The impact of cloud gaming in the videogame industry

Mestrado Bolonha em Gestão de Sistemas de InformaçãoCloud gaming is a concept that is becoming more and more common within the videogame industry. Through the use of cloud technology, players can enjoy their videogames through internet streaming of data from datacenters around the world without the need of owning a piece of very powerful hardware like in previous times. Not only this, but the price of entry is considerable smaller when comparing to the previous paradigm within the world of gaming. Despite these advantages, this concept has struggled to gain traction over the past few years. Plus, it is not very clear what are the impacts of this technology in the industry it resides. This study aims to identify these factors by answering the following research questions: 1. How does cloud gaming impact the videogame industry?; 2. What drives cloud gaming adoption by the videogame industry?; 3. Which are the key critical challenges and opportunities when implementing a cloud gaming solution?. In light of this, the objectives to achieve are the following: 1. Analysis of the main characteristics of cloud gaming and its differences from traditional gaming; 2. Present the main challenges of cloud gaming; 3. Understand the main opportunities of cloud gaming. To achieve this, it was opted to follow an exploratory approach given the lack of research in the area alongside a series of interviews to industry experts to collect data for analysis. Following that, transcripts were built, analyzed and discussed. It was possible to conclude that cloud gaming impacts the industry in three main dimensions: technology, value chain and the industry’s revenue streams. On the first dimension, the low barriers of entry in terms of hardware, the higher set of mobility and the ability to work on multiple devices were appointed as major opportunities for this technology which increase accessibility to this industry. Looking over the value chain, the opportunities reside in the developers through cheaper and faster development and finally, more revenue streams arise due to the advantages of this technology. There are, however, several factors that hinder this adoption of cloud gaming. The lack of quality internet infrastructure and skepticism among consumers prove to be two challenges that are difficult to overcome which may be one of the reasons why this technology has not really taken off.Cloud gaming é um conceito que se está a tornar cada vez mais comum na indústria dos videojogos. Por meio do uso da tecnologia cloud, os jogadores podem desfrutar dos seus videojogos via streaming de dados de datacenters espalhados pelo mundo sem a necessidade de possuir hardware dedicado como antigamente. Adicionalmente, o preço de entrada é substancialmente reduzido, quando comparado ao paradigma anterior. Apesar dessas vantagens, o conceito tem tido dificuldades em ganhar tração nos últimos anos. Além disso, ainda não está definido quais serão os impactos desta tecnologia na indústria dos videojogos. O presente estudo visa identificar esses fatores por meio das seguintes questões de pesquisa: 1. De que forma o cloud gaming impacta a indústria dos videojogos?; 2. O que impulsiona a adoção de cloud gaming pela indústria dos videojogos?; 3. Quais são os principais desafios e oportunidades na implementação de uma solução de cloud gaming?. Diante disso, os objetivos a alcançar são os seguintes: 1. Análise das principais características do cloud gaming e as suas diferenças em relação ao paradigma tradicional; 2. Apresentar os principais desafios na adoção da tecnologia cloud gaming na indústria dos videojogos; 3. Compreender as principais vantagens da adoção do cloud gaming na indústria dos videojogos. Para tal, optou-se por seguir uma abordagem exploratória dada a escassez de pesquisa na área seguido de uma série de entrevistas por forma a realizar a coleta de dados. Posteriormente foram construídas as transcrições das entrevistas, analisadas e discutidas. Foi possível concluir que o cloud gaming impacta a indústria em três dimensões principais: tecnologia, cadeia de valor, e nos canais de receita da indústria. Na primeira dimensão, as baixas barreiras de entrada em termos de hardware, o maior conjunto de mobilidade e a capacidade de trabalhar em múltiplos dispositivos foram apontadas como grandes oportunidades para esta tecnologia. Este conjunto de características permite um maior nível de acessibilidade na indústria potenciando um maior número de oportunidades disponíveis. Olhando para a cadeia de valor, as oportunidades residem maioritariamente nos developers sob a forma de desenvolvimento mais rápido e barato. A nível de fluxos de receita, foi possível identificar um maior nível de inovação devido às vantagens inerentes da digitalização da indústria. Existem, no entanto, vários fatores que impedem a adoção desta tecnologia. A falta de infraestrutura de internet de qualidade e o ceticismo entre os consumidores são desafios difíceis de superar.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fusão sensorial e cooperação em equipas de robôs móveis

A cooperação entre diversos robôs é algo muito útil em diversas situações desde a busca e salvamento, segurança e vigilância, mapeamento de ambientes e até no futebol robótico. Os robôs devem cooperar de modo a atingirem um determinado objetivo assumindo papéis e executando tarefas de uma forma coordenada e fundindo entre si a informação obtida por cada robô obtendo-se uma fusão sensorial que permite uma estimativa mais precisa e coerente da equipa de robôs em comparação com a situação em que cada robô faria independentemente a sua própria estimativa. Diversos fatores imponderáveis podem ocorrer durante este processo tais como falhas de comunicação, robôs com sensorização variável, robôs que saem de serviços e outro que entram, ou sejam um número variável de robôs em cooperação o que pode interferir na tática a utilização e nos papeis a atribuir. Assim, esta dissertação tem como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de um supervisor que coordene uma equipa de robôs, tendo em consideração estes fatores e que seja capaz de fundir a sensorização dos mesmos. Como caso de estudo e aplicação de teste com robôs reais será utilizada a equipa de Futubol Robótico MSL 5DPO

Identification of Eschweilenol C in derivative of Terminalia fagifolia Mart. and green synthesis of bioactive and biocompatible silver nanoparticles

A green synthetic route was developed to prepare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aqueous solution for biological applications. Eschweilenol C, a compound derivative ellagic acid was identified as the main constituent of the aqueous fraction of the ethanolic extract of Terminalia fagifolia Mart. by NMR analysis. In the green synthesis, the ethanolic extract of T. fagifolia and its aqueous fraction were used to promote silver reduction and nanoparticle stabilization. The synthesized AgNPs presented a spherical or polygonal morphology shape by TEM analysis and AgNPs showed high levels of antioxidant and considerable antibacterial and antifungal activities. Synthesized nanoparticles presented significant antioxidant activity by sequestration of DPPH and ABTS radicals, in addition to iron reduction (FRAP assay) and measurement of antioxidant capacity in ORAC units, in addition, AgNP synthesized with the aqueous fraction also demonstrated antioxidant potential in microglial cells. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were susceptible to growth inhibition by the nanoparticles, among which the AgNPs formed by the ethanolic extract was the most effective. The data obtained by AFM images suggested that AgNPs could lead to the lysis of bacteria and subsequent death. The antifungal assays showed high efficiency against yeasts and dermatophytes. This work represents the first description of antifungal activity by AgNPs against Fonsecaea pedrosoi, the etiologic agent of chromoblastomycosis. In relation to biocompatibility, the AgNPs induced lower haemolysis than AgNO3.We thank Herbert Kogler and Reinhard Wimmer for the identification of Eschweilenol C. The NMR laboratory at Aalborg University is supported by the Obel Family, SparNord and Carlsberg foundations.The authors are grateful to Carla Eiras (LIMAV/CT/UFPI) and to FCT and EU for financial support through project UID/QUI/50006/2013– POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007265 from COMPETE and projectNORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000011 from COMPETE. Thanks to Andreia Pinto for help with the TEM measurements at Instituto de Medicina Molecular (IMM). This work was supported by the Histology and Comparative Pathology Laboratory of the IMMinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Is it really advantageous to operate proximal femoral fractures within 48 h from diagnosis? – A multicentric retrospective study exploiting COVID pandemic-related delays in time to surgery

Objectives: Hip fractures in the elderly are common injuries that need timely surgical management. Since the beginning of the pandemic, patients with a proximal femoral fracture (PFF) experienced a delay in time to surgery. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate a possible variation in mortality in patients with PFF when comparing COVID-19 negative versus positive. Methods: This is a multicentric and retrospective study including 3232 patients with PFF who underwent surgical management. The variables taken into account were age, gender, the time elapsed between arrival at the emergency room and intervention, pre-operative American Society of Anesthesiology score, pre-operative cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and 10-day/1-month/6-month mortality. For 2020, we had an additional column, “COVID-19 swab positivity.” Results: COVID-19 infection represents an independent mortality risk factor in patients with PFFs. Despite the delay in time-to-surgery occurring in 2020, no statistically significant variation in terms of mortality was detected. Within our sample, a statistically significant difference was not detected in terms of mortality at 6 months, in patients operated within and beyond 48 h, as well as no difference between those operated within or after 12/24/72 h. The mortality rate among subjects with PFF who tested positive for COVID-19 was statistically significantly higher than in patients with PFF who tested. COVID-19 positivity resulted in an independent factor for mortality after PFF. Conclusion: Despite the most recent literature recommending operating PFF patients as soon as possible, no significant difference in mortality was found among patients operated before or after 48 h from diagnosis

Pre-treatment and extraction techniques for recovery of added value compounds from wastes throughout the agri-food chain

The enormous quantity of food wastes discarded annually force to look for alternatives for this interesting feedstock. Thus, food bio-waste valorisation is one of the imperatives of the nowadays society. This review is the most comprehensive overview of currently existing technologies and processes in this field. It tackles classical and innovative physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods of food waste pre-treatment and extraction for recovery of added value compounds and detection by modern technologies and are an outcome of the COST Action EUBIS, TD1203 Food Waste Valorisation for Sustainable Chemicals, Materials and Fuels

Portuguese Version of the EORTC QLQ-OES18 and QLQ-OG25 for Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment

Introduction: Health-related quality of life assessment is increasingly important as it can help both clinical research and care for patients, particularly among oncological patients. Quality of Life Questionnaire – OES18 (esophageal module) and Quality of Life Questionnaire – OG25 (esophagogastric module) are the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer modules for the evaluation of quality of life in patients with esophageal and esophagogastric cancers, respectively. The aim of our study was to translate, to culturally adapt and to perform a pilot testing to create the Portuguese version of both questionnaires. Material and Methods: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer guidelines were followed for translation, cultural adaptation and pilot testing of Quality of Life Questionnaire – OES18 (esophageal module) and Quality of Life Questionnaire – OG25 (esophagogastric module). The Quality of Life Questionnaire – OG25 (esophagogastric module) went through a process of forward (English → Portuguese) and backward (Portuguese → English) translation, by independent native speaker translators. After review, a preliminary version was created to be pilot tested among Portuguese patients. As a Brazilian version was already available for Quality of Life Questionnaire – OES18 (esophageal module), the questionnaire was simply culturally adapted and pilot tested. Both cancer and non-cancer patients were included. Results: Overall, 30 patients completed the Portuguese version of each questionnaire. Afterwards, a structured interview was conducted to find and report any problematic items. Troublesome items and wording were changed according to the pilot testing results. The final versions were sent to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group and approved. Conclusion: The Portuguese versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – OES18 (esophageal module) and OG25 (esophagogastric module) questionnaires are useful, reliable and valid tools for measuring health-related quality of life in patients with esophageal and esophagogastric cancers, respectively. They can now be used in clinical setting and for scientific purposes

Temperature and food-mediated variability of European Atlantic sardine recruitment

The influence of the environmental conditions during larval development on the resulting recruitment strength was investigated for European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) at Atlanto-Iberian waters. Satellite-derived Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) data from the previous spawning seasons (January to March/April and October to December of the previous year) were related to recruitment success data in the main recruitment hotspots. Recruitment data was taken from yearly acoustic scientific cruises and from the ICES recruitment index estimated by an age-structured model for the entire stock. A linear discriminant analysis model using SST, Chla, and the abundance of spawners during the spawning season identified years of high and low recruitment for all the recruitment hotspots with an accuracy of >= 79%. In general, high recruitment years were associated with high Chla and low SST, although the most important variables to discriminate between the groups were area-specific. High recruitment years were mostly related to high food availability (Chla), particularly during the last quarter of the previous year. In Western Iberia and in the Gulf of Cadiz, high recruitment years were also associated to lower SST, whereas in the Bay of Biscay, where SST during the winter was generally below the optimal range approximate to 11-12 degrees C for sardine larval development, higher recruitment was associated with high SST. For ICES data of the southern European sardine stock, lower SST and higher Chla during the last quarter of the previous year were associated with high recruitment years and SST alone was able to discriminate between the two recruitment groups with 73% accuracy. Although the time-series of available data are still small, these significant relationships are consistent with field and laboratory studies relating larval growth and mortality with main environmental drivers. These relationships should be further investigated in the following years to evaluate if they can be used to construct reliable indicators to predict the level of recruitment and abundance with sufficient advance to help in the management of this important fishing resource.European Commissionapos;s Seventh Framework Programme under SAFI - quot;Decision Support Services for our Aquaculture and Fisheries SectorsquotFCT Post-Doctoral Fellowship [SFRH/BPD/105419/2014]Investigador FCT Program [IF/01546/2015][UID/MAR/04292/2013

O lago de todos os recursos : [homenagem a Hélio Osvaldo Alves]

O presente volume de estudos em homenagem ao Professor Hélio Osvaldo Alves é composto por duas partes. A primeira, com o título de ‘Testemunhos’, reúne as palavras com que amigos, colegas e discípulos recordaram a pessoa de Hélio Alves. A segunda parte, ‘Comunicações’, inclui os textos de carácter científico apresentados e debatidos no colóquio, realizado em Novembro de 2003. ‘O lago de todos os recursos’ é uma expressão que o Professor Hélio tomou de empréstimo a E. P. Thompson, e adaptou, para baptizar um dos seus estudos sobre a ideia de Cultura. Escolhemos esse título para o colóquio que deu origem a este volume por ele sugerir as infinitas possibilidades de estudo e análise que se contêm na palavra Cultura, bem como a diversidade de escolhas e aproximações que os estudos de Cultura proporcionam