Interest in sports predictions as well as the public availability of large amounts of structured and unstructured data are increasing every day. As sporting events are not completely independent events, but characterized by the influence of the human factor, the adequate selection of the analysis process is very important. In this paper, seven different classification machine learning algorithms are used and validated with two validation methods: Train&Test and cross-validation. Validation methods were analyzed and critically reviewed. The obtained results are analyzed and compared. Analyzing the results of the used machine learning algorithms, the best average prediction results were obtained by using the nearest neighbors algorithm and the worst prediction results were obtained by using decision trees. The cross-validation method obtained better results than the Train&Test validation method. The prediction results of the Train&Test validation method by using disjoint datasets and up-to-date data were also compared. Better results were obtained by using up-to-date data. In addition, directions for future research are also explained.

We propose a new, data-driven model for the prediction of the outcomes of NBA and possibly other basketball league games by using machine learning methods. The paper starts with a strict mathematical formulation of the basketball statistical quantities and the performance indicators derived from them. The backbone of our model is the extended team efficiency index, which consists of two asymmetric parts: (i) the team efficiency index, generally based on some individual efficiency index—in our case, the NBA player efficiency index, and (ii) the comparing part, in which the observed team is rewarded for every selected feature in which it outperforms its rival. Based on the average of the past extended indices, the predicted extended indices are calculated symmetrically for both teams competing in the observed future game. The relative value of those indices defines the win function, which predicts the game outcome. The prediction model includes the concept of the optimal time window (OTW) for the training data. The training datasets were extracted from maximally four and the testing datasets from maximally two of the five consecutive observed NBA seasons (2013/2014–2017/2018). The model uses basic, derived, advanced, and league-wise basketball game elements as its features, whose preparation and extraction were briefly discussed. The proposed model was tested for several choices of the training and testing sets’ seasons, without and with OTWs. The average obtained prediction accuracy is around 66%, and the maximal obtained accuracy is around 78%. This is satisfactory and in the range of better results in the works of other authors.

In this paper, we present a novel compression method based on partial differential equations complemented by block sorting and symbol prediction. Block sorting is performed using the Burrows–Wheeler transform, while symbol prediction is performed using the context mixing method. With these transformations, the range coder is used as a lossless compression method. The objective and subjective quality evaluation of the reconstructed image illustrates the efficiency of this new compression method and is compared with the current standards, JPEG and JPEG 2000.

Information about the paper titled "TESLA COIL – CONSTRUCTION PROJECT – EDUCATIONAL APPLICATION" at IATED Digital Library

Information about the paper titled "APPLICATION OF PELTIER ELEMENTS AS RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES" at IATED Digital Library