Northern Lights Ceilidh:playful digital interventions in a Scottish tradition

Northern Lights Ceilidh (NLC) was a one-off event which added a modern twist to traditional Scottish dancing, music and performance and added a digital infusion of technology mediated interactions to proceedings. The event marked the end of an international games competition hosted in Dundee each year, Dare to be Digital (DtbD) inviting the participants in the games competition and the general public to attend. In total 208 people attended NLC, 75 of whom were participants in DtbD.It is not possible to determine how many of the participants were external to Abertay University. However, 50% of respondents to a survey relating to NLC1 (the survey was completed by 12% of the total attendees) cited they found out about the event through sources external to Dare to be Digital which could suggest that there were attendees who had no link to Dare to be Digital and Abertay University.The Ceilidh was part funded by the year of Homecoming Scotland, and thus sought to weave historical Scottish traditions with new traditions in Scotland (i.e. weaving ceilidh, poetry and dance with new forms of design including 3D printed jewellery and interactive technology). NLC was held in a high-tech marquee in Dundee City Square on the 8th of August 2014. The marquee had been used for four days as the site of the DtbD games showcase and was transformed into a dance hall for the event.NLC aimed to, through digital mediation, provide participants with agency commonly associated with digital media. Participants were able to contribute to the creation of a digital aesthetic which was layered upon the physical ceilidh experience through projection and real-time manipulation of live video feeds. The participants could alter and manipulate their movement to change what happened on screen, co-creating not only the dance elements of the ceilidh but also the digital spectacle.The ceilidh was designed Lynn Parker, and Clare Brennan. Ryan Locke provided imagery which was used as the setting for digital animation production by Lynn Parker. A jeweller, Elizabeth Armour, was commissioned to create custom jewellery for the event, a 3D printed brooch and two digital artists, Stuart MacBean and Yana Hristova were commissioned to create an animated ‘peep’ board with which attendees were encouraged to take photographs. During the event itself, the band Whiskey Kiss called the dances and provided the music whilst a performer recited poetry to open the event. Quartic Llama, an interactive media company were commissioned to create a digital app to promote the event, titled Lightstream (Quartic Llama, 2014).Lynn Parker led the design of interactive media interventions into the event, the creation of animation sequences and live visuals during the event, developed branding for the event, carried out client facing work with Quartic Llama and collaborated with her colleagues in the facilitation and organisation of the event.Northern Lights Ceilidh as practice-led-research work offers insight into design approaches to support and facilitate social interaction. The social nature of the ceilidh event provides a template for community creation and the layering of digital intervention provides a basis from which the mediation of interaction through both human and technology mediated play can be evaluated.The addition of a digital layer to the ceilidh setting provides an extra level of participation in the event, where the participants can not only make the event come to life through participating in the dances but also in their manipulation of their movement to shape the digital visualisations on screen. The experience of the participants of both the ceilidh setting and of digital mediation provides valuable underpinning for the evaluation of these factors through practice-led-research

Animating dance and dancing with animation:a retrospective of forever falling nowhere

Experimental animation and contemporary dance share a number of concepts, including the abstraction of ideas and themes, seeking to communicate with an audience through movement, syncopation, shape, and rhythm. Within this paper the authors investigate communication through movement within these two forms, firstly through discussion of professional experimental animation and dance performances and secondly through specific analysis of the digital dance performance Forever Falling Nowhere. The paper documents discussion with the choreographer, dancer, animator and the audience, seeking to examine the connection between the concept of the piece, the use of movement to imply meaning from the point of view of each of the creators and the audiences' perception. The paper will conclude by reflecting upon the importance of interpretation within experimental works asking if Norman McLaren's definition of animation can be used to draw deeper meaning from digital performances

Effectiveness of traineeships and apprenticeships for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

Among those enrolled in apprenticeships and traineeships, Indigenous students are more likely to be participating in courses of study leading to lower qualifications, according to this report. Summary What we know Indigenous Australians, particularly females, are more likely than the rest of the population to participate in apprenticeships and traineeships, mostly due to the relatively younger demographic structure of the Indigenous population (as apprenticeships are typically undertaken during youth). Among those enrolled in apprenticeships and traineeships, Indigenous students are more likely to be participating in courses of study leading to lower qualifications (Certificate I and II). For both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, the key determinant of field of study is gender: males are much more likely to be participating in apprenticeships and traineeships that will result in them becoming tradespersons or related workers, and females are more likely to be working towards an occupation as an Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Worker. Indigenous Australians are less likely to be employed across all age groups. Apprenticeships are commonly seen as a useful tool for ‘Closing the Gap’. Not all apprentices and trainees are employed, but they have a much higher rate of employment compared with other students (52.1% of Indigenous apprentices are employed, compared with 31.6% of other Indigenous students). When surveyed, students generally report the benefits of having an apprenticeship as being to ‘advance my skills more generally’ and having the ‘satisfaction of achievement’. However, in addition to these universal benefits, Indigenous Australians are also much more likely to report being ‘seen as a role model for others in the community’. What works Evidence from overseas studies suggests that participation in traineeships and apprenticeships can have a positive effect on employment outcomes and earnings. A statistical analysis of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) program found that almost 15% of those who found employment through the SQW programs would not have otherwise been able to find employment. Pre-apprenticeship training nearly doubles the chance of enrolment in an apprenticeship from a base of about 10% of potential students. Pre-apprenticeship training can also be associated with higher job satisfaction, although the evidence is inconclusive. Reviews of some Indigenous-specific training and employment programs show a positive effect on employment and education and relatively high levels of job satisfaction for participants. It appears that the provision of mentors reduces cancellation rates for Indigenous apprentices. What doesn\u27t work An analysis of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme found that incentives increase the number of people commencing an apprenticeship, but the scheme has no effect on retention. Apprenticeships have very little effect on employment outcomes (increased hours or wages) for those who were employed before training. What we don\u27t know There is a need for more robust data on the diverse effects of apprenticeships in an Australian, and particularly an Indigenous Australian, context. Existing studies suffer from self-selection bias. Furthermore, often only participants in apprenticeships are included in the studies, so it is possible that the observed outcome is linked to an unobserved characteristic shared by those who enrol (for example, above-average levels of motivation) that is not uniform across the population. Although there are many effective Indigenous-specific trainee programs in industries where Indigenous engagement is already relatively high (for example, mining and land management), there is no analysis on whether or not programs in these industries are more effective than other programs (for example, programs by the National Australia Bank as part of their Reconciliation Action Plan). One missing piece of evidence on effective apprenticeships and traineeships is the extent to which Indigenous apprentices and trainees are discriminated against or treated unfairly in different industries, regions and employer types.   &nbsp

The Use of Self-Management, Group Education to Reduce Fear of Hypoglycaemia as a Barrier to Physical Activity in Adults Living with Type 1 Diabetes: A Feasibility Study.

A scoping review indicated the need for theory-driven interventions to address type 1 diabetes-specific barriers to physical activity, specifically fear of hypoglycaemia. Meta-inferences from a two-phase, explanatory sequential mixed methods study concluded that an intervention (Type 1 TACTICS for Exercise©) and the study methods used to evaluate it were feasible and acceptable, and revealed positive preliminary effects in favour of the intervention in reducing fear of hypoglycaemia as a barrier to physical activity

Effectiveness of traineeships and apprenticeships for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

Indigenous young people in Australia are much more likely to be neither studying nor participating in paid employment than their non-Indigenous peers. However, there is evidence that traineeships and apprenticeships can have a positive effect on employment outcomes and earnings. This paper provides an overview of the effectiveness of apprenticeships and traineeships for Indigenous young people in Australia. It looks at the data on participation rates, gender differences, occupation types, employment outcomes, and personal outcomes, and reviews the local and international research evidence on their impacts. The paper also discusses the gaps in the research and what is needed to support effective policy in this area.This report was commisioned by Closing the Gap Clearing Hous

Reactive Oxygen Species and Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of MAFLD

The pathogenesis of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is complex and thought to be dependent on multiple parallel hits on a background of genetic susceptibility. The evidence suggests that MAFLD progression is a dynamic two-way process relating to repetitive bouts of metabolic stress and inflammation interspersed with endogenous anti-inflammatory reparative responses. In MAFLD, excessive hepatic lipid accumulation causes the production of lipotoxins that induce mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticular stress, and over production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Models of MAFLD show marked disruption of mitochondrial function and reduced oxidative capacitance with impact on cellular processes including mitophagy, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial biogenesis. In excess, ROS modify insulin and innate immune signaling and alter the expression and activity of essential enzymes involved in lipid homeostasis. ROS can also cause direct damage to intracellular structures causing hepatocyte injury and death. In select cases, the use of anti-oxidants and ROS scavengers have been shown to diminish the pro-apoptopic effects of fatty acids. Given this link, endogenous anti-oxidant pathways have been a target of interest, with Nrf2 activation showing a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation in models of MAFLD. Thyroid hormone receptor β (THRβ) agonists and nuclear peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor (PPAR) family have also gained interest in reducing hepatic lipotoxicity and restoring hepatic function in models of MAFLD. Unfortunately, the true interplay between the clinical and molecular components of MAFLD progression remain only partly understood. Most recently, multiomics-based strategies are being adopted for hypothesis-free analysis of the molecular changes in MAFLD. Transcriptome profiling maps the unique genotype-phenotype associations in MAFLD and with various single-cell transcriptome-based projects underway, there is hope of novel physiological insights to MAFLD progression and uncover therapeutic targets

Determining the role for uric acid in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis development and the utility of urate metabolites in diagnosis:An opinion review

There has long been a recognised association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the composite aspects of the metabolic syndrome. Part of this association highlighted the supposed co-existence of elevated uric acid levels in those with NAFLD. There is interest in exploitation of this as a putative diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in NAFLD. Given the increased economic and health burden associated with the NAFLD epidemic, improved methods of population-based, minimally-invasive methods and biomarkers are clearly highly sought and necessary. In this opinion review we review the proposed role of uric acid in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and its potential utilisation in the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease process

New Horizons in Hepatitis B and C in the Older Adult

Hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV), are blood-borne viruses that can cause acute hepatitis; but are clinically relevant because chronic infection is associated with development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Both these viruses are becoming more common in the older population, due to the ageing of generations exposed to the risk factors associated with infection; intravenous drug use, multiple sexual partners and men who have sex with men. This review will cover the natural history and epidemiology of these infections as well as the revolution in drug therapy that now allows cure of HCV infection and complete control of HBV infection.</p

Generation ZX(X)

This document discusses the design and development of Generation ZX(X), a hybrid multi-media event which explored how video games and performance can enhance and complement one another and enliven different types of historical data: oral herstories, lived experience, collective memory and audio-video archives.Generation ZX(X) was a hybrid of live and virtual components: an audiowalk, a social play session (3 video games were developed and played in a pop-up arcade), a film projection and a musical performance. For Generation ZX(X), I worked with third year Games and Art students and staff from Abertay University. The event took place on the 4th May 2018, in Camperdown Park, and at the JTC Furniture Group – the former Timex Camperdown factory. The event was developed as part of Mona Bozdog’s SGSAH ARCS (Applied Research Collaborative Studentship) PhD - Playing with Performance/ Performing Play. Creating hybrid experiences at the fringes of video games and performance.The project engaged with the living memory and heritage of the Timex factory in Dundee, and its aim was to reclaim and rewrite the history of the charged site on Harrison Road and to challenge the ‘official’ history of the local games industry. The project explored the hidden figures of the video games industry: the women who assembled the ZX Spectrum computers in the Timex factory in Dundee, and the ramifications that this labour had for the city’s development as one of UK’s leading games development and education centres. <br/