24762 research outputs found
Sort by
Antagonistic game design : the author as a player
No full textThis article examines a particular relationship between game authors and players: the possibility for game authors to co-opt the role of players in the very game they created. Among the various ways in which this can occur, the article concentrates on ‘antagonistic game de-sign’: the creation of games meant to frustrate and provoke their players. Player engage-ment, I argue, does not solely arise from the pleasure of overcoming in-game obstacles, participating in the unfolding of the game’s narrative or defeating other players, but can also emerge from resisting and opposing an imagined persona: the off-putting and often sadistic (implied) author behind the work. By projecting an unsympathetic and adversarial attitude towards players, antagonistically designed games can establish an asynchronous adversarial relationship with them and foster distinctive avenues for meaning-making and the self-validation of players.Board gamespeer-reviewe
Advancing boggle : taking BCI web-browsing out of the lab
Get PDFBoggle is an open-source, brain-native web browser designed for individuals living with highly restrictive motor impairments. Leveraging Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEP) and in-browser
stimuli generation, Boggle enables users to navigate and interact
with the web using only their brain signals. This interactive demo
presents our newly developed architecture that is meant to enable
people to use this BCI-browser outside of a lab environment. Along
with an embedded signal acquisition and classification pipeline,
Boggle also ships with a novel, customisable and empirically verified SSVEP stimulus generator that was developed entirely using
native web technologies. As part of BrainWeb, a project funded by
the University of Malta Research Excellence Fund, Boggle is also
designed to integrate with low-cost and commercially available
electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, lowering barriers to entry
while balancing quality in use. This interactive experience will allow attendees to explore BCI-based web browsing and gain insight
into its key aspects and challenges.peer-reviewe
Prayer intensity, technological mediation, and civic engagement : comparing Catholic, Lutheran, and Orthodox contexts
Get PDFTechnological advancements keep influencing religious landscapes in unpredictable ways.
This implies changes at the level of personal spirituality and also at the level of community
building and civic engagement across different denominations. In this paper, we present
survey data (N = 443) from Malta (Southern Europe), Serbia (Balkans), and Denmark
(Northern Europe), which assessed participants’ prayer intensity, Christian identity, Christian belief, and civic engagement behaviors, among other variables. The participants in our
sample were all Christians: the participants from Malta were mostly Catholic, those from
Serbia were mostly Orthodox, and those from Denmark were mostly Lutheran, reflecting
the dominant Christian contexts and denominations in all three countries. We conducted
multiple regression analysis showing how prayer intensity predicts civic engagement, even
when adjusting for other covariates, notably those tapping Christian identity and Christian
belief. The relationship was significant across all three countries. Moreover, we conducted
further multiple regression analyses with two prayer intensity sub-indices: one tapping
technologically mediated prayer (e.g., using apps or podcasts) and the other tapping non-technologically mediated prayer (e.g., praying directly to God or going to mass). In this
model, only non-technologically mediated prayer predicted civic engagement in Malta and
Denmark, and no sub-index predicted civic engagement in Serbia. Our discussion focuses
on the implications of these patterns for engagement and community building, with a
particular focus on religious collectives across denominations and the impact of technology.peer-reviewe
Climate change adaptation in the built environment : transdisciplinary and innovative learning
No full textClimate change is one of the greatest threats facing humanity and it is affecting every country on every continent. The impact of climate change is particularly pertinent to the built environment in coastal regions given the socioeconomic importance of this area and the expected impacts related to rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme events, and changes in coastal dynamics, in addition to changes in temperature or precipitation. The impacts of changing climatic conditions and associated disaster risks affect the human development agenda and eradicate years of socioeconomic growth. Accordingly, it is important to better understand the impacts of climate change and the existing capacities to develop tangible climate adaptation measures for the built environment in coastal regions. In addressing this adaptation challenge, the initiation needs to address how we approach urban planning and design, construct, and retrofit the built environment. Climate change adaptation in the coastal built environment goes beyond addressing physical and environmental needs. It must also address socio-cultural, institutional, human capital, and economic perspectives to promote efficient climate change adaptation measures.peer-reviewe
Comparative study of everting sutures versus everting sutures and lateral tarsal strip for correcting primary lower lid involutional entropion
Get PDFOBJECTIVE: Everting sutures are a surgical technique used to bring the edges of a wound or incision together, ensuring proper healing and minimizing scarring. The goal of this study is to investigate whether there exists a significant disparity in the surgical results between using everting sutures (ES) alone or combining them with a lateral tarsal strip (ES+LTS) when treating primary involutional entropion. By comparing the outcomes of both methods, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of which one is more effective in addressing this condition.METHODS: In this prospective randomized comparative study. A total of 52 patients were given the chance to have surgery to fix this issue. After obtaining informed consent, these brave individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received ES alone, while the other group received ES+LTS. Each patient was evaluated multiple times post-surgery to ensure everything was healing properly. These evaluations took place one week, three months, six months, twelve months, and fifteen months after the surgery.RESULTS: After undergoing surgery, patients eagerly await a successful outcome. In the case of eyelid surgeries, success is determined by a normal eyelid position at rest, which should be achieved within 15 months of the procedure. Unfortunately, 8 patients were lost to follow-up, leaving us with data from 52 patients. Among these patients, there were 10 failed surgeries for those who underwent ES alone, while those who underwent ES+LTS only experienced 1 failed surgery. Despite the setbacks, the majority of patients experienced successful results and were able to enjoy the benefits of the surgery.CONCLUSION: These data unequivocally shows that patients who underwent ES+LTS procedures had a significantly higher success rate after 15 months compared to those who received ES alone. In other words, the numbers don't lie, and the evidence is indisputable - ES+LTS procedures are the way to go for optimal results.peer-reviewe
Meeting multi-user needs in early design stages : a data-driven conceptual framework for smart and sustainable packaging
Get PDFEffective design is becoming increasingly necessary to shorten product development times
to meet evolving user demands. Thus, it is essential that designers uncover user requirements and translate them into tangible product specifications, but with the added
endeavour of balancing functional and sustainability requirements. This poses several
challenges to designers. In early design, designers must make important decisions based on
limited knowledge, risking developing products which are rejected by users. A literature
review determined that no available system is sufficient to balance multi-user requirements
and design characteristics. Hence, the research goal is to address the gap in design support
systems, which inspired the generation of the PRioritising and achIeving Multi-user rEquirements (PRIME) framework being proposed. The contribution of this work lies in the
fusion of topic modelling, sentiment analysis, and conflict resolution techniques to enhance
multi-user experience. The framework prioritises multi-user and design requirements, and
translates them into product specifications. Furthermore, PRIME proposes and evaluates
innovative design aspects to fulfil the established design targets. This research focuses on
providing a knowledge-based framework applied in the early design stages to capture
multi-user requirements and lays the foundation for concept generation. A case study of
smart and sustainable packaging is considered to highlight the framework’s applicability.peer-reviewe
Interest rate policy, asset value, and the National Bank of Poland's financial outcomes
No full textPURPOSE: This study examines the impact of interest rate changes on the asset value of the
National Bank of Poland (NBP) from 2015 to 2023, considering the broader financial
outcomes of the Central bank.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research employs statistical and econometric
techniques, including the vector autoregression (VAR) model and the Granger causality test.
It also utilizes literature reviews in banking and finance. Data sources include the National
Bank of Poland's financial reports and quarterly data from the Bank for International
Settlements.FINDINGS: The study finds that while changes in NBP interest rates correlate with shifts in
the bank’s asset value relative to GDP, the impact is relatively weak (correlation coefficient
of 0.31). The Granger causality test suggests that other economic and non-economic factors
significantly influence asset value changes. The NBP's financial performance fluctuated over
the analyzed period, with losses occurring in years of rising interest rates due to increased
costs on reserves and money bills.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings highlight the challenges Central banks face in
maintaining financial stability while implementing monetary policy. The study underscores
the importance of Central bank capital management and the potential need for government
intervention in extreme loss scenarios.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on Central bank
financial stability by analyzing the unique case of the National Bank of Poland. It offers
empirical insights into the effects of interest rate policy on Central bank assets and financial
performance, with broader implications for Central bank independence and monetary policy
effectiveness.peer-reviewe
3 years after the Covid-19 pandemic : the perception of healthcare workers towards Covid-19 booster vaccine in Malta
Get PDFINTRODUCTION: As Covid-19 virus continues to mutate and form new variants, booster vaccines still play a role in striving for herd immunity. This study aims to analyse the Covid-19 booster vaccine acceptance rate amongst the health care workers working in the surgical department in Malta. This study also explored reasons why healthcare workers did not take the Covid-19 booster vaccine.METHOD: A cross-sectional study using an online anonymous survey was done between 25th November 2023 and 28th December 2023.RESULTS: A total of 121 health care workers responded to the online questionnaire. From the 121 respondents 53.7% were female and 46.3% males. Participants were split between doctors (61.9%) and nurses (38.1%) of different grades. 99.2% of respondents were already inoculated against the Covid-19 virus. This study revealed a rate of booster vaccine acceptance of 20.8%. The major reasons for declining the booster vaccine were side-effects and concern about vaccine safety. Age was noted to be the biggest variable with only 10% of 20-30 taking the booster vaccine compared to 43.8% of 51–60-year-olds. Previous Covid-19 infection, being hospitalised or having a relative hospitalised due to Covid-19 infection were not motivating factors to increase booster vaccine uptake.CONCLUSION: Overall there is relatively low booster acceptance among health care workers mainly due to concerns about vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, and lack of trust. Introducing targeted education, risk communication and certain policies may help improve the perception towards Covid-19 booster doses which in turn may increase acceptance rate.peer-reviewe
Exploring the impact of antenatal hypnobirthing education on tokophobia : a systematised literature review
No full textIntroduction: Fear of childbirth, also known as tocophobia, has become
an increasingly recognized factor contributing to perinatal
mental health challenges and rising rates of planned
caesarean sections globally. This concern has led to a growing
interest in the potential of antenatal hypnobirthing education
as a holistic approach to reduce these fears and support
positive birth experiences. Grounded in the belief that birth
is a natural and safe physiological process, hypnobirthing
supports pregnant women in building a sense of self-trust,
adopting a positive mindset towards labour, and approaching
childbirth calmly through diverse relaxation, breathing and visualisation techniques. This systematized literature review
examined the influence of antenatal hypnobirthing education
on women with tocophobia.peer-reviewe
Imsielet
No full textL-ittri tal-alfabett għandna ħabta nxebbhuhom mal-bnedmin.
Il-ħ naqtgħulha rasha. Il-q bis-sieq. Il-b daharha ’l hemm u d-d
daharha ’l hawn. L-e tal-widna, inkella nitfixkluha mal-i tat-tikka.
U l-mistoqsija trid tispiċċa bil-misluta, mhux hekk?peer-reviewe