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The literature concerning pre-service training in music education for generalist primary or elementary school teachers reveals a long-standing problem for teacher educators: low or poor self-efficacy concerning the teaching of classroom music. Concurrently, a critical examination of training programmes has less often featured, with only limited discussion of digital approaches to classroom music-making constituting the focus of empirical research. Through a focused case study in one Australian university, 136 pre-service teachers participated in a face-to-face module of interactive music education which culminated in a peer-directed collaborative digital music-making project. Pre- and post-surveys were implemented with shifts in pre-service teachers' self-efficacy measured according to Bandura's self-efficacy scales. Legitimation Code Theory from the sociology of education then served as an overarching theoretical lens through which to appraise the findings. Despite an enduring self-concept as 'non-musicians', the results highlight positive shifts in self-efficacy through the utilisation of peer-directed digital music-making tasks, with implications for teacher training programmes more broadly situated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The EPIC study defines criteria, including echocardiographic assessments of left atrial to aortic ratio (LA: Ao) and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole normalized for body weight (LVIDdN), for dogs with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) likely to benefit from pimobendan therapy. Access to echocardiography by a cardiologist is not universally available. Hypothesis/Objectives: Completion of a focused echocardiographic training program would result in accurate identification of dogs fulfilling the EPIC criteria by primary care veterinarians (PC). Participants: Six PCs with no previous echocardiographic experience. Methods: Prospective diagnostic test accuracy study. After training, each PC evaluated ≤10 dogs that they believed to have preclinical MMVD. The evaluation was repeated by 1 of 3 cardiology diplomates, blinded to the PC's findings. Agreement between clinical assessments and echocardiographic measurements was assessed. Results: Fifty‐seven dogs were evaluated by PCs; 1 dog was withdrawn because of congestive heart failure. The median time between PC and cardiologist evaluation was 0 days (range, 0‐8). One incorrect diagnosis of MMVD was made by a PC (this dog had dilated cardiomyopathy [DCM]); preclinical MMVD was confirmed by the cardiologist in 55 dogs. No difference in LA: Ao (P =.96; CV = 6.9%) was detected between PCs and cardiologists. LVIDdN (1.69 cm/kg0.294 (1.26‐2.21) vs 1.73 cm/kg0.294 (1.32‐2.73); P =.001; CV = 6.5%), was significantly lower when measured by PCs vs cardiologists. PCs and cardiologists agreed regarding assessment of EPIC criteria in 49/56 dogs (Alpha =.761, 95% confidence interval 0.697‐0.922). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The program effectively trained PCs to accurately assess EPIC criteria in dogs with preclinical MMVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of an arrhythmia during routine cardiac auscultation is usually a significant finding that warrants further investigation. In this article, techniques for recording and interpreting electrocardiograms are discussed, along with a review of some common arrhythmias encountered in small animal practice. General principles regarding treatment of arrhythmias in veterinary patients are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in dogs and is a major cause of congestive heart failure (CHF) in this species. This article reviews the pathophysiology and natural history of the disease and provides a summary of current recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of dogs with advanced DMVD and CHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a classroom activity on mathematics. Details on the mathematical problem to be solved; Solution to the problem; Resource information available for the activity.

Aims: Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) is a prelude to symptomatic heart failure (HF). We hypothesised that screening‐guided treatment with spironolactone would prevent incident HF in at‐risk patients. Methods and results: We randomised asymptomatic, community‐dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years old, with at least one non‐ischaemic HF risk factor (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or obesity) to echocardiography‐guided therapy or usual care. Spironolactone therapy was triggered by the detection of subclinical LVD (global longitudinal strain [GLS] ≤16%) or diastolic abnormalities (at least one of E/e′ >15, E/e′ >10 with left atrial enlargement [LAE] or impaired relaxation [E/A < 0.8, IR], LAE with IR), or borderline GLS (17%) with IR or borderline GLS with LAE. The primary outcome was incident HF at 24 months. Secondary outcomes were change in 6‐min walk test (6MWT) and change in left ventricular function. LVD was identified in 161 (46%) of 349 participants (age 70 [68–73] years, 201 [58%] women). The trial was stopped because of a 55% rate of spironolactone discontinuation, due primarily to decline in renal function. Incident HF developed in 11 (3.5%) of 310 participants completing follow‐up, with no difference between usual care and intervention (4 [2.5%] vs. 7 [4.7%], p = 0.29), decline in 6MWT distance (p = 0.28), persistent or new LVD (p = 0.58), nor change in GLS with intervention (p = 0.15). A per‐protocol analysis of 131 patients with baseline LVD and a follow‐up echocardiogram, showed resolution of LVD with spironolactone therapy (59% vs. 33%, p = 0.01). Conclusion: The study was underpowered to determine whether screening‐guided spironolactone therapy reduced incident HF because spironolactone was frequently discontinued due to renal function criteria. However, LVD resolved in more patients treated with spironolactone than in untreated patients. Future trials should use less conservative renal criteria for spironolactone discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated the use of consumer neuroscience to improve and determine the effectiveness of action/emotion-based public health and social cause (HSC) advertisements. Action-based advertisements ask individuals to 'do something' such as 'act', 'share', make a 'pledge' or complete a 'challenge' on behalf of a brand, such as doing 'something good, somewhere, for someone else'. Public health messages as noncommercial advertisements attempt to positively change behavioural intent or increase awareness. Australian health expenditure was $180.7 billion AUD (Australian dollars) in 2016/17 with $17 million AUD spent on government health campaigns. However, evaluation of health advertisement effectiveness has been difficult to determine. Few studies use neuroscience techniques with traditional market research methods. A 2-part study with an exploratory design was conducted using (1) electroencephalography (EEG) using a 64 channel EEG wet cap (n = 47); and (2) a Qualtrics online psychometric survey (n = 256). Participants were asked to make a donation before and after viewing 7 HSC digital/social media advertisements and logos (6 action/emotion-based; 1 control) to measure changes in behavioural intent. Attention is considered a key factor in determining advertising effectiveness. EEG results showed theta synchronisation (increase)/alpha desynchronisation (decrease) indicating attention with episodic memory encoding. sLORETA results displayed approach responses to action/emotion-based advertisements with left prefrontal and right parietal cortex activation. EEG and survey results showed the greatest liking for the ManUp action/emotion-based advertisement which used male facial expressions of raw emotion and vulnerability. ManUp also had the highest increased amount donated after viewing. Lower theta amplitude results for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) action/emotion-based advertisement indicated that novel (possessing distinct features) rather than attractive/conventional faces were more appealing, while the rapid presentation of faces was less effective. None of the highest peak amplitudes for each ad occurred when viewing brand logos within the advertisement. This research contributes to the academic consumer neuroscience, advertising effectiveness, and social media literature with the use of action/challenge/emotion-based marketing strategies, which remains limited, while demonstrating the value in combining EEG and neuroscientific techniques with traditional market research methods. The research provides a greater understanding of advertising effectiveness and changes in behavioural intent with managerial implications regarding the effective use of action/challenge/emotion-based HSC communications to potentially help save a life and reduce expenditure on ineffectual HSC marketing campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with lymphoedema nurse Joanne Harris is presented. When asked why she entered the field of chronic oedema she commented on her experience with the condition on a placement at a hospice and learning the benefits of compression bandaging. She reflected on her educational background and the skills and knowledge she brings to her healthcare team. She talked about changes and innovations she's seen that improve the experience of chronic oedema patients.