Regularized Evolutionary Algorithm for Dynamic Neural Topology Search

Designing neural networks for object recognition requires considerable architecture engineering. As a remedy, neuro-evolutionary network architecture search, which automatically searches for optimal network architectures using evolutionary algorithms, has recently become very popular. Although very effective, evolutionary algorithms rely heavily on having a large population of individuals (i.e., network architectures) and is therefore memory expensive. In this work, we propose a Regularized Evolutionary Algorithm with low memory footprint to evolve a dynamic image classifier. In details, we introduce novel custom operators that regularize the evolutionary process of a micro-population of 10 individuals. We conduct experiments on three different digits datasets (MNIST, USPS, SVHN) and show that our evolutionary method obtains competitive results with the current state-of-the-art

P-V-T Behavior of 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoroprop-1-ene (HFO-1234yf) in the Vapor Phase from (243 to 373) K

The P-V-T properties of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene (CF 3 CFdCH 2 , HFO-1234yf), an environmentally friendly refrigerant, were measured using a constant volume apparatus. Measurements were carried out at temperatures from (243 to 373) K and at pressures from (84 to 3716) kPa. A total of 136 experimental points, taken along 12 isochores, were obtained. Our experimental results were compared with a preliminary equation of state. The measurements were also regressed to the Martin-Hou equation of state. No other data on this fluid were found in the literature for the superheated region

Daily rhythm of salivary and serum urea concentration in sheep

BACKGROUND: In domestic animals many biochemical and physiological processes exhibit daily rhythmicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rhythmic pattern of salivary and serum urea concentrations in sheep. METHODS: Six 3-year-old female sheep kept in the same environmental conditions were used. Sheep were sampled at 4 hour intervals for 48 consecutive hours starting at 08:00 of the first day and finishing at 04:00 of the second day. Blood samples were collected via intravenous cannulae inserted into the jugular vein; saliva samples were collected through a specific tube, the "Salivette". Salivary and serum urea concentrations were assayed by means of UV spectrophotometer. ANOVA was used to determine significant differences. The single Cosinor procedure was applied to the results showing significant differences over time. RESULTS: ANOVA showed a significant effect of time on salivary and serum urea concentrations. Serum and salivary urea peaked during the light phase. In the dark phase serum and salivary urea concentrations decreased, and the diurnal trough occurred at midnight. Cosinor analysis showed diurnal acrophases for salivary and serum urea concentrations. Daily mean levels were significantly higher in the serum than in the saliva. CONCLUSION: In sheep both salivary and serum urea concentrations showed daily fluctuations. Urea is synthesized in the liver and its production is strongly influenced by food intake. Future investigation should clarify whether daily urea rhythms in sheep are endogenous or are simply the result of the temporal administration of food

Developmental changes of GABA immunoreactivity in cortico-thalamic networks of an absence seizure model

Absence seizures (ASs) are associated with abnormalities in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in the thalamus and the cortex. In the present study, we used light microscopy GABA immunocytochemistry to quantify the GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-IR) neurons and neuropil in the thalamic ventral basal (VB) nucleus, the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT), the dorsal lateral geniculate (dLGN), the primary motor cortex (M1) and perioral region of the somatosensory cortex (S1po) of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). We used both the relative non-epileptic control (NEC) and normal Wistar rats as control strains, and investigated GABA immunostaining at postnatal day 15 (P15), P25, and P90. The main findings were i) an increase in GABA-IR neuropil in the VB at P25 and P90 in GAERS but not in NEC and Wistar rats; ii) an increase in NRT GABA-IR neurons in GAERS and NEC, but not Wistar, rats at both P25 and P90; and iii) an increase in GABA-IR neuron density in S1po of GAERS at P25 and P90 and in Wistar at P90. These results indicate that the increased GABAergic innervation in the VB at P25 most likely contributes to the enhanced tonic inhibition observed in GAERS prior to AS onset, whereas the lack of any anatomo-morphological GABAergic differences in GAERS S1po suggests that functional more than structural abnormalities underlie the origin of cortical paroxysms in S1po of this AS model

The anticipatory nature of representations

Abstract not availabl

Nursery growing media: agronomic and environmental quality assessment of sewage sludge-based compost

There is a stringent need to reduce the environmental impact of peat in the plant nursery production chain. In this experiment, the use of different rates of sewage sludge compost in the preparation of growing media for potted Bougainvillea was evaluated to assess its efficiency for the replacement of peat and to quantify the environmental impact of such alternative substrates by the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. Five substrates containing increasing proportion of composted sewage sludge to peat (0%, 25%, 40%, 55%, and 70% v/v) were used, and their physicochemical properties were measured. Bougainvillea plant growth, biomass production, and macro- and micronutrient absorption were also determined. The main results were that compost addition improved the plant nutrient and increased the substrate pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and dry bulk density values. Globally, the results showed that compost could be used at up to 55% by volume with no negative effects on plant growth. The LCA showed that use of compost reduced the environmental loads of the growth media, except the Global Warming Potential value (GWP100). Environmental implications of the use of compost in the plant nursery chain are discussed

Optimal fiscal and monetary policy, debt crisis, and management

The initial government debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and the government's commitment play a pivotal role in determining the welfare-optimal speed of fiscal consolidation in the management of a debt crisis. Under commitment, for low or moderate initial government debt-to-GDP ratios, the optimal consolidation is very slow. A faster pace is optimal when the economy starts from a high level of public debt implying high sovereign risk premia, unless these are suppressed via a bailout by official creditors. Under discretion, the cost of not being able to commit is reflected into a quick consolidation of government debt. Simple monetary–fiscal rules with passive fiscal policy, designed for an environment with “normal shocks,” perform reasonably well in mimicking the Ramsey-optimal response to one-off government debt shocks. When the government can issue also long-term bonds—under commitment—the optimal debt consolidation pace is slower than in the case of short-term bonds only, and entails an increase in the ratio between long- and short-term bonds