Facilitando la localización de videojuegos de rol masivos

In order to achieve total immersion in the game world, increasing therefore player’ satisfaction, localization should ideally aim at creating complete suspension of disbelief. However, time constraints and constant design and script changes mean that localisation is sometimes forced to trade quality in favor of speed, because missing release dates can mean multimillion losses. This article explains the strategies BioWare has developed internally to counteract the problems provoked by long-established game development practices with the ultimate goal of supporting quality localization from the start, and so guaranteeing players’ suspension of disbelief whatever the language version they playCon el objeto de lograr la inmersión absoluta en el mundo virtual del videojuego, aumentando así la satisfacción del jugador, la localización debe conseguir el ideal de la total suspensión de la incredulidad. Sin embargo, los cortos plazos así como cambios constantes de diseño y guión a veces obligan a que la localización tenga que cambiar calidad por velocidad, porque el cambio de las fechas de lanzamiento suele provocar pérdidas multimillonarias. Este artículo explica las estrategias que BioWare ha desarrollado internamente para contrarrestar los problemas provocados por las prácticas tradicionales en la industria del videojuego. El objetivo es facilitar un proceso de localización de alta calidad desde el principio del desarrollo, de modo que se garantice la suspensión de la incredulidad de los jugadores independientemente de la lengua en la que estén jugand

Balancing patient-centered and safe pain care for non-surgical inpatients: clinical and managerial perspectives

Background: Hospitals and clinicians aim to deliver care that is safe. Simultaneously, they are ensuring that care is patient-centered, meaning that it is respectful of patients’ values, preferences, and experiences. However, little is known about delivering care in cases where these goals may not align. For example, hospitals and clinicians are facing the daunting challenge of balancing safe and patient-centered pain care for nonsurgical patients, due to lack of comprehensive care guidelines and complexity of this patient population. Methods: To gather clinical and managerial perspectives on the importance, feasibility, and strategies used to balance patient-centered care (PCC) and safe pain care for nonsurgical inpatients, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with hospitalists (n=10), registered nurses (n=10), and health care managers (n=10) from one healthcare system in the Midwestern United States. We systematically examined transcribed interviews and identified major themes using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Participants acknowledged the importance of balancing PCC and safe pain care. They envisioned this balance as a continuum, with certain patients for whom it is easier (e.g., opioid-naïve patient with a fracture), versus more difficult (e.g., patient with opioid use disorder). Participants also reported several strategies they use to balance PCC and safe pain care, including offering alternatives to opioids, setting realistic pain goals and expectations, and using a team approach. Conclusions: Clinicians and health care managers use various strategies to balance PCC and safe pain care for nonsurgical patients. Future studies should examine the effectiveness of these strategies on patient outcomes

Biomechanical evaluation of shape-memory alloy staples for internal fixation—an in vitro study

Background: The field of orthopaedics is a constantly evolving discipline. Despite the historical success of plates, pins and screws in fracture reduction and stabilisation, there is a continuing search for more efficient and improved methods of fracture fixation. The aim of this study was to evaluate shape-memory staples and to compare them to a currently used implant for internal fracture fixation. Multi-plane bending stability and interfragmentary compression were assessed across a simulated osteotomy using single and double-staple fixation and compared to a bridging plate. Methods: Transverse osteotomies were made in polyurethane blocks (20 × 20 × 120 mm) and repairs were performed with one (n = 6), or two (n = 6) 20 mm nitinol staples, or an eight-hole 2.7 mm quarter-tubular plate (n = 6). A pressure film was placed between fragments to determine contact area and compressive forces before and after loading. Loading consisted of multi-planar four-point bending with an actuator displacement of 3 mm. Gapping between segments was recorded to determine loads corresponding to a 2 mm gap and residual post-load gap. Results: Staple fixations showed statistically significant higher mean compressive loads and contact areas across the osteotomy compared to plate fixations. Double-staple constructs were superior to single-staple constructs for both parameters (p < 0.001). Double-staple constructs were significantly stiffer and endured significantly larger loads before 2 mm gap formation compared to other constructs in the dorsoventral plane (p < 0.001). However, both staple constructs were significantly less stiff and tolerated considerably lower loads before 2 mm gap formation when compared to plate constructs in the ventrodorsal and right-to-left lateral loading planes. Loading of staple constructs showed significantly reduced permanent gap formation in all planes except ventrodorsally when compared to plate constructs. Conclusions: Although staple fixations were not as stable as plate fixations in particular loading planes, double-staple constructs demonstrated the most consistent bending stiffness in all planes. Placing two perpendicular staples is suggested instead of single-staples whenever possible, with at least one staple applied on the compression side of the anticipated loading to improve construct stability

THE INTERACTION OF NONLINEAR WAVES WITH THE SUBMERGED CAISSONS OF A GRAVITY BASED STRUCTURE

ABSTRACT This paper concerns the numerical description of nonlinear waves propagating over the storage caissons of a gravity based structure. This process produces a steepening of the incident wave-field, which occurs when the waves propagate into the shallower water region above the storage caissons, resulting in the focussing of wave energy. A fully nonlinear Multiple-flux Boundary Element Method (MF-BEM) is applied to simulate this effect. The MF-BEM differs from traditional boundary integral approaches in two important respects: first, a multiple-flux approach is employed to overcome the problem of geometric discontinuities; and, second, no filtering, smoothing, re-gridding or redistribution of the nodes is performed at any stage during the simulations. These two aspects are believed to play an important role in accurately predicting the steepening of the incident wave-field. The numerical predictions are compared to new laboratory observations that examine the extent of this wave-structure interaction and, particularly, the steepening of the incident wave-field

Stellar Diameters and Temperatures II. Main Sequence K & M Stars

We present interferometric diameter measurements of 21 K- and M- dwarfs made with the CHARA Array. This sample is enhanced by literature radii measurements to form a data set of 33 K-M dwarfs with diameters measured to better than 5%. For all 33 stars, we compute absolute luminosities, linear radii, and effective temperatures (Teff). We develop empirical relations for \simK0 to M4 main- sequence stars between the stellar Teff, radius, and luminosity to broad-band color indices and metallicity. These relations are valid for metallicities between [Fe/H] = -0.5 and +0.1 dex, and are accurate to ~2%, ~5%, and ~4% for Teff, radius, and luminosity, respectively. Our results show that it is necessary to use metallicity dependent transformations to convert colors into stellar Teffs, radii, and luminosities. We find no sensitivity to metallicity on relations between global stellar properties, e.g., Teff-radius and Teff-luminosity. Robust examinations of single star Teffs and radii compared to evolutionary model predictions on the luminosity-Teff and luminosity-radius planes reveals that models overestimate the Teffs of stars with Teff < 5000 K by ~3%, and underestimate the radii of stars with radii < 0.7 R\odot by ~5%. These conclusions additionally suggest that the models overestimate the effects that the stellar metallicity may have on the astrophysical properties of an object. By comparing the interferometrically measured radii for single stars to those of eclipsing binaries, we find that single and binary star radii are consistent. However, the literature Teffs for binary stars are systematically lower compared to Teffs of single stars by ~ 200 to 300 K. Lastly, we present a empirically determined HR diagram for a total of 74 nearby, main-sequence, A- to M-type stars, and define regions of habitability for the potential existence of sub-stellar mass companions in each system. [abridged]Comment: 73 pages, 12 Tables, 18 Figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Genetic modifiers in rare disorders: the case of fragile X syndrome.

Methods employed in genome-wide association studies are not feasible ways to explore genotype-phenotype associations in rare disorders due to limited statistical power. An alternative approach is to examine relationships among specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), selected a priori, and behavioural characteristics. Here, we adopt this strategy to examine relationships between three SNPs (5-HTTLPR, MAOA, COMT) and specific clinically-relevant behaviours that are phenotypic of fragile X syndrome (FXS) but vary in severity and frequency across individuals. Sixty-four males with FXS participated in the current study. Data from standardised informant measures of challenging behaviour (defined as physical aggression, property destruction, stereotyped behaviour, and self-injury), autism symptomatology, attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder characteristics, repetitive behaviour and mood/interest and pleasure were compared between each SNP genotype. No association was observed between behavioural characteristics and either 5-HTTLPR (serotonin) or MAOA (monoamine oxidase) genotypes. However, compared to the COMT (dopamine) AG and GG genotypes, the AA genotype was associated with greater interest and pleasure in the environment, and with reduced risk for property destruction, stereotyped behaviour and compulsive behaviour. The results suggest that common genetic variation in the COMT genotype affecting dopamine levels in the brain may contribute to the variability of challenging and repetitive behaviours and interest and pleasure in this population. This study identifies a role for additional genetic risk in understanding the neural and genetic mechanisms contributing to phenotypic variability in neurodevelopmental disorders, and highlights the merit of investigating SNPs that are selected a priori on a theoretical basis in rare populations