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Objective. To describe the landscape of well-being content inclusion across schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States and Canada through identification of content implementation, incorporation, and assessment.Methods. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States (n=143) and Canada (n=10). Survey questions included curricular and cocurricular timing, frequency, assessment strategies, and support for well-being initiatives, using a framework of eight dimensions (pillars) of wellness to categorize content.Results. Descriptive data analyses were applied to 99 completed surveys (65%), 89 (62%) in the United States and 10 (100%) in Canada. Well-being content was most prevalent within the cocurricular realm and incorporated into didactic and elective more than experiential curricula. The most content came from intellectual, emotional, and physical pillars, and the least content came from financial, spiritual, and environmental pillars. Less than 50% of schools and colleges of pharmacy include well-being within their strategic plans or core values. Funding is primarily at the level of the university (59%) or the school or college of pharmacy (59%). Almost half of respondents reported inclusion of some assessment, with a need for more training, expertise, and standardization.Conclusion. Survey results revealed a wide range of implementation and assessment of well-being programs across the United States and Canada. These results provide a reference point for the state of well-being programs that can serve as a call to action and research across the Academy.

The existing steady and continual rise of online learning in higher education has been accelerated by COVID-19 and resulted in a move away from solely on-campus teaching. Prior to the pandemic, online education was providing higher education to students who were returning to study to up-skill, are employed full-time, caring for family members, living rurally or remotely and/or for whom otherwise face-to-face campus learning was not a preference or option. To understand how we can better support online students in their unique circumstances and create an optimal learning environment, we must understand the factors associated with academic achievement within an online setting. This systematic review involved a search of relevant databases published between January 2009 and May 2021 examining factors and constructs related to academic performance in online higher education settings. Across 34 papers, 23 (67.6%) explored factors and constructs related to student characteristics including cognitive and psychological, demographic, university enrolment, and prior academic performance. Twenty-one (61.8%) papers explored learning environment factors including engagement, student experience, course design, and instructor. Our overall synthesis of findings indicates that academic performance in online learning is most strongly associated with motivation (including self-efficacy), and self-regulation. We propose three main implications of our review for online learning stakeholders such as educators and designers. Firstly, we argue that the wellbeing of online learners is important to understand, and future research should explore its impact on students’ experience and success in online higher education. Secondly, we emphasise the importance of developing and designing online courses utilising relevant frameworks and evidence-based principles. Finally, we propose an approach to promoting improved student cognitive and psychosocial experiences (such as self-efficacy, self-regula

The efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in randomised-controlled trials and large experimental studies has been demonstrated in university student populations. Whilst these investigations have provided insight into the nature of the delivery of mindfulness-based practices, there has been little research in the implementation of self-managed online student wellbeing and mindfulness programs at university. This ecological validation study conducted in 2020 evaluated a real-world implementation of a large, university-wide, online mindfulness-based program that was accessible fully online via the tertiary institutions' Learning Management System (LMS) student orientation site. The total sample included 833 participants from a range of disciplines and faculties at Monash University, Australia. At the end of the study, 236 (28.3%) participants were retained and completed the follow-up survey. Participants had the option to engage with the fully self-managed online mindfulness program for a 12-week semester. The mindfulness practices were pre-recorded, audio-guided sessions, and 10-15 min in length. Baseline and end of semester questionnaires included the 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and the 18-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Participants who engaged with the mindfulness program over 3 or more weeks showed significant improvements in all three outcome measures, and all participants showed significant improvements in wellbeing at the end of semester. Learning analytics obtained via the LMS revealed that 58.6% (n = 489) had not logged into the mindfulness program at all, almost a third (31.0%, n = 259) logged into the program materials once or twice, and 10.2% (n = 85) of the whole sample engaged with the program actively, having logged in three or more times. The total number of student logins peaked in week 2, reduced between week 2 and week 7 and thereafter activity remained stable until the end of the

The global online education sector has been rising rapidly, particularly during and after the events of 2020, and is becoming mainstream much sooner than expected. Despite this, research studies report higher levels of perceived isolation, difficulties with engagement, and higher attrition rates in online compared to equivalent on-campus programs. Reasons include restrictions to the type of institutional support accessible by online students, and the lack of comprehensiveness of orientation resources. This paper describes the collaborative efforts by a cross-faculty academic team, supported by a community of practice, to create a university-wide online orientation resource-the Monash Online Learning Hub (MOLH). The development of the MOLH involved multiple phases, including an analysis of current practice, resource design and content creation, formative evaluation by staff and students, and successful integration into the university's mainstream student orientation platform for widescale implementation. The methods adopted were varied, and involved generating both qualitative and quantitative data across multiple phases of development from online education experts at the University, that culminated in the gradual building and refinement of the MOLH. Final outcomes, implications and lessons learned are also discussed in this paper.

Music listening exerts a powerful effect on human emotion. However, self-compassion, a strong predictor of mental health, has received little attention in existing music listening literature. Therefore, this study aims to advance the existing literature by investigating music listening and its role in cultivating self-compassion. The benefits of self-compassion include improved mental health and a reduction in psychological parameters such as anxiety, stress, and depression. In the wake of the COVID- 19 pandemic, many people have experienced increased mental health concerns, feelings of isolation, and depression, with research indicating that young people are using music as a coping mechanism during this time. While accounting for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores individual music listening practices to foster self-compassion. We asked 155 university students residing in Australia aged between 18 - 33 years (M = 19.84, SD = 3.01) to complete an online questionnaire measuring self-compassion and music listening. The quantitative analysis is currently underway. The findings will broaden our understanding of how music listening can cultivate self- compassion and advance the existing literature on music listening's ability to change moods and regulate emotions.

Music listening exerts a powerful effect on human emotion. However, self-compassion, a strong predictor of mental health, has received little attention in existing music listening literature. As such, this study seeks to advance the current literature by investigating music listening and its role in cultivating self-compassion with a primary focus on its three key aspects: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, as well as its opposite elements: self-judgement, isolation, and overidentification. As a result of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced increased mental health concerns, feelings of isolation, and depression, with research indicating that young adults are using music as a coping mechanism during the pandemic. A total of 153 university students residing in Australia aged 18-33 years (M = 19.84, SD = 3.01) completed a mixed-methods questionnaire measuring self-compassion, music listening preferences, and well-being. Preliminary results indicate that 81% of the sample experienced self-compassion while listening to music during the Covid-19 pandemic, while 32% experienced it's opposite. A thematic analysis of the open-ended responses regarding individual experiences of self-compassion as a result of listening to music is currently underway. The findings aim to enrich existing literature on music and emotions, build on previous studies demonstrating self-compassion's ability to improve mental health and broaden understanding of the pandemic's impact.

The Future of Online Education provides a vision of a fully successful online education future and practical ways to best turn this vision into a reality, and benefit from it, for online education decision makers, designers, educators and students. The book provides emerging online education knowledge, perspectives, issues and opportunities, and integrates these with practical ways for online education providers and recipients to fully benefit from their great new opportunities. The book is a valuable guide to achieving the best possible online education future and will comprehensively support online education development and implementation across courses and institutions. The Future of Online Education also provides a unique coming together of online education expert perspectives, ideas, examples and resources that will inform, inspire and support a whole-hearted entering into and advancing of our emerging online education world.

Educational institutions, especially the higher education institutions in Asian countries such as Bangladesh and Thailand, have had to stop face-to-face educational activities during the period of COVID-19 pandemic. Online classes have been the only alternative to carry on academic activities. Teachers were suddenly compelled to transition their teaching and learning methodology from a face-to-face to an online model. Employing a quantitative research method, this study identifies factors in teacher’s effective transition for successful online teaching. A total of 68 teachers experienced in higher education in Bangladesh, Thailand, India and Indonesia were interviewed by a structured questionnaire. The instrument was scrutinized and approved by a panel of 5 expert educators in higher educational institutes in both Bangladesh and Thailand. The statistical analysis indicated that professional training, students’ performance evaluation, cheating concerns in exam perceived by teachers, infrastructure difficulties, lack of students’ technological knowhow and difficult online classroom management influenced success in online teaching. A set of inspectional recommendations has been made that might be utilized in policy making by the educational policy makers, institutional authorities and by the practising teachers for designing effective procedures of online teaching and learning.

Mental ill health among higher education students is a well-established problem; therefore, it is imperative to implement preventative approaches to support wellbeing. Blended and fully online education programmes widens access for mature or returning students; however, the psychological wellbeing of this sub-group of students is under-researched. Finally, evaluating wellbeing interventions that meet the needs of university students as well as accessible for online students is required. The aim of this study was to evaluate a brief, online and mindfulness-based intervention to assist the self-management of wellbeing and stress for both online and on-campus higher education students. The total sample included 427 participants (96% psychology students) at Monash University, Australia (n=283) and King's College London (n=144), with 152 participants completing the whole study. Participants were allocated to a brief, self-guided, online and mindfulness-based intervention (over the course of one study period; n=297), or to a wait-list control group (n=148). Baseline and end of semester questionnaires included the 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and the 15-item Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Regression modelling revealed the intervention condition accounted for up to 12% of the variability in change in student wellbeing, stress and mindfulness between the start and end of semester (when controlling for baseline). These findings support the implementation of a brief, online and asynchronous mindfulness-based intervention for supporting student mental health and psychological wellbeing. An on-going challenge in practice includes engaging and maintaining student engagement in wellbeing initiatives.

Like many human experiences, traumatic stress is highly gendered. Over the past several decades, a substantial number of empirical studies have explored ethical issues in traumatic stress research. However, these studies have typically reported female samples or failed to account for the influence of gender in their analyses of mixed-sex samples. By extension, ethical issues that are relevant to male participants in traumatic stress research are poorly understood. After briefly exploring why the vulnerabilities of male participants are under-explored in traumatic stress research, this article highlights many ethical issues that are important to address when men participate in traumatic stress research, concluding with some suggestions for how these might be taken up to advance the field.

AIMS: Impaired left ventricular diastolic function leading to elevated left atrial pressures, particularly during exertion, is a key driver of symptoms and outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Insertion of an interatrial shunt device (IASD) to reduce left atrial pressure in HFpEF has been shown to be associated with short-term haemodynamic and symptomatic benefit. We aimed to investigate the potential effects of IASD placement on HFpEF survival and heart failure hospitalization (HFH). METHODS AND RESULTS: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients participating in the Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure study (Corvia Medical) of an IASD were followed for a median duration of 739 days. The theoretical impact of IASD implantation on HFpEF mortality was investigated by comparing the observed survival of the study cohort with the survival predicted from baseline data using the Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure heart failure risk survival score. Baseline and post-IASD implant parameters associated with HFH were also investigated. Based upon the individual baseline demographic and cardiovascular profile of the study cohort, the Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure score-predicted mortality was 10.2/100 pt years. The observed mortality rate of the IASD-treated cohort was 3.4/100 pt years, representing a 33% lower rate (P = 0.02). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the observed survival in IASD patients was greater than predicted (P = 0.014). Baseline parameters were not predictive of future HFH events; however, poorer exercise tolerance and a higher workload-corrected exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at the 6 months post-IASD study were associated with HFH. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests IASD implantation may be associated with a reduction in mortality in HFpEF. Large-scale ongoing randomized studies are required to confirm the potential benefit of this t

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. This study presents the energy, water, and carbon (C) flux dynamics of a young afforested temperate white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forest in southern Ontario, Canada during the initial fourteen years (2003–2016) of establishment. Energy fluxes, namely, net radiation (Rn), latent heat (LE), and sensible heat (H) flux increased over time, due to canopy development. Annual values of ground heat flux (G) peaked in 2007 and then gradually declined in response to canopy closure. The forest became a consistent C-sink only 5 years after establishment owing in part to low respiratory fluxes from the former agricultural, sandy soils with low residual soil organic matter. Mean annual values of gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (RE), and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) ranged from 494 to 1913, 515 to 1774 and −126 to 216 g C m−2 year−1 respectively, over the study period. Annual evapotranspiration (ET) values ranged from 328 to 429 mm year−1 over the same period. Water use efficiency (WUE) increased with stand age with a mean WUE value of 3.92 g C kg−1 H2O from 2008 to 2016. Multivariable linear regression analysis conducted using observed data suggested that the overall, C and water dynamics of the stand were primarily driven by radiation and temperature, both of which explained 77%, 48%, 28%, and 76% of the variability in GEP, RE, NEP, and ET, respectively. However, late summer droughts, which were prevalent in the region, reduced NEP. The reduction in NEP was enhanced when summer drought events were accompanied by increased heat such as those in 2005, 2012 and 2016. This study contributes to our understanding of the energy, water and C dynamics of afforested temperate conifer plantations and how these forests may respond to changing climate conditions during the crucial initial stage of their life cycle. Our findings also demonstrate the potential of pine plantation stands to sequester atmospheric CO2 in eastern North America.

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. This study presents the energy, water, and carbon (C) flux dynamics of a young afforested temperate white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forest in southern Ontario, Canada during the initial fourteen years (2003–2016) of establishment. Energy fluxes, namely, net radiation (Rn), latent heat (LE), and sensible heat (H) flux increased over time, due to canopy development. Annual values of ground heat flux (G) peaked in 2007 and then gradually declined in response to canopy closure. The forest became a consistent C-sink only 5 years after establishment owing in part to low respiratory fluxes from the former agricultural, sandy soils with low residual soil organic matter. Mean annual values of gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (RE), and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) ranged from 494 to 1913, 515 to 1774 and −126 to 216 g C m−2 year−1 respectively, over the study period. Annual evapotranspiration (ET) values ranged from 328 to 429 mm year−1 over the same period. Water use efficiency (WUE) increased with stand age with a mean WUE value of 3.92 g C kg−1 H2O from 2008 to 2016. Multivariable linear regression analysis conducted using observed data suggested that the overall, C and water dynamics of the stand were primarily driven by radiation and temperature, both of which explained 77%, 48%, 28%, and 76% of the variability in GEP, RE, NEP, and ET, respectively. However, late summer droughts, which were prevalent in the region, reduced NEP. The reduction in NEP was enhanced when summer drought events were accompanied by increased heat such as those in 2005, 2012 and 2016. This study contributes to our understanding of the energy, water and C dynamics of afforested temperate conifer plantations and how these forests may respond to changing climate conditions during the crucial initial stage of their life cycle. Our findings also demonstrate the potential of pine plantation stands to sequester atmospheric CO2 in eastern North America.

This paper, the first in a series on the management of expert evidence during the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding, considers the pre-trial management of experts. This case was the largest class action in Victoria’s history, and expert evidence played a central role. Despite the volume and complexity of this evidence, the Court in this proceeding was not particularly interventionist in the management of experts prior to trial. This paper considers whether the management of experts by the Court prior to trial usefully contributed to running of the proceeding. It records the reflections of a range of participants in the proceeding, including the presiding judge, barristers and solicitors. This material was gathered in interviews conducted after the case settled. While the judges thought a more hands-on approach by the Court in the selection and briefing of experts would have been reduced the volume of expert evidence, the legal practitioners were not convinced that this kind of intervention would be useful. They noted how difficult it would be for the Court to choose the best experts and navigate disputes between experts about the appropriate methodology for developing their evidence. This is not to say that some intervention is not useful, and the participants in the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding identified a number of procedures that could be adopted to improve the effectiveness of the expert evidence. This paper considers some of these proposals, such as case management conferences and increased sharing of information between parties about the expert evidence they will be using in the proceeding.

This paper, the fourth and final in a series on the management of expert evidence during the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding, considers the use of assessors. During the proceeding, Justice J. Forrest appointed assessors to assist him with some of the most complex aspects of the expert evidence. The assessors played a significant role in the proceeding, helping to guide the expert conferences, sitting with Justice J. Forrest during the largest concurrent evidence session and participating in the examination of the experts. This paper is based on interviews conducted with some of the judges, barristers, solicitors and experts involved in the proceeding, and it records their reflections on whether the use of assessors was valuable. It appears that the use of assessors was a success, and all the participants interviewed regarded them as being beneficial to the trial. They were satisfied that the method of selection adopted by the Court was appropriate. The assistance the assessors provided Justice J. Forrest with understanding the expert evidence was essential, and having people capable of engaging in technical dialogue with the experts while they were giving evidence was useful. This paper suggests that the appointment assessors should be considered in future cases of similar complexity to help the trial judge deal with very difficult expert evidence.

This paper, the third in a series on the management of expert evidence during the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding, considers the use of the concurrent evidence procedure. During this case, the largest class action in Victoria’s history, the parties and the Court were confronted with challenging factual issues that generated a substantial amount of expert evidence. The volume and complexity of this evidence led to the adoption of more innovative methods of managing expert evidence, including hearing the evidence concurrently at trial. This paper considers whether the adoption of the concurrent evidence procedure usefully contributed to the trial. It records the views of a range of participants in the proceeding, including the presiding judge, barristers, solicitors and experts, material gathered in interviews conducted after the case settled. These interviews indicate that the use of concurrent evidence was a success. It was seen as a useful tool to help the Court deal with complex expert evidence. The experience in the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding also illustrated some of the challenges of very large concurrent evidence sessions, including resourcing issues and the need to protect the well-being of the experts. Notwithstanding these concerns, the procedure should be considered by judges in all cases where there are multiple experts giving evidence on the same issues.

This paper, the second in a series on the management of expert evidence during the Kilmore East bushfire proceeding, considers the use of expert conferences. Most of the expert evidence in the proceeding went through this process, and the scale of the conferences and extent of their use was a distinctive aspect of the proceeding. This paper is based on material from interviews with some of the judges, barristers, solicitors and experts who were involved in the proceeding, and explores their experience regarding the use of expert conferences in this case. They agreed that the expert conferences and the production of joint reports was a useful exercise. The joint reports provided a summary of the lengthy and complex expert evidence, and gave a clearer picture of the issues that remained in dispute between the experts. The experts also found the conferences valuable, permitting them to have robust and technical discussions about the evidence. The role of the Associate Justice as a moderator in the larger conferences was seen as very helpful, even essential. This is not to say all the participants were completely satisfied by how the procedure was adopted. The paper shows that separating experts into conferences covering different areas of expertise can be difficult to get right, and also the importance of the Court properly consulting with the parties if a requirement for further testing emerges from the expert conferences. It suggests that experts were sometimes adversarial and positional during the conferences when the moderator was not present, which indicates that care should be taken to ensure the experts properly understand their role in the trial process. Nevertheless, the use of expert conferences was a success and the experience in the proceeding is testament to the procedure’s benefits.

Adventurous physical activity has traditionally been considered the pastime of a small minority of people with deviant personalities or characteristics that compel them to voluntarily take great risks purely for the sake of thrills and excitement. An unintended consequence of these traditional narratives is the relative absence of adventure activities in mainstream health and well-being discourses and in large-scale governmental health initiatives. However, recent research has demonstrated that even the most extreme adventurous physical activities are linked to enhanced psychological health and well-being outcomes. These benefits go beyond traditional ‘character building’ concepts and emphasize more positive frameworks that rely on the development of effective environmental design. Based on emerging research, this paper demonstrates why adventurous physical activity should be considered a mainstream intervention for positive mental health. Furthermore, the authors argue that understanding how to design environments that effectively encourage appropriate adventure should be considered a serious addition to mainstream health and well-being discourse.

Adventurous physical activity has traditionally been considered the pastime of a small minority of people with deviant personalities or characteristics that compel them to voluntarily take great risks purely for the sake of thrills and excitement. An unintended consequence of these traditional narratives is the relative absence of adventure activities in mainstream health and well-being discourses and in large-scale governmental health initiatives. However, recent research has demonstrated that even the most extreme adventurous physical activities are linked to enhanced psychological health and well-being outcomes. These benefits go beyond traditional ‘character building’ concepts and emphasize more positive frameworks that rely on the development of effective environmental design. Based on emerging research, this paper demonstrates why adventurous physical activity should be considered a mainstream intervention for positive mental health. Furthermore, the authors argue that understanding how to design environments that effectively encourage appropriate adventure should be considered a serious addition to mainstream health and well-being discourse.

Introduction and hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in recreationally active women attending gyms or exercise classes. Methods: Data were collected on the frequency and severity of incontinence and the prevalence of SUI risk factors; screening for PFM dysfunction in a fitness appraisal; symptom modification strategies; knowledge of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises and the Pelvic Floor First (PFF) initiative. Three hundred and sixty-one women aged 18–83 who attended exercise classes or gyms in Western Australia were surveyed. Results: Nearly half (49.3 %) of participants reported SUI, the majority of whom slight or moderate leakage. Ninety-six per cent reported at least one SUI risk factor, with the mean being 2.7 (SD = 1.4). Almost all women surveyed had heard of PFM exercises (97.2 %), but only 15.2 % of participants were screened for PFM dysfunction in a fitness appraisal. Forty-three per cent reported that a fitness instructor cued PFM activation during a workout. Less than 1 in 10 (9.7 %) of the women surveyed had heard about the PFF initiative. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is common in women attending gyms or exercise classes, but is rarely screened for. More education is required to encourage fitness leaders to screen exercise participants and to provide PFM-’friendly” modifications.

Introduction and hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in recreationally active women attending gyms or exercise classes. Methods: Data were collected on the frequency and severity of incontinence and the prevalence of SUI risk factors; screening for PFM dysfunction in a fitness appraisal; symptom modification strategies; knowledge of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises and the Pelvic Floor First (PFF) initiative. Three hundred and sixty-one women aged 18–83 who attended exercise classes or gyms in Western Australia were surveyed. Results: Nearly half (49.3 %) of participants reported SUI, the majority of whom slight or moderate leakage. Ninety-six per cent reported at least one SUI risk factor, with the mean being 2.7 (SD = 1.4). Almost all women surveyed had heard of PFM exercises (97.2 %), but only 15.2 % of participants were screened for PFM dysfunction in a fitness appraisal. Forty-three per cent reported that a fitness instructor cued PFM activation during a workout. Less than 1 in 10 (9.7 %) of the women surveyed had heard about the PFF initiative. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is common in women attending gyms or exercise classes, but is rarely screened for. More education is required to encourage fitness leaders to screen exercise participants and to provide PFM-’friendly” modifications.

Mobile learning is not pervasive in higher education and yet its potential is enormous. This paper describes a project to instigate mobile learning in a School of Education using a whole-of-school approach to technological literacy and professional learning among academic staff. The project involves supporting every academic in the School to use an iPhone or iPodTouch in their professional lives, and to research their use of the device in pedagogical contexts. The paper describes the planning process together with the professional development initiatives to be implemented and issues associated with the acquisition and use of mobile phones in professional contexts.

The aim of this project was to further develop an Early Childhood Teacher Workforce Development Strategy for the remote North West of Western Australia (WA). Funding from this Commonwealth Seeding Grant formed Stage Two of this strategy, Stage One having commenced in Semester One 2009 through funding from the Australian Government and the WA Department of Education and Training to support the COAG Universal Access to Early Childhood Education agenda. The success of the project to date is a tribute to the close collaboration between Murdoch University‘s School of Education, the Australian Government‘s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the WA Department of Education and Training. The project is located in the remote Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia, which face enormous challenges in achieving both UNESCO‘s Millenium goals of Education for All and the more recent Australian 'Closing the Gap' campaign initiatives (Price and Jackson-Barrett, 2009). To this end, both the Commonwealth and State governments have sought ways to improve the educational opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students living in these regions. In particular, there has been a focus on improving access to high quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) for all children. The need for highly qualified Early Childhood teachers, prepared and fully equipped to work in remote and rural locations is critical to the success of this strategy. This urgent need is exacerbated in WA by a predicted 2.2% growth rate in student numbers over the next ten years (Personal Communication, DET WA, 9/11/9). The Global Financial Crisis has seen lower numbers of teachers resign or retire than usual. However there is still a predicted severe shortage of teachers in WA over the next ten years. A central focus of this project has been to provide opportunities for Aboriginal Islander Education Officers (AIEOs), Teacher Assistants1 (TAs) and Child Care Workers (CCW

Background: Although cardiovascular absolute risk (CVAR) assessment has been recommended for use in Australian general practice for a number of years, there is continuing uncertainty about its implementation and impact. Our previous work has developed a multifaceted implementation model. This study aims to investigate both the feasibility of using this model and the impact of CVAR assessment and management on general practice clinical processes and patient care. Study Design: This cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in general practices in Sydney, involving general practitioners (GPs), other practice staff, and patients aged 45 to 69 years without existing cardiovascular disease. Methods: A total of 32 practices (40 GPs) and 1,320 patients will be recruited. Randomization will be conducted at the practice level. The intervention group of GPs will be trained to use a CVAR implementation model, whereas the control group of GPs will continue usual care. Study outcomes include clinical processes, patient risk, use of lifestyle intervention, and prescription of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Data will be collected and analyzed using mixed methods. Study outcomes before and after the intervention will be compared, and the 2 groups will also be compared after adjusting for baseline difference and clustering factors. Discussion: This trial will be the first study in Australian general practice and one of few international studies to evaluate the impact of implementing CVAR assessment and management. Results of this study will help improve the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and inform guidelines for clinical practice and the implementation of other health initiatives. © 2009 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Background: Although cardiovascular absolute risk (CVAR) assessment has been recommended for use in Australian general practice for a number of years, there is continuing uncertainty about its implementation and impact. Our previous work has developed a multifaceted implementation model. This study aims to investigate both the feasibility of using this model and the impact of CVAR assessment and management on general practice clinical processes and patient care. Study Design: This cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in general practices in Sydney, involving general practitioners (GPs), other practice staff, and patients aged 45 to 69 years without existing cardiovascular disease. Methods: A total of 32 practices (40 GPs) and 1,320 patients will be recruited. Randomization will be conducted at the practice level. The intervention group of GPs will be trained to use a CVAR implementation model, whereas the control group of GPs will continue usual care. Study outcomes include clinical processes, patient risk, use of lifestyle intervention, and prescription of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Data will be collected and analyzed using mixed methods. Study outcomes before and after the intervention will be compared, and the 2 groups will also be compared after adjusting for baseline difference and clustering factors. Discussion: This trial will be the first study in Australian general practice and one of few international studies to evaluate the impact of implementing CVAR assessment and management. Results of this study will help improve the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and inform guidelines for clinical practice and the implementation of other health initiatives. © 2009 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contains fulltext : 69668.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), There is poor agreement on definitions of different phenotypes of preschool wheezing disorders. The present Task Force proposes to use the terms episodic (viral) wheeze to describe children who wheeze intermittently and are well between episodes, and multiple-trigger wheeze for children who wheeze both during and outside discrete episodes. Investigations are only needed when in doubt about the diagnosis. Based on the limited evidence available, inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists by metered-dose inhaler/spacer combination are recommended for symptomatic relief. Educating parents regarding causative factors and treatment is useful. Exposure to tobacco smoke should be avoided; allergen avoidance may be considered when sensitisation has been established. Maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is recommended for multiple-trigger wheeze; benefits are often small. Montelukast is recommended for the treatment of episodic (viral) wheeze and can be started when symptoms of a viral cold develop. Given the large overlap in phenotypes, and the fact that patients can move from one phenotype to another, inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast may be considered on a trial basis in almost any preschool child with recurrent wheeze, but should be discontinued if there is no clear clinical benefit. Large well-designed randomised controlled trials with clear descriptions of patients are needed to improve the present recommendations on the treatment of these common syndromes.

Contains fulltext : 69668.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), There is poor agreement on definitions of different phenotypes of preschool wheezing disorders. The present Task Force proposes to use the terms episodic (viral) wheeze to describe children who wheeze intermittently and are well between episodes, and multiple-trigger wheeze for children who wheeze both during and outside discrete episodes. Investigations are only needed when in doubt about the diagnosis. Based on the limited evidence available, inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists by metered-dose inhaler/spacer combination are recommended for symptomatic relief. Educating parents regarding causative factors and treatment is useful. Exposure to tobacco smoke should be avoided; allergen avoidance may be considered when sensitisation has been established. Maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is recommended for multiple-trigger wheeze; benefits are often small. Montelukast is recommended for the treatment of episodic (viral) wheeze and can be started when symptoms of a viral cold develop. Given the large overlap in phenotypes, and the fact that patients can move from one phenotype to another, inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast may be considered on a trial basis in almost any preschool child with recurrent wheeze, but should be discontinued if there is no clear clinical benefit. Large well-designed randomised controlled trials with clear descriptions of patients are needed to improve the present recommendations on the treatment of these common syndromes.

Contains fulltext : 69668.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), There is poor agreement on definitions of different phenotypes of preschool wheezing disorders. The present Task Force proposes to use the terms episodic (viral) wheeze to describe children who wheeze intermittently and are well between episodes, and multiple-trigger wheeze for children who wheeze both during and outside discrete episodes. Investigations are only needed when in doubt about the diagnosis. Based on the limited evidence available, inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists by metered-dose inhaler/spacer combination are recommended for symptomatic relief. Educating parents regarding causative factors and treatment is useful. Exposure to tobacco smoke should be avoided; allergen avoidance may be considered when sensitisation has been established. Maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is recommended for multiple-trigger wheeze; benefits are often small. Montelukast is recommended for the treatment of episodic (viral) wheeze and can be started when symptoms of a viral cold develop. Given the large overlap in phenotypes, and the fact that patients can move from one phenotype to another, inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast may be considered on a trial basis in almost any preschool child with recurrent wheeze, but should be discontinued if there is no clear clinical benefit. Large well-designed randomised controlled trials with clear descriptions of patients are needed to improve the present recommendations on the treatment of these common syndromes.

There is poor agreement on definitions of different phenotypes of preschool wheezing disorders. The present Task Force proposes to use the terms episodic (viral) wheeze to describe children who wheeze intermittently and are well between episodes, and multiple-trigger wheeze for children who wheeze both during and outside discrete episodes. Investigations are only needed when in doubt about the diagnosis. Based on the limited evidence available, inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists by metered-dose inhaler/spacer combination are recommended for symptomatic relief. Educating parents regarding causative factors and treatment is useful. Exposure to tobacco smoke should be avoided; allergen avoidance may be considered when sensitisation has been established. Maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is recommended for multiple-trigger wheeze; benefits are often small. Montelukast is recommended for the treatment of episodic (viral) wheeze and can be started when symptoms of a viral cold develop. Given the large overlap in phenotypes, and the fact that patients can move from one phenotype to another, inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast may be considered on a trial basis in almost any preschool child with recurrent wheeze, but should be discontinued if there is no clear clinical benefit. Large well-designed randomised controlled trials with clear descriptions of patients are needed to improve the present recommendations on the treatment of these common syndromes Udgivelsesdato: 2008/10

There is poor agreement on definitions of different phenotypes of preschool wheezing disorders. The present Task Force proposes to use the terms episodic (viral) wheeze to describe children who wheeze intermittently and are well between episodes, and multiple-trigger wheeze for children who wheeze both during and outside discrete episodes. Investigations are only needed when in doubt about the diagnosis. Based on the limited evidence available, inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists by metered-dose inhaler/spacer combination are recommended for symptomatic relief. Educating parents regarding causative factors and treatment is useful. Exposure to tobacco smoke should be avoided; allergen avoidance may be considered when sensitisation has been established. Maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is recommended for multiple-trigger wheeze; benefits are often small. Montelukast is recommended for the treatment of episodic (viral) wheeze and can be started when symptoms of a viral cold develop. Given the large overlap in phenotypes, and the fact that patients can move from one phenotype to another, inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast may be considered on a trial basis in almost any preschool child with recurrent wheeze, but should be discontinued if there is no clear clinical benefit. Large well-designed randomised controlled trials with clear descriptions of patients are needed to improve the present recommendations on the treatment of these common syndromes Udgivelsesdato: 2008/10

The business of helping children to grow up as ‘custodians’, or ‘future managers’ of the Murray-Darling Basin is not simple, and that single sources of information and ways of seeing the environment are not enough. Children (and adults) need to be able to relate individually, emotionally and aesthetically to their places if they are to learn to love them. However, they also need access to a variety of ways of thinking and seeing those same places if they are to be able to take action to sustain them – action that inevitably involves forms of communication with their fellow citizens. This chapter documents the writing and art program Special Forever, with its focus on communications, as an important intervention into promoting eco-social sustainability.

[EN] To date, immune-relevant nucleotide and protein sequences for the seabream (Sparus aurata) are not well represented in currently available sequence databases. The most likely reason is because expressed sequence tag (EST) projects that set out to identify immune-related genes are developed by sequencing cDNA libraries from non-stimulated immune cells or tissues. Regulation of immune factors is under a strict control and their expression is only regulated when immune cells are stimulated by PAMPs (Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns). In order to increase the number of immune-relevant sequences in seabream, a cDNA library was constructed with several immune cells and tissues stimulated with different PAMPs, [ES] Hasta el momento, tanto las secuencias nucleotídicas y proteicas inmuno relevantes para la dorada (Sparus aurata) no están bien representadas en las bases de datos existentes. La razón es porque los proyectos de EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) que intentan identificar genes inmunes relacionados son realizados a partir de la secuenciación de librerías de cDNA de células inmunes y tejidos no estimulados. La regulación de los factores inmunes está bajo un control estricto y su expresión sólo es regulada cuando las células inmunes son estimuladas con PAMPs (Patrones Moleculares Asociados a Patógenos). Para poder obtener un incremento en el número de secuencias inmuno relevantes en dorada se construyó una librería de cDNA a partir de múltiples células y tejidos inmunes estimulados con diferentes PAMPs

This workshop is about active participation in educational change. It will address the connections between understandings of literacy and education practice.

This workshop is about active participation in educational change. It will address the connections between understandings of literacy and education practice.

Background—Reactive oxygen and nitrogen derived species produced by activated neutrophils have been implicated in the damage of mucosal proteins including the inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in the active inflammatory lesion in patients with in-flammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study investigated the eYcacy of currently used IBD therapeutics to prevent injury mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen derived species.