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Power-Ups in Digital Games: The Rewarding Effect of Phantom Game Elementson Player Experience
Power-ups are a type of game reward that allow the player tocustomise their experience by altering gameplay for a shortperiod of time. Despite the wide use of power-ups in videogames, little is known about their effect on gaming experiences.To explore this, we conducted an experimental study that compares the experiences of players depending on their exposureto power-ups in a recreational video game. The results show that players who collected power-ups felt significantly more immersed in the game, experienced more autonomy, but didnot feel more competent or challenged than those who played the game without these collectables. Interestingly, a similareffect was observed for those players who picked up âplacebo âpower-ups, despite the items having no effect on the gameplay. We provide a discussion of these results and their implications both for games user researchers and game designers
Utilizing the Alarm Taxonomy and Classification System (ATACS) to Redesign Landing Gear Warnings
Alarms have been in use for many decades, yet there still needs to be more clarity about what makes a good alarm. Vendors and government agencies have developed several useful handbooks describing the Doâs and Donâts of effective alarm design; however, to date, we cannot find a comprehensive quantitative taxonomy or classification system that allows researchers to easily score and rank various alarm designs in any fieldâwhile using a common language that users, engineers, designers, and human factors professionals can understand. The Alarm Taxonomy and Classification System (ATACS) fills this gap in the literature by breaking alarms down into categorical characteristics, providing a quantitative methodology for scoring each characteristic, and outlining a process by which users, vendors, and human factors professionals can agree on the efficacy of the alarm in question. We discuss this process in detail and show how this system was used to improve landing gear warnings
Functioning and Vision-Related Quality of Life in Severe Peripheral Field Loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa: A Qualitative Study
Vision impairment and blindness are associated with disability and decreased social participation and independence. While vision rehabilitation may improve patientsâ functional abilities, there is scarce data regarding the effectiveness of rehabilitation for patients with severe peripheral field loss (PFL). In order to evaluate rehabilitation strategies for individuals with severe PFL, a valid and reliable instrument to measure vision-dependent functioning and vision-related quality of life is needed. Accordingly, this qualitative study was the first phase in developing a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure tailored to this population. Individuals with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) were recruited from the Kellogg Eye Center and the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The study sample included 17 participants (53% female, mean age 48); median presenting visual acuity and Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity were 20/40 and 1.2 log contrast sensitivity, respectively. The maximum horizontal extent of the Goldmann visual field was 11° in the better-seeing eye. Study participants completed a semi-structured qualitative interview, and two quality of life questionnaires. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded by two independent coders. Thematic analysis of the interview codes identified six vision-related quality of life themes across all RP participants: activity limitations, driving, emotional well-being, reading, mobility and social function. These themes will serve in the development of a PRO specific to severe PFL, which will facilitate evaluation and eventual evolution of low vision rehabilitation for patients with severe PFL
RNR1, a 3â˛â5Ⲡexoribonuclease belonging to the RNR superfamily, catalyzes 3Ⲡmaturation of chloroplast ribosomal RNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts contain at least two 3Ⲡto 5Ⲡexoribonucleases, polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and an RNase R homolog (RNR1). PNPase has been implicated in both mRNA and 23S rRNA 3Ⲡprocessing. However, the observed maturation defects do not affect chloroplast translation, suggesting that the overall role of PNPase in maturation of chloroplast rRNA is not essential. Here, we show that this role can be largely ascribed to RNR1, for which homozygous mutants germinate only on sucrose-containing media, and have white cotyledons and pale green rosette leaves. Accumulation of chloroplast-encoded mRNAs and tRNAs is unaffected in such mutants, suggesting that RNR1 activity is either unnecessary or redundant for their processing and turnover. However, accumulation of several chloroplast rRNA species is severely affected. High-resolution RNA gel blot analysis, and mapping of 5Ⲡand 3Ⲡends, revealed that RNR1 is involved in the maturation of 23S, 16S and 5S rRNAs. The 3Ⲡextensions of the accumulating 5S rRNA precursors can be efficiently removed in vitro by purified RNR1, consistent with this view. Our data suggest that decreased accumulation of mature chloroplast ribosomal RNAs leads to a reduction in the number of translating ribosomes, ultimately compromising chloroplast protein abundance and thus plant growth and development
For wind turbines in complex terrain, the devil is in the detail
Abstract
The cost of energy produced by onshore wind turbines is among the lowest available; however, onshore wind turbines are often positioned in a complex terrain, where the wind resources and wind conditions are quite uncertain due to the surrounding topography and/or vegetation. In this study, we use a scale model in a three-dimensional wind-testing chamber to show how minor changes in the terrain can result in significant differences in the flow at turbine height. These differences affect not only the power performance but also the life-time and maintenance costs of wind turbines, and hence, the economy and feasibility of wind turbine projects. We find that the mean wind, wind shear and turbulence level are extremely sensitive to the exact details of the terrain: a small modification of the edge of our scale model, results in a reduction of the estimated annual energy production by at least 50% and an increase in the turbulence level by a factor of five in the worst-case scenario with the most unfavorable wind direction. Wind farm developers should be aware that near escarpments destructive flows can occur and their extent is uncertain thus warranting on-site field measurements.</jats:p
Complete IRAC mapping of the CFHTLS-DEEP, MUSYC AND NMBS-II FIELDS
The IRAC mapping of the NMBS-II fields program is an imaging survey at 3.6
and 4.5m with the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC). The observations
cover three Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey Deep (CFHTLS-D)
fields, including one also imaged by AEGIS, and two MUSYC fields. These are
then combined with archival data from all previous programs into deep mosaics.
The resulting imaging covers a combined area of about 3 , with at least
2 hr integration time for each field. In this work, we present our data
reduction techniques and document the resulting coverage maps at 3.6 and
4.5m. All of the images are W-registered to the reference image, which is
either the z-band stack image of the 25\% best seeing images from the CFHTLS-D
for CFHTLS-D1, CFHTLS-D3, and CFHTLS-D4, or the K-band images obtained at the
Blanco 4-m telescope at CTIO for MUSYC1030 and MUSYC1255. We make all images
and coverage maps described herein publicly available via the Spitzer Science
Center.Comment: Accepted in PASP; released IRAC mosaics available upon publication of
the pape
Sensing remote nuclear spins
Sensing single nuclear spins is a central challenge in magnetic resonance
based imaging techniques. Although different methods and especially diamond
defect based sensing and imaging techniques in principle have shown sufficient
sensitivity, signals from single nuclear spins are usually too weak to be
distinguished from background noise. Here, we present the detection and
identification of remote single C-13 nuclear spins embedded in nuclear spin
baths surrounding a single electron spins of a nitrogen-vacancy centre in
diamond. With dynamical decoupling control of the centre electron spin, the
weak magnetic field ~10 nT from a single nuclear spin located ~3 nm from the
centre with hyperfine coupling as weak as ~500 Hz is amplified and detected.
The quantum nature of the coupling is confirmed and precise position and the
vector components of the nuclear field are determined. Given the distance over
which nuclear magnetic fields can be detected the technique marks a firm step
towards imaging, detecting and controlling nuclear spin species external to the
diamond sensor
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