Seeing is Believing : The Capacity of the Manipulated Photograph to Represent Scenes of Mythology and the Supernatural

This illustrated paper explores the capacity of the manipulated photograph to represent scenes of mythology and the supernatural. Can a photograph, which is said to be an index of the real, render a mythical realm into a believable scene? Practices such a double exposures and combination printing have historically been used to create famous faked images of the supernatural, such as the Cottingley Fairy images and Spurgen’s photograph of the Loch Ness monster. The photograph has a causal link with reality and as such a carefully manipulated image has the power to deceive or persuade the viewer. In her photography project ‘Realm’ Carolyn Lefley explores this apparent truth-telling phenomenon by constructing double exposure photographs that create a layering of realities. A familiar domestic interior and a potentially mythological landscape combine to create scenes of make-believe, which reference texts such as Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Down the rabbit hole, through the looking glass and into the wardrobe, all of these paths lead from the realm of the real, into the realm of myth. The kingdom of Narnia is entered through an ordinary wardrobe. The photograph of a homely interior becomes a portal into a mythical realm. The idea of creating fictional realms and in essence writing new mythology is a practice known as mythopoeia, which fascinated authors such as JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and George MacDonald. The photographs in ‘Realm’ depict new image-worlds of myth and wonder. Post-production techniques have been utilised to achieve these images. The paper will conclude with a consideration of the next era in photography, that of computer simulated reality. Sarah Kember notes in her book Virtual Anxiety that the veracity of the photograph is not threatened by this paradigm shift, suggesting that any representation only constructs an ‘image-idea’ of reality.Non peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

An investigation of machine learning based prediction systems

Traditionally, researchers have used either o�f-the-shelf models such as COCOMO, or developed local models using statistical techniques such as stepwise regression, to obtain software eff�ort estimates. More recently, attention has turned to a variety of machine learning methods such as artifcial neural networks (ANNs), case-based reasoning (CBR) and rule induction (RI). This paper outlines some comparative research into the use of these three machine learning methods to build software e�ort prediction systems. We briefly describe each method and then apply the techniques to a dataset of 81 software projects derived from a Canadian software house in the late 1980s. We compare the prediction systems in terms of three factors: accuracy, explanatory value and configurability. We show that ANN methods have superior accuracy and that RI methods are least accurate. However, this view is somewhat counteracted by problems with explanatory value and configurability. For example, we found that considerable eff�ort was required to configure the ANN and that this compared very unfavourably with the other techniques, particularly CBR and least squares regression (LSR). We suggest that further work be carried out, both to further explore interaction between the enduser and the prediction system, and also to facilitate configuration, particularly of ANNs

Long-term health outcomes after exposure to repeated concussion in elite level: rugby union players

Background: There is continuing concern about effects of concussion in athletes, including risk of the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, information on long-term health and wellbeing in former athletes is limited. Method: Outcome after exposure to repeated brain injury was investigated in 52 retired male Scottish international rugby players (RIRP) and 29 male controls who were similar in age and social deprivation. Assessment included history of playing rugby and traumatic brain injury, general and mental health, life stress, concussion symptoms, cognitive function, disability and markers of chronic stress (allostatic load). Results: The estimated number of concussions in RIRP averaged 14 (median=7; IQR 5-40). Performance was poorer in RIRP than controls on a test of verbal learning (p=0.022) and of fine co-ordination of the dominant hand (p=0.038) and not significantly different on other cognitive tests (p>0.05). There were no significant associations between number of concussions and performance on cognitive tests. Other than a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease in controls, no group differences were detected in general or mental health or estimates of allostatic load. In RIRP, persisting symptoms attributed to concussion were more common if reporting more than nine concussions (p=0.028), although these symptoms were not perceived to affect social or work functioning. Conclusions: Despite a high number of concussions in RIRP, differences in mental health, social or work functioning were not found late after injury. Subtle group differences were detected on two cognitive tests, the cause of which is uncertain. Prospective group comparison studies on representative cohorts are required

Information systems evaluation: Navigating through the problem domain

Information systems (IS) make it possible to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness, which can provide competitive advantage. There is, however, a great deal of difficulty reported in the normative literature when it comes to the evaluation of investments in IS, with companies often finding themselves unable to assess the full implications of their IS infrastructure. Although many of the savings resulting from IS are considered suitable for inclusion within traditional accountancy frameworks, it is the intangible and non-financial benefits, together with indirect project costs that complicate the justification process. In exploring this phenomenon, the paper reviews the normative literature in the area of IS evaluation, and then proposes a set of conjectures. These were tested within a case study to analyze the investment justification process of a manufacturing IS investment. The idiosyncrasies of the case study and problems experienced during its attempts to evaluate, implement, and realize the holistic implications of the IS investment are presented and critically analyzed. The paper concludes by identifying lessons learnt and thus, proposes a number of empirical findings for consideration by decisionmakers during the investment evaluation process

Exploring heritage through time and space : Supporting community reflection on the highland clearances

On the two hundredth anniversary of the Kildonan clearances, when people were forcibly removed from their homes, the Timespan Heritage centre has created a program of community centred work aimed at challenging pre conceptions and encouraging reflection on this important historical process. This paper explores the innovative ways in which virtual world technology has facilitated community engagement, enhanced visualisation and encouraged reflection as part of this program. An installation where users navigate through a reconstruction of pre clearance Caen township is controlled through natural gestures and presented on a 300 inch six megapixel screen. This environment allows users to experience the past in new ways. The platform has value as an effective way for an educator, artist or hobbyist to create large scale virtual environments using off the shelf hardware and open source software. The result is an exhibit that also serves as a platform for experimentation into innovative ways of community co-creation and co-curation.Postprin

Allostatic load and heterogeneity of outcome after head injury

Background: Outcome after head injury is heterogeneous; in particular, late outcome including disability and increased risk of mortality are only partly explained by the severity of the injury and demographic factors (McMillan et al., 2014; McMillan et al., 2012; Whitnall et al., 2006). The allostatic load model conceptualises how stressors can chronically elevate physiological activity and impact on health (McEwen, 1998b). Allostatic load has been shown to be associated with psychosocial functioning, morbidity, and mortality and can predict these outcomes at follow-up; however, it has never been investigated with outcome in the head injury population. The studies in this thesis explore the extent to which allostatic load is associated with cognitive and disability outcome, and change in disability over time after head injury. Methods: A systematic search was conducted to inform how to measure allostatic load; 15 indicators of health were assessed representing immune, cardiovascular, anthropometric, metabolic, and neuroendocrine system functioning, and were combined using a summation z-score method to create allostatic load scores. Four empirical studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between allostatic load and outcome after head injury; at discharge from hospital in severe head injury participants (n = 35), at 6 month follow-up (n = 28), late (median 27 years) after head injury (n = 41), and late after repeat concussion in retired international rugby players (n = 48). Allostatic load was also compared with cognitive function late after head injury and repeat concussion and with change in disability between hospital discharge and 6 month follow-up, and from 6 months post-discharge to late after injury. In all the studies, the allostatic load scores of head injury participants were compared to that of non-head injured comparison participants. Results: The studies within this thesis found limited evidence to suggest that allostatic load was associated with outcome after head injury. There was no association between allostatic load and disability outcome, change in disability over time, or cognitive function in the severe head injury studies. There was a significant relationship between higher neuroendocrine component scores at hospital discharge and worse disability outcome at 6 month follow-up, indicating possible pathophysiological consequences of neuroendocrine indicators early after injury. Also, the finding that head injury participants had higher anthropometric and metabolic component scores than comparison participants late after injury, and that greater disability over a median of 27 years was associated with higher metabolic component scores, indicates that brain damage causes an increase in secondary outcomes of allostatic load, which potentially has implications of an increased risk of morbidities over time. There was no association between allostatic load and frequency of concussions and therefore a number of outcomes in the retired international rugby player group; with the exception of an unexpected inverse relationship between allostatic load and time to complete a fine motor co-ordination task. Conclusion: Findings from this thesis do not support the hypothesis that accumulated physiological dysregulation explain the heterogeneity after head injury. Some of the findings in this thesis require further study to investigate the pathophysiological consequences of higher neuroendocrine indicators at hospital discharge and metabolic indicators late after injury. Also it is important to understand the causes of increased metabolic and anthropometric component scores late after head injury to explore potential interventions to reduce possible increased risk of morbidities and mortality. The atypical findings in the investigation of allostatic load and repeat concussion indicate the accumulation of allostatic load in elite athletes is different to the general population. As none of the studies presented in this thesis found evidence for an association between allostatic load and disability outcome, there is a clear need for more research into factors that predict the heterogeneity of outcome after head injury

A pilot feasibility study of a randomized controlled trial of goal setting using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths following brain injury: and, Clinical Research Portfolio

Background: There exists no gold standard procedure for goal-setting for rehabilitation after brain injury (BI). A person-centred approach is important to motivate and empower clients (Dalton et al., 2012). Assisting clients to identify personal values and drawing on these when setting goals may increase the personal relevance of rehabilitation goals. Objective: To determine feasibility and acceptability of using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) during the rehabilitation goal-setting process, and whether this was feasible in the context of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Method: In a single-blind feasibility pilot RCT design, BI participants were recruited from a community BI rehabilitation centre and randomised into goal-setting using the VIA-IS, and goal-setting as usual. Outcomes included the feasibility and acceptability of completing the VIA-IS, and its use in setting goals in a BI rehabilitation context, and whether it affected types of goals set, categorised using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), Disability, and Health activities and participation categories (WHO, 2001). Memory for goals approximately two weeks after goal-setting was measured, and a sample size calculated for a future full-scale trial. Results: Twenty-two BI participants were recruited, and randomised to the VIA-IS (n = 11) and control group (n = 10). Two dropped out of the VIA-IS condition prior to completion, and the group allocation of one is unknown due to non-completion of the study, leaving a total n = 19. The majority (89%) of participants rated the VIA-IS as acceptable; both groups described the goal-setting process as ‘easy’. Feedback ranged from positive (enjoyment, rapport building), to negative (repetitive, too long). Two thirds of the VIA-IS group used their VIA-IS results to set goals and described it as helpful. There were no major differences in ICF categories between groups. Based on the data from this study, a sample size of 66 was calculated for a full-scale trial. Conclusions: A full-scale trial with multi-centre design appears warranted though may be more clinically beneficial if limited to BI clients who are more difficult to engage

A comparative analysis of parallel processing and super-individual methods for improving the computational performance of a large individual-based model

Individual-based modelling approaches are being used to simulate larger complex spatial systems in ecology and in other fields of research. Several novel model development issues now face researchers: in particular how to simulate large numbers of individuals with high levels of complexity, given finite computing resources. A case study of a spatially-explicit simulation of aphid population dynamics was used to assess two strategies for coping with a large number of individuals: the use of ‘super-individuals’ and parallel computing. Parallelisation of the model maintained the model structure and thus the simulation results were comparable to the original model. However, the super-individual implementation of the model caused significant changes to the model dynamics, both spatially and temporally. When super-individuals represented more than around 10 individuals it became evident that aggregate statistics generated from a super-individual model can hide more detailed deviations from an individual-level model. Improvements in memory use and model speed were perceived with both approaches. For the parallel approach, significant speed-up was only achieved when more than five processors were used and memory availability was only increased once five or more processors were used. The super-individual approach has potential to improve model speed and memory use dramatically, however this paper cautions the use of this approach for a density-dependent spatially-explicit model, unless individual variability is better taken into account

From Dynamic Modeling to Experimentation of Induction Motor Powered by Doubly-Fed Induction Generator by Passivity-Based Control

ISBN: 978-953-307-548-8DFIG wind turbines are nowadays more widely used especially in large wind farms. The main reason for their popularity when connected to the electrical network is their ability to supply power at constant voltage and frequency while the rotor speed varies, which makes it suitable for applications with variable speed. We consider in this paper the isolated operation of a DFIG driven by a prime mover, with its stator connected to a load--which is in this case an IM. This paper presents a dynamic model of the DFIG-IM and proves that this system is Blondel-Park transformable. It is also shown that the zero dynamics is unstable for a certain operating regime. We propose and analyse different strategies for the control of the whole system mainly based on Passivity Based Control (PBC). Several of them have been implemented on a 200W DFIG interconnected with an IM prototype available in IRII-UPC (Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics - UPC - Barcelona). The main disadvantage of the DFIG is the slip rings, which reduce the life time of the machine and increases the maintenance costs. To overcome this drawback an alternative machine arrangement is proposed which is the Brushless Doubly Fed twin Induction Generator (BDFTIG). The system is anticipated as an advanced solution to the conventional doubly fed induction generator (DFIG). The proposed BDFTIG employs two cascaded induction machines each consisting of two wound rotors, connected in cascade to eliminate the brushes and copper rings in the DFIG. The dynamic model of BDFTIG with two machines' rotors electromechanically coupled in the back-to-back configuration is developed and implemented using Matlab/Simulink

Endogenous VEGF isoform expression regulates tumour cell motility

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is produced by most cancer cells as multiple alternatively spliced isoforms, which display distinct receptor and matrix binding characteristics. In addition to being a major inducer of tumour angiogenesis, VEGF also has complex functions in angiogenesis-independent aspects of tumour growth,but the role of individual VEGF isoforms remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the effects of endogenous VEGF isoform expression on tumour cell migration and invasion. Method: We used a panel of mouse fibrosarcoma cells we developed (fs188, fs164 and fs120) that express single VEGF isoforms (188, 164 or 120 respectively), under endogenous promoter control. We investigated adhesion to different matrices, 2D migration and invasion through 3D collagen. Results: Fs188 cells, are typically mesenchymal, form ruffles, display strong integrin-dependent adhesion and express high levels of pERK1/2 and pAKT. In contrast, fs164 and fs120 cells are not typically mesenchymal in morphology; they display weak binding to collagen, lack ruffles and align longitudinally forming long multicellular chains and abundant cell-cell contacts. On 3D collagen, fs188 cells remain mesenchymal while fs164 and fs120 cells adopt a rounded/amoeboid and a mix of rounded/mesenchymal morphologies respectively. Cell morphology and migration are dependent on the cytoskeleton and actinomyosin contractility, to provide traction force in mesenchymal movement, and cortical contraction for rounded amoeboid motility. Consistent with their mesenchymal characteristics, fs188 cells migrated faster in 2D and invaded 3D collagen more efficiently than fs164 or fs120 cells. Contractility inhibitors caused fs164/fs120 cells to switch to a mesenchymal morphology and accelerated their migration but not that of fs188 cells. Conclusion: VEGF isoforms are emerging as potential biomarkers for anti-VEGF therapies. Our results suggest that individual VEGF isoforms influence the migration and invasion strategies of tumour cells thus adding to the complexity of VEGF signaling within the tumor microenvironment. Acknowledgements This work was funded by Cancer Research UK