trainees would appreciate the incorporation of video analysis into their course. Some trainees, however, expressed strong reservations against being videoed
Onwards and upwards: The development, piloting and validation of a new measure of academic tenacity-The Bolton Uni-Stride Scale (BUSS)
No full textWhat factors determine success at University? For many years the construct of intelligence was felt to be critical. More recently, the construct of grit, has attracted the attention of many researchers, along with related concepts such as self-control, growth mind-sets and resilience. The authors of this paper have developed a specific measure of tenacity and self-composure, two constructs crucial to academic achievement. This measure comprises of 12 items drawn from the above constructs, but also including mental well-being and strengths use. In the first study, the authors report on the psychometric properties of the Bolton Uni-Stride Scale (BUSS). The new scale was administered to 1117 university students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two underlying factors, one labelled "tenacity" had seven items and accounted for 30% of the variance. The second was labelled "self-composure," and accounted for 14% of the variance. In the second study the BUSS was given to 340 undergraduate students along with the Grit Scale, the Self-Control Scale, the Mind-sets Quiz, the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10) and the short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). This study presented evidence for good internal consistency reliability (.74) and test-retest reliability over three weeks was .70 for Tenacity and .77 for Self-composure. BUSS Academic Tenacity correlated highly with grit (.63), self-control (.59), resilience (.52), mind-sets (.35) and mental well-being (.54). The study also evidences good discriminative validity of the BUSS. A second study conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), explaining a total of 44% of the variance. The authors have shown good support for the reliability and validity of the BUSS scale. It now needs to be tested in other universities and in different countries. It is the contention of the authors that academic tenacity will be a better measure of academic success than other competing measures, such as grit, on their own. Further research is needed to test this assertion
Time-of-day variation on performance measures in repeated-sprint tests: a systematic review
No full textThe lack of standardization of methods and procedures have hindered agreement in the literature related to time-of-day effects on repeated sprint performance and needs clarification. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate and systematically review the evidence relating to time-of-day based on performance measures in repeated-sprints.
The entire content of PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, SPORTDiscus® (via EBSCOhost) and Web of Science was searched. Only experimental research studies conducted in male adult participants aged ≥18yrs, published in English before June 2019 were included. Studies assessing repeated-sprints between a minimum of two time-points during the day (morning versus evening) were deemed eligible.
The primary search revealed that a total of 10 out of 112 articles were considered eligible and subsequently included. Seven articles were deemed strong and three moderate quality. Eight studies found repeated-sprint performance across the first, first few, or all sprints, to increase in favor of the evening. The magnitude of difference is dependent on the modality and the exercise protocol used. The non-motorized treadmill established an average 3.5-8.5% difference in distance covered, average and peak velocity, and average power, across all sprints in three studies and in peak power in two studies. In cycling, power output differed across all sprints by 6.0% in one study and 8.0% for the first sprint only in five studies. All four studies measuring power decrement values (i.e. rate of fatigue) established differences up to 4.0% and two out of five studies established total work to be significantly higher by 8.0%.
Repeated-sprint performance is affected by time-of-day with greater performance in the late/early afternoon. The magnitude is dependent on the variable assessed and the mode of exercise. There is a clear demand for more rigorous investigations which control factors that specifically relate to investigations of time-of-day and are specific to the sport of individuals