Introduction to the symposium: Ivan Vladislavić, writing visual culture, and the globalization of a South African “artworld”

The introduction to this symposium considers South African author and editor Ivan Vladislavić’s engagement with South African visual culture and the significance of this to his emergence as a “world writer”. The symposium opens with an article by Sean O’Toole, which provides a comprehensive biographical context for Vladislavić’s engagement with art and proposes that his oeuvre be understood as a unique form of “creative criticism”. In their articles, Sue Marais and Jane Poyner offer close readings that draw out the critical role played by the visual cultures of the rarefied art world and everyday life, respectively, in two key texts where this creative criticism is in evidence: “Curiouser” from The Exploded View (2004) and Portrait with Keys (2006). James Graham’s article examines the nature and outcomes of Vladislavić’s work with other writers and visual artists as an editor, providing a theoretical framework that connects the biographical and formal concerns of the other articles by illustrating the cooperative ethos that undergirds Vladislavić’s critical and creative engagement with visual culture. The symposium therefore illustrates Vladislavić’s critical role in the negotiation of globalized artistic and literary fields, and in the constellation of a South African “artworld”

Evidence from the Patent Record on the Development of Cash Dispensing Technology

There are but a handful of systematic studies on the history of automated teller machines (ATMs) yet all fail to address the issue of paternity while perpetrating ‘common wisdom’ beliefs. This article looks at the birth of currency dispensing equipment, the immediate predecessor to the ATM. At the simplest level, at least four separate instance of innovation can reasonably claim to be the origin of the concept. However, the question as to who invented it is less illuminating than an understanding of the process of innovation itself and how these competing families developed into the modern conception of an ATM. Our research supports the view of user-driven innovation as surviving business records and oral histories tell of close involvement of bank staff in establishing requirements and choosing amongst alternative solutions in the implementation of first generation technology. This case thus shows greater understanding in the user’s role in shaping and directing technological development.Cash dispensers (ATMs), History, Financial data processing, Patents, Research and development, User interfaces

New Measurements of the Radio Photosphere of Mira based on Data from the JVLA and ALMA

We present new measurements of the millimeter wavelength continuum emission from the long period variable Mira ($o$ Ceti) at frequencies of 46 GHz, 96 GHz, and 229 GHz ($\lambda$~7 mm, 3 mm, and 1 mm) based on observations obtained with the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The measured millimeter flux densities are consistent with a radio photosphere model derived from previous observations, where flux density, $S_{\nu}\propto\nu^{1.86}$. The stellar disk is resolved, and the measurements indicate a decrease in the size of the radio photosphere at higher frequencies, as expected if the opacity decreases at shorter wavelengths. The shape of the radio photosphere is found to be slightly elongated, with a flattening of ~10-20%. The data also reveal evidence for brightness non-uniformities on the surface of Mira at radio wavelengths. Mira's hot companion, Mira B was detected at all three observed wavelengths, and we measure a radius for its radio-emitting surface of $\approx2.0\times10^{13}$ cm. The data presented here highlight the power of the JVLA and ALMA for the study of the atmospheres of evolved stars.Comment: Accepted to ApJ; 27 pages, 7 figure

A Trigonometric Parallax of Sgr B2

We have measured the positions of water masers in Sgr B2, a massive star forming region in the Galactic center, relative to an extragalactic radio source with the Very Long Baseline Array. The positions measured at 12 epochs over a time span of one year yield the trigonometric parallax of Sgr B2 and hence a distance to the Galactic center of Ro=7.9 (+0.8/-0.7) kpc. The proper motion of Sgr B2 relative to Sgr A* suggests that Sgr B2 is about 0.13 kpc nearer than the Galactic center, assuming a low-eccentricity Galactic orbit.Comment: Submitted to ApJ; 4 tables; 3 figures. Version 2 corrects Fig. 2 which was missing some dat

An unusual pi* shape resonance in the near-threshold photoionization of S(1) para-difluorobenzene

Previously reported dramatic changes in photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) as a function of photoelectron kinetic energy following the ionization of S1 p-difluorobenzene are shown to be explained by a shape resonance in the b(2g) symmetry continuum. The characteristics of this resonance are clearly demonstrated by a theoretical multiple-scattering treatment of the photoionization dynamics. New experimental data are presented which demonstrate an apparent insensitivity of the PADs to both vibrational motion and prepared molecular alignment, however, the calculations suggest that strong alignment effects may nevertheless be recognized in the detail of the comparison with experimental data. The apparent, but unexpected, indifference to vibrational excitation is rationalized by considering the nature of the resonance. The correlation of this shape resonance in the continuum with a virtual pi* antibonding orbital is considered. Because this orbital is characteristic of the benzene ring, the existence of similar resonances in related substituted benzenes is discussed.Bellm, SM: Davies, JA: Whiteside, PT; Guo, J: Powis, I; and Reid KL

Trigonometric Parallaxes of Massive Star Forming Regions: G012.88+0.48 and W33

We report trigonometric parallaxes for water masers in the G012.88+0.48 region and in the massive star forming complex W33 (containing G012.68--0.18, G012.81--0.19, G012.90--0.24, G012.90--0.26), from the Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy (BeSSeL) survey using the Very Long Baseline Array. The parallax distances to all these masers are consistent with $2.40^{+0.17}_{-0.15}$ kpc, which locates the W33 complex and G012.88+0.48 in the Scutum spiral arm. Our results show that W33 is a single star forming complex at about two-thirds the kinematic distance of 3.7 kpc. The luminosity and mass of this region, based on the kinematic distance, have therefore been overestimated by more than a factor of two. The spectral types in the star cluster in W33\,Main have to be changed by 1.5 points to later types.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication at A&

Adherence to prophylaxis in adolescents and young adults with severe haemophilia, A qualitative study with patients

© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Abstract Introduction: Reported levels of adherence to prophylaxis among young people with haemophilia (YPH) vary widely and are predominately based on estimations made by healthcare professionals and parents. Reasons for (non)adherence among YPH in particular have not been evidenced. Aim: to examine experiences in relation to prophylaxis with YPH themselves, and barriers and facilitators to their adherence. Methods: 11 Participants were recruited in five haemophilia centres across England and Wales. All patients who met the inclusion criteria (aged 12-25, diagnosed with haemophilia, on prophylaxis) were approached during a routine check-up appointment, and all participants who agreed to take part were interviewed. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Self-reported adherence to prophylaxis was good. Few participants admitted to intentionally skipping injections although they reported sometimes forgetting. However, due to the increasingly personalised and flexible approach to prophylaxis, adherence is not straightforward to define. Barriers to adherence included a busy lifestyle, dislike of the intravenous injection, venous access issues, anxiety or stress and being out of one’s normal routine. Support was an important facilitator to adherence, including support from health professionals at the haemophilia centre as well as friends. Parents appear to be very involved with their sons’ haemophilia management, even after their sons leave home. Conclusion: What this study adds is that the increasingly flexible and personalized approach to managing prophylaxis in haemophilia may sometimes lead to confusion around treatment frequency and dosing. This may lead to accidental non-adherence, which is distinct from both skipping and forgetting. Advice from haemophilia teams may not always be consistent, and is likely to be interpreted differently by different individuals. Some additional training and education of patients and their families to increase their knowledge and skills around prophylaxis may reduce this confusion and therefore is likely to improve adherence further.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio