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The rapid proliferation of multiple software with features of video games has led to a trend called ‘Gamification.’ This new paradigm describes the existing concepts regarding the interaction between man and machine, and introduces key elements such as persuasion and eye-catching design. However, there is no concise explanation that allows for the connection of game applications to non-game uses, especially in traditional and highly regulated sectors, such as the financial sector. The aim of our study is to investigate client perceptions in terms of using a serious e-banking business application with games features. Therefore, we developed mutual funds software gamified with the design and characteristics of a football game. In this study, we analysed the behavior of more than 800 clients who used the software, and then we followed up with an online questionnaire to assess their experience. Our findings show that the perceived ease-of-use of the software had a strong influence on the clients’ intentions to use it and on its perceived usefulness. Socialness (social cues) had influence on all other studied variables, but the enjoyment and utility of the software had no influence on the clients’ intention to use the game. We further investigated the impact the use of the game had on the business of mutual funds in e-banking. Our results show that gamified software had a positive impact, proving that web design and the relationship between the financial product and the football game had a good acceptance rate by the participants/clients, as demonstrated in their intention to use it, and in the high average values in their intention to recommend such software to friends. The use of games features in e-banking may influence clients to become more loyal and use more electronic channels in their banking interactions.
The rapid proliferation of multiple software with features of video games has led to a trend called ‘Gamification.’ This new paradigm describes the existing concepts regarding the interaction between man and machine, and introduces key elements such as persuasion and eye-catching design. However, there is no concise explanation that allows for the connection of game applications to non-game uses, especially in traditional and highly regulated sectors, such as the financial sector. The aim of our study is to investigate client perceptions in terms of using a serious e-banking business application with games features. Therefore, we developed mutual funds software gamified with the design and characteristics of a football game. In this study, we analysed the behavior of more than 800 clients who used the software, and then we followed up with an online questionnaire to assess their experience. Our findings show that the perceived ease-of-use of the software had a strong influence on the clients’ intentions to use it and on its perceived usefulness. Socialness (social cues) had influence on all other studied variables, but the enjoyment and utility of the software had no influence on the clients’ intention to use the game. We further investigated the impact the use of the game had on the business of mutual funds in e-banking. Our results show that gamified software had a positive impact, proving that web design and the relationship between the financial product and the football game had a good acceptance rate by the participants/clients, as demonstrated in their intention to use it, and in the high average values in their intention to recommend such software to friends. The use of games features in e-banking may influence clients to become more loyal and use more electronic channels in their banking interactions.
Abstract
Why is it important to distinguish between the law in books and the law in action? And what are the practical effects of that distinction, especially when Westernized codes made for native populations are involved? After addressing these broader issues, this article examines the codes prepared for the non-Catholic inhabitants of Diu in 1854 and 1894 and tries to answer some questions: Who made the codes, who applied the codes, and what were their purposes?
The Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH) decided in 2006 through its Mapping Committee to implement the New Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe (NA2RE: http://na2re.ismai.pt) as a chorological database system. Initially designed to be a system of distributed databases, NA2RE quickly evolved to a Spatial Data Infrastructure, a system of geographically distributed systems. Each individual system has a national focus and is implemented in an online network, accessible through standard interfaces, thus allowing for interoperable communication and sharing of spatial-temporal data amongst one another. A Web interface facilitates the access of the user to all participating data systems as if it were one single virtual integrated data-source. Upon user request, the Web interface searches all distributed data-sources for the requested data, integrating the answers in an always updated and interactive map. This infrastructure implements methods for fast actualisation of national observation records, as well as for the use of a common taxonomy and systematics. Using this approach, data duplication is avoided, national systems are maintained in their own countries, and national organisations are responsible for their own data curation and management. The database could be built with different representation levels and resolution levels of data, and filtered according to species conservation matters. We present the first prototype of NA2RE, composed of the last data compilation performed by the SEH (Sillero et al., ). This system is implemented using only open source software: PostgreSQL database with PostGIS extension, Geoserver, and OpenLayers.
Abstract
Declines in anuran populations worldwide are increasingly creating demands for quick and urgent strategies to maximize efforts to conserve amphibian populations, especially in areas in which few detailed data on diversity, abundance and distribution are available, such as the Cerrado of Central Brazil. We used extent of occurrence of 105 species of Anura (Amphibia) in the Cerrado region to establish a regional system of potential areas that preserves all anuran species in the region, at a macroecological scale. The final network, obtained using a simple "greedy" algorithm based on complementarity, has a total of 10 regions, widely distributed in the biome. These areas were also evaluated in terms of their human demographic parameters (human population size and growth rate). Strong spatial autocorrelation in species richness indicates that alternative systems based on pre-existing conservation units will also be efficient in terms of biodiversity conservation. Although macro-scale approaches are usually coarse, they can provide overall guidelines for conservation and define the focus for more local and effective conservation efforts, which is particularly important when dealing with a taxonomic group such as anurans for which quick and drastic population declines have been reported in many regions of the world.
Ditylenchus gallaeformans sp. n. was found on several hosts at numerous locations in Brazil and Costa Rica. In its native habitats it attacks several genera in the Melastomataceae, including two species ranked as among the worst invasive weeds of Pacific island forests, namely Miconia calvescens and Clidemia hirta. The new species causes a severe disease on infected plants involving the formation of gall-like structures on infected leaves, inflorescences and stems, and may cause significant impact on its hosts. Morphological study using light and scanning electron microscopy and analysis of the partial 18S rRNA, the D2-D3 expansion fragments of 28S rRNA and the ITS rRNA gene sequences showed little variations between populations from different hosts or geographical origins. The molecular study revealed that the new species is related to D. drepanocercus, which was recently found in association with M. calvescens but causing angular leaf spots on this host. Ditylenchus gallaeformans sp. n. is distinguished from D. drepanocercus by having a bursa reaching the tail tip (vs covering around 50% of tail in D. drepanocercus) and a conical tail, regularly tapering towards a variable tip (vs tail with a distinctive apical falciform appendage in both sexes in D. drepanocercus). PCR with species-specific primers was developed for diagnostics of both Ditylenchus species. Ditylenchus gallaeformans sp. n. deserves further investigation as a potential biocontrol agent against M. calvescens and C. hirta.