Text Generation Based on Generative Adversarial Nets with Latent Variable

In this paper, we propose a model using generative adversarial net (GAN) to generate realistic text. Instead of using standard GAN, we combine variational autoencoder (VAE) with generative adversarial net. The use of high-level latent random variables is helpful to learn the data distribution and solve the problem that generative adversarial net always emits the similar data. We propose the VGAN model where the generative model is composed of recurrent neural network and VAE. The discriminative model is a convolutional neural network. We train the model via policy gradient. We apply the proposed model to the task of text generation and compare it to other recent neural network based models, such as recurrent neural network language model and SeqGAN. We evaluate the performance of the model by calculating negative log-likelihood and the BLEU score. We conduct experiments on three benchmark datasets, and results show that our model outperforms other previous models

Enhanced upconversion photoluminescence by novel plasmonic structures

The emerging field of plasmon-enhanced upconversion photoluminescence has a significant impact on a variety of technologies, including high-efficiency solar energy systems and biotechnology. To date, the upconversion efficiency of best reported rare-earth doped upconversion nanoparticles cannot meet the requirements of practical utilizations in these fields. Therefore, it is of great significance to find new approaches for the enhancement of upconversion efficiency. This thesis mainly aims to explore the enhanced upconversion photoluminescence by several novel plasmonic nanostructures. In this PhD work, I first studied the properties of rare-earth doped upconversion nanomaterials, which are capable of the spectral conversion of the otherwise lost sub-band-gap photons from the solar spectrum. The extra Gd3+ ion doping strategy was introduced in the hydrothermal synthesis process, which can provide an approach to tune the geometry and upconversion efficiency of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). To achieve higher upconversion efficiency, advances in the experimental improvements in plasmon-enhanced upconversion photoluminescence (UCPL) efficiency are explored, by using Au mesoporous film, Au nanotriangle array or nanohole array substrates for the enhancement of upconversion photoluminescence. It is demonstrated that the best plasmonic nanostructures can achieve about 360 times UCPL enhancement. These experimental results demonstrated the great potential of the plasmonic effect for UCPL enhancement. Furthermore, a triplet-triplet annihilation based upconversion nanoparticles (TTA-UCNPs) were synthesized, which have much higher intrinsic upconversion efficiency than the rare-earth based upconversion nanoparticles. A plasmon-enhanced upconversion photoluminescence substrate was designed for high performance photocatalysis applications under solar simulator (AM 1.5 G) irradiation. Five times faster photocatalytic activity rate was achieved by this plasmonic/TTA-UCNPs/Au@TiO2 system, which demonstrates great value of plasmonic and upconversion mechanisms. The combination of excellent plasmonic substrate and high efficiency TTA-UCNPs makes it possible for the realization of industrial level applications of the plasmonic and upconversion in the photocatalytic field.Open Acces

Troubled Waters: China’s and Russia’s Naval Modernizations Programs, and the Causes of Offensive Naval Arms Race

Scholars, policymakers and the public alike have debated the revisionist or status quo intentions of China and Russia using metrics such as territorial and economic expansionism. However, few have tried to explain why the two states’ arms policies may or may not signal intentions. This thesis project makes the point that structural factors, not intentions, drive offensive arms races. Using open-source databases and congressional hearing transcripts, I focus on Russia’s and China’s maritime push outwards through naval technological investments, as well as the structural factors, including offense-defense balance and near-peer competition, that surround these buildups. By showcasing the inherent military and strategic values of the contested maritime space, I argue that technological and geographical factors favor conquest and strategic offensives in territorial competition. This offense dominance compels states to pursue offensive naval buildups, regardless of intentions. Therefore, in an effort to avoid the rational offensive arms race, state leaders should seek to alter the offense-dominant environment at play, as opposed to feeding into the downward spiral that is otherwise known as security dilemma