Single Workshop Research Articles

Improving students’ generative AI literacy: A single workshop can improve confidence and understanding

Improving students’ generative AI literacy: A single workshop can improve confidence and understanding

Kilka uwag o szklanych naczyniach z grodu na Ostrowie Lednickim

This paper presents the results of an expert study of several glass vessels from an early medieval castle at Ostrów Lednicki. They come from the so-called second church, a single-nave small building erected in the 1060s and destroyed in 1038 or 1039. In its ruins, a collection of high-grade artefacts was discovered, furnishings of the same temple, as well as fragments of glass and fragmentary preserved glass vessels. The three specimens, examined in the laboratory, were made of potassium glass, of the calcium-potassium variety, of the CaO-K2O-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 type. Interpretation of the analytical results has led to a conclusion that all the vessels could come from a single workshop, attributed to Carolingian and Ottonian workshops in Imperial Germany. Another vessel, discovered in the eastern part of the stronghold and not associated with any of the sacred buildings, has an early date (6th to 9th century). It is believed to be a conical goblet of the Kempston type, made of sodium glass, of the mineral variety, of the Na2O-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 type, from one of the many Western European workshops.

Composition and affinities of glass from the Ma'agan Mikhael B shipwreck, Israel

AbstractMaterial recovered from the Ma'agan Mikhael B shipwreck, off the coast of northern Israel, includes a significant assemblage of glass, which appears to represent waste workshop material (cullet) collected for recycling. Twenty‐three samples were selected for analysis for major and minor elements using SEM‐EDS, to provide insight into the activities and dating of the ship. The glass corresponds to known primary glass types, comprising a high‐ and a low‐lime subgroup of Levantine 1 (Apollonia type), and Egypt 1b. The assemblage is likely to date to the early part of the eighth century CE and, in conjunction with the radiocarbon dating of the ship, gives a possible date range for the wreck of 710–740 C.E. All groups contain glass‐working waste, glass chunks, and vessel fragments, and the majority are likely to have been collected from one or more workshops. It is unclear whether this cargo represents the byproducts of several campaigns of a single workshop which used different consignments of raw glass, or material from different workshops, collected at different ports of call.

Exploring the Potential of Virtual Reality as Part of the Training of Students in the Self-Defense Elective Course

A new teaching method using virtual reality (VR) technology has been introduced into the self-defense training program for future medical professionals at the Medical University of Sofia. This experiment was conducted with students of an elective course in self-defense, using VR smartphone goggles and the online platform CoSpaces Edu for simulation. The research methodology included eleven questions about the potential and effectiveness of using VR in self-defense training. The results showed that most students were familiar with VR technology and thought it could be helpful. However, they reported that they had not yet attended a single workshop using VR technology, indicating limited use in higher education. The advantages of using VR in self-defense training include simulating real-world scenarios in a safe virtual environment, providing personalized training tailored to individual cases, and improving decision-making skills in critical situations. Disadvantages include a lack of specialized content, expensive equipment, and limited accessibility to training. Despite these challenges, many respondents believe that virtual training in a virtual environment is safer and more effective than traditional forms of training.

Effects of a short training workshop on the insertion/removal of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants by general practice residents and their supervisors in France

ObjectivesThe skill of general practitioners (GPs) in performing the insertion/removal of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants is one of the factors that determines patient's access to these contraceptive devices. In France, GP residents have few opportunities to perform these procedures during their internships. This study aimed to measure the effects of a single short training workshop on the number of residents and supervisors offering these procedures. Study designEach participant attended a unique 2-hour session. After a brief didactic review and video presentations, participants received hands-on training in technical procedures (insertion/removal of IUDs and contraceptive implants) using procedural simulators. The evaluation measured the number of GPs offering these procedures before, 1 month after, and 3 months after the workshops. ResultsFourteen sessions were organized from February 2017 to June 2022. Among the 387 residents and 123 supervisors invited, 143 (37.0%) and 56 (45.5%), respectively, participated in this workshop. Of 199 participants, 66.3% completed all questionnaires. There was a significant increase in the number of GPs inserting IUDs by direct method 3 months after training (20.5% vs 9.0%, p = 0.005). GPs providing information to patients about contraceptive implants were significantly higher at 1 month (80.6% vs 64.8%, p = 0.001) but this increase was no longer significant at 3 months (75.0%, p = 0.07). Residents changed their practices more than their supervisors, and women more than men. ConclusionsA short training workshop increased the number of GPs inserting IUDs, influenced by the gender and the number of years practicing. ImplicationsA single workshop had positive effects on IUD insertion and patient education about contraceptive implants. Repeating several times this training could be an option in the initial and ongoing training of general practitioners. Work on the general practitioners' own feeling of legitimacy in their practice context could also increase the effectiveness of these workshops and the practical implementation of the procedures taught.

Education modalities for serious illness communication training: A scoping review on the impact on clinician behavior and patient outcomes.

e24003 Background: Several clinician training interventions that address serious illness communication have been developed over the past decade. While numerous studies report the impact on clinician attitude, confidence and intention to change practice, less is reported on individual education modalities and their impact on actual behavior change and patient outcomes. This study's aim was to examine what is known about the education modalities used in serious illness communication training and their impact on clinician behaviors and patient outcomes. Methods: A scoping review using the Joanna Briggs Methods Manual for Scoping Reviews was conducted of studies that specifically measured clinician behaviors or patient outcomes. Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for English-language studies published between January 2011, and November 2021. Results: The search identified 1132 articles: 60 met inclusion criteria describing 49 unique interventions. Common education modalities used were a single workshop (n = 18), multiple workshops (n = 8), single workshop with coaching (n = 7), multiple workshops with coaching (n = 5); though they were inconsistently structured. Studies reporting improved clinician skills tended to be in simulation settings with neither clinical practice nor patient outcomes explored. While studies reporting behavior changes or improved patient outcomes did not confirm improvements in skills. As multiple modalities were commonly used and often embedded within larger quality improvement initiatives, the impact of individual modalities could not be determined. Conclusions: To advance the evidence of the benefits of serious illness communication training, well-defined education modalities and consistent outcome measures for behavior change and patient outcomes are needed.

The Artaxiad capital of ceramic: Exploring the changing local pottery production and exchange at Artaxata (Armenia) from the 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE

This paper offers an insight into the characteristics of local pottery production and exchange at Artaxata, modern Armenia, from the 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE, drawing from stratigraphic, typological and technological evidence. The pottery assemblage under study derives from the Armenian-German Artaxata Project, a collaboration between the Armenian Academy of Sciences and University of Münster since 2018. The excavation of various structures of Hill XIII and its adjacent plain, with a particular focus on Complexes A and B, reveals a change in the ceramic repertoire. A large proportion of fine ware, notably red-slipped ware of the Eastern Sigillata A (ESA) style and other tableware types, was recovered in the early phase (2nd to 1st century BCE). While these fine ware types continue to be found in the later phase (1st century BCE to 1st century CE), a greater quantity of coarse ware of utilitarian purpose such as storage jars and cooking vessels also appears. A few turquoise glazed vessels that are similar to the Parthian or Mesopotamian style were also recovered, but it is challenging to establish their date as they were mostly found in the topsoil. Such patterning can be explained by the shift in the function of Complexes A and B from serving as public buildings, possibly a sanctuary, during the early phase to domestic houses in the later phase.Despite these changes in the ceramic consumption patterns, this diverse range of ware types was mostly produced locally at Artaxata, based on the results of our technological study of 53 samples using thin-section petrography and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). Although they were made locally, different types of fine, coarse and turquoise glazed ware were made in different workshops, each workshop having their own recipes and technologies. In particular, the ESA-styled red-slipped ware was exclusively made in a single workshop over an extended period of time, suggesting a high level of specialisation existed in local pottery production. Such characterisation reflects the status of Artaxata as the capital of the Artaxiad Kingdom, highlighting its ability to control of the production of certain products, especially the ones that are considered to be of high quality and cosmopolitan.

Epilepsy Smart Schools: Educational intervention improves knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding epilepsy among school teachers

IntroductionDiscrimination and stigma associated with epilepsy in schools impact the academic and mental aptitude of children with epilepsy. Teachers pre-sensitized to seizures exhibit a positive attitude along with better knowledge about epilepsy. The aim was to assess the impact of an interactive one-day educational workshop regarding epilepsy on the prevalent knowledge, attitude, and practices toward epilepsy among school teachers. MethodsConducted in December 2021 in a tertiary care teaching hospital of rural background in Northern India, this cross-sectional study included school teachers from government schools of Faridkot district of Punjab. The intervention consisted of a one-day interactive workshop on epilepsy and school health consisting of 100 minutes of lectures (4 lectures each of 25 minutes), 60 minutes of role plays, and 20 minutes of active discussion with participants (5 minutes after each session). The lectures were prepared using World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap (WHO’s mhGAP) guidelines and elucidated knowledge regarding epilepsy and skills to provide first aid to seizures. School teachers were assessed on a pre and post-test structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge of, attitude, and practices regarding epilepsy before and immediately after the intervention. ResultsTwo hundred and thirty teachers participated and the majority were from government primary schools, mean age was 43 ± 7 years and females (n = 121,53%) outnumbered males. Commonly reported sources of information regarding epilepsy by school teachers were family and friends (n = 91,40%) followed by social (n = 82, 36%) and public media (n = 81,35%), and the least common were doctors (n = 56,24%) and healthcare workers (n = 29, 13%). Fifty-six percent (n = 129) had witnessed seizures in either a stranger(n = 84,37%), family, or friend (n = 31,13%) and student of their class(n = 14,6%). Post-educational intervention, significant improvement was seen in the knowledge of and attitude regarding epilepsy including recognizing subtle features of epilepsy like blank stare (pre/post = 5/34) and transient change in behavior (pre/post = 16/32), non-contagiousness of epilepsy (pre/post = 158/187)and belief that children with epilepsy have normal intelligence (pre/post = 161/191) and a significant decrease in a number of teachers who thought that they need more time and attention in class (pre/post = 181/131). Post-educational sessions, significantly more number of teachers would allow children with epilepsy in their classroom (pre/post = 203/227), follow correct ways to provide first aid for seizures, and would allow their participation in all extracurricular activities even in high-risk outdoor games like swimming (pre/post = 4/36) and deep sea diving (pre/post = 7/18). ConclusionThe educational intervention had a positive impact on the knowledge, practices, and attitude regarding epilepsy but had a few, unexpected reverse effects as well. A single workshop may not be aptly adequate to provide accurate information regarding epilepsy. Sustained efforts in this direction are needed at the national and global level to develop the concept of “Epilepsy Smart Schools”.

Demand prediction and optimization of workshop manufacturing resources allocation: A new method and a case study

At present, great changes are taken place in the internal production management and resource allocation model of manufacturers. Under the premise of rational resource allocation, the completion period of products largely depends on the timeliness of resource allocation. The related studies mostly tackle the allocation of a single type of production resources in a single workshop, without considering much about the mutual influence between workshops. Through in-depth research on workshop manufacturing practices, this paper chooses to explore the planning, allocation, and demand prediction of manufacturing resources, which has long been a difficulty in workshop production. The research has great scientific research significance and practical value. The authors designed an algorithm based on the difference of the mean stagnation time of different production processes in the execution process, and used the algorithm to predict the number of production resources required in each period, before formulating the optimal configuration plan. This method is highly reasonable and applicable. After presenting a prediction method for the allocation demand of workshop manufacturing resources, the authors discussed whether the manufacturing resource allocation between different workshops is balanced in a fixed period. Then, a new idea was proposed for collaborative production between machines of different workshops in a specific environment, and an optimization algorithm was put forward to optimize the manufacturing resource allocation to machines facing the operation execution process. Through experiments, the authors compared the utilization rate of material, technological or human production resources in each period, and thereby verified the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Concurrent local search for process planning and scheduling in the industrial Internet-of-Things environment

Process planning and scheduling is one of the key factors to influence manufacturing quality and efficiency. The Industrial Internet-of-Things is built up to enable intelligent sharing of distributed manufacturing equipment, and more processes and resources are available for a production order. Thus, compared to the traditional single workshop manufacturing environment, process planning and scheduling is extended to a more complex problem of finding reasonable quoted suppliers, selecting suitable processes they offered, sequencing the operations of each process, and assigning resources for these operations to minimize production cost and time. This paper re-models process planning and scheduling in the Industrial Internet-of-Things environment to minimize the overall production time, rental cost, and transportation cost of an order that includes several interconnected jobs. A concurrent local search method is proposed to address this problem. It includes two types of local search operators performing concurrently with an evolutionary operator. An adjustment strategy is also proposed to leverage the concurrent operators toward diverse Pareto-front. A case study on the production of three different parts of an automobile engine demonstrates that the proposed method is able to find high-quality solutions in such a distributed manufacturing environment than four typical multi-objective evolutionary algorithms to save 1.3% to 5.0% of production time, 5.6% to 11.8% rental cost, and 3.2% to 8.2% transportation cost in average.

A Pilot Implementation-Effectiveness Trial of a Single-Session Telehealth Workshop and Smartphone-Based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Managing Emotions Among College Students

The number of college students who need mental health treatment outpaces the resources available to counseling centers to provide these needed services, presenting a need for low-cost, scalable interventions for college populations. We conducted a pilot implementation-effectiveness trial of a scalable treatment package that consisted of a single (telehealth) workshop plus a companion app that provided ecological momentary intervention. Participants (n = 177) received a workshop provided by counseling center staff and trainees. We were interested in (1) engagement with the app, (2) acceptability of the treatment package, and (3) initial effectiveness of the treatment package. Regarding engagement with the app, we found that participants preferred two reminder prompts per day and identified two key breakpoints when engagement declined significantly: at day 15, when just over half of the sample practiced a skill on the app at least once during the day and at day 41, when just over one third of people practiced a skill on the app each day. Regarding acceptability of the treatment package, students generally reported positive attitudes about the single-session workshop and app, but also noted that the content and assessments in the app needed to be more dynamic to improve how engaging it is. Regarding effectiveness, we found that about 75% of the sample experienced a significant reduction in negative affect from pre- to post-ecological momentary intervention. Moreover, there were significant pre- to post-study decreases in experiential avoidance and symptoms of anxiety and depression and increases in self-efficacy for managing negative emotions. The results of this study are promising in terms of providing initial support for this novel treatment package and provide useful information for researchers planning to develop and test similar interventions.

An App-Based Loving-Kindness Training to Facilitate Compassion, Team Cohesion, and Fairness

Abstract. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design, in which the experimental group ( n = 13) practiced a loving-kindness meditation (LKM) via a single in-person workshop and via an app, whereas the active control group ( n = 20) practiced progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Both interventions lasted 1 week and were executed in the respective soccer academy. The groups completed a pre- and posttest measuring compassion, fairness, and team cohesion. In contrast to our hypothesis, we did not find an interaction effect. LKM athletes did not demonstrate greater cohesion, fairness, and compassion after the intervention than the PMR athletes. By comparing user engagement and user rating between LKM and PMR, we conclude that LKM is as accepted as PMR by the study cohort. We suggest implementing future LKM interventions with substantial interaction parts and considering specific person-by-context interactions.

Transitioning Responsibly Toward a Circular Bioeconomy: Using Stakeholder Workshops to Reveal Market Dependencies

This article reflects on the contribution that stakeholder involvement could give to circular bioeconomy transformation (CBE). By comparing argument for stakeholder involvement in literature as well as on our own experiences in six stakeholder involvement workshops, we argue that it is probably unrealistic to fully achieve both normative and co-design goals in a single workshop. Furthermore, stakeholder involvement can help to acquire insight into dependencies in the market and offer an opportunity to connect people to deal with them. Therefore we propose for future stakeholder involvement initiatives for CBE to focus on (1) identify relationships of dependency which make it hard for players in the market to change, (2) develop strategies to change while mitigating the detrimental effects on already existing relationships and (3) gradually breaking down relationships and building new ones that support CBE.

A comparative assessment of two tools designed to support patient safety culture in UK general practice

BackgroundThe NHS has recognised the importance of a high quality patient safety culture in the delivery of primary health care in the rapidly evolving environment of general practice. Two tools, PC-SafeQuest and MapSaf, were developed with the intention of assessing and improving patient safety culture in this setting. Both have been made widely available through their inclusion in the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Patient Safety Toolkit and our work offerss a timely exploration of the tools to inform practice staff as to how each might be usefully applied and in which circumstances. Here we present a comparative analysis of their content, and describe the perspectives of staff on their design, outputs and the feasibility of their sustained use.MethodsWe have used a content analysis to provide the context for the qualitative study of staff experiences of using the tools at a representative range of practices recruited from across the Midlands (UK). Data was collected through moderated focus groups using an identical topic guide.ResultsA total of nine practices used the PC-SafeQuest tool and four the MapSaf tool. A total of 159 staff completed the PC-SafeQuest tool 52 of whom took part in the subsequent focus group discussions, and 25 staff completed the MapSaf tool all of whom contributed to the focus group discussions. PC-SafeQuest was perceived as quick and easy to use with direct questions pertinent to the work of GP practices providing useful quantitative insight into important areas of safety culture. Though MaPSaF was more logistically challenging, it created a forum for synchronous cross- practice discussions raising awareness of perceptions of safety culture across the practice team.ConclusionsBoth tools were able to promote reflective and reflexive practice either in individual staff members or across the broader practice team and the oversight they granted provided useful direction for senior staff looking to improve patient safety. Because PC SafeQuest can be easily disseminated and independently completed it is logistically suited to larger practice organisations, whereas the MapSaf tool lends itself to smaller practices where assembling staff in a single workshop is more readily achieved.

Technology-mediated professional development for early intervention service providers: connecting adult learning with caregiver support

ABSTRACT High quality, easily accessible professional development is needed to ensure that service providers are well-qualified to facilitate early intervention (EI) that targets caregiver learning during visits with children and families. This research evaluated a multi-component, technology-mediated inservice training course entitled, Using Adult Learning Strategies to Support Caregivers during Early Intervention Visits. This 6-week course included ongoing, embedded support and was provided for nine EI service providers. A mixed methods intervention evaluation was conducted using a within-subjects pre-post-test design to determine the effects of participation on: 1) service providers’ use of four EI adult learning strategies (e.g., reflective conversation, caregiver practice with feedback, collaborative problem-solving, and joint planning); 2) providers’ changes in knowledge about adult learning and how to apply learned strategies; and 3) providers’ perceptions of course effectiveness. Analysis of pre-post videos revealed increases in the use of caregiver practice with feedback and collaborative problem-solving strategies with participation in the course. Participants showed a statistically significant gain in knowledge, with very large effects, especially related to applying adult learning to EI service delivery. All participants rated the overall training as ‘excellent’ and strongly agreed the format was more effective than a single workshop.

Understanding Technology Preferences and Requirements for Health Information Technologies Designed to Improve and Maintain the Mental Health and Well-Being of Older Adults: Participatory Design Study.

BackgroundWorldwide, the population is aging rapidly; therefore, there is a growing interest in strategies to support and maintain health and well-being in later life. Although familiarity with technology and digital literacy are increasing among this group, some older adults still lack confidence in their ability to use web-based technologies. In addition, age-related changes in cognition, vision, hearing, and perception may be barriers to adoption and highlight the need for digital tools developed specifically to meet the unique needs of older adults.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to understand the use of technology by older adults in general and identify the potential barriers to and facilitators of the adoption of health information technologies (HITs) to support the health and well-being of older adults to facilitate implementation and promote user uptake. In addition, this study aims to co-design and configure the InnoWell Platform, a digital tool designed to facilitate better outcomes for people seeking mental health services, to meet the needs of adults 50 years and older and their supportive others (eg, family members, caregivers) to ensure the accessibility, engagement, and appropriateness of the technology.MethodsParticipants were adults 50 years and older and those who self-identified as a supportive other (eg, family member, caregiver). Participants were invited to participate in a 3-hour participatory design workshop using a variety of methods, including prompted discussion, creation of descriptive artifacts, and group-based development of user journeys.ResultsFour participatory design workshops were conducted, including a total of 21 participants, each attending a single workshop. Technology use was prevalent, with a preference indicated for smartphones and computers. Factors facilitating the adoption of HITs included personalization of content and functionality to meet and be responsive to a consumer’s needs, access to up-to-date information from reputable sources, and integration with standard care practices to support the relationship with health professionals. Concerns regarding data privacy and security were the primary barriers to the use of technology to support mental health and well-being.ConclusionsAlthough HITs have the potential to improve access to cost-effective and low-intensity interventions at scale for improving and maintaining mental health and well-being, several strategies may improve the uptake and efficacy of technologies by the older adult community, including the use of co-design methodologies to ensure usability, acceptability, and appropriateness of the technology; support in using and understanding the clinical applications of the technology by a digital navigator; and ready availability of education and training materials.

Provenance and production technology of late medieval \u2018Beszterceb\xe1nya/Bansk\xe1 Bystrica\u2013type\u2019 high-quality stove tiles

A unique collection of high-quality late medieval (fifteenth–sixteenth century) glazed and unglazed stove tiles from the northern part of the Carpathian Basin is of great interest to archaeologists and art historians. It is yet to be determined if these products, which are characterised by similar features, were produced in a single workshop, perhaps in Besztercebánya/Banská Bystrica (in present-day Slovakia), or in several workshops throughout the region. The first systematic multi-analytical investigation was carried out on the ceramic body and glaze of one hundred and seventeen tile fragments from six sites (Besztercebánya/Banská Bystrica, Fülek/Fiľakovo, and Csábrág/Čabraď in Slovakia; Salgó, Eger, and Szécsény in Hungary) using polarising microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, and Raman microspectroscopy analyses to determine the raw materials and production techniques used. Based on the petrographic characteristics, phase and chemical composition of the ceramic body, and the chemical composition and colourants of the glazes, the stove tiles can be classified into three primary groups. Tiles from different sites are different to each other, only the tiles from the Hungarian sites and from Fülek/Fiľakovo are similar. Thus, it is probable that the tiles were produced in several (at least three) workshops in the region from where they were then dispersed. The technological knowledge of the master(s) producing the polychrome Csábrág/Čabraď tiles with tin-opacified glazes was higher than that of the master(s) producing the other tiles. However, the exact location of the workshops as well as their existence through time is still in unknown.

<p>Receiving Real-Time Clinical Feedback: A Workshop and OSTE Assessment for Medical Students</p>

BackgroundMany programs designed to improve feedback to students focus on faculty’s ability to provide a safe learning environment, and specific, actionable suggestions for improvement. Little attention has been paid to improving students’ attitudes and skills in accepting and responding to feedback effectively. Effective “real-time” feedback in the clinical setting is dependent on both the skill of the teacher and the learner’s ability to receive the feedback. Medical students entering their clinical clerkships are not formally trained in receiving feedback, despite the significant amount of feedback received during this time.MethodsWe developed and implemented a one-hour workshop to teach medical students strategies for effectively receiving and responding to “real-time” (formative) feedback in the clinical environment. Subjective confidence and skill in receiving real-time feedback were assessed in pre- and post-workshop surveys. Objective performance of receiving feedback was evaluated before and after the workshop using a simulated feedback encounter designed to re-create common clinical and cognitive pitfalls for medical students, called an objective structured teaching exercise (OSTE).ResultsAfter a single workshop, students self-reported increased confidence (mean 6.0 to 7.4 out of 10, P<0.01) and skill (mean 6.0 to 7.0 out of 10, P=0.10). Compared to pre-workshop OSTE scores, post-workshop OSTE scores objectively measuring skill in receiving feedback were also significantly higher (mean 28.8 to 34.5 out of 40, P=0.0131).ConclusionA one-hour workshop dedicated to strategies in receiving real-time feedback may improve effective feedback reception as well as self-perceived skill and confidence in receiving feedback. Providing strategies to trainees to improve their ability to effectively receive feedback may be a high-yield approach to both strengthen the power of feedback in the clinical environment and enrich the clinical experience of the medical student.

Production and provenance of architectural glass from the Umayyad period.

A large assemblage (n = 307) of architectural glasses (tesserae and windows) from the early 8th-century Umayyad residential site at Khirbat al-Minya was analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Trace element patterns are essential to establish the provenance of the base glass, while the comparative evaluation of the colouring and opacifying additives allow us to advance a production model for the manufacture of glass mosaic tesserae during the early Islamic period. The primary glass types are Levantine I and Egypt 1a, as well as a few older, reused tesserae, and Mesopotamian plant ash glass used for amber-coloured window fragments. Chemical data revealed fundamental differences in the colouring and opacification technologies between the Egyptian and Levantine tesserae. Co-variations of lead and bismuth, and copper, tin and zinc in the Egypt 1a tesserae provide first evidence for the production of different mosaic colours in a single workshop, specialising in the manufacture of tesserae of different colours. No such trend is apparent in the Levantine samples. Red, cobalt blue and gold leaf tesserae were found to be exclusively made from a Levantine base glass, indicating that the generation of some colours may have been a specialised process. The same may apply to the amber-coloured window glass fragments of Mesopotamian origin that exhibit very unusual characteristics, combining elevated copper (2% CuO) with an excess in iron oxide (5% Fe2O3). These findings have significant implications for the production model of strongly coloured glass and the exploitation of resources during the early Islamic period.

Comprehensive Lifestyle-Modification in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis–A Randomized Controlled Trial

Patients with ulcerative colitis suffer from impaired health-related quality of life (HrQoL). Comprehensive lifestyle-modification might increase HrQoL and decrease disease activity. Ninety-seven patients in clinical remission with impaired HrQoL were randomly assigned to a 10 week comprehensive lifestyle-modification program (LSM; n = 47; 50.28 ± 11.90 years) or control (n = 50; 45.54 ± 12.49 years) that received a single workshop of intense training in naturopathic self-help strategies. Primary outcome was HrQoL (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire; IBDQ) at week 12. Secondary outcomes included IBDQ subscales; generic HrQoL; disease activity and microbiome. Both groups showed improvement in HrQoL from baseline to post-treatment at week 12. The IBDQ sum score showed no significant group difference (p = 0.251). If patients attended more than 50% of the training sessions, a significant group effect (p = 0.034) was evident in favor of LSM. In addition, the SF-36 mental component summary (p = 0.002) was significantly different between the groups in favor of LSM. Disease activity microbiome and adverse events did not differ. Both a single workshop and a 10-week comprehensive lifestyle-modification program can improve HrQoL in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission with no apparent effects on clinical disease activity. A treatment difference was observed when examining a subsample of patients who attended ≥ 50% of sessions.