Flatland

Flatland is a project of VCDE233 TYPOGRAPHY II and VCDI223 DESIGN AND PRE-PRESS PRODUCTION, both courses in the Design Studies diploma program at MacEwan University. Students were asked to translate an assigned section of the Victorian novella, Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott (1884), into a two-page layout that treats the text in a way that is visually appealing, readable, and appropriate to the content. They were encouraged to challenge conventions by exploring alternative grids, objective and expressive type, and text and image relationships. VCDE233 Typography II (Constanza Pacher) and VCDI223 Design and Pre-Press Production (Jess Dupuis

The 2014 BFA Graduating Class Department of Visual Arts

Congratulations on the opening of this, your graduate exhibition. Your presence in this catalogue not only celebrates your achievements while you’ve been with us, but also serves to signal your transition to the next chapter of your life and career. Whatever your goals, whatever your desire in life, it is my hope that your studies with the visual arts program serve you well, that you continue to explore, search, question, and, it is also my hope that you keep making art. The Division of Fine Arts is extremely proud of all its graduates and this catalogue, and your presence in it, will serve as a reminder over the years that you were here, and that you made a contribution and a difference to the visual arts program. All the very best and please keep in touch

Onset symptoms, tobacco smoking, and progressive-onset phenotype are associated with a delayed onset of multiple sclerosis, and marijuana use with an earlier onset

Background: Age at symptom onset (ASO) is a prognostic factor that could affect the accrual of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Some factors are known to influence the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), but their influence on the ASO is less well-investigated. Objective: Examine the associations between known or emerging MS risk factors and ASO. Methods: This was a multicenter study, incident cases (n = 279) with first clinical diagnosis of demyelinating event aged 18–59 years recruited at four Australian centres (latitudes 27°-43°S), from 1 November 2003 to 31 December 2006. Environmental/behavioral variables and initial symptoms were recorded at baseline interview. Linear regression was used to assess the association between risk factors and ASO. Results: Five factors were significantly associated with ASO: a history of tobacco smoking was associated with 3.05-years later ASO (p = 0.002); a history of marijuana use was associated with 6.03-years earlier ASO (p < 0.001); progressive-onset cases had 5.61-years later ASO (p = 0.001); an initial presentation of bowel & bladder and cerebral dysfunctional were associated with 3.39 (p = 0.017) and 4.37-years (p = 0.006) later ASO, respectively. Other factors, including sex, offspring number, latitude of study site, history of infectious mononucleosis, HLA-DR15 & HLA-A2 genotype, 25(OH)D levels, and ultraviolet radiation exposure were not associated with ASO. Including all five significant variables into one model explained 12% of the total variance in ASO. Conclusion: We found a novel association between a history of tobacco smoking and later onset, whereas marijuana use was associated with earlier onset. Behavioral factors seem important drivers of MS onset timing although much of the variance remains unexplained.Chunrong Tao, Steve Simpson Jr., Bruce V. Taylor, Leigh Blizzard, Robyn M. Lucas, Anne-Louise Ponsonby, Simon Broadley, Keith Dear, AusLong, Ausimmune Investigators Group and Ingrid van der Me

The behaviour of moisture in the porous support materials of wall paintings and investigation of some environmental parameters

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DXN058719 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Understanding current retrofit practices to prevent the unintended consequences affecting IEQ and health

The climate crisis demands an urgent societal shift, and the UK government has responded with a strong policy targeting energy retrofit to improve the energy performance of homes to achieve the net zero target by 2050. However, research has shown that standard retrofit measures have resulted in undesirable unintended consequences. Incorrect interventions such as using incompatible materials can affect the equilibrium of the building, increasing the risk of surface and interstitial condensation due to excessive humidity levels. Mould growth may develop under high levels of humidity, damaging the building fabric but also posing a risk to the occupants; it has been linked to asthma exacerbation and other respiratory infections. Therefore, what is needed is a well-integrated retrofit approach that not only reduces energy use but protects the building and the health and well-being of its occupants. This paper discusses the retrofit practices, the main challenges that retrofit practitioners face in the UK, and which guidance and tools they work with through the lens of the impact on occupants. A deeper understanding of the current practices is needed if those unintended consequences are to be avoided. For instance, replacing a 'fabric-first' mindset with a 'people-first' approach that considers more factors like the causes of thermal discomfort, and the gains to be made from passive and adaptive comfort approaches, could contribute to deliverer energy and carbon savings and increased building's indoor environment quality and usability justified

Sun exposure over a lifetime in Australian adults from latitudinally diverse regions

Spatio-temporal patterns in sun exposure underlie variations in skin cancer incidence and vitamin D deficiency, indicate effectiveness of sun protection programs and provide insights into future health risks. From 558 adults across four regions of Australia (Brisbane (27°S), Newcastle (33°S), Geelong and the Western Districts of Victoria (37°S) and Tasmania (43°S)), we collected: self-report data on time-in-the-sun from age 6 years; natural skin color and ethnicity; silicone skin casts (for cumulative skin damage); and serum for vitamin D status. Ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) at the location of residence, with time-in-the-sun, was used to calculate a “UVR dose” for each year of life. Individuals maintained their ranking compared to their peers for time-in-the-sun in summer compared to winter and across ages (Spearman rho 0.24–0.84, all P < 0.001). Time-in-the-sun decreased with age in all birth cohorts, and over calendar time. Summer time-in-the-sun increased with increasing latitude (P < 0.001). Seasonal variation in vitamin D status had greater amplitude and vitamin D deficiency increased with increasing latitude. Temporal patterns are consistent with effectiveness of sun protection programs. Higher relative time-in-the-sun persists from childhood through adulthood. Lower summer time-in-the-sun in the warmest location may have implications for predictions of UVR-related health risks of climate change

Stressful life events and the risk of initial central nervous system demyelination

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence that stress increases multiple sclerosis disease activity, but limited evidence on its association with the onset of multiple sclerosis. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between stressful life events and risk of first demyelinating event (FDE). METHODS: This was a multicentre incident case-control study. Cases ( n = 282 with first diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) demyelination, including n = 216 with 'classic FDE') were aged 18-59 years. Controls without CNS demyelination ( n = 558) were matched to cases on age, sex and study region. Stressful life events were assessed using a questionnaire based on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. RESULTS: Those who suffered from a serious illness in the previous 12 months were more likely to have an FDE (odds ratio (OR) = 2.35 (1.36, 4.06), p = 0.002), and when we limited our reference group to those who had no stressful life events, the magnitude of effect became stronger (OR = 5.41 (1.80, 16.28)). The total stress number and stress load were not convincingly associated with the risk of an FDE. CONCLUSION: Cases were more likely to report a serious illness in the previous 12 months, which could suggest that a non-specific illness provides an additional strain to an already predisposed immune system.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship 100100511), the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, MS Research Australia, the US National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Poola Foundation, the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the MS Society of Tasmania, Bayer Schering Pharma and Biogen Idec, In

Stressful life events and the risk of initial central nervous system demyelination

Background: There is substantial evidence that stress increases multiple sclerosis disease activity, but limited evidence on its association with the onset of multiple sclerosis. Objective: To examine the association between stressful life events and risk of first demyelinating event (FDE). Methods: This was a multicentre incident case-control study. Cases (n = 282 with first diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) demyelination, including n = 216 with 'classic FDE') were aged 18-59 years. Controls without CNS demyelination (n = 558) were matched to cases on age, sex and study region. Stressful life events were assessed using a questionnaire based on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Results: Those who suffered from a serious illness in the previous 12 months were more likely to have an FDE (odds ratio (OR) = 2.35 (1.36, 4.06), p = 0.002), and when we limited our reference group to those who had no stressful life events, the magnitude of effect became stronger (OR = 5.41 (1.80, 16.28)). The total stress number and stress load were not convincingly associated with the risk of an FDE. Conclusion: Cases were more likely to report a serious illness in the previous 12 months, which could suggest that a non-specific illness provides an additional strain to an already predisposed immune system

Latitudinal variation in incidence and type of first central nervous system demyelinating events

Increasing prevalence and variable geographic patterns of occurrence of multiple sclerosis suggest an environmental role in causation. There are few descriptive, population-level, data on whether such variability applies to first demyelinating events (FDEs). We recruited 216 adults (18-59 years), with a FDE between 1 November 2003 and 31 December 2006 in a multi-center incident case-control study in four locations on the south-eastern and eastern seaboard of Australia, spanning latitudes 27° south to 43° south. Population denominators were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics censuses of 2001 and 2006. Age and sex adjusted FDE incidence rates increased by 9.55% (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.37-11.78, p <0.001) per higher degree of latitude. The incidence rate gradient per higher degree of latitude varied by gender (male: 14.69% (95% CI 9.68-19.94, p < 0.001); female 8.13% (95% CI 5.69-10.62, p < 0.001)); and also by the presenting FDE type: optic neuritis 11.39% (95% CI 7.15-15.80, p< 0.001); brainstem/cerebellar syndrome 9.47% (95% CI 5.18-13.93, p <0.001); and spinal cord syndrome 5.36% (95% CI 1.78-9.06, p = 0.003). Differences in incidence rate gradients were statistically significant between males and females (p = 0.02) and between optic neuritis and spinal cord syndrome (p = 0.04). The male to female ratio varied from 1:6.7 at 27° south to 1:2.5 at 43° south. The study establishes a positive latitudinal gradient of FDE incidence in Australia. The latitude-related factor(s) influences FDE incidence variably according to subtype and gender, with the strongest influence on optic neuritis presentations and for males. These descriptive case analyses show intriguing patterns that could be important for understanding the etiology of multiple sclerosis

The physical anthropology, lifestyle habits and blood pressure presenting with a first class clinical demyelinating event compared to controls: the Ausimmune study

Introduction: Lifestyle factors prior to a first clinical demyelinating event (FCD), a disorder often preceding the development of clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS), have not previously been examined in detail. Past tobacco smoking has been con