Multi-agent evolutionary systems for the generation of complex virtual worlds

Modern films, games and virtual reality applications are dependent on convincing computer graphics. Highly complex models are a requirement for the successful delivery of many scenes and environments. While workflows such as rendering, compositing and animation have been streamlined to accommodate increasing demands, modelling complex models is still a laborious task. This paper introduces the computational benefits of an Interactive Genetic Algorithm (IGA) to computer graphics modelling while compensating the effects of user fatigue, a common issue with Interactive Evolutionary Computation. An intelligent agent is used in conjunction with an IGA that offers the potential to reduce the effects of user fatigue by learning from the choices made by the human designer and directing the search accordingly. This workflow accelerates the layout and distribution of basic elements to form complex models. It captures the designer's intent through interaction, and encourages playful discovery

Catalytically active block copolymer membranes for light-driven hydrogen evolution and water oxidation

In this thesis, the integration of photocatalytically active materials into block copolymer mem-branes was developed over three generations. Due to the versatility of the block copolymers, it was possible to develop different mechanisms for the functionalization of the membrane with different POM catalysts and photosensitizers. In the first generation, POM and photosensitizer were attached purely electrostatically to the block copolymers while for the third generation a system in which both components could be anchored covalently was developed

Quantifying the Circular Economy in European Regions: a Bridge towards Smart Specialisation?

Circular Economy (CE) aspects are becoming increasingly relevant for a sustainable transition and regional development. Still, a methodology to assess regional performance and interregional differences is exclaimed to be missing at least in the European context. This gap makes it difficult to assess policies and evaluate development patterns. The authors present a methodology to overcome this research gap by including several dimensions of social, environmental, and economic CE aspects. The methodology consists of 29 indicators grouped in six dimensions with data obtained from various data bases. A static and a trend index are calculated to compare European NUTS 2 regions in terms of their current CE status and its development over the last years. The new insights paint a more differentiated picture of regional CE transition highlighting that a segregation is observable not so much between North and South or East and West but more between urban and rural regions. Regarding the practical CE implementation in European regions, the instrument of smart specialisation is discussed

p53 aerobics: The major tumor suppressor fuels your workout

In addition to its role as the central regulator of the cellular stress response, p53 can regulate aerobic respiration via the novel transcriptional target SCO2, a critical regulator of the cytochrome c oxidase complex (Matoba et al., 2006). Loss of p53 results in decreased oxygen consumption and aerobic respiration and promotes a switch to glycolysis, thereby reducing endurance during physical exercise

Modes of p53 Regulation

The traditional view of p53 activation includes three steps—p53 stabilization, DNA binding, and transcriptional activation. However, recent studies indicate that each step of p53 activation is more complex than originally anticipated. Moreover, both genetic studies in mice and in vitro studies with purified components suggest that the classical model may not be sufficient to explain all aspects of p53 activation in vivo. To reconcile these differences, we propose that antirepression, the release of p53 from repression by factors such as Mdm2 and MdmX, is a key step in the physiological activation of p53

Productivity, Smart Specialisation, and Innovation: Empirical findings on EU macro-regions

The paper aims to enrich the discussion on the Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) and ongoing development of macro-regions in the EU. EU macro-regions are defined as geographical related places that are considered to be socially, economically, and historically linked and, until now, make a blind spot in the discussion on Smart Specialisation and regional innovation. The empirical approach of this paper is to apply a simply pooled OLS-regression with productivity as an independent variable, various exogenous variables on Smart Specialisation, dummies on EU macro-regions, and time-fixed effects within NUTS2 regions between 2014 and 2018. From this, it can be concluded that Smart Specialisation has a significant dependency on productivity. Moreover, it was assumed that regions of a macro-region benefit from each other by co-location. The result is not perfect. This raises questions for the development of EU macro-regions

Freies Volumen in Membranpolymeren: Positronenannihilationslebensdauerspektroskopie an ausgewählten Systemen

Das freie Volumen in Membranpolymeren ist ein zentraler Parameter für die Membranentwicklung. In dieser Arbeit wird die Positronenannihilationslebensdauerspektroskopie PALS zur Charakterisierung des freien Volumens verwendet. Untersucht wurden vier verschiedene Systeme mit unterschiedlichen Fragestellungen: 1. Polyphenylenoxid-C60-Nanokompsoitmembranen, bei denen die Art der C60-Zugabe eine wichtige Rolle spielt; 2. Polyphenylenoxid-Boltorn H40-Nanokomposite, die ein Maximum des freien Volumens bei geringen H40-Konzentrationen aufweisen; 3. Teflon AF-Membranen, bei denen die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Ps-Lebensdauer sich mit der Zusammensetzung des Copolymers unterscheidet; 4. neue Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM wurde im Rahmen dieser Arbeit erstmals mit der PALS untersucht

Qualitative Sozialforschung – interkulturell gelesen: Die Reflexion der Selbstauslegung im Akt des Fremdverstehens

In this contribution, I attempt to justify the following two assumptions: Firstly, that intercultural communication is, at its heart, the communicative paradigm of qualitative interview-based research; and secondly that, vice versa, qualitative interview-based research is the methodical paradigm of intercultural communication. On the one side—from a linguistic point of view—the qualitative paradigm, with its methodical principles of communicability and context sensibility, cannot solve the problem of the indexicality of human language and communication—although the qualitative paradigm can indeed work on this problem prolifically. Handling and processing indexicality is, in this case, also a core task for intercultural communication. On the other side: Processing the linguistic problems of indexicality itself stands in the shadow of the epistomological problem of other-awareness (Fremdverstehen according to Alfred SCHÜTZ). In the same way in which Fremdverstehen represents the central mode of intercultural communication, the methodical control of Fremdverstehen—developed within the paradigm of reconstructive research—is the core mode of qualitative interview-based research. Thus, qualitative interview-based research and intercultural communication clearly converge in two aspects. The theoretical thoughts presented in this contribution are, in a second step, illustrated by a practical example. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0901162El presente trabajo busca fundamentar dos tesis. Primero: que la comunicación intercultural, de hecho, constituye el paradigma comunicativo de la investigación cualitativa basada en la entrevista ; y segundo: que en viceversa, la investigación cualitativa basada en la entrevista es el paradigma metodológico de la comunicación intercultural. De ahí que, aunque por un lado el paradigma cualitativo, desde una perspectiva lingüística y con sus principios básicos metodológicos de la comunicatividad y la sensibilidad de contexto, no pueda resolver el problema de la indexicalidad del lenguaje humano y de la comunicación, sí pueda, sin embargo, analizarlo prolíficamente. La revisión y el análisis de la indexicalidad son, en este sentido, tarea central de la comunicación intercultural. Por otro lado, el análisis de los problemas lingüísticos de la indexicalidad se encuentra bajo la sombra del problema epistemológico de la "comprensión del otro" (Fremdverstehen, de acuerdo con Alfred SCHÜTZ). Así como la "comprensión del otro" es el método esencial de la comunicación intercultural; el control metodológico de la "comprensión del otro", desarrollado en el marco del paradigma de la investigación reconstructiva, representa el procedimiento fundamental de la investigación cualitativa basada en la entrevista. Ésta y la comunicación intercultural convergen claramente en ambas perspectivas. A las reflexiones teóricas las sigue un ejemplo donde se pretende llevar a la práctica el proceso expuesto. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0901162In diesem Beitrag sollen die beiden Thesen begründet werden, dass interkulturelle Kommunikation im Grunde genommen das kommunikative Paradigma qualitativer Interviewforschung ist und vice versa die qualitative Interviewforschung das methodische Paradigma interkultureller Kommunikation: Denn auf der einen Seite vermag aus linguistischer Perspektive das qualitative Paradigma mit seinen methodischen Grundprinzipien der Kommunikativität und Kontextsensitivität zwar das Problem der Indexikalität menschlicher Sprache und Kommunikation nicht zu lösen, aber doch fruchtbar aufzuarbeiten. Die "Be-" bzw. "Abarbeitung" von Indexikalität ist dabei auch eine Kernaufgabe von interkultureller Kommunikation. Auf der anderen Seite steht die Aufarbeitung des linguistischen Problems der Indexikalität menschlicher Sprache und Kommunikation selbst wiederum im Schatten des erkenntnistheoretischen Problems des Fremdverstehens. So wie Fremdverstehen der zentrale Modus von interkultureller Kommunikation ist, stellt die im Paradigma der rekonstruktiven Forschung entwickelte methodische Kontrolle des Fremdverstehens den Verfahrenskern qualitativer Interviewforschung dar. Qualitative Interviewforschung und interkulturelle Kommunikation konvergieren also deutlich in zweifacher Hinsicht. Im Anschluss an diese theoretischen Überlegungen sollen die Ausführungen anhand eines Praxisbeispiels veranschaulicht werden. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs090116