Evolving Music Education in the Digital Age: Sound-Based Music in Public Schools of Cyprus

Years now, sound-based music has been struggling to reach a wider public. Research supports that in order to promote sound-based music, it should be introduced at an early age in someone’s life to have the opportunity to familiarise himself/herself with it and accept it (Kopiez and Lehmann, 2008). This thesis investigates the implementation of sound-based music in public schools in Cyprus. Building on previous research aiming to introduce sound-based music ideas and concepts into the music classrooms (Savage, 2005; Higgins and Jennings, 2006; Wolf, 2008; Holland, 2011), this research aims at creating a sound-based music curriculum that will be appropriate for the implementation in such a teaching-learning environment in Cyprus. The research focuses on the Educational Reform Programme of Cyprus (2008-2015), which aims at modernising the Cypriot education system. This project offers the opportunity to investigate a set of sound-based music lesson plans, implemented in music classrooms. The research examines the reactions of teachers and students towards these lessons, and the evaluation of the lesson plans in order to be suitable for primary and secondary schools of Cyprus. It is an interdisciplinary project, allowing for educational as well as musical concepts to inform its content and structure. The research follows a grounded theory methodology, utilising a mixed-methods approach involving multi-site case studies and action research. In total of six schools, with six teachers and 117 students, eight different sound-based music lesson plans were created, implemented and evaluated, in a total of 18 lesson periods. During these lessons, a combination of questionnaires, interviews, observations, visual data and tests have facilitated the collection of both qualitative and quantitative information relating to the teachers, the students and the lesson plans. Findings of this research identify that the specific set of lesson plans implemented in the schools is considered as appropriate to be used in the music classrooms of Cyprus. The sound-based music lessons introduced new ways of using ICT in the music classroom, supporting the national initiatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus. It was also identified that these lessons offer an inclusive education, with creative activities, engaging students with the learning experience. However, the outcomes of the research recognised the need to understand the multidimensional change necessary to take place before such an implementation, such as the need to resolve any teachers’ concerns relating to the implementation of innovative material as well as any issues related to the equipment.A.G. Leventis Foundatio

CPS49-induced neurotoxicity does not cause limb patterning anomalies in developing chicken embryos

The authors thank Elizabeth Kilby and Susan Reijntes for preliminary studies. CM was funded by a University of Aberdeen PhD studentship; AJR (née Diamond) was funded through a BBSRC EastBio DTP PhD Award; S-L B was funded by a Wellcome Trust/NIH PhD Studentship; SM was funded by a Siddall PhD Scholarship Award; LRF was funded by the Science Without Borders PhD Scheme.Peer reviewedPostprin

Prevention of Neural Tube Defects: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Uptake of Folic Acid Supplementation in Nearly Half a Million Women

BACKGROUND: Taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy to reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD) is especially important in countries without universal folic acid fortification. The extent of folic acid supplementation among women who had antenatal screening for Down's syndrome and NTDs at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, London between 1999 and 2012 was assessed. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 466,860 women screened provided details on folic acid supplementation. The proportion of women who took folic acid supplements before pregnancy was determined according to year and characteristics of the women. The proportion of women taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy declined from 35% (95% CI 34%-35%) in 1999-2001 to 31% (30%-31%) in 2011-2012. 6% (5%-6%) of women aged under 20 took folic acid supplements before pregnancy compared with 40% of women aged between 35 and 39. Non-Caucasian women were less likely to take folic acid supplements before pregnancy than Caucasian women; Afro-Caribbean 17% (16%-17%), Oriental 25% (24%-25%) and South Asian 20% (20%-21%) compared with 35% (35%-35%) for Caucasian women. 51% (48%-55%) of women who previously had an NTD pregnancy took folic acid supplements before the current pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The policy of folic acid supplementation is failing and has led to health inequalities. This study demonstrates the need to fortify flour and other cereal grain with folic acid in all countries of the world