Detecting Metagame Shifts in League of Legends Using Unsupervised Learning

Over the many years since their inception, the complexity of video games has risen considerably. With this increase in complexity comes an increase in the number of possible choices for players and increased difficultly for developers who try to balance the effectiveness of these choices. In this thesis we demonstrate that unsupervised learning can give game developers extra insight into their own games, providing them with a tool that can potentially alert them to problems faster than they would otherwise be able to find. Specifically, we use DBSCAN to look at League of Legends and the metagame players have formed with their choices and attempt to detect when the metagame shifts possibly giving the developer insight into what changes they should affect to achieve a more balanced, fun game

Parent-Child Incest: Proof at Trial Without Testimony in Court by the Victim

This Note argues that the incest victim should not testify personally at trial. Rather, the child\u27s testimony should be replaced with tape-recorded pretrial examinations of the victim by an expert, supplemented by the in-court testimony of the examining expert. Part I discusses how the present system of requiring in-court testimony by the victim harms the child, fails to correct the incest problem, and produces unreliable evidence. Part II outlines and discusses the merits of the proposed reform. Part ill examines the proposed reform in light of the defendant\u27s constitutional rights to due process and to confront witnesses against him. The Note concludes that the proposed reform would result in substantial benefits without infringing upon the defendant\u27s constitutional rights

Optimal CH-47 and C-130 Workload Balance

The Air Force can save thousands of dollars by reducing the number of blade hours on the CH-47 through finding an optimal mixture of CH-47s and C-130s to conduct current operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ultimately these savings will relieve maintenance operations for the CH-47 and lengthen the lifespan of the CH-47 airframe. Moreover, incorporating C-130s into the operations will reduce cargo transit time from supply depots. This study looks at the involvement of the C-130 in CH-47 airlift operations to reduce CH-47 usage and increase supply efficiency. The research focus is narrowed to current airlift operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in the CENTCOM theater of operation. A mathematical representation of current CH-47 operations augmented with C-130s is the foundation of this research. Particularly, these operations in CENTCOM\u27s area of operations are formulated as linear transportation problems using network mathematics. The uniqueness this research offers entails modified scenarios of the transportation problem solved as an optimization model. AMC requires additional constraints to be augmented with the basic transportation linear model that pushes this application in new areas. In addition, the uncommon layout of supply depots to the specified receiving airfields in Afghanistan and Iraq provide an altogether new kind of transportation problem

Initial Stage of Fluid-Structure Interaction of a Celestial Icosahedron Shaped Vacuum Lighter Than Air Vehicle

The analysis of a celestial icosahedron geometry is considered as a potential design for a Vacuum Lighter than Air Vehicle (VLTAV). The goal of the analysis is ultimately to understand the initial fluid-structure interaction of the VLTAV and the surrounding airflow. Up to this point, previous research analyzed the celestial icosahedron VLTAV in relation to withstanding a symmetric sea-level pressure applied to the membrane of the structure. This scenario simulates an internal vacuum being applied in the worst-case atmospheric environmental condition. The next step in analysis is to determine the aerodynamic effects of the geometry. The experimental setup for obtaining aerodynamic effects is validated prior to analyzing the deformed celestial icosahedron geometry by analyzing a perfect sphere utilizing the same manufacturing process and setup expected to be adopted for the celestial icosahedron experiments. The data received from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of the deformed structure in collaboration with Wright State University is used to determine the significance of aerodynamic effects on the structure. The pressure profiles experienced in the wind tunnel experiments and CFD analysis are comparatively similar. Therefore, the CFD data is used to conduct a structural analysis in which aerodynamic effects are incorporated. The research concluded that the aerodynamic pressures do not significantly affect the stress on the structure. As a result, it recommended that a full nonlinear fluid-structure interaction analysis is not necessary for this structure

A Comparison Of Running Economy Across Seven Carbon-Plated Racing Shoes

Running economy is defined as the oxygen consumption (VO2) or energy cost required to run at a given speed. It is a key determinant of performance, as improved economy allows a runner to run faster at the same physiological intensity. Advancements in running shoe technology, particularly in the Nike Vaporfly, have been shown to improve running economy. Other brands have now also developed new, advanced shoes with a carbon-fiber plate and thicker, new midsole foams. However, none of these new shoes have been compared to the Vaporfly. PURPOSE: Compare the effects of 7 different carbon-plated shoes and 1 traditional racing shoe on running economy. METHODS: Seven carbon-plated shoes: Hoka Rocket X (Hoka RX), Saucony Endorphin Pro (Saucony EP), Nike Alphafly (Nike AF), Asics Metaspeed Sky (Asics MS), Nike Vaporfly 2 (Nike VF2), New Balance RC Elite (New Bal RC), Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 (Brooks HE2), and 1 traditional shoe: Asics Hyperspeed (Asics HS) were tested in 12 male runners (5k best: 16.0 ± 0.7 min) on two visits. Shoes were tested in a random sequence over 8 x 5-minute trials (16 km‧hr-1; 5-minute rest between trials) on visit 1, and in the reverse/mirrored order for visit 2. Metabolic and running mechanics data were collected and averaged across visits. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare dependent variables across shoe conditions along with follow-up pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: VO2 (ml‧kg-1‧min-1; % change from Asics HS) was significantly different across shoes. Hoka RX (51.67 ± 2.07; -0.08 ± 1.04%) and Brooks HE2 (51.42 ± 1.72; -0.53 ± 0.90%) did not differ from Asics HS (51.71 ± 2.02). While Saucony EP (50.93 ± 1.82; -1.48 ± 0.72%) and New Bal RC (50.99 ± 1.83; -1.37 ± 0.78%) were statistically better than Asics HS, they were inferior to Nike AF (50.13 ± 1.86; -3.03 ± 1.48%), Nike VF2 (50.29 ± 1.72; -2.72 ± 1.02%), and Asics MS (50.39 ± 1.71; -2.52 ± 1.08%). In terms of running mechanics, statistically significant differences were limited. However, cadence (steps‧min-1) was significantly lower in the Nike AF (174.6 ± 10.4) than the Asics HS (176.5 ± 10.3). CONCLUSION: While some of the shoes tested improved running economy relative to the traditional racing shoe, only Nike AF and Asics MS matched the previously established Nike VF2. From these data, it appears the running shoe market as a whole has not caught up to the advantages conferred by the Nike VF2

Investigating Programming of a Virus Like Particle for Cell Specific Chemotherapy

4th Annual Lyceum at The University of Texas at Tylerhttps://scholarworks.uttyler.edu/student_posters/1043/thumbnail.jp

Environmental stress, facilitation, competition, and coexistence

The major theories regarding the combined influence of the environment and species interactions on population and community dynamics appear to conflict. Stress/disturbance gradient models of community organization, such as the stress gradient hypothesis, emphasize a diminished role for competition in harsh environments whereas modern coexistence theory does not. Confusion about the role of species interactions in harsh environments is perpetuated by a disconnect between population dynamics theory and data. We linked theory and data using response surface experiments done in the field to parameterize mathematical, population-dynamic competition models. We replicated our experiment across two environments that spanned a common and important environmental stress gradient for determining community structure in benthic marine systems. We generated quantitative estimates of the effects of environmental stress on population growth rates and the direction and strength of intra- and interspecific interactions within each environment. Our approach directly addressed a perpetual blind spot in this field by showing how the effects of competition can be intensified in stressful environments even though the apparent strength of competition remains unchanged. Furthermore, we showed how simultaneous, reciprocal competitive and facilitative effects can stabilize population dynamics in multispecies communities in stressful environments