Abstract
Lung cancer stands as the most prevalent and deadliest type of cancer, with adenocarcinoma being the most common subtype. Computed Tomography (CT) is widely used for detecting tumours and their phenotype characteristics, for an early and accurate diagnosis that impacts patient outcomes. Machine learning algorithms have already shown the potential to recognize patterns in CT scans to classify the cancer subtype. In this work, two distinct pipelines were employed to perform binary classification between adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma. Firstly, radiomic features were classified by Random Forest and eXtreme Gradient Boosting classifiers. Next, a deep learning approach, based on a Residual Neural Network and a Transformer-based architecture, was utilised. Both 2D and 3D CT data were initially explored, with the Lung-PET-CT-Dx dataset being employed for training and the NSCLC-Radiomics and NSCLC-Radiogenomics datasets used for external evaluation. Overall, the 3D models outperformed the 2D ones, with the best result being achieved by the Hybrid Vision Transformer, with an AUC of 0.869 and a balanced accuracy of 0.816 on the internal test set. However, a lack of generalization capability was observed across all models, with the performances decreasing on the external test sets, a limitation that should be studied and addressed in future work.

Abstract

Abstract
We propose a unified architecture for visual scene understanding, aimed at overcoming the limitations of traditional, fragmented approaches in computer vision. Our work focuses on creating a system that accurately and coherently interprets visual scenes, with the ultimate goal to provide a 3D virtual representation, which is particularly useful for applications in virtual and augmented reality. By integrating various visual and semantic processing tasks into a single, adaptable framework, our architecture simplifies the design process, ensuring a seamless and consistent scene interpretation. This is particularly important in complex systems that rely on 3D synthesis, as the need for precise and semantically coherent scene descriptions keeps on growing. Our unified approach addresses these challenges, offering a flexible and efficient solution. We demonstrate the practical effectiveness of our architecture through a proof-of-concept system and explore its potential in various application domains, proving its value in advancing the field of computer vision.

Abstract
The rapid proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) systems, encompassing a wide range of devices and sensors with limited battery life, has highlighted the critical need for energy-efficient solutions to extend the operational lifespan of these battery-powered devices. One effective strategy for reducing energy consumption is minimizing the number and size of retransmitted packets in case of communication errors. Among the potential solutions, Incremental Redundancy Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (IR-HARQ) communication schemes have emerged as particularly compelling options by adopting the best aspects of error control, namely, automatic repetition and variable redundancy. This work addresses the challenge by developing a simulator capable of executing and analysing several (H)ARQ schemes using different channel models, such as the Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) and Gilbert-Elliott (GE) models. The primary objective is to compare their performance across multiple metrics, enabling a thorough evaluation of their capabilities. The results indicate that IR-HARQ outperforms alternative methods, especially in the presence of burst errors. Furthermore, its potential for further adaptation and enhancement opens up new ways for optimizing energy consumption and extending the lifespan of battery-powered IoT devices.

Abstract
The Sub-THz and millimeter-wave bands have gained popularity, with the expectation that they will host the next generation of wireless communication systems. Furthermore, research on beam-steering characteristics provided by Programmable Electromagnetic Surfaces, such as Reflective Intelligent Surfaces (RISs), has garnered considerable attention as an enabling technology for 6G communications. Due to size limitations, RISs face challenges related to power consumption in the reconfigurable elements and their integration with unit cells operating at high frequencies. This paper discusses the design of a 1-bit reconfigurable unit cell at the D-band using non-volatile technology to minimize static power consumption. Simulation results show that the proposed unit cell performs well with a reflection loss of less than 1.3 dB in both reconfigurable states across a frequency band from 120 to 170 GHz. Moreover, the phase difference between the two states is maintained at 180? ± 20?, with an operational bandwidth of approximately 16 GHz. The beamforming capabilities, with steering angles from -60? to 60?, of the 12×12 RIS, utilizing the proposed unit cell, have been demonstrated in terms of controlling the main beam radiation precisely to various angles with consistent performance at frequencies of 147 GHz, 152 GHz, and 152.5 GHz. © 2024 IEEE.

Abstract
It is well known that the performance of Machine Learning techniques, notably when applied to Computer Vision (CV), depends heavily on the amount and quality of the training data set. However, large data sets lead to time-consuming training loops and, in many situations, are difficult or even impossible to create. Therefore, there is a need for solutions to reduce their size while ensuring good levels of performance, i.e., solutions that obtain the best tradeoff between the amount/quality of training data and the model's performance. This paper proposes a dataset reduction approach for training data used in Deep Learning methods in Facial Recognition (FR) problems. We focus on maximizing the variability of representations for each subject (person) in the training data, thus favoring quality instead of size. The main research questions are: 1) Which facial features better discriminate different identities? 2) Will it be possible to significantly reduce the training time without compromising performance? 3) Should we favor quality over quantity for very large datasets in FR? This analysis uses a pipeline to discriminate a set of features suitable for capturing the diversity and a cluster-based sampling to select the best images for each training subject, i.e., person. Results were obtained using VGGFace2 and Labeled Faces in the Wild (for benchmarking) and show that, with the proposed approach, a data reduction is possible while ensuring similar levels of accuracy.