Poster for Media Arts Walking Research Group

The inclusive Media Arts Walking Research Group has become a forum for practice and reflection, where the group acts as a vessel, enabling individuals and collaborations to generate their own areas of research interest. Seven members will present their individual area of research at the symposium. We created a poster displaying individual QR codes linking to research.</p

Solar

'SOLAR' is a new digital project funded by Catalyst from the Walking Arts Research Group at Sheffield Hallam University in collaboration with external organisations Opus Independents and Epiphany VR. It is an app that guides a walking trail from the city into the Peak District as a scaled down version of the solar system. The trail begins with the Sun in the Peace Gardens and ends with Neptune situated near Ladybower Reservoir and follows scaled down measurements of the distances between planets onto Sheffield and the peak district. Users will be able to download the app, follow a walkable trail and uncover a new piece of artwork from artists and lecturers at Sheffield Hallam as they pass each respective planet. The app will be launched in late February/ early March of 2017

SOLAR - a walking app

Initiated by Walking Arts Research Group, and selected by Catalyst as a major project, SOLAR worked with external partners Wordlife and EpiphanyVR to create a walking app. A scaled down version of the solar system is mapped onto Sheffield, starting with the sun at the Town Hall and ending with Neptune near Ladybower Reservoir. On arrival at each planet, the app will show the user an artwork made about the planet. We will exhibit these artworks during march and April at SIA gallery

Walk Out

Walk Out is a group exhibition of the research outputs of Media Arts and Photography lecturers made through the activities of the Walking Arts Research group, an inclusive walking group formed to generate research, collaboration, reflection, and practice. The exhibition, comprised of photography, video works, and installation, including a zoetrope, reveals a diverse response to the rural and urban environment experienced during the walks. The title is knowingly political and the manifesto and accompanying exhibition essay acknowledge WARGs activities as a resistance to the increasingly time-compressed and bureaucratised work environment. The group aims, through walking and collaborative practice, to nurture an environment in which creative practice can thrive

A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Maca Root as Treatment for Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Women

Objective. We sought to demonstrate that maca root may be an effective treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction (AISD) in women. Method. We conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of maca root (3.0 g/day) in 45 female outpatients (mean age of 41.5 ± 12.5 years) with SSRI/SNRI-induced sexual dysfunction whose depression remitted. Endpoints were improvement in sexual functioning as per the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) and the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Function Questionnaire (MGH-SFQ). Results. 45 of 57 consented females were randomized, and 42 (30 premenopausal and 12 postmenopausal women) were eligible for a modified intent-to-treat analysis based on having had at least one postmedication visit. Remission rates by the end of treatment were higher for the maca than the placebo group, based on attainment of an ASEX total score ≤ 10 (9.5% for maca versus 4.8% for placebo), attaining an MGH-SFQ score ≤ 12 (30.0% for maca versus 20.0% for placebo) and reaching an MGH-SFQ score ≤ 8 (9.5% for maca versus 5.0% for placebo). Higher remission rates for the maca versus placebo group were associated with postmenopausal status. Maca was well tolerated. Conclusion. Maca root may alleviate SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. This trial is registered with NCT00568126