Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and musical behaviour: The significance of context

Recent estimates indicate that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is prevalent in about 2.5% of adults and 5.9% of young people. Negative impacts of ADHD are often reported in academic performance, emotional and cognitive functioning, and peer relationships, but little is known about ADHD and music. Using a detailed case study approach, structured observations in contrasting settings over a period of several school terms were made of one Primary and one Secondary school-aged boy, each with a formal assessment of ADHD. Analyses of video-based observations every 30 s ( n = 5,961 in total) were related to (1) the particular core ADHD symptoms attributed to inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, together with their observed severity; and (2) tutors’ and pupils’ actions during their focus music sessions. These quantitative data enriched the qualitative analyses. The research findings indicate that, notwithstanding their ADHD-related symptoms, the affected individuals could engage successfully in music and acquire musical skills. ADHD was not a static condition, but variable according to pedagogical and musical context. Habitual ADHD symptoms were either reduced or entirely absent when participants were engaged in playing and performing music. Analyses suggest that an effective, context-sensitive and inclusive pedagogy can integrate pupils into successful individual and collective music making

BMQ

BMQ: Boston Medical Quarterly was published from 1950-1966 by the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals

Cell cycle and aging, morphogenesis, and response to stimuli genes are individualized biomarkers of glioblastoma progression and survival

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glioblastoma is a complex multifactorial disorder that has swift and devastating consequences. Few genes have been consistently identified as prognostic biomarkers of glioblastoma survival. The goal of this study was to identify general and clinical-dependent biomarker genes and biological processes of three complementary events: lifetime, overall and progression-free glioblastoma survival.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A novel analytical strategy was developed to identify general associations between the biomarkers and glioblastoma, and associations that depend on cohort groups, such as race, gender, and therapy. Gene network inference, cross-validation and functional analyses further supported the identified biomarkers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 61, 47 and 60 gene expression profiles were significantly associated with lifetime, overall, and progression-free survival, respectively. The vast majority of these genes have been previously reported to be associated with glioblastoma (35, 24, and 35 genes, respectively) or with other cancers (10, 19, and 15 genes, respectively) and the rest (16, 4, and 10 genes, respectively) are novel associations. <it>Pik3r1</it>, <it>E2f3, Akr1c3</it>, <it>Csf1</it>, <it>Jag2</it>, <it>Plcg1</it>, <it>Rpl37a</it>, <it>Sod2</it>, <it>Topors</it>, <it>Hras</it>, <it>Mdm2, Camk2g</it>, <it>Fstl1</it>, <it>Il13ra1</it>, <it>Mtap </it>and <it>Tp53 </it>were associated with multiple survival events.</p> <p>Most genes (from 90 to 96%) were associated with survival in a general or cohort-independent manner and thus the same trend is observed across all clinical levels studied. The most extreme associations between profiles and survival were observed for <it>Syne1</it>, <it>Pdcd4</it>, <it>Ighg1</it>, <it>Tgfa</it>, <it>Pla2g7</it>, and <it>Paics</it>. Several genes were found to have a cohort-dependent association with survival and these associations are the basis for individualized prognostic and gene-based therapies. <it>C2</it>, <it>Egfr</it>, <it>Prkcb</it>, <it>Igf2bp3</it>, and <it>Gdf10 </it>had gender-dependent associations; <it>Sox10</it>, <it>Rps20</it>, <it>Rab31</it>, and <it>Vav3 </it>had race-dependent associations; <it>Chi3l1</it>, <it>Prkcb</it>, <it>Polr2d</it>, and <it>Apool </it>had therapy-dependent associations. Biological processes associated glioblastoma survival included morphogenesis, cell cycle, aging, response to stimuli, and programmed cell death.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Known biomarkers of glioblastoma survival were confirmed, and new general and clinical-dependent gene profiles were uncovered. The comparison of biomarkers across glioblastoma phases and functional analyses offered insights into the role of genes. These findings support the development of more accurate and personalized prognostic tools and gene-based therapies that improve the survival and quality of life of individuals afflicted by glioblastoma multiforme.</p

The price of mobility

This paper addresses the question concerning the price of geographic mobility in various labour market and migration scenarios. Pivotal points are expected mobility premiums which are sufficient to tip the scales in favour of moving to a geographically distinct location. These premiums are first derived within a theoretical model, accounting not only for location-specific amenity levels or labour market conditions, but also for heterogeneous personality traits and preferences. Derived hypotheses demonstrate that—in presence of heterogeneous psychic costs or adjustment capabilities—expected mobility premiums can remain distinctly positive even in an unemployment scenario. Furthermore, adjustment capabilities are to a large extent related to earlier mobility experiences, implying that labour mobility is partially learnable

A quantitative study of experiences impacting music teacher development

Scholars have asserted for the need for music teachers to be engaged in music-making and have drawn links between performing and music teaching identities. Drawing on a questionnaire study (n = 72), this article reports (a) the impact of music and non-music experiences on specialist music teachers and (b) the associations between experiences, perceived music (teaching) abilities, and their pride as music teachers. Through using a combination of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, the study found that besides performing abilities positively impacting on music teachers' perceived teaching abilities and their pride as music teachers, music compositional experiences also significantly impact on music teachers' perceived teaching abilities. In addition, teachers' other experiences in the context of their work environment are also significantly associated with their perceived teaching abilities. The implications are that more attention needs to be given to positive music composition experiences and its relationship to music teaching. Moreover, the professional and personal growth of music teachers is constituted by both musical and non-musical development aspects and is impacted by their relationship with their students and their colleagues. Therefore, professional development of music teachers should look beyond their competency development to facilitating and supporting the growth of their music teacher identities

Musicalidade humana sob o prisma cognitivo-evolucionista: Do Homo sapiens ao Homo digitalis

This paper discusses human musicality from a cognitive-evolutionist perspective. It reflects on the complexity of music manifestation in a panorama that articulates the periods between the remote times of the Homo sapiens species to their interaction in the era of Digital Culture. The reflections are based on research that shows uninterrupted music making that starts at the beginnings of humanity and continues significantly until the present moment, undergoing, however, transformations that are being accelerated by new digital technologies. This scenario also implies changes in the construction of musical performance, as well as in the concepts of learning and self-learning of music

Cultura digital e docência: possibilidades para a educação musical

This article discusses how Digital Culture affects teachers’ work in the field of Music Education, debating the use of technological resources and their challenges in pedagogical practice. Reflecting upon the concepts of Musicality and Digital Culture, the work analyzes a focus on the change in processes of learning and self-learning of music practices assisted by New Digital Technologies (NDT) in the context of Musical Education. The methodology consisted of literature review, on-line questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews with experienced professional musicians, and data were analyzed under the qualitative quantitative perspective. The results demonstrate that the Digital Culture pervades pedagogical practices from planning and research of materials to implementation of learning and self-learning resources. The research points out challenges to teaching in the field of Music Education, considering the gap between students’ fluency in the Digital Culture and the material limitations of infrastructure, connectivity, and initial and continuing teacher training. It is argued that Music Education benefits from new digital technologies but requires a paradigmatic change to understand students as whole beings and subjects of the musical-educational process, whose technological experience may be crucial in the educational process

Cultura digital e docência: possibilidades para a educação musical

This article discusses how Digital Culture affects teachers’ work in the field of Music Education, debating the use of technological resources and their challenges in pedagogical practice. Reflecting upon the concepts of Musicality and Digital Culture, the work analyzes a focus on the change in processes of learning and self-learning of music practices assisted by New Digital Technologies (NDT) in the context of Musical Education. The methodology consisted of literature review, on-line questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews with experienced professional musicians, and data were analyzed under the qualitative-quantitative perspective. The results demonstrate that the Digital Culture pervades pedagogical practices from planning and research of materials to implementation of learning and self-learning resources. The research points out challenges to teaching in the field of Music Education, considering the gap between students’ fluency in the Digital Culture and the material limitations of infrastructure, connectivity, and initial and continuing teacher training. It is argued that Music Education benefits from new digital technologies but requires a paradigmatic change to understand students as whole beings and subjects of the musical-educational process, whose technological experience may be crucial in the educational process. Este artigo discute o modo como a Cultura Digital afeta a atuação docente na área da Educação Musical, problematizando o uso de recursos tecnológicos e seus desafios na prática pedagógica. A partir da reflexão sobre os conceitos de Musicalidade e Cultura Digital, o trabalho analisa um recorte sobre as transformações dos processos de aprendizagem e autoaprendizagem das práticas musicais subsidiadas pelas Novas Tecnologias Digitais (NTD) no contexto da Educação Musical. A metodologia foi constituída de revisão de literatura, questionário on-line e entrevista semiestruturada com músicos profissionais experientes, cujos dados coletados foram analisados na perspectiva quali-quantitativa. Os resultados demonstram que a Cultura Digital permeia as práticas pedagógicas do planejamento e pesquisa de materiais à implementação de recursos de aprendizagem e autoaprendizagem. A pesquisa aponta desafios da docência no campo da Educação Musical, considerando o descompasso constatado entre a fluência na Cultura Digital dos estudantes e as limitações materiais de infraestrutura, de conectividade e de formação inicial e continuada de professores. Defende que a Educação Musical se beneficia com o emprego das novas tecnologias digitais, porém exige uma mudança paradigmática ao entender o estudante como um ser integral e protagonista do processo educativo-musical, cuja bagagem tecnológica pode ser crucial no processo educativo.Este artículo discute el modo como la Cultura Digital afecta la actuación docente en el área de la Educación Musical, problematizando el uso de recursos tecnológicos y sus desafíos en la práctica pedagógica. A partir de la reflexión sobre los conceptos de Musicalidad y Cultura Digital, el artículo analiza un recorte sobre las transformaciones de los procesos de aprendizaje y autoaprendizaje de las prácticas musicales subsidiadas por las Nuevas Tecnologías Digitales (NTD) en el contexto de la Educación Musical. La metodología fue constituida de revisión de literatura, cuestionario en línea y entrevista semiestructurada con músicos profesionales experimentados, cuyos datos recolectados fueron analizados en la perspectiva cualitativa y cuantitativa. Los resultados demuestran que la Cultura Digital permea las prácticas pedagógicas de la planificación e investigación de materiales a la implementación de recursos de aprendizaje y autoaprendizaje. La investigación apunta desafíos de la docencia en el campo de la Educación Musical, considerando el descompaso constatado entre la fluidez en la Cultura Digital de los estudiantes y las limitaciones materiales de infraestructura, de conectividad y de formación inicial y continuada de profesores. Defiende que la Educación Musical se beneficia con el empleo de las nuevas tecnologías digitales, pero exige un cambio paradigmático al entender al estudiante como un ser integral y protagonista del proceso educativo-musical, cuyo equipaje tecnológico puede ser crucial en el proceso educativo