Lost at the Edge of Uncertainty: Measuring Player Uncertainty in Digital Games

Uncertainty has previously been identified as an important ingredient of engaging games. Design in games can create different levels of uncertainty in players that they can recognize and describe as being either attributable to external forces, such as chance or hidden information, or internal to their own understanding of what to do in relation to their own goals. While it appears that uncertainty can contribute both positive and negative play experiences, there is little work in trying to operationalize and measure this concept as a component of player experience. Reported in this article is an analysis of data from over 700 players using modern bi-factor analysis techniques resulting in a five factor psychometric scale which captures the broad feelings of players about uncertainty in games. Three of these specific factors appear to point toward a single generic factor of uncertainty that is internal to the players, one captures experiences relating to external uncertainty, with the final factor relating to player’s experience of exploring the game to resolve uncertainty. In order to further validate the scale, we conducted an experiment with a commercial puzzle game manipulating the duration of play with predicted outcomes on the different specific factors of the scale. Overall the scale shows promise with good statistical reliability and construct validity of the separate factors and so will be a useful tool for further investigating player experiences in digital games

On a possibility of inelasticity partial coefficient K sub gamma determination in pi C and pi Pb interactions at 10 to the 14th power eV (experiment PAMIR 1)

The investigation of hadron-nuclear interactions in Pamir experiment is carried out by means of X-ray emulsion chambers of two types: carbon (C) and lead (Pb). While comparing the results from the chambers of both types it was found a discrepancy in n sub h and E sub h(1)R values. The observed discrepancy in C and Pb chambers is connected with the difference in values of effective coefficients of energy transfer to the soft component K sub eff for C and Pb chambers

New device for air disinfection with a shielded UV radiation and ozone

Received: February 1st, 2021 ; Accepted: May 2nd, 2021 ; Published: May 7th, 2021 ; Correspondence: [email protected] air disinfection has become particularly relevant recently because of the Covid-19 pandemics. A shielded device for air and surface disinfection with UV radiation and ozone has been developed. It contains 28 low intensity (11 W) UV lamps (254 nm) in a specially designed three-dimensional grid to provide a large flow cross-sectional area and long path for the air particles to be irradiated. The device can be used in medical institutions, veterinary clinics, manufacturing plants, public premises, poultry, and livestock farms. It does not generate air-ions and ozone concentrations do not exceed the allowed 8-hour average values. The large number of UV lamps and powerful fans ensure air disinfection in large rooms in a relatively short time (400 m3 h -1 ). Simultaneously, the floor surface under the appliance is disinfected. Disinfection efficiency tests demonstrated 99.9999% reduction for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas phage Φ6 aerosols within a single transfer through the system (10 seconds of treatment). The housing of the device protects from direct UV radiation; therefore, people can be in the room during the operation of the device

PReS-FINAL-2041: Macrophage activation syndrome in the children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis during the course of tocilizumab

Background Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among individuals with a mental disorder, but symptoms often go undetected and untreated. Methods The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of PTSD among a large sample of adults with psychiatric diagnoses and to establish factors associated with symptoms going undetected. Participants were 1,946 adults recruited by the National Centre for Mental Health. Structured interviews and validated self-report questionnaires were used to ascertain clinical and demographic information for analysis. Results The prevalence of participants screening positive for PTSD that had not been detected by clinical services was 13.9% [12.4–15.5%, 95% confidence interval]). Factors associated with undetected PTSD were female gender, younger age of first contact with psychiatric services, and lower household income. Especially, poor rates of detection were observed after traumatic events, such as child abuse and sexual assault. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the need for routine assessment of trauma histories and symptoms of PTSD among individuals with anymental disorder

Effect of soil amendments for remediation and revitalization of leached chernozem contaminated by tridecane

At contaminated sites, soil amendments can be used to solve two main problems: contaminant bio- and phytoavailability and poor soil health and ecosystem functions. Applied properly, they improve many characteristics of a contaminated soil, first of all physical-chemical properties and microbial activity and therefore allow both enhancing biodegradation and restoring soil quality (EPA, 2007). Soil amendments can be used for biostimulation to address as inorganic as organic contaminants but at present the first ones are studied more detailed. In a green-scale experiment in plastic 1.5 kg pots (soil moisture 60% of water holding capacity), the effects of two soil amendments introduced into the soil conta-minated by n-tridecane (TD, 1 wt.%), a typical fuel hydrocarbon, were studied and compared. As soil, heavy loam leached chernozem (pH, 5.2; Corg., 3.7%; Ntotal, 0.3%) located in Tatarstan which is one of the main oil recovery and refinery regions in Russia was studied. As a nitrogen fertilizer, ammonium nitrate (Na, 0.3 g N/kg of soil) and as a bulking agent, the local zeolite-containing material of Tatarsko-Shatrashansky deposit (ZCM, 50 g/ kg of soil, clinoptilolite/heulandite, 12%; smectite, 20%; calcite, 18%; generally used for soil amelioration) were used. The treatments of the experiment were formed as uncontaminated soil (0; +Na; +ZCM) and soil contaminated with n-tridecane (1%TD; N+1%TD; ZCM+1%TD). After 48 days of the experiment, in all treatments the influence of soil amendments on soil properties (pH; microbial enumeration of tridecane degraders; basal, Vbasal and substrate-induced, Vsir respiration; microbial respiration quotient, QR) and the residual content of tridecane in the soil (GC-FID analysis), were evaluated. After the experiment was completed, the results were generalized on two factors: (i) the effects of tridecane contamination on soil characteristics: (Soil+TD)/Soil, or (Soil+TD+amendment)/(Soil+amendment) (ii) the effects of ZCM and Na additives on soil characteristics: (Soil+amendment)/ Soil, or (Soil+TD+amendment)/(Soil+TD). It should be noted that according to the data early obtained in our laboratory, the studied leached chernozem was characterized by comparatively high biodegradation ability in regard to petroleum products (Breus et al, 2005). Comparison showed that among two additives, Na considerably stimulated soil microbial activity regarding all studied parameters (Vbasal, Vsir, and QR). Na has led C/N ratio in the contaminated soil practically up to the optimal level and provided the greatest rate of tridecane degradation in leached chernozem. Opposite, the positive influence of ZCM on both Vbasal and Vsir in the contaminated soil was less essential and tridecane degradation even decreased in comparison to soil without additives. In our opinion, the main reason for that was keeping a part of hydrocarbon within the pore structure of ZCM which reduced the availability of tridecane to biodegradation and also disturbed soil water and air regime. In the report, the quantified effects of both soil amendments will be presented

The Emerging Aversion to Inequality: Evidence from Poland 1992-2005

This paper provides an illustration of the changing tolerance for inequality in a context of radical political and economic transformation and rapid economic growth. We focus on the Polish experience of transition and explore self-declared attitudes of the citizens. Using monthly representative surveys of the population, realized by the Polish poll institute (CBOS) from 1992 to 2005, we identify a structural break in the relation between income inequality and subjective evaluation of well-being. The downturn in the tolerance for inequality (1997) coincides with the increasing distrust of political elites.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64387/1/wp919.pd

Predicting Player Experience Without the Player. An Exploratory Study

A key challenge of procedural content generation (PCG) is to evoke a certain player experience (PX), when we have no direct control over the content which gives rise to that experience. We argue that neither the rigorous methods to assess PX in HCI, nor specialised methods in PCG are sufficient, because they rely on a human in the loop. We propose to address this shortcoming by means of computational models of intrinsic motivation and AI game-playing agents. We hypothesise that our approach could be used to automatically predict PX across games and content types without relying on a human player or designer. We conduct an exploratory study in level generation based on empowerment, a specific model of intrinsic motivation. Based on a thematic analysis, we find that empowerment can be used to create levels with qualitatively different PX. We relate the identified experiences to established theories of PX in HCI and game design, and discuss next steps

Significance of individual management plan for the patients with hereditary lymphangioedema during pregnancy and lactation, and in newborns

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a genetically caused orphan disease with a high risk of developing life-threatening attacks, thus requiring availability for up-to-date information on this problem for the doctors of any specialties. A limited number of observations determine the value of the analysis for each clinical case. Many facets of clinical manifestations, a list of predisposing and triggering factors, as well as limitations of some diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms, require the development of individual management schemes under distinct clinical situations. In this paper, we present the unique clinical cases with certain limitations, describing unexpected onset of the disease in the course of pregnancy, management aspects during delivery and post-delivery periods in a women with a previously confirmed HAE diagnosis. Adapted diagnostic algorithms of postnatal diagnostic verification are presented for children with burdened genetic history. We express some assumptions about involvement of a multidisciplinary team of specialists, personalized approach to building a management plan with an “online” correction depending on observation stage of НАЕ patient