What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft.

There has been an explosion of interest in mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. This is demonstrated in increased research, implementation of MBPs in healthcare, educational, criminal justice and workplace settings, and in mainstream interest. For the sustainable development of the field there is a need to articulate a definition of what an MBP is and what it is not. This paper provides a framework to define the essential characteristics of the family of MBPs originating from the parent program MBSR, and the processes which inform adaptations of MBPs for different populations or contexts. The framework addresses the essential characteristics of the program and of teacher. MBPs: are informed by theories and practices that draw from a confluence of contemplative traditions, science, and the major disciplines of medicine, psychology and education; underpinned by a model of human experience which addresses the causes of human distress and the pathways to relieving it; develop a new relationship with experience characterized by present moment focus, decentering and an approach orientation; catalyze the development of qualities such as joy, compassion, wisdom, equanimity and greater attentional, emotional and behavioral self-regulation, and engage participants in a sustained intensive training in mindfulness meditation practice, in an experiential inquiry-based learning process and in exercises to develop understanding. The paper's aim is to support clarity, which will in turn support the systematic development of MBP research, and the integrity of the field during the process of implementation in the mainstream.

Implementing the Mindfulness-Based Interventions; Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) in Mindfulness-Based Teacher Training.

The Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) was originally developed as a tool to assess the teaching competence of mindfulness-based program (MBP) teachers. The tool was made freely available and has since been used by mindfulness-based teacher training organisations internationally. During this time the MBI:TAC has evolved in its usage, from an assessment tool to one which informally supports how MBP teachers are trained. In this article, we first examine the rationale for implementing the MBI:TAC in MBP teacher training; second, we offer practical guidance on ways of integrating the tool into teacher training pathways with awareness of its potential and possible pitfalls; and third, we offer guidance on using the tool as a framework for giving effective feedback to trainees on their teaching practice. Implementing the MBI:TAC in teacher training may support the quality and integrity of MBP teacher training, and thus ensure high quality MBP teachers graduating. In turn this may help avoid the 'implementation cliff' - that is, the quality of an intervention delivery is delivered in optimal conditions when it is being researched, and drops in quality when delivered in sub-optimal, 'real world' conditions.

Fate and behaviour of copper and zinc in secondary biological wastewater treatment processes: I. Evaluation of biomass adsorption capacity.

The current sources of copper and zinc in municipal wastewaters have been considered, and the changes in the concentrations and quantities of these two elements entering sewage treatment works over the last three decades have been calculated. The concentrations and quantities of the heavy metals cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead and zinc, entering UK sewage treatment works, have been reduced by between 50% and 90% during this period. However, the reductions in copper and zinc appear to be at the lower end of these ranges and thus remain a cause for concern, particularly their concentrations in sewage effluents and their potential environmental impacts on receiving waters. Bench studies have been undertaken to predict removals by three types of biological wastewater treatment plants: trickling filters, conventional activated sludge and membrane bioreactors, to determine if any of these processes are more efficacious for the removal of these metals. These results suggest that, despite membrane bioreactor biomass achieving the lowest effluent suspended solids concentration and having the lowest effluent chemical oxygen demand, which is accepted as a surrogate measure of organic chemical chelating ability of the aqueous phase, they produce the highest effluent values for the two metals in this study (copper and zinc). Removals of zinc and copper in biological wastewater treatment processes are probably primarily determined by those factors influencing metal solubility in the biomass matrix.

Fate and behaviour of copper and zinc in secondary biological wastewater treatment processes: II. Removal at varying sludge age.

The mechanisms for the removal of heavy metals during secondary biological treatment of wastewater, with particular emphasis on the activated sludge process, are considered. It is concluded that the predominant mechanism is the entrapment and co-settlement of insoluble metal species in the mixed liquor (biomass). Secondary extracellular polymeric materials, particularly extracellular polysaccharides and other capsule-forming materials, may also play a role. In general, removal of both copper and zinc was superior at the higher sludge ages employed in this study, 4.3 and 8 days, and can in part be attributed to the superior removals of both biochemical oxygen demand and effluent suspended solids achieved at these sludge ages compared with the lowest sludge age studied, 3.6 days. For both copper and zinc there is an increase in soluble metal across the activated sludge process. However, significant removal of both metals occurs as a consequence of the removal of substantial amounts of insoluble metal. The presence of returned sludge liquors, high in settleable solids, to the mixed liquor appears to moderately enhance the percentage removal of copper and zinc. Membranes used in place of secondary sedimentation also enhance removal of both metals by reducing effluent suspended solids. It is concluded that there is potential for maximizing metal removal by optimization of secondary biological treatment in a sustainable manner, without recourse to energy-intensive or chemically-dependent tertiary treatment technologies.

An automated screening technique for the detection of sickle-cell haemoglobin.

An automated technique is described which is capable of detecting sickle-cell haemoglobin and differentiating the sickle-cell trait from sickle-cell anaemia. The method is based upon the Itano solubility test and utilizes Technicon equipment.

Automated technique for the estimation of fetal haemoglobin.

An automated alkali denaturation technique which measures fetal haemoglobin is described. This method offers greater speed and a lower standard deviation than comparable manual methods.

The effect of foregrounding on readers' use of predictive inferences.

This research extends previous attempts to determine whether subjects make predictive inferences during comprehension. For example, when subjects read a passage about someone falling out of a 14th-story window, do they infer that the person is dead? Previous research in which lexical decision, word naming, and recognition tasks have been used for detecting predictive inferences has had mixed results. In experiment 1, a word-stem completion task was used to test for predictive inferences. The word stems were formed from target inferences that followed either priming or control passages. The data revealed that predictive inferences are generated only about concepts that are foregrounded in the passages. In Experiments 2 and 3, lexical decision and naming were used to test for predictive inferences. The lexical decision data replicated the word-stem completion data. A control experiment ruled out a simple context-checking explanation for the lexical decision results. The naming data indicated that this tasks was not sensitive to elaborative inference generation. The results show that readers make predictive inferences, but do so selectively.

Geography of intestinal permeability and absorption.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal morphology and function vary geographically. AIMS: These functions were assessed in asymptomatic volunteers in European, North American, Middle Eastern, Asian, African, and Caribbean countries. METHODS: Five hour urine collections were obtained from each subject following ingestion of a 100 ml iso-osmolar test solution containing 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, D-xylose, L-rhamnose, and lactulose after an overnight fast, to assess active (3-0-methyl-D-glucose) and passive (D-xylose) carrier mediated, and non-mediated (L-rhamnose) absorption capacity, as well as intestinal permeability (lactulose:rhamnose ratio). RESULTS: A comparison of results for subjects from tropical countries (n=218) with those resident in the combined temperate and subtropical region (Europe, United States, Qatar) (n=224) showed significant differences. Residents in tropical areas had a higher mean lactulose:rhamnose ratio and lower mean five hour recoveries of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, D-xylose, and L-rhamnose, indicating higher intestinal permeability and lower absorptive capacity. Investigation of visiting residents suggested that differences in intestinal permeability and absorptive capacity were related to the area of residence. Subjects from Texas and Qatar, although comprised of several ethnic groups and resident in a subtropical area, showed no significant difference from European subjects. CONCLUSIONS: There are clearly demarcated variations in intestinal permeability and absorptive capacity affecting asymptomatic residents of different geographical areas which correspond with the condition described as tropical enteropathy. Results suggest the importance of environmental factors. The parameters investigated may be relevant to the predisposition of the indigenous population and travellers to diarrhoeal illness and malnutrition. Intestinal function in patients from the tropics may be difficult to interpret, but should take into account the range of values found in the asymptomatic normal population.