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Unveiling New Realms: Enhancing Procedural Narrative Generation and NPC Personalization using AI
Get PDFA System Design Framework used to train GPT - based agents can significantly help improve current Procedural Narrative and Character (NPC) Personality Generation Models in games. This approach can lead to a Richer Gameplay Experience that allows players to craft their own Personalized and Unique stories
Social Priorities, Institutional Quality, and Investment
No full textWe provide a theoretical framework and empirical evidence characterizing positive and negative externalities that lead corporate investments to deviate from socially optimal levels. A limited liability organizational form, combined with the optimally designed corporate taxes and subsidies, can induce socially optimal investments. A novel empirical prediction is that the quality of institutions can play an important moderating role. Our empirical work is based on the setting from China and utilizes its five-year plans, private and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and provincial level differences in institutional quality. Our evidence shows that the level of corporate tax required to induce socially optimal investments is lower in the presence of high-quality institutions
Wrangling Pelicans: Military Life in Eighteenth-Century Spanish Texas
No full text“Wrangling Pelicans” explores the rhythms and realities experienced by inhabitants of Spanish military communities in eighteenth-century Spanish Texas, and describes an array of key subjects ranging from education to illicit entertainment. I utilize Antonio Treviño as a loose narrative thread throughout the text; he was a mestizo resident of Fort La Bahía, which is located in Goliad, Texas. Treviño rose from a private to a sub-lieutenant, and along the way was indicted for smuggling, nearly imprisoned for insubordination, but also commended for valor. Treviño experienced presidial life in all of its grime and glory.
This book argues that soldiers like Treviño found ways to maintain their autonomy and independence in spite of Bourbon Spain’s quest for ever-greater centralization and control. But “Wrangling Pelicans” goes one step further, illustrating that soldiers on the ground often implemented their own policies in the region and did not merely accede to the wishes of their commandant general, their provincial governor, or their fort captain. In viewing Spanish soldiers from their own perspective and from the perspective of their communities, a host of unexpected realities rise to the surface. One of the most surprising is that these troopers at times enjoyed one of the most economically and socially secure occupations on the frontier. Around Mexico City, mere rumors of army recruiters “provoked a flight of young males.” On the Texas borderlands, meanwhile, young men saw military service as a more than reasonable career path
Roberts Rules of (Dis)Order: Doctrinal Doublespeak on Affirmative Action and Stare Decisis
Get PDFIn this Article, I argue that Chief Justice John Roberts engaged in doublespeak in his SFFA v. Harvard/UNC majority opinion. He essentially overruled Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) but did not admit doing so, and even structured the SFFA opinion as if he was following Grutter’s precedent. My Article considers why Chief Justice Roberts engaged in this “stealth overruling” of Grutter and exposes his doctrinal sleight of hand in doing so. I first consider how Chief Justice Roberts may have been concerned about the Court’s legitimacy in the wake of its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)—where it explicitly overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992)—and how that might have influenced his approach to SFFA. Subsequently, I show how throughout the SFFA majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts either misrepresented Grutter or exploited ambiguities and inconsistencies in Grutter’s doctrine to serve his agenda. I examine the SFFA majority’s treatment of various issues related to the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies. These include the compelling interest in diversity, deference to universities on defining their educational missions, the incidental burden of race-conscious policies on certain groups, the use of racial categories, “logical” and arbitrary endpoints for race-conscious admissions, the so-called essay loophole, and the possible military exception. The conclusion considers the consequences of SFFA’s stealth overruling of Grutter: the controversies it could lead to, and its potential impact on the Court’s legitimacy—another matter laden with ironic twists
A Texas Tradition: Analyzing Texas\u27 Commitment to Capital Punishment
Get PDFGrace Brandt examines Texas\u27 historical and ongoing support for capital punishment. The paper explores the evolution of execution methods, legislative frameworks, and public opinion, emphasizing the cultural and political factors sustaining the death penalty in Texas despite national trends towards abolitio
Gracious Neighbors: An Overview of Humanitarian Aid Efforts for Venezuelan Refugees in Colombia
Get PDFPeter Wetherbee evaluates Colombia’s response to the Venezuelan migration crisis, highlighting the challenges posed by resource constraints and international coordination. The paper discusses the socioeconomic impact of migration and proposes measures to enhance humanitarian aid and regional stability
Angular Deviation Diffuser: A Transformer-Based Diffusion Model for Efficient Protean Conformational Ensemble Generation
No full textProtein functionality is inherently tied to its structure, with both static and dynamic conformations playing critical roles in defining biological activity. While molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have long been the standard for exploring protein dynamics, they come with high computational costs and limited sampling efficiency. Recent advances in deep learning, such as AlphaFold, have significantly improved static protein structure prediction, yet accurately generating the dynamic ensemble of protein conformations remains a complex challenge. In this thesis, we present a transformer-based diffusion model that generates diverse conformational ensembles of protein backbones by utilizing angular deviations as data flow. Our model combines a cutting-edge diffusion model with the principles of SE(3) symmetry to enhance both the accuracy and efficiency of conformational sampling. Applied to the Vivid (VVD) Photoreceptor protein system, the generated ensembles closely align with those from MD simulations while covering a broader range of conformational states. This approach offers an improved methodology for capturing protein dynamics, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of protein structure and function
Hardware Security Enhancement Of IEEE 1687 Network
Get PDFIn today’s world, the complexity of an IC (Integrated Circuit) has increased as features like testing, debugging, monitoring, and configuration are developed and enhanced. To accomplish this, these integrated circuits contain many embedded instruments, such as BIST (Built-In-Self-Test) controllers, on-chip sensors (which sense temperature or voltage), power management, and built-in monitoring units, among others. The IEEE 1687 working group developed the IEEE 1687 standard, also known as IJTAG (Internal Joint Test Action Group), which introduced an efficient way to access these instruments on integrated circuits. It has a more efficient way of accessing instruments than the previous IEEE 1149.1 standard and better lends itself to design reuse. The IEEE 1687 standard introduces the concept of a SIB (Segment Insertion Bit) to provide access to a segment in the scan chain consisting of one or more additional TDRs (Test Data Registers). A SIB can be accessed easily by an authorized user to access the embedded instruments. However, it is also simple for an unauthorized user to access this network with minimal knowledge. The LSIB (Locking Segment Insertion Bit) and subsequent enhancements, such as traps, honeytraps, and switching LSIBs, have been introduced previously to increase the difficulty experienced by an attacker attempting to access the instruments hidden within the network. vii This thesis will investigate the ability of different LSIB-based designs used to enhance the security of the IEEE 1687 network at a reasonable cost. In particular, the cost disparity in access time between potential attackers and authorized users will be calculated. It also introduces a new variation of SIB-based security: the E-LSIB. A well-considered strategy that balances security and authorized access time will enable test and DFT engineers to make informed decisions based on the security benefits provided
Miniature And Flexible ph Sensors Based On Iridium Oxide For Biofluids Applications
No full textTraditional glass-rod pH sensors provide reliable pH performance but are bulky and do not allow miniaturization. The pH-sensitive membrane at the electrode tip requires intermittent calibration and is prone to membrane clogging in non-aqueous or viscous solutions. The characteristics compromise pH accuracy specifically for continuous and long-term stable applications. Clinical challenges using traditional bulky pH sensors for skin and body regulation are intermittent calibration, periodic monitoring, and labor-intensive diagnosis. Miniature pH sensors developed on flexible platforms do not require frequent calibration, allow continuous data transduction by electronic integration, and straight forward operation. To facilitate such features, researchers have engineered pH sensors by manipulating materials and detection techniques.
This dissertation focuses on the development and optimization of miniature and flexible iridium oxide (IrOx) based pH sensors for biofluid monitoring. The biocompatible and inert nature of IrOx makes it a desirable material for biosensing applications. A comprehensive literature review on IrOx pH sensors, encompassing film types, substrates, and performance factors, laid the groundwork for subsequent investigations.
To enhance sensor flexibility and compatibility with skin applications, IrOx films were deposited on porous and flexible substrates. The resulting sensors were characterized for pH sensitivity, hysteresis, and stability in controlled buffer and biofluid environments. Building upon this, flexible microwire IrOx pH sensors were integrated into meshed fabric pads for potential use in electrical bandages. Electrical measurements performed in microwells also vi demonstrated the small-volume sensing capabilities, needed for real-time biofluid sensing.
To address the challenges of viscosity and salt interference in biofluids, IrOx films were developed on flexible polyimide substrates. A comparative study with commercial pH sensors was conducted to evaluate the performance of the developed IrOx sensors. Through collaboration with a startup company, the production of IrOx sensors on polyimide substrates was mass-printed, and rigorous testing protocols were implemented. The mass-produced printed electrodes showed high reliability and repeatability based on electrical measurements among different sets of electrodes. Electrodes were further laminated and tested in flat and conformed conditions showing exceptional repeatability.
To improve long-term sensor stability, anhydrous and hydrous IrOx films were developed on a polyimide substrate. A reset technique utilizing an external DC voltage was applied to the IrOx electrodes to achieve quicker transition time and enable long-term stability. The consistency in performance metrics, including stability, sensitivity, and hysteresis, across multiple electrode batches, demonstrated robust reproducibility. Subsequent testing of electrodes in both a fresh state and after a 14-day period validated the reliability of the reset technique in improving the drifting issue. This milestone eliminates electrode dependency on the need for frequent calibration.
Finally, the pH sensor built on polyimide with good mechanical rigidity was miniaturized for subcutaneous needle insertion to enable biofluid sensing directly from tissue. This research contributes to the advancement of miniaturized IrOx pH sensor technology, paving the way for real-time, reliable monitoring in healthcare such as early Sepsis detection from the human blood
