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This handbook offers both a comprehensive review of the current science of mindfulness and a guide to its ongoing evolution. Scholars explore the topic in the context of contemporary psychological theories of attention, perceptual processing, motivation, and behaviour, as well as within a rich cross-disciplinary dialogue with the contemplative traditions.

Background and aimsMicrobiota alterations are linked with colorectal cancer (CRC) and notably higher abundance of putative oral bacteria on colonic tumours. However, it is not known if colonic mucosa-associated taxa are indeed orally derived, if such cases are a distinct subset of patients or if the oral microbiome is generally suitable for screening for CRC.MethodsWe profiled the microbiota in oral swabs, colonic mucosae and stool from individuals with CRC (99 subjects), colorectal polyps (32) or controls (103).ResultsSeveral oral taxa were differentially abundant in CRC compared with controls, for example, Streptococcus and Prevotellas pp. A classification model of oral swab microbiota distinguished individuals with CRC or polyps from controls (sensitivity: 53% (CRC)/67% (polyps); specificity: 96%). Combining the data from faecal microbiota and oral swab microbiota increased the sensitivity of this model to 76% (CRC)/88% (polyps). We detected similar bacterial networks in colonic microbiota and oral microbiota datasets comprising putative oral biofilm forming bacteria. While these taxa were more abundant in CRC, core networks between pathogenic, CRC-associated oral bacteria such as Peptostreptococcus, Parvimonas and Fusobacterium were also detected in healthy controls. High abundance of Lachnospiraceae was negatively associated with the colonisation of colonic tissue with oral-like bacterial networks suggesting a protective role for certain microbiota types against CRC, possibly by conferring colonisation resistance to CRC-associated oral taxa and possibly mediated through habitual diet.ConclusionThe heterogeneity of CRC may relate to microbiota types that either predispose or provide resistance to the disease, and profiling the oral microbiome may offer an alternative screen for detecting CRC.

Warren discusses his dissertation research on the experiences of residents in South Memphis TN regarding changes in schools and the community. He initially planned to compare the perspectives of community members and individuals involved in charter school reform and housing redevelopment. However, he found that the participants' statements overlapped, challenging their initial assumptions. He also explores the use of language by outside forces, such as charter school reformers and redevelopers, and how community members adopt this language. This realization prompts him to take a more nuanced approach to their study, seeking participants from various backgrounds to understand the complexities of education reform and gentrification. He concludes that their study benefited from considering multiple perspectives and avoiding a black-and-white approach.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing with continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (C-CFRP) composites is under increasing development, as it offers more versatility than traditional molding processes, such as the out-of-autoclave-vacuum bag only (OOA-VBO) process. However, due to the layer-by-layer deposition of materials, voids can form between the layers and weaken some of the parts’ properties, such as the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). In this paper, a novel mold-less magnetic compaction force-assisted additive manufacturing (MCFA-AM) method was used to print carbon nanofiber (CNF) z-threaded CFRP (ZT-CFRP) laminates with significantly improved ILSS and reduced void content compared to traditional C-CFRP laminates, which are printed using a no-pressure 3D-printing process (similar to the fused-deposition-modeling process). The radial flow alignment (RFA) and resin-blending techniques were utilized to manufacture a printing-compatible fast-curing ZT-CFRP prepreg tape to act as the feedstock for a MCFA-AM printhead, which was mounted on a robotic arm. In terms of the ILSS, the MCFA-AM method coupled with ZT-CFRP nanomaterial technology significantly outperformed the C-CFRP made with both the traditional no-pressure 3D-printing process and the OOA-VBO molding process. Furthermore, the mold-less MCFA-AM process more than doubled the production speed of the OOA-VBO molding process. This demonstrates that through the integration of new nanomaterials and 3D-printing techniques, a paradigm shift in C-CFRP manufacturing with significantly better performance, versatility, agility, efficiency, and lower cost is achievable.

Low fiber-direction compressive strength is a well-recognized weakness of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. When a CFRP is produced using 3D printing, the compressive strength is further degraded. To solve this issue, in this paper, a novel magnetic compaction force-assisted additive manufacturing (MCFA-AM) method is used to print CFRP laminates reinforced with carbon nanofiber (CNF) z-threads (i.e., ZT-CFRP). MCFA-AM utilizes a magnetic force to simultaneously levitate, deposit, and compact fast-curing CFRP prepregs in free space and quickly solidifies the CFRP laminate part without any mold nor supporting substrate plate; it effectively reduces the voids. The longitudinal compressive test was performed on five different sample types. ZT-CFRP/MCFA-AM samples were printed under two different magnetic compaction rolling pressures, i.e., 0.5 bar and 0.78 bar. Compared with the longitudinal compressive strength of a typical CFRP manufactured by the traditional out-of-autoclave–vacuum-bag-only (OOA-VBO) molding process at the steady-state pressure of 0.82 bar, the ZT-CFRP/MCFA-AM samples showed either comparable results (by −1.00% difference) or enhanced results (+7.42% improvement) by using 0.5 bar or 0.78 bar magnetic rolling pressures, respectively.

Abstract BACKGROUND Emerging clinical data shows potential for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating ulcerative colitis (UC), though factors affecting clinical response remain poorly defined. Pre-clinical data suggest the role of dietary fiber in enhancing microbial metabolites to mitigate colitis severity. This study aimed to evaluate the role of the prebiotic psyllium in improving the clinical outcomes of FMT for mild to moderate UC, with the long-term goal of enhancing FMT as a therapeutic strategy for UC. METHODS In a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 32 participants were screened, and 27 adults with mild to moderate UC were enrolled. Baseline fiber intake was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive FMT alone, FMT with daily fiber (10g of psyllium), or a placebo with or without fiber. The primary endpoint was clinical response by Mayo score at week 8. Secondary endpoints included clinical response by partial Mayo (pMayo) score, endoscopic sub-score, and clinical remission. At week 8, participants underwent crossover treatment with clinical evaluation at week 12. The study ended early due to the manufacturer discontinuing fecal microbiota preparation supply. RESULTS Analysis of primary and secondary endpoints in \"FMT alone\" and \"FMT with fiber\" groups revealed no statistically significant differences in clinical response (55.56% alone, N=9 vs. 22.22% fiber, N=9, p=0.1686). Participants with low and high dietary fiber consumption had similar response rates, regardless of supplemental fiber. Consequently, we combined the \"FMT\" and \"no FMT\" groups, which showed a significantly higher proportion of subjects achieving clinical response in the FMT group as defined by the partial Mayo score (50.00% FMT group (N=18) and 11.1% in the no FMT group (N=9), p=0.0485). A similar trend was observed for clinical response as defined by the total Mayo score and endoscopic sub-score, where the FMT group outperformed the placebo (38.89% FMT, N=18, vs. 11.11% placebo, N=9, p=0.1362). Among the 9 subjects who received FMT at week 0 and exhibited clinical response defined by pMayo, 77.8% (n=7) maintained their response at week 12. Additionally, 2 patients who initially had no response at week 8 achieved a clinical response by week 12. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate a robust effect of single-dose FMT via colonoscopy in a mild to moderate UC cohort. Given the low cohort size, our results lack the statistical power to reveal the clinical impact of fiber supplementation in FMT. Notably, a substantial proportion of initially responsive FMT recipients maintained their clinical response at week 12, indicating the potential for sustained benefits. Microbiome and metabolomic analyses are currently underway to assess the functional impact of dietary fiber in shaping the effectiveness of FMT for UC.

Measuring individual foraging performance of pollinators is crucial to guide environmental policies that aim at enhancing pollinator health and pollination services. Automated systems have been developed to track the activity of individual honey bees, but their deployment is extremely challenging. This has limited the assessment of individual foraging performance in full‐strength bee colonies in the field. Most studies available to date have been constrained to use downsized bee colonies located in urban and suburban areas. Environmental policy‐making, on the other hand, needs a more comprehensive assessment of honey bee performance in a broader range of environments, including in remote agricultural and wild areas. Here, we detail a new autonomous field method to record high‐quality data on the flight ontogeny and foraging performance of honey bees, using radio frequency identification (RFID). We separate bee traffic into returning and exiting tunnels to improve data quality solving many previous limitations of RFID systems caused by traffic jams and the parasitic coupling of RFID antennae. With this method, we assembled a large RFID dataset made of control bee colonies from experiments conducted in different locations and seasons. We hope our results will be a starting point to understand how ontogenetic and environmental factors affect the individual performance of honey bees and that our method will enable large‐scale replication of individual pollinator performance studies.

This study evaluated the effects of the Breath–Body–Mind Workshop (BBMW) (breathing, movement, and meditation) on psychological and physical symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsTwenty-nine IBD patients from the Jill Roberts IBD Center were randomized to BBMW or an educational seminar. Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Symptom Inventory 18, IBD Questionnaire, Perceived Disability Scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Digestive Disease Acceptance Questionnaire, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, and physiological measures were obtained at baseline and weeks 6 and 26.ResultsThe BBMW group significantly improved between baseline and week 6 on Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (P = 0.02), Beck Anxiety Inventory (P = 0.02), and IBD Questionnaire (P = 0.01) and between baseline and week 26 on Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (P = 0.04), Beck Anxiety Inventory (P = 0.03), Beck Depression Inventory (P = 0.01), IBD Questionnaire (P = 0.01), Perceived Disability Scale (P = 0.001), and Perceived Stress Questionnaire (P = 0.01) by paired t tests. No significant changes occurred in the educational seminar group at week 6 or 26. By week 26, median C-reactive protein values decreased significantly in the BBMW group (P = 0.01 by Wilcoxon signed-rank test) versus no significant change in the educational seminar group.ConclusionsIn patients with IBD, participation in the BBMW was associated with significant improvements in psychological and physical symptoms, quality of life, and C-reactive protein. Mind–body interventions, such as BBMW, which emphasize Voluntarily Regulated Breathing Practices, may have significant long-lasting benefits for IBD symptoms, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and inflammation. BBMW, a promising adjunctive treatment for IBD, warrants further study.

Background Limited evidence suggests that exercise may have beneficial, anti-inflammatory effects in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aims The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of exercise in patients with IBD and the limitations they experience secondary to their disease. Methods Two hundred and fifty IBD patients were prospectively enrolled in this study at an academic medical center at the time of their outpatient visits between March and October 2013. Subjects were asked to complete a one-time survey that asks questions about medical and surgical history, exercise frequency and intensity, and the limitations and barriers they experience. Results Two hundred and twenty-seven patients (148 female patients) completed the survey. Crohn’s disease was present in 140 patients (61.5 %), while 87 had ulcerative colitis. Forty-one patients (16.4 %) never exercised, 82 patients (32.8 %) exercised 1–2 times per week, 59 (23.6 %) exercised 3–4 times per week, and 45 (18.0 %) exercised more than four times per week. Of the 186 who regularly exercise, 95 (51 %) reported moderate exercise intensity, 61 (33 %) reported light intensity, and 30 (16 %) reported vigorous intensity. Ninety-nine patients (44 %) reported that their IBD limited their exercise for reasons including fatigue ( n  = 81), joint pain ( n  = 37), embarrassment ( n  = 23), weakness ( n  = 21), and others. Conclusions Although they may benefit from exercise, IBD patients experience considerable barriers to regular exercise secondary to the relapsing and remitting nature of IBD. Larger studies are needed to determine the effects of exercise on disease symptomatology and activity.

The Protestant and Catholic Reformations thrust the nature of conversion into the center of debate and politicking over religion as authorities and subjects imbued religious confession with novel meanings during the early modern era. The volume offers insights into the historicity of the very concept of \"conversion.\" One widely accepted modern notion of the phenomenon simply expresses denominational change. Yet this concept had no bearing at the outset of the Reformation. Instead, a variety of processes, such as the consolidation of territories along confessional lines, attempts to ensure civic concord, and diplomatic quarrels helped to usher in new ideas about the nature of religious boundaries and, therefore, conversion. However conceptualized, religious change- conversion-had deep social and political implications for early modern German states and societies.