Mindful or mind full?: educators' perceptions of mindfulness in education

This paper details the second phase of my doctoral research which aimed to collect data about educators’ perceptions of mindfulness in education as a follow up to the creation and implementation of the Mindfulness in Schools Questionnaire (MiSQ) in the first phase of the research. This study is novel in that it takes into account mindfulness-based activities that may be currently taking in place in schools, rather than focusing solely on the creation of new mindfulness-based interventions. It also includes data from heads of teacher training programmes that relate to whether or not mindfulness could be taught and practised by student teachers, which in turn would impact on the future of mindfulness in schools. Eight semi-structured interviews and three focus groups were conducted with primary and secondary school teachers and heads of teacher training programmes in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the eleven transcripts and themes were identified. Such themes include the marketisation and language of mindfulness, faddism and the role of the teacher. These emergent themes will be presented along with their respective considerations for the teaching and practice of mindfulness in schools

Uptake and efficacy of mindfulness activities within educational establishments in Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire

Government initiatives such as Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL), the Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) programme and the National Healthy Schools programme have been introduced in schools in response to poor levels of well-being in children (see for example, Harden et al, 2001; UNICEF, 2007). The first phase of this study aims to identify mindfulness activities that are taking place in the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 5 environment and to gather detailed data about these mindfulness activities and their related responses from participants. A 22-item qualitative online questionnaire was created and a link to the questionnaire was sent electronically to named recipients in schools in the region. Overall, participants reported positive reactions to existing mindfulness activities and indicated an understanding of how mindfulness activities could be beneficial in schools, even if they had not had any direct personal experience of them. There was ambiguity surrounding whether all activities described by participants met the definition of a mindfulness activity. An exploration of the definition of a mindfulness activity is required. Follow up focus groups and interviews in phase two of the study will aim to further explore these issues

The effect of surveillance and appreciative inquiry on puerperal infections : a longitudinal cohort study in India

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Eficácia do exercício físico na fadiga dos pacientes com câncer durante o tratamento ativo: revisão sistemática e meta-análise

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la efectividad del ejercicio físico en la fatiga de pacientes con cáncer durante el tratamiento activo. Las bases de datos de PubMed Central, EMBASE y OVID fueron consultadas hasta abril de 2014 para identificar ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, que evaluaran el efecto del ejercicio en la fatiga de pacientes con cáncer sometidos a tratamiento activo. Once estudios (n = 1.407) fueron incluidos. La quimioterapia fue el tratamiento más común (n = 1.028). Los estudios tuvieron bajo riesgo de sesgo y alta calidad metodológica. Las estimaciones de efecto mostraron que el ejercicio físico mejoró significativamente la fatiga (SMD = -3,0; IC95%: -5,21; -0,80), p < 0,0001. Se encontraron efectos similares para el entrenamiento de resistencia (SMD = -4,5; IC95%: -7,24; -1,82), p = 0,001. Se encontraron mejoras significativas en pacientes con cáncer de mama y de próstata (p < 0,05). El ejercicio es una intervención segura y eficaz en el control de la fatiga en pacientes sometidos a tratamiento activoThis study aimed to determine the effectiveness of physical exercise in decreasing fatigue in cancer patients during active treatment. The PubMed Central, EMBASE, and OVID databases were consulted up to April 2014 to identify randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effect of exercise on fatigue in cancer patients undergoing active treatment. Eleven studies (n = 1,407) were included. Chemotherapy was the most common form of treatment (n = 1,028). The studies showed a low risk of bias and high methodological quality. Effect estimates showed that physical exercise significantly improved fatigue (SMD = -3.0; 95%CI: -5.21; -0.80), p < 0.0001. Similar effects were found for resistance training (SMD = -4.5; 95%CI: -7.24; -1.82), p = 0.001. Significant improvements were found in breast and prostate cancer patients (p < 0.05). Exercise is a safe and effective intervention in the management fatigue in cancer patients undergoing active treatmentO objetivo foi determinar a efetividade do exercício físico sobre a fadiga em pacientes com câncer durante o tratamento ativo. As bases de dados PubMed Central, EMBASE e OVID foram consultadas até abril de 2014 para identificar ensaios clínicos randomizados que avaliaram o efeito do exercício sobre a fadiga em pacientes com câncer em tratamento ativo. Onze estudos (n = 1.407) foram incluídos. A quimioterapia foi o tratamento mais comum (n = 1.028). Os estudos tiveram baixo risco de viés e alta qualidade metodológica. As estimativas de efeito mostraram que o exercício melhorou significativamente a fadiga (DMP = -3,0; IC95%: -5,21; -0,80), p < 0,0001. Efeitos semelhantes sobre o treinamento de resistência (DMP = -4,5; IC95%: -7,24; -1,82), p = 0,001 foram encontrados. O exercício físico é uma intervenção segura e eficaz contra a fadiga em pacientes submetidos ao tratamento ativoEl presente trabajo forma parte del Proyecto Práctica del autoexamen de seno y los conocimientos, factores de riesgo y estilos de vida relacionados con el cáncer de mama en mujeres jóvenes de la Universidad Santo Tomás de Bogotá: un análisis transversal (9ª Convocatoria FODEIN- Código del proyecto 4110060001 - 008)

TP53 mutation status divides myelodysplastic syndromes with complex karyotypes into distinct prognostic subgroups

Risk stratification is critical in the care of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Approximately 10% have a complex karyotype (CK), defined as more than two cytogenetic abnormalities, which is a highly adverse prognostic marker. However, CK-MDS can carry a wide range of chromosomal abnormalities and somatic mutations. To refine risk stratification of CK-MDS patients, we examined data from 359 CK-MDS patients shared by the International Working Group for MDS. Mutations were underrepresented with the exception of TP53 mutations, identified in 55% of patients. TP53 mutated patients had even fewer co-mutated genes but were enriched for the del(5q) chromosomal abnormality (p 10%), abnormal 3q, abnormal 9, and monosomy 7 as having the greatest survival risk. The poor risk associated with CK-MDS is driven by its association with prognostically adverse TP53 mutations and can be refined by considering clinical and karyotype features

Organizational interventions employing principles of complexity science have improved outcomes for patients with Type II diabetes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the development of several models of care delivery for patients with chronic illness, consistent improvements in outcomes have not been achieved. These inconsistent results may be less related to the content of the models themselves, but to their underlying conceptualization of clinical settings as linear, predictable systems. The science of complex adaptive systems (CAS), suggests that clinical settings are non-linear, and increasingly has been used as a framework for describing and understanding clinical systems. The purpose of this study is to broaden the conceptualization by examining the relationship between interventions that leverage CAS characteristics in intervention design and implementation, and effectiveness of reported outcomes for patients with Type II diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a systematic review of the literature on organizational interventions to improve care of Type II diabetes. For each study we recorded measured process and clinical outcomes of diabetic patients. Two independent reviewers gave each study a score that reflected whether organizational interventions reflected one or more characteristics of a complex adaptive system. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by standardizing the scoring of the results of each study as 0 (no effect), 0.5 (mixed effect), or 1.0 (effective).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of 157 potentially eligible studies, 32 met our eligibility criteria. Most studies were felt to utilize at least one CAS characteristic in their intervention designs, and ninety-one percent were scored as either "mixed effect" or "effective." The number of CAS characteristics present in each intervention was associated with effectiveness (p = 0.002). Two individual CAS characteristics were associated with effectiveness: interconnections between participants and co-evolution.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The significant association between CAS characteristics and effectiveness of reported outcomes for patients with Type II diabetes suggests that complexity science may provide an effective framework for designing and implementing interventions that lead to improved patient outcomes.</p

Large Scale Searches for Brown Dwarfs and Free-Floating Planets

Searches of large scale surveys have resulted in the discovery of over 1000 brown dwarfs in the Solar neighbourhood. In this chapter we review the progress in finding brown dwarfs in large datasets, highlighting the key science goals, and summarising the surveys that have contributed most significantly to the current sample.Comment: Accepted to appear in the Handbook of Exoplanets (Springer); Editors: Hans J. Deeg & Juan Antonio Belmont

Genetic variants in RBFOX3 are associated with sleep latency

Time to fall asleep (sleep latency) is a major determinant of sleep quality. Chronic, long sleep latency is a major characteristic of sleep-onset insomnia and/or delayed sleep phase syndrome. In this study we aimed to discover common polymorphisms that contribute to the genetics of sleep latency. We performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) including 2 572 737 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) established in seven European cohorts including 4242 individuals. We found a cluster of three highly correlated variants (rs9900428, rs9907432 and rs7211029) in the RNA-binding protein fox-1 homolog 3 gene (RBFOX3) associated with sleep latency (P-values=5.77 × 10-08, 6.59 × 10- 08 and 9.17 × 10- 08). These SNPs were replicated in up to 12 independent populations including 30 377 individuals (P-values=1.5 × 10- 02, 7.0 × 10- 03 and 2.5 × 10- 03; combined meta-analysis P-values=5.5 × 10-07, 5.4 × 10-07 and 1.0 × 10-07). A functional prediction of RBFOX3 based on co-expression with other genes shows that this gene is predominantly expressed in brain (P-value=1.4 × 10-316) and the central nervous system (P-value=7.5 × 10- 321). The predicted function of RBFOX3 based on co-expression analysis with other genes shows that this gene is significantly involved in the release cycle of neurotransmitte

Vegetation type is an important predictor of the arctic summer land surface energy budget

Despite the importance of high-latitude surface energy budgets (SEBs) for land-climate interactions in the rapidly changing Arctic, uncertainties in their prediction persist. Here, we harmonize SEB observations across a network of vegetated and glaciated sites at circumpolar scale (1994-2021). Our variance-partitioning analysis identifies vegetation type as an important predictor for SEB-components during Arctic summer (June-August), compared to other SEB-drivers including climate, latitude and permafrost characteristics. Differences among vegetation types can be of similar magnitude as between vegetation and glacier surfaces and are especially high for summer sensible and latent heat fluxes. The timing of SEB-flux summer-regimes (when daily mean values exceed 0 Wm(-2)) relative to snow-free and -onset dates varies substantially depending on vegetation type, implying vegetation controls on snow-cover and SEB-flux seasonality. Our results indicate complex shifts in surface energy fluxes with land-cover transitions and a lengthening summer season, and highlight the potential for improving future Earth system models via a refined representation of Arctic vegetation types.An international team of researchers finds high potential for improving climate projections by a more comprehensive treatment of largely ignored Arctic vegetation types, underscoring the importance of Arctic energy exchange measuring stations.Peer reviewe