Go! À caça de Pokémons: um estudo qualitativo sobre as vivências associadas ao jogo junto de jovens adultos

O conceito de adicção ao jogo é um constructo que remete aos primórdios da investigação neste âmbito, sustentado com características que se associam a dependências de carácter essencialmente clássico. Nesta perspetiva, torna-se imperativo investir em estudos que promovam a análise de adições contemporâneas, relacionadas à evolução das novas tecnologias, nomeadamente, jogos de realidade aumentada. É nesta lógica que o presente este estudo pretende aceder às vivências de jovens adultos jogadores de Pokémon Go, descrevendo as experiências que estes apresentam, enquanto jogadores regulares de um Role-Playing Game. Da presente dissertação resulta um discurso grupal que espelha a complexidade deste fenómeno e as vivências subjetivas experienciadas pelos participantes. Para tal, recorreu-se ao método de amostragem por “snowball”, no qual participaram 14 sujeitos, de ambos os sexos, com idades compreendidas entre os 19 e os 33. As entrevistas semiestruturadas decorreram por intermédio de ferramentas de mensagens instantâneas online. Posteriormente, foram transcritas e submetidas a uma análise de conteúdo, fundamentada na Grounded-Theory, através da qual foi possível sistematizar um conjunto de categorias organizadoras dos discursos. Os resultados evidenciaram que as motivações primordiais para a utilização do Pokémon Go se centram na evocação das memórias de infância que se encontram associadas ao jogo e à curiosidade de experienciar uma nova realidade do mesmo. Contrariamente ao referenciado pela literatura, os participantes destacam que a app em análise gerou maiores níveis de sociabilidade, relaxamento e exercício físico. O número de horas de utilização do jogo foi heterogéneo, podendo este estar compreendido num intervalo de 15 minutos a um período superior a 24 horas. Tendo em conta a modernidade do jogo em questão, uma vez que este foi lançado em 2016, achou-se pertinente o estudo das consequências que poderiam advir do seu uso compulsivo. Deste modo, considera-se que a investigação sustentada neste domínio poderá ser benéfica para os utilizadores, numa lógica reflexiva por parte dos mesmos.The concept of gaming addiction is a construct that refers to the beginnings of research in this field, supported by characteristics that are associated with essentially classic dependencies. In this perspective, it is imperative to invest in studies that promote the analysis of contemporary additions related to the evolution of new technologies, namely, augmented reality games. It is within this logic that the present study aims to contact with the experiences of young adult Pokémon Go players, describing the experiences they present as regular players of a Role-Playing Game. From the present dissertation, we acquire a group speech that reflects the complexity of this phenomenon and the subjective experiences lived by the participants. For this purpose, it was used a "snowball" sampling method, in which participated 14 subjects of both sexes, aged between 19 and 33. The semi-structured interviews were conducted through online instant messaging tools. Subsequently, they were transcribed and submitted to a content analysis, based on the Grounded-Theory, through which it was possible to systematize a set of categories that organizes the speeches. The results showed that the primary motivations for the use of Pokémon Go were focused on evoking the childhood memories that were associated with the game and the curiosity to experience a new reality of it. Contrary to the literature, participants emphasized that the app in analysis generated higher levels of sociability, relaxation and physical exercise. The number of hours of game use was heterogeneous, which could be comprised in a range of 15 minutes to a period exceeding 24 hours. Given the modernity of the game in question, once it was launched in 2016, it was considered relevant to study the consequences that could arise from its compulsive use. This way, it is considered that sustained research in this area could be beneficial for users, in a reflexive logic on the behalf

Go! À caça de Pokémons: um estudo qualitativo sobre as vivências associadas ao jogo junto de jovens adultos

O conceito de adicção ao jogo é um constructo que remete aos primórdios da investigação neste âmbito, sustentado com características que se associam a dependências de carácter essencialmente clássico. Nesta perspetiva, torna-se imperativo investir em estudos que promovam a análise de adições contemporâneas, relacionadas à evolução das novas tecnologias, nomeadamente, jogos de realidade aumentada. É nesta lógica que o presente este estudo pretende aceder às vivências de jovens adultos jogadores de Pokémon Go, descrevendo as experiências que estes apresentam, enquanto jogadores regulares de um Role-Playing Game. Da presente dissertação resulta um discurso grupal que espelha a complexidade deste fenómeno e as vivências subjetivas experienciadas pelos participantes. Para tal, recorreu-se ao método de amostragem por “snowball”, no qual participaram 14 sujeitos, de ambos os sexos, com idades compreendidas entre os 19 e os 33. As entrevistas semiestruturadas decorreram por intermédio de ferramentas de mensagens instantâneas online. Posteriormente, foram transcritas e submetidas a uma análise de conteúdo, fundamentada na Grounded-Theory, através da qual foi possível sistematizar um conjunto de categorias organizadoras dos discursos. Os resultados evidenciaram que as motivações primordiais para a utilização do Pokémon Go se centram na evocação das memórias de infância que se encontram associadas ao jogo e à curiosidade de experienciar uma nova realidade do mesmo. Contrariamente ao referenciado pela literatura, os participantes destacam que a app em análise gerou maiores níveis de sociabilidade, relaxamento e exercício físico. O número de horas de utilização do jogo foi heterogéneo, podendo este estar compreendido num intervalo de 15 minutos a um período superior a 24 horas. Tendo em conta a modernidade do jogo em questão, uma vez que este foi lançado em 2016, achou-se pertinente o estudo das consequências que poderiam advir do seu uso compulsivo. Deste modo, considera-se que a investigação sustentada neste domínio poderá ser benéfica para os utilizadores, numa lógica reflexiva por parte dos mesmos.The concept of gaming addiction is a construct that refers to the beginnings of research in this field, supported by characteristics that are associated with essentially classic dependencies. In this perspective, it is imperative to invest in studies that promote the analysis of contemporary additions related to the evolution of new technologies, namely, augmented reality games. It is within this logic that the present study aims to contact with the experiences of young adult Pokémon Go players, describing the experiences they present as regular players of a Role-Playing Game. From the present dissertation, we acquire a group speech that reflects the complexity of this phenomenon and the subjective experiences lived by the participants. For this purpose, it was used a "snowball" sampling method, in which participated 14 subjects of both sexes, aged between 19 and 33. The semi-structured interviews were conducted through online instant messaging tools. Subsequently, they were transcribed and submitted to a content analysis, based on the Grounded-Theory, through which it was possible to systematize a set of categories that organizes the speeches. The results showed that the primary motivations for the use of Pokémon Go were focused on evoking the childhood memories that were associated with the game and the curiosity to experience a new reality of it. Contrary to the literature, participants emphasized that the app in analysis generated higher levels of sociability, relaxation and physical exercise. The number of hours of game use was heterogeneous, which could be comprised in a range of 15 minutes to a period exceeding 24 hours. Given the modernity of the game in question, once it was launched in 2016, it was considered relevant to study the consequences that could arise from its compulsive use. This way, it is considered that sustained research in this area could be beneficial for users, in a reflexive logic on the behalf

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved