Channels of ventriloquism in new media artworks

This paper extends previous research relating puppetry to new media art. Two of the author’s artworks, Toast and Ventriloquisms for Fun and Profit, are used as case studies. The projects are summarised and insights that emerged from their implementation are proposed as results. Throughout the text, ventriloquism diagrams are used to illustrate possibilities for directional transmission of speech and to reflect upon the roles of code, artist, and participant in new media artworks

Reframing Innovation: Art, the Maker Movement and Critique

This paper outlines five presentations delivered by invited panelists during Reframing Innovation: Art, the Maker Movement and Critique, our New Media Caucus affiliated panel at the CAA Conference, February 2019, New York City. The panel developed fromourco-edited volume, Art Hack Practice(forthcoming, Routledge) which investigates global art hacking practices employed by individuals and groups who are working within, around or against the phenomenon known as ‘maker culture’ as artists, designers, curators and historians. Each presentation offers a distinct account of contemporary art practices that reveal the many manifestations, characteristics and dialogs around current art hacking practices. By publishing these talks here, we aim to provide readers with new insights into projects that challenge perceived distinctions between sites of artistic and economic production by brokering new, direct ways of working between them, thereby challenging traditional understandings of the role and place of the art in societ

CRUMB doctoral research: reflections on creating and exhibiting digital art.

Based on doctoral research undertaken at CRUMB, the online resource for curators of media arts, this paper gathers together knowledge from different experiences of producing and presenting digital arts, from the perspectives of both curators/producers and artists. Suzy O’Hara reflects on art, technology, and the commercial digital sector, Marialaura Ghidini discusses hybrid models of offline and online curating, Dominic Smith writes about models of open source production compared to participative systems in new media art, Victoria Bradbury investigates the performativity of code, and Roddy Hunter identifies curatorial models of practice that articulate the principles of The Eternal Network

CRUMB doctoral research: reflections on creating and exhibiting digital art.

Based on doctoral research undertaken at CRUMB, the online resource for curators of media arts, this paper gathers together knowledge from different experiences of producing and presenting digital arts, from the perspectives of both curators/producers and artists. Suzy O’Hara reflects on art, technology, and the commercial digital sector, Marialaura Ghidini discusses hybrid models of offline and online curating, Dominic Smith writes about models of open source production compared to participative systems in new media art, Victoria Bradbury investigates the performativity of code, and Roddy Hunter identifies curatorial models of practice that articulate the principles of The Eternal Network

Attributes and Dimensions of Trust in Secure Systems

What is it to be trusted? This is an important question as trust is increasingly placed in a system and the degree to which a system is trusted is increasingly being assessed. However, there are issues with how related terms are used. Many definitions focus on one attribute of trust (typically behaviour) preventing that definition from being used for other attributes (e.g., identity). This is confused further by conflating what trustors measure about a trustee and what conclusions a trustor reaches about a trustee. Therefore, in this paper we present definitions of measures (trustiness and trustworthiness) and conclusions (trusted and trustworthy). These definitions are general and do not refer to a specific attribute allowing them to be used with arbitrary attributes which are being assessed (e.g., identity, behaviour, limitation, execution, correctness, data, environment). In addition, in order to demonstrate the complexities of describing if a trustee is designated as trusted or trustworthy, a set of dimensions are defined to describe attributes (time, scale, proactive/reactive, strength, scope, source). Finally, an example system is classified using these attributes and their dimensions in order to highlight the complexities of describing a system as holistically trusted or trustworthy

Monarch Butterflies Show Differential Utilization of Nine Midwestern Milkweed Species

Monarch butterfly overwintering numbers have declined over the past 20 years. Restoring habitat that includes milkweeds, the only host plants for larval monarch butterflies, is necessary to increase monarch numbers within the breeding range. The value of different milkweed species for restoration will depend, in part, on the extent to which they are utilized by ovipositing females. The number of eggs laid on different species over a season will be a function of plant size and phenology as well as female preference. We examined seasonal egg deposition and females' oviposition choices by comparing the number of eggs laid by free-flying wild monarchs on each of nine native milkweed species occurring in Iowa (Asclepias syriaca, Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias incarnata, Asclepias verticillata, Asclepias exaltata, Asclepias hirtella, Asclepias speciosa, Asclepias sullivantii, and Cynanchum laeve). One plot, consisting of clusters of each of the nine species, was established at each of 14 sites across the state of Iowa. Eggs were counted weekly in June, July and August 2015–2017. The highest egg totals were recorded on A. incarnata and A. syriaca in all years. Fewer eggs were counted on A. exaltata, A. hirtella, A. tuberosa, A. verticillata, and C. laeve. Our results show that monarchs prefer some milkweed species over others, but that they can use all nine native milkweed species for oviposition

Planning and optimising a digital intervention to protect older adults' cognitive health.

BackgroundBy 2050, worldwide dementia prevalence is expected to triple. Affordable, scalable interventions are required to support protective behaviours such as physical activity, cognitive training and healthy eating. This paper outlines the theory-, evidence- and person-based development of 'Active Brains': a multi-domain digital behaviour change intervention to reduce cognitive decline amongst older adults.MethodsDuring the initial planning phase, scoping reviews, consultation with PPI contributors and expert co-investigators and behavioural analysis collated and recorded evidence that was triangulated to inform provisional 'guiding principles' and an intervention logic model. The following optimisation phase involved qualitative think aloud and semi-structured interviews with 52 older adults with higher and lower cognitive performance scores. Data were analysed thematically and informed changes and additions to guiding principles, the behavioural analysis and the logic model which, in turn, informed changes to intervention content.ResultsScoping reviews and qualitative interviews suggested that the same intervention content may be suitable for individuals with higher and lower cognitive performance. Qualitative findings revealed that maintaining independence and enjoyment motivated engagement in intervention-targeted behaviours, whereas managing ill health was a potential barrier. Social support for engaging in such activities could provide motivation, but was not desirable for all. These findings informed development of intervention content and functionality that appeared highly acceptable amongst a sample of target users.ConclusionsA digitally delivered intervention with minimal support appears acceptable and potentially engaging to older adults with higher and lower levels of cognitive performance. As well as informing our own intervention development, insights obtained through this process may be useful for others working with, and developing interventions for, older adults and/or those with cognitive impairment

Endogenous production of IL-1B by breast cancer cells drives metastasis and colonisation of the bone microenvironment

Background: Breast cancer bone metastases are incurable highlighting the need for new therapeutic targets. After colonizing bone, breast cancer cells remain dormant, until signals from the microenvironment stimulate outgrowth into overt metastases. Here we show that endogenous production of IL-1B by tumor cells drives metastasis and growth in bone. Methods: Tumor/stromal IL-B and IL-1R1 expression was assessed in patient samples and effects of the IL-1R antagonist, Anakinra or the IL-1B antibody Canakinumab on tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis were measured in a humanized mouse model of breast cancer bone metastasis. Effects of tumor cell-derived IL-1B on bone colonisation and parameters associated with metastasis were measured in MDA-MB-231, MCF7 and T47D cells transfected with IL-1B/control. Results: In tissue samples from >1300 patients with stage II/III breast cancer, IL-1B in tumor cells correlated with relapse in bone (hazard ratio 1.85; 95% CI 1.05-3.26; P=0.02) and other sites (hazard ratio 2.09; 95% CI 1.26-3.48; P=0.0016). In a humanized model of spontaneous breast cancer metastasis to bone, Anakinra or Canakinumab reduced metastasis and reduced the number of tumor cells shed into the circulation. Production of IL-1B by tumor cells promoted EMT (altered E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and G-Catenin), invasion, migration and bone colonisation. Contact between tumor and osteoblasts or bone marrow cells increased IL-1B secretion from all three cell types. IL-1B alone did not stimulate tumor cell proliferation. Instead, IL-1B caused expansion of the bone metastatic niche leading to tumor proliferation. Conclusion: Pharmacological inhibition of IL-1B has potential as a novel treatment for breast cancer metastasis