The Rise of Digital Multimedia Systems

In 1957 Ian Watt published The Rise of the Novel. Promptly recognised as a classic of cultural history, the book analysed the enduring connexions between the distinctive literary qualities of the novel and those of the society in which it began and flourished.1 This society - eighteenth-century western Europe -- had become suddenly complicated. With the waning of the Church and the discrediting of the notion of the divine rights of kings, most European states were experiencing the rise of mercantilism and the bourgeoisie. `Common people began to imagine that they could take charge of their own destiny, that they could define and develop themselves into evolving characters in new settings that they could establish or explore according to their own free will

Birdsong

Invited by Object Gallery to create a site-specific installation for its unique space, artist Janet Laurence has collaborated with new media artist and writer Ross Gibson to present Birdsong. Stimulated by a past working relationship and Laurences research into the ornithological collection of the Australian Museum, the artists address issues of memory, history and science in an exhibition best described as moving

Intentional and unintentional non-adherence in community dwelling people with type 2 diabetes: the effect of varying numbers of medicines

People with type 2 diabetes are often prescribed multiple medicines which can be difficult to manage. Nonadherence to medicines can be intentional (e.g. active decision) or unintentional (e.g. forgetting). The objective of this study was to measure intentional and unintentional non-adherence to differing numbers of medicines prescribed in type 2 diabetes. A cross sectional survey using the Morisky medication adherence scale (with intentional and unintentional non-adherence subscales) was completed by 480 people prescribed oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs), antihypertensive agents and statins. A within-subject analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that intentional non-adherence did not vary between OADs, anti-hypertensives and statins. Intentional non-adherence to statins significantly increased when the number of medicines prescribed was included as a between-subjects variable (p<0.05). Another within-subject ANOVA on unintentional non-adherence found a significant difference between OADs, anti-hypertensives and statins; unintentional non-adherence to OADs was significantly higher (p<0.05). When the number of medicines was added as a between-subject variable unintentional non-adherence was associated with higher numbers of medicines. This study shows the difference between intentional and unintentional non-adherence behaviours, and the effect that varying numbers of medicines can have on these behaviours

Financial risk tolerance: An analysis of unexplored factors

Using data from a survey alliance between Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, PBS's Nightly Business Report, and FinaMetrica, this study explores various demographical and attitudinal factors related to financial risk tolerance. Investigating risk tolerance scores of more than 2,000 individuals immediately after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, we find a positive relationship between risk tolerance and income, investment knowledge and positive stock market expectations. Risk tolerance is found to be lower for females, older individuals, those that currently use a financial advisor and individuals that perceive the stock market to be riskier than two years before

Post transition metal substituted Keggin POMs as thin film chemiresistive sensors for H2O and CO2 detection

Chemiresitive sensing allows the affordable and facile detection of small molecules such as H2O and CO2. Herein, we report a novel class of earth abundant post transition metal substituted Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs) for chemiresistive sensing applications, with conductivies up to 0.01 S cm-1 under 100% CO2 and 65% Relative Humidity (RH)

Association of Air Pollution with Increased Incidence of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias Recorded by Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillators

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a consistent link between sudden cardiac deaths and particulate air pollution. We used implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) records of ventricular tachyarrhythmias to assess the role of air pollution as a trigger of these potentially life-threatening events. The study cohort consisted of 203 cardiac patients with ICD devices in the Boston metropolitan area who were followed for an average of 3.1 years between 1995 and 2002. Fine particle mass and gaseous air pollution plus temperature and relative humidity were measured on almost all days, and black carbon, sulfate, and particle number on a subset of days. Date, time, and intracardiac electrograms of ICD-detected arrhythmias were downloaded at the patients’ regular follow-up visits (about every 3 months). Ventricular tachyarrhythmias were identified by electrophysiologist review. Risk of ventricular arrhythmias associated with air pollution was estimated with logistic regression, adjusting for season, temperature, relative humidity, day of the week, patient, and a recent prior arrhythmia. We found increased risks of ventricular arrhythmias associated with 2-day mean exposure for all air pollutants considered, although these associations were not statistically significant. We found statistically significant associations between air pollution and ventricular arrhythmias for episodes within 3 days of a previous arrhythmia. The associations of ventricular tachyarrhythmias with fine particle mass, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and black carbon suggest a link with motor vehicle pollutants. The associations with sulfate suggest a link with stationary fossil fuel combustion sources

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense group 1 is distinguished by a unique amino acid substitution in the HpHb receptor implicated in human serum resistance

Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (Tbr) and T. b. gambiense (Tbg), causative agents of Human African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) in Africa, have evolved alternative mechanisms of resisting the activity of trypanosome lytic factors (TLFs), components of innate immunity in human serum that protect against infection by other African trypanosomes. In Tbr, lytic activity is suppressed by the Tbr-specific serum-resistance associated (SRA) protein. The mechanism in Tbg is less well understood but has been hypothesized to involve altered activity and expression of haptoglobin haemoglobin receptor (HpHbR). HpHbR has been shown to facilitate internalization of TLF-1 in T.b. brucei (Tbb), a member of the T. brucei species complex that is susceptible to human serum. By evaluating the genetic variability of HpHbR in a comprehensive geographical and taxonomic context, we show that a single substitution that replaces leucine with serine at position 210 is conserved in the most widespread form of Tbg (Tbg group 1) and not found in related taxa, which are either human serum susceptible (Tbb) or known to resist lysis via an alternative mechanism (Tbr and Tbg group 2). We hypothesize that this single substitution contributes to reduced uptake of TLF and thus may play a key role in conferring serum resistance to Tbg group 1. In contrast, similarity in HpHbR sequence among isolates of Tbg group 2 and Tbb/Tbr provides further evidence that human serum resistance in Tbg group 2 is likely independent of HpHbR functio

Co-ordinated Development Strengthens the Throughline in Connected Modules

Many degree programs teach core topics over several modules spanning 2 or 3 years (e.g. “Introduction” and “Advanced”). Even if “Introduction” is a pre-requisite for “Advanced”, students and staff may not fully recognise the connections between them. In addition, students often compartmentalise material and don’t apply it elsewhere. Student feedback can therefore lead staff to develop new resources and re-teach material. UCL’s Biomedical Engineering programmes include a theme of Medical Electronics that spans five modules across four years. Some modules are explicitly focused on medical instrumentation, others only partially. The teaching team has created a through-line of enquiry by explicitly discussing the links between the modules and collaboratively designing content (lectures and practicals), to emphasise connections. This reinforces the relevance of skills developed in the other modules. Re-teaching is replaced by referencing, specifically referring to previously taught material and shared resources. An additional level of complexity arises because some modules contribute to other degree programmes. By applying the same collaborative principles with staff on those programmes, we have been able to unify the experience across programmes and capitalise on the mixed cohorts to encourage student interactions across subjects and perspectives. Staff and students have commented positively on the benefits of the explicit connections between modules and we have seen an improved performance in a practical instrumentation project, relative to previous years. We will discuss the challenges, lessons learnt and examples of how student performance has improved as we iteratively develop the interconnected modules