Comparison between Oja's and BCM neural networks models in finding useful projections in high-dimensional spaces

This thesis presents the concept of a neural network starting from its corresponding biological model, paying particular attention to the learning algorithms proposed by Oja and Bienenstock Cooper & Munro. A brief introduction to Data Analysis is then performed, with particular reference to the Principal Components Analysis and Singular Value Decomposition. The two previously introduced algorithms are then dealt with more thoroughly, going to study in particular their connections with data analysis. Finally, it is proposed to use the Singular Value Decomposition as a method for obtaining stationary points in the BCM algorithm, in the case of linearly dependent inputs

Walls that Bridge. Or, What we can learn from the Roman walls

When, during the latest US electoral campaign, Pope Francis criticized Trump’s idea of building a wall between Mexico and the US, reiterat- ing his favorite point that “we do not need to build walls, but bridges,” the Trump camp retorted that the Pope lives in a city state surrounded by walls, in a city itself surrounded by other walls dating back to ancient Roman times. Why wasn’t he concerned with those walls? As one can see, even though Roman walls have completely lost their original func- tion and survive mainly as tourist sites, they also remain powerful political and cultural symbols. The scope of this essay is to offer, from the perspective of an Americanist who was born and raised in Rome, some comparative reflections on what we can learn today from the his- tory of Roman walls, as well as from their symbolic afterlives

Ahab, Ulysses, and the white whale: Vittorio Gassman’s adaptation of Moby-Dick

Il saggio analizza alcuni aspetti e problemi sollevati dall'adattamento teatrale del capolavoro di Melville da parte di Vittorio Gassman, con particolare attenzione all'accostamento proposto tra la figura di Ulisse e quella del capitano Ahab.The essay investigates some features and issues raised by Vittorio Gassman's adaptation for the stage of Melville's masterpiece. Specific attention is paid to the conjunction of the figures of Ulysses, on the one hand, and of Captain Ahab, on the other

Final state multiplicity and particle correlation in small systems

Final state variables and particle correlation will be discussed under a Multiple Parton Interaction (MPI) interpretation. The state of the art about the latest results on such variables will be provided. Furthermore the role played by event multiplicity in the deep understanding of particle correlation, in particular concerning the new results on the Long-Range Near-Side two particle correlations by the CMS Collaboration, will be discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures. Proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on Multiple Partonic Interactions at the LHC, Chiapas, Mexic

Web 2.0 and destination marketing: current trends and future directions

Over the last decade, destination marketers and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have increasingly invested in Web 2.0 technologies as a cost-effective means of promoting destinations online, in the face of drastic marketing budgets cuts. Recent scholarly and industry research has emphasized that Web 2.0 plays an increasing role in destination marketing. However, no comprehensive appraisal of this research area has been conducted so far. To address this gap, this study conducts a quantitative literature review to examine the extent to which Web 2.0 features in destination marketing research that was published until December 2019, by identifying research topics, gaps and future directions, and designing a theory-driven agenda for future research. The study’s findings indicate an increase in scholarly literature revolving around the adoption and use of Web 2.0 for destination marketing purposes. However, the emerging research field is fragmented in scope and displays several gaps. Most of the studies are descriptive in nature and a strong overarching conceptual framework that might help identify critical destination marketing problems linked to Web 2.0 technologies is missing

Hugo Pratt’s and Milo Manara’s Indian Summer: An Italian “Source” for The Scarlet Letter

This paper examines the allusions of Milo Manara’s and Hugo Pratt’s graphic novel, Tutto ricominciò con un’estate indiana (Indian Summer), to Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlett Letter in a variety of ways. In particular, this paper argues that not only some of Pratt and Manara’s characters are very liberal, creative reinventions of Hawthorne’s figures—they might be seen as “spin-offs” of Hawthorne’s narrative—but in many ways Indian Summer is also thematically close to The Scarlet Letter

Large Deviations Principle for Stochastic Scalar Conservation Laws

We investigate large deviations for a family of conservative stochastic PDEs (conservation laws) in the asymptotic of jointly vanishing noise and viscosity. We obtain a first large deviations principle in a space of Young measures. The associated rate functional vanishes on a wide set, the so-called set of measure-valued solutions to the limiting conservation law. We therefore investigate a second order large deviations principle, thus providing a quantitative characterization of non-entropic solutions to the conservation law.Comment: 40 page