Mindfulness and spirituality: Therapeutic perspectives

Social aspects that relate to beliefs and spirituality are subjects of the soul and mind, material to be studied out of the materialistic world. They transcend the body and nest in the experiences of the soul. Nonetheless, taught by mindfulness, a practice that stems from eastern spirituality the religious and/or the spiritual are experiences lived through the body. We conducted a pilot cross-sectional study to test the hypothesis that mindfulness correlates with spiritual beliefs. The results provide insight on the potential impact of mindfulness interventions in patients that value spirituality and metacognitive beliefs in the psychotherapeutic process. These preliminary findings provide a potential insight into the possible mechanisms underlying the application of mindfulness in psychotherapy

Robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion: practical review of current surgical techniques

In this practical review, we discuss current surgical techniques reported in the literature to perform Intracorporeal Urinary Diversion (ICUD) after Robotic Radical Cystectomy (RARC), emphasizing criticisms of single approaches and making comparisons with Extracorporeal Urinary Diversion (ECUD). Although almost 97% of all RARCs use an ECUD, ICUD is gaining in popularity, in view of its potential benefits (i.e., decreased bowel exposure, etc.), although there are a few studies comparing ICUD and ECUD. Analysing single experiences and the data from recent metanalyses, we emphasize the current critiques to ICUD, stressing particular technical details which could reduce operative time, lowering the postoperative complications rate, and improving functional outcomes. Only analysis of long-term follow-up data from large-scale homogeneous series can ascertain whether robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion is superior to other approaches

Spain's Budget Neglects Research

Letter.-- Carlos Fenollosa et al.Peer Reviewe

EMBRACING CHANGE: UNVEILING TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION “OPLAN BAKLAS” BARE CLASSROOM WALLS POLICY

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 10 purposively selected teachers in implementing the Department of Education’s “Oplan Baklas” Bare Classroom Walls Policy. Using a qualitative research design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method for phenomenological analysis. The findings revealed several challenges faced by teachers, including the absence of visual learning materials, reduced learner engagement, difficulty in introducing new concepts, restricted creativity, and a diminished sense of community within the classroom. Participants also expressed concerns about emotional and financial burdens, although some acknowledged that the policy helped reduce classroom decoration expenses. To overcome these challenges, teachers demonstrated resilience and adaptability by reassessing their teaching strategies, becoming more resourceful, and integrating computer-aided instruction. They creatively maximized their learning spaces, leading to improved learner attention and a more focused environment. Some teachers embraced the policy as an opportunity to rethink conventional classroom norms and practices. Ultimately, this study underscores the importance of teacher adaptability and innovation in navigating systemic educational reforms, highlighting that even in the face of limitations, educators can transform challenges into meaningful opportunities for growth, creativity, and professional development.  Article visualizations

BALANCING ACTS: EXPLORING THE DUAL ROLES OF MARRIED TEACHERS IN GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND DISADVANTAGED AREAS (GIDA)

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case research study was to unfold the multifaceted experiences, coping, and insights of educators during the full in-person education, focusing on their narratives and strategies to combat the challenges and opportunities brought about by this educational crisis during the pandemic. There were seven (7) teacher participants utilized in this study using the purposive sampling technique, and each of them underwent an in-depth interview using a semi-structured interview guide to gather data. The study presented a deep exploration of their perspectives and actions. The key findings emerged from the data: unity and collaboration in education, and supporting academically challenged learners through collaboration. The findings highlighted the importance of unity and collaboration within the educational community, the benefits of professional learning communities, interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and fostering a positive school culture. The educational findings also probed strategies employed by teachers to support academically challenged learners during the pandemic and stressed the importance of combined efforts with parents and learner-centric approaches. They recognized the vital role of parents in creating conducive learning environments and emphasized the need for differentiated teaching strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities. This study would contribute valuable insights into the evolving environment of education during a global crisis. The narratives and experiences shared by educators offer practical implications for enhancing educational practices and resilience in the face of future challenges in the field of education.  Article visualizations

Alteration in the subcellular location of the inhibitor of growth protein p33(ING1b) in estrogen receptor alpha positive breast carcinoma cells

ING1 has regulatory roles in the expression of genes associated with proliferation, apoptosis, and senescence. p33(ING1b) is the most widely expressed isoform of the gene. Downregulation of its nuclear expression is involved in differentiation and pathogenesis in invasive breast carcinoma. Yet the mechanism(s) by which p33 nuclear targeting is regulated remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed human invasive breast carcinoma tissue samples by immunostaining with p33 and correlating p33 location with the presence of ERα. Our findings show the expression of p33 protein in ERα-positive tumor samples was in the nucleus alone, while the expression was mainly in the cytoplasm in ERα-negative tumor samples. Examination of the localization of p33 in the nucleus and/or cytoplasm in several different cell lines demonstrated 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment causes dramatic compartmental shift in p33 protein from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in ERα-positive MDA-66 cells. No significant differences in ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 cells in the same conditions were observed. We show for the first time nuclear localization of p33 is regulated by estradiol induction in ERα-positive breast cancer cells. These results suggest compartmental shift in p33 by ER signaling may be an important molecular event in the differentiation and pathogenesis of invasive breast cancer. © TÜBİTAK

Effect of calcined clay reactivity on the risk of restrained shrinkage-induced early-age concrete cracking

A combination of limestone and calcined clay has emerged as a promising supplementary cementitious material due to its abundant availability to replace traditional supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash or ground-granulated blast-furnace slag in reducing concrete's carbon footprint. Although different properties have been considered, very limited attention was paid to the early-age cracking behavior of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) concretes. This study aims to investigate the influence of calcined clay reactivity on the early-age cracking potential of LC3 concretes using the restrained ring test. Mechanical properties, time to cracking, tensile creep coefficient, and total shrinkage were measured. Results showed that the reactivity of calcined clay significantly impacted total shrinkage, creep coefficients, and time to cracking. LC3 concretes exhibited higher tensile creep coefficients than pure ordinary Portland cement concrete, which can provide beneficial tensile stress relaxation delaying concrete cracking. An apparent calcined clay reactivity coefficient (Rapp) was proposed correlating well with the time to cracking of the restrained LC3 concrete rings, thus offering practical guidance for the selection of suitable calcined clays and mix designs for specific high-risk applications

Comparing Rawlsian Justice and the Capabilities Approach to Justice from a Spiritually Sensitive Social Work Perspective

‘This is an electronic version of an article published in the March, 2012 special issue of the Journal of Religion and Spirituality and Social Work entitled Spirituality and Social Justice volume 31, (1-2), pp. 9-31. It is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15426432.2012.647874This article examines two social justice theories, Rawlsian Justice and the Capabilities Approach of Sen and Nussbaum, in relation to congruence with four principles of spiritually sensitive social work. We find that although Rawlsian justice has valuable insights, it has some gaps for promoting spiritually sensitive practice. In contrast, the Capabilities Approach bears more promise for promoting spiritually sensitive social work as it meets all these ethical principles. Scholars could build on its insights to articulate a vision for spiritually sensitive social justice that can guide our profession’s approaches to macro practice and social polic

“Ghosts from the past”: The re-emergence of internalised religious stigma following diagnosis of HIV among Northern Irish gay men

This paper explores how previous exposure to religious homo-negativity features in the sense making process following HIV diagnosis in a homogenous sample of six gay men living in Northern Ireland. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to identify two key overarching themes: ‘Negotiating authenticity in unsafe space’ which relates to the experience of negotiating same sex attraction within religious environments and ‘Re-emergence of religious shame in diagnosis’ which relates to the way in which the men made sense of diagnosis from the position of having been exposed to religious homo-negativity earlier in their lives. Findings demonstrate how the men negotiated their sexual orientation within religious contexts and how a reconstruction of God was necessary to preserve an authentic sense of self. Despite reaching reconciliation, HIV was initially appraised within a retributive religious framework that served to temporarily reinforce previously learned shame-based models of understanding this aspect of the self

Clinical spectrum of early onset “Mediterranean” (homozygous p.P131L mutation) mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is an autosomal recessive mitochondrial disorder characterized by cumulative and progressive gastrointestinal and neurological findings. This retrospective observational study, aimed to explore the time of presentation, diagnosis and clinical follow-up of 13 patients with a confirmed MNGIE disease of Mediterranean origin. The mean age of symptom onset was 7 years (6 months−21 years) and the average diagnosis age was 15.4 years ±8.4. Four of 13 patients (30%) died before 30 years at the mean age of 19.7 years ±6.8. Cachexia and gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in all patients (100%). The mean body mass index standard deviation score at diagnosis was 4.8 ± 2.8. At least three subocclusive episodes were presented in patients who died in last year of their life. The main neurological symptom found in most patients was peripheral neuropathy (92%). Ten patients (77%) had leukoencephalopathy and the remaining three patients without were under 10 years of age. The new homozygous “Mediterranean” TYMP mutation, p.P131L (c.392 C > T) was associated with an early presentation and poor prognosis in nine patients (69%) from five separates families. Based on the observations from this Mediterranean MNGIE cohort, we propose that the unexplained abdominal pain combined with cachexia is an indicator of MNGIE. High-platelet counts and nerve conduction studies may be supportive laboratory findings and the frequent subocclusive episodes could be a negative prognostic factor for mortality. Finally, the homozygous p.P131L (c.392 C > T) mutation could be associated with rapid progressive disease with poor prognosis