127 research outputs found
Resource Constrained Semantic Segmentation for Waste Sorting
This work addresses the need for efficient waste sorting strategies in
Materials Recovery Facilities to minimize the environmental impact of rising
waste. We propose resource-constrained semantic segmentation models for
segmenting recyclable waste in industrial settings. Our goal is to develop
models that fit within a 10MB memory constraint, suitable for edge applications
with limited processing capacity. We perform the experiments on three networks:
ICNet, BiSeNet (Xception39 backbone), and ENet. Given the aforementioned
limitation, we implement quantization and pruning techniques on the broader
nets, achieving positive results while marginally impacting the Mean IoU
metric. Furthermore, we propose a combination of Focal and Lov\'asz loss that
addresses the implicit class imbalance resulting in better performance compared
with the Cross-entropy loss function.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
A porta das percepções: Convergências nos meios entre Timothy Leary e Marshall McLuhan
“ExpansĂŁo” e “extensĂŁo” foram duas palavras-chave no momento da contracultura estadunidense. Com base em dois autores do perĂodo, de diferentes áreas, Timothy Leary e Marshall McLuhan, a proposta do presente artigo Ă© mostrar como tais noções foram trabalhadas, direta ou indiretamente, em diferentes áreas do pensamento. Tendo como horizonte a veloz difusĂŁo da internet e, em seu bojo, das novas alternativas de mĂdia, procurou-se identificar como os autores citados as vislumbraram, para, a seguir, delinear o momento em que produziram suas reflexões. Por fim, alvitrou-se mostrar em que medida e sob quais faces essas ideias e vislumbres se manifestariam no mundo contemporâne
Hippocampal neuroplasticity and inflammation: relevance for multiple sclerosis
Cognitive impairment is very frequent during multiple sclerosis (MS), involving approximately 40–70% of the patients, with a profound impact on patient's life. It is now established that among the various central nervous system (CNS) structures involved during the course of MS, the hippocampus is particularly sensitive to the detrimental effects of neuroinflammation. Different studies demonstrated hippocampal involvement during MS, in association with depression and cognitive impairment, such as verbal and visuo-spatial memory deficits, even during the earlier phases of the disease. These cognitive alterations could represent the visible consequences of a hidden synaptic impairment. Indeed, neuronal and immune functions are intertwined and the immune system is able to modulate the efficacy of synaptic transmission and the induction of the main forms of synaptic plasticity, such as long term potentiation (LTP). Hippocampal synaptic plasticity has been studied during the last decades as the physiological basis of human learning and memory and its disruption can be associated with behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. The aim of the present work is to review the available evidence about the presence of hippocampal synaptic plasticity alterations in experimental models of MS, specifically during the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and to discuss their relevance with regard to human MS. Indeed, the failure of synapses to express plasticity during neuroinflammation could potentially lead to a progressive failure of the brain plastic reserve, possibly contributing to disability progression and cognitive impairment during MS
Low-power Radio Galaxies in the Distant Universe: A search for FRI at 1<z<2 in the COSMOS field
We present a search for FRI radio galaxies between 1 < z < 2 in the COSMOS
field. In absence of spectroscopic redshift measurements, the selection method
is based on multiple steps which make use of both radio and optical
constraints. The basic assumptions are that 1) the break in radio power between
low-power FRIs and the more powerful FRIIs does not change with redshift, and
2) that the photometric properties of the host galaxies of low power radio
galaxies in the distant universe are similar to those of FRIIs in the same
redshift bin, as is the case for nearby radio galaxies. We describe the results
of our search, which yields 37 low-power radio galaxy candidates that are
possibly FRIs. We show that a large fraction of these low-luminosity radio
galaxies display a compact radio morphology, that does not correspond to the
FRI morphological classification. Furthermore, our objects are apparently
associated with galaxies that show clear signs of interactions, at odds with
the typical behavior observed in low-z FRI hosts. The compact radio morphology
might imply that we are observing intrinsically small and possibly young
objects, that will eventually evolve into the giant FRIs we observe in the
local universe. One of the objects appears as point-like in HST images. This
might belong to a population of FRI-QSOs, which however would represent a tiny
minority of the overall population of high-z FRIs. As for the local FRIs, a
large fraction of our objects are likely to be associated with groups or
clusters, making them "beacons" for high redshift clusters of galaxies. Our
search for candidate high-z FRIs we present in this paper constitutes a pilot
study for objects to be observed with future high-resolution and
high-sensitivity instruments (shortened)Comment: 44 pages, 11 figures, version accepted for publication in Ap
Bubbles and outflows: the novel JWST/NIRSpec view of the z=1.59 obscured quasar XID2028
Quasar feedback in the form of powerful outflows is invoked as a key
mechanism to quench star formation in galaxies, although direct observational
evidence is still scarce and debated. Here we present Early Release Science
JWST NIRSpec IFU observations of the z=1.59 prototypical obscured quasar
XID2028: this target represents a unique test case to study QSO feedback at the
peak epoch of AGN-galaxy co-evolution thanks to its existing extensive
multi-wavelength coverage and massive and extended outflow detected both in the
ionised and molecular components. With the unprecedented sensitivity and
spatial resolution of JWST, the NIRSpec dataset reveals a wealth of structures
in the ionised gas kinematics and morphology previously hidden in the
seeing-limited ground-based data. In particular, we find evidence of
interaction between the interstellar medium of the galaxy and the QSO-driven
outflow and radio jet, which is producing an expanding bubble from which the
fast and extended wind detected in previous observations is emerging. The new
observations confirm the complex interplay between the AGN jet/wind and the ISM
of the host galaxy, highlighting the role of low luminosity radio jets in AGN
feedback, and showcase the new window opened by NIRSpec on the detailed study
of feedback at high redshift.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, submitted to A&A. Comments welcom
The Italian National Project of Astrobiology-Life in Space-Origin, Presence, Persistence of Life in Space, from Molecules to Extremophiles
The \u2018\u2018Life in Space\u2019\u2019 project was funded in the wake of
the Italian Space Agency\u2019s proposal for the development
of a network of institutions and laboratories conceived to
implement Italian participation in space astrobiology experiments
New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #26 to #36
New Italian data on the distribution of the Annex I Habitats 1510*, 2130*, 2250*, 3180*, 3260, 5230*, 6410, 7140, 7220*, 9320 are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 14 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 20 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km Ă— 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Umbria
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