57 research outputs found
Click, swipe, download, share: Digital artistsâ publishing
In this article, the British artist Tom Sowden looks at some of the ways in which other artists are publishing their books digitally. From hypertext works to ebooks to blogging; artists are beginning to utilize purely digital publishing tools as a method of producing artistsâ books. Their reasons for doing so range from the ease of distribution to a larger audience, to creating a completely new reading experience, to making comments on the move from physical to digital, or at times in order to minimise production costs. Taking a small selection of works that heconsiders to be important in the lexicon of digital artistsâ books, Sowden assesses how artists are using the technology available, what they are doing with it, andwhether he considers it successful. Not an exhaustive list, but some key works that are conceptually sound, while demonstrating the myriad ways in which digital technologiescan be utilised. By its very nature the digital world is continually adapting, changing and improving, so these worksare only a snapshot of what has happened in the recent past and what is happening now.Written from the viewpoint of a practising artist who makes books, the interest in how digital publications can influence artistâs book practice is approached from different angles. It is a keen observation of his peersâ production methods and how new technologies have developed their practice and its content. It is also a survey ofhow widely these publishing methods are being utilised and offered by artists. It is also Sowden watching how things develop and how new technologies could possibly influence his practice
Artists' books at the Centre for Fine Print Research
An article on artists' books at the Centre for Fine Print Research
A Manifesto for the Book
What will be the canon for the artistâs book in the 21st Century? In an arena that now includes both digital and traditionally produced artistsâ books, what will constitute the concepts of artistsâ publishing in the future?This project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council from March 2008 - February 2010. This project investigated and discussed issues concerning the context and future of the artistâs book, in an attempt to extend and sustain critical debate of what constitutes an artistâs book in the 21st Century.One of the key points of this project was to try and include all the book related activity that artists engage with. To include work that was being produced on, and exclusively for, digital technologies within the book arts field, and not leave it floundering uncomfortably on the edge, or subjected to a different terminology altogether, if the artist considered what they were producing to be a book, then we felt it should be included. We also looked at the continued practice of traditional production processes for artistsâ books such as letterpress, etching, lithography, screenprint and woodcut, and have interviewed a range of artists and publishers who work with these, as well as those producing livres dâartistes, fine press books, design bindings, multiples, installation and audio books.Bodman will give a conference paper on this book at the IMPACT 7 International Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking Conference at University of Melbourne 27-30 September 2011. Topic 14: Printmedia and the Artists' Book - paper title âA Manifesto for the Book - artist's book - artist's publication - book art?â. http://impact7.org.au/program_wednesday.htm
Un Manifesto para o Livro (A Manifesto for the Book)
A Manifesto for the Book was first published as a free online download as part of the findings from a two-year AHRC funded research project on the future of the artistâs book in the digital age(http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/canon.htm). The manifesto, co-authored by Bodman and Sowden was republished by invitation of the Editor in Chief JosĂ© BĂĄrtolo, ESAD, Portugal, in PLI magazine, in English and Portuguese. PLI is a Portuguese, quarterly magazine devoted to design criticism and practice published by ESAD/Escola Superior de Artes e Design de Matosinhos (the Matosinhos Institute of Art and Design), (www.esad.pt). This particular double issue âEntusiasmoâ is about publishing: self-publishing, DIY, big books, artistsâ books, publishing as cultural and political production.Dedicated to the theme of Enthusiasm, in this issue of PLI, the desire to affirm the strength of art & design at a time of economic crisis is strongly visible. It is a double issue (no. 2/3) which features a wide range of national and international contributors, a total of 36 authors working in the areas of design, architecture, photography and contemporary thought. With more than 200 content-filled pages, this issue of PLI stands out in that its physical structure has turned it into a real piece of design, encompassing 5 different formats, various different types of paper and exploring differing graphic solutions that culminate in a magazine with a very strong visual presence.Contributors: AntĂłnio Quadros Ferreira, AntĂłnio Silveira Gomes, AntĂłnio Olaio, Atelier do Corvo, Brad Freeman, Caroline NiĂ©mant, Derek Birdsall, Emanuel Barbosa, Francisco Laranjo, Henrique MagalhĂŁes, Isabel Baraona, Isabel Lucena, Ken Garland, Kiluanji Kia Henda, JosĂ© Albergaria, JosĂ© BĂĄrtolo, JosĂ© BrandĂŁo, LuĂs Miguel Castro, Margarida Azevedo, Maria JoĂŁo Baltazar, MĂĄrio Moura, Patrick Lasey, Paolo Deganello, Paulo T. Silva, Richard Kostelanetz, Roberto Vidal, Roger Sabin, Roger Willems, Sarah Brasseur, Sarah Bodman, Silvia PrudĂȘncio, Steven McCarthy, Susana Carvalho, Susanna Edwards, Tom Sowden, Tony White, Vera Tavares
Cross-cultural variation in experiences of acceptance, camouflaging and mental health difficulties in autism:A registered report
Recent findings suggest that stigma and camouflaging contribute to mental health difficulties for autistic individuals, however, this evidence is largely based on UK samples. While studies have shown cross-cultural differences in levels of autism-related stigma, it is unclear whether camouflaging and mental health difficulties vary across cultures. Hence, the current study had two aims: (1) to determine whether significant relationships between autism acceptance, camouflaging, and mental health difficulties replicate in a cross-cultural sample of autistic adults, and (2) to compare these variables across cultures. To fulfil these aims, 306 autistic adults from eight countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States) completed a series of online questionnaires. We found that external acceptance and personal acceptance were associated with lower levels of depression but not camouflaging or stress. Higher camouflaging was associated with elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Significant differences were found across countries in external acceptance, personal acceptance, depression, anxiety, and stress, even after controlling for relevant covariates. Levels of camouflaging also differed across countries however this effect became non-significant after controlling for the covariates. These findings have significant implications, identifying priority regions for anti-stigma interventions, and highlighting countries where greater support for mental health difficulties is needed
Rationale, design and methods of the Study of Work and Pain (SWAP): a cluster randomised controlled trial testing the addition of a vocational advice service to best current primary care for patients with musculoskeletal pain (ISRCTN 52269669)
Background
Musculoskeletal pain is a major contributor to short and long term work absence. Patients
seek care from their general practitioner (GP) and yet GPs often feel ill-equipped to deal with
work issues. Providing a vocational case management service in primary care, to support
patients with musculoskeletal problems to remain at or return to work, is one potential
solution but requires robust evaluation to test clinical and cost-effectiveness.
Methods/Design
This protocol describes a cluster randomised controlled trial, with linked qualitative
interviews, to investigate the effect of introducing a vocational advice service into general
practice, to provide a structured approach to managing work related issues in primary care
patients with musculoskeletal pain who are absent from work or struggling to remain in work.
General practices (n = 6) will be randomised to offer best current care or best current care
plus a vocational advice service. Adults of working age who are absent from or struggling to
remain in work due to a musculoskeletal pain problem will be invited to participate and 330
participants will be recruited. Data collection will be through patient completed
questionnaires at baseline, 4 and 12 months. The primary outcome is self-reported work
absence at 4 months. Incremental cost-utility analysis will be undertaken to calculate the cost
per additional QALY gained and incremental net benefits. A linked interview study will
explore the experiences of the vocational advice service from the perspectives of GPs, nurse
practitioners (NPs), patients and vocational advisors.
Discussion
This paper presents the rationale, design, and methods of the Study of Work And Pain
(SWAP) trial. The results of this trial will provide evidence to inform primary care practice
and guide the development of services to provide support for musculoskeletal pain patients
with work-related issues.
Trial registration
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN52269669
Retinal repair by transplantation of photoreceptor precursors
Photoreceptor loss causes irreversible blindness in many retinal diseases. Repair of such damage by cell transplantation is one of the most feasible types of central nervous system repair; photoreceptor degeneration initially leaves the inner retinal circuitry intact and new photoreceptors need only make single, short synaptic connections to contribute to the retinotopic map. So far, brain- and retina-derived stem cells transplanted into adult retina have shown little evidence of being able to integrate into the outer nuclear layer and differentiate into new photoreceptors(1-4). Furthermore, there has been no demonstration that transplanted cells form functional synaptic connections with other neurons in the recipient retina or restore visual function. This might be because the mature mammalian retina lacks the ability to accept and incorporate stem cells or to promote photoreceptor differentiation. We hypothesized that committed progenitor or precursor cells at later ontogenetic stages might have a higher probability of success upon transplantation. Here we show that donor cells can integrate into the adult or degenerating retina if they are taken from the developing retina at a time coincident with the peak of rod genesis(5). These transplanted cells integrate, differentiate into rod photoreceptors, form synaptic connections and improve visual function. Furthermore, we use genetically tagged postmitotic rod precursors expressing the transcription factor Nrl (ref. 6) ( neural retina leucine zipper) to show that successfully integrated rod photoreceptors are derived only from immature post-mitotic rod precursors and not from proliferating progenitor or stem cells. These findings define the ontogenetic stage of donor cells for successful rod photoreceptor transplantation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62596/1/nature05161.pd
Clinical course, characteristics and prognostic indicators in patients presenting with back and leg pain in primary care. The ATLAS study protocol
Low-back related leg pain with or without nerve root involvement is associated with a poor prognosis compared to low back pain (LBP) alone. Compared to the literature investigating prognostic indicators of outcome for LBP, there is limited evidence on prognostic factors for low back-related leg pain including the group with nerve root pain. This 1 year prospective consultation-based observational cohort study will describe the clinical, imaging, demographic characteristics and health economic outcomes for the whole cohort, will investigate differences and identify prognostic indicators of outcome (i.e. change in disability at 12 months), for the whole cohort and, separately, for those classified with and without nerve root pain. In addition, nested qualitative studies will provide insights on the clinical consultation and the impact of diagnosis and treatment on patients' symptom management and illness trajectory
Transketolase catalysed upgrading of l-arabinose: the one-step stereoselective synthesis of l-gluco-heptulose
Conversion of biomass using biocatalysis is likely to become a technology that contributes significantly to the future production of chemical building blocks, materials and transport fuels. Here the synthesis of a value-added chemical from L-arabinose, a major component of the carbohydrates in sugar beet pulp (SBP), in a concise and sustainable manner has been investigated. Biocatalytic conversions using transketolase variants have been developed for the efficient, scalable synthesis of a rare naturally occurring ketoheptose, L-gluco-heptulose, from L-arabinose. New active E. coli TK mutants that readily accept L-arabinose were identified using a versatile colorimetric screening assay and the reaction was performed on a preparative scale
Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in âs = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector
A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fbâ1 of protonâproton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at âs = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements
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