Inner Health

Abstract In light of the escalating global polycrisis—a convergence of environmental, social, and mental health crises—this paper explores the potential of mindfulness-based approaches for fostering human and planetary wellbeing and sustainability. We specifically investigate the linkages between Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and sustainability, and how they can be strengthened to support transformative education. Drawing on interviews with key informants and in-depth case studies of innovative courses, we assess historical connections and current developments, as well as the needs, gaps, and opportunities for adapting existing approaches to sustainability contexts. What is the curriculum of the present moment, in a situation where the whole world has become the hospital? Based on our findings, we identify possibilities and principles for modifying, expanding, upscaling, and transforming mindfulness-based practices, interventions, and curricula—offering pathways that other training institutions can draw on. We synthesize our results into a “taxonomy of mindfulness-sustainability integration,” outlining key features and ethical considerations at different levels. Finally, we caution against protocolizing mindfulness and instead emphasize its non-instrumental dimensions—embodiment, emergence, and relationality—for finding a path of hope, joyful engagement, and meaningful transformation towards sustainability that is grounded in the inextricable connection between our inner lives and the living planet.

Abstract The rise of offshore marginal field development and low-cost CAPEX has given an impetus to O&G operators to challenge the common structural platform design especially for wellhead platform type. Demand to reduce the platform weight has been observed for the past 20 years. Typically, the challenge to meet this demand will be tremendous once the water depth exceed 50m. This paper will elaborate on how using an engineered design approach was implemented to obtain fast track onshore fabrication and offshore installation and meet the operator demand for minimal structural concept.

To update the 1997 OMERACT-OARSI (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International) core domain set for clinical trials in hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA). An initial review of the COMET database of core outcome sets (COS) was undertaken to identify all domains reported in previous COS including individuals with hip and/or knee OA. These were presented during 5 patient and health professionals/researcher meetings in 3 continents (Europe, Australasia, North America). A 3-round international Delphi survey was then undertaken among patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry representatives to gain consensus on key domains to be included in a core domain set for hip and/or knee OA. Findings were presented and discussed in small groups at OMERACT 2018, where consensus was obtained in the final plenary. Four previous COS were identified. Using these, and the patient and health professionals/researcher meetings, 50 potential domains formed the Delphi survey. There were 426 individuals from 25 different countries who contributed to the Delphi exercise. OMERACT 2018 delegates (n = 129) voted on candidate domains. Six domains gained agreement as mandatory to be measured and reported in all hip and/or knee OA clinical trials: pain, physical function, quality of life, and patient's global assessment of the target joint, in addition to the mandated core domain of adverse events including mortality. Joint structure was agreed as mandatory in specific circumstances, i.e., depending on the intervention. The updated core domain set for hip and/or knee OA has been agreed upon. Work will commence to determine which outcome measurement instrument should be recommended to cover each core domain.

Dynamic surface roughness prediction during metal cutting operations plays an important role to enhance the productivity in manufacturing industries. Various machining parameters such as unwanted noises affect the surface roughness, whatever their effects have not been adequately quantified. In this study, a general dynamic surface roughness monitoring system in milling operations was developed. Based on the experimentally acquired data, the milling process of Al 7075 and St 52 parts was simulated. Cutting parameters (i.e., cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut), material type, coolant fluid, X and Z components of milling machine vibrations, and white noise were used as inputs. The original objective in the development of a dynamic monitoring system is to simulate wide ranges of machining conditions such as rough and finishing of several materials with and without cutting fluid. To achieve high accuracy of the resultant data, the full factorial design of experiment was used. To verify the accuracy of the proposed model, testing and recall/verification procedures have been carried out and results showed that the accuracy of 99.8 and 99.7 % were obtained for testing and recall processes.

This pilot study evaluated a home-based cognitive-behavioral intervention—the Sleep Enhancement Training System for Shift Workers (SETS-SW)—in a sample of 21 nurses working night shifts. Participants (20 women and 1 man) received 2 home-based cognitive-behavioral interventions: a 4-week active control intervention, followed by the 4-week SETS-SW intervention. Sleep and circadian rhythms were assessed at baseline and after each intervention using questionnaires and 1 week of wrist actigraphy. After the SETS-SW intervention, participants reported better sleep quality, although no change in actigraphy outcomes was observed. Over the course of the study, participants also reported improved wellbeing and less appetite disturbance. A home-based cognitive-behavioral intervention may be useful for managing effects of shift work, but needs further evaluation in larger samples.

BeppoSAX observations of the high redshift (z=4.72) blazar GB 1428+4217 confirm the presence of a complex soft X-ray spectrum first seen with the ROSAT PSPC. Flattening below a rest frame energy of 5 keV can be accounted for by absorption from an equivalent column density of (cold) gas with N_H ~ 8 x 10^22 cm^-2. Below 2 keV a (variable) excess of a factor ~ 20 above the extrapolated absorbed spectrum is also detected. These findings are consistent with and extend to higher redshifts the correlation between increasing soft X-ray flattening and increasing z, previously pointed out for large samples of radio-loud quasars. We propose that such features, including X-ray absorption, soft excess emission as well as absorption in the optical spectra, can be satisfactorily accounted for by the presence of a highly-ionized nuclear absorber with column N_H ~ 10^23 cm^-2, with properties possibly related to the conditions in the nuclear regions of the host galaxy. High energy X-ray emission consistent with the extrapolation of the medium energy spectrum is detected up to ~ 300 keV (rest frame).

Review of new models in Healthcare. Bridging the gap between the world of academia and the world of healthcare management and policy. Authors explore the potential of new ideas. Edited by Audrey Laporte, MA, PhD, Director, Institute for Health Policy Measurement and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON and Arjumand Siddiqi, MPH, ScD, Professor, Division Head of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Canada Research Chair in, Population Health Equity, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON