Previous meta-analytic results showed beneficial effects of meditation interventions for cortisol levels. In the present meta-analysis we tested whether effects are larger for those who might be in need of such stress reduction programs due to a risk for elevated cortisol levels as compared to no-risk samples. We included RCTs that measured change in cortisol levels. Based on 10 studies using blood samples meditation interventions had a significant, medium effect from pre-to post-test compared to the control group. Upon closer inspection, this effect was only present for at-risk samples, that is, patients with a somatic illness. In the 21 studies using saliva samples the effect was small and not significant, but there was a marginally significant effect for groups living in stressful life situations. This pattern may suggest that that meditation interventions are most beneficial for at-risk populations. These interventions might provide people with strategies of stress management that can contribute to wellbeing. Preliminary results suggest that benefits of meditation interventions might not fade with time.

Power requirements and profitability of suckerrod pumping are basically determined by the torque load on the pumping unit's gearbox. Gearbox torques include the torque required to drive the polished rod and the torque used to rotate the counterweights. In addition to these, inertial torques arise in those parts of the pumping unit that turn at varying speeds. As shown in the paper, all torque components are functions of the crank angle; consequently, their exact calculation necessitates the knowledge of the crank angle versus time function. This circumstance, however, complicates torque calculations because contemporary dynamometers, used to acquire the necessary operating data, do not provide any information on the variation of the crank angle during the pumping cycle. The paper introduces a solution of the problem and presents an iterative calculation of the crank angle versus time function from dynamometer data. Based on this function crank velocity, crank acceleration, as well as beam acceleration can be calculated and all necessary gearbox torques can be evaluated. For calculating articulating inertial torque, the acceleration pattern of the walking beam during the pumping cycle is evaluated according to three different models and the accuracy of those is compared. The paper gives the details of the developed calculation models and presents a typical sample case.

Background: mindfulness meditation is effective at fostering the executive functioning of children, i.e., the skills that play important roles in academic performance and social–emotional wellbeing. One possible mechanism for such an effect might be that meditation practices can decrease stress, especially if someone is at a risk for elevated cortisol levels, for instance, due to a stressful life event, such as starting school. Participants and methods: the present pilot study tested the effects of a six-session mindfulness intervention applied right after school entry compared to a passive control group. In total 61 first graders participated (Mage = 84.95 months, SD = 5.21) in this study from four classes of a primary school in Budapest. Repeated-measures ANOVA were performed to explore the effects on executive functioning skills and cortisol levels. Results: no effect was found on morning salivary cortisol levels, but the working memory capacities of girls significantly improved as a result of the intervention. Conclusions: a relatively short, story-based mindfulness intervention can improve the working memory capacities of first-graders; thus, it could potentially contribute to the academic performance and adaptation of children in schools.

BackgroundYoga based interventions were found to have a positive impact on various indicators of psychological functioning, such as perceived stress, satisfaction with life, positive and negative affectivity. Additionally, such interventions improved bodily or interoceptive awareness and spirituality.MethodsThe present study assessed the effects of a 3-month long complex yoga-based intervention compared to a passive control group in a Hungarian community sample. The final sample consisted of 44 intervention (Mage = 47.5, SD = = 8.76) and 29 control participants (Mage = 47.4, SD = 9.47). The aforementioned constructs were measured 1 week before and after the intervention.ResultsThe intervention reduced participants’ perceived stress (p = <0.001, ηp2 = 0.153) and negative affectivity (p = 0.019, ηp2 = 0.113), improved spirituality (p = 0.048, ηp2 = 0.054) and various aspects of interoceptive awareness such as noticing (p = <0.001, ηp2 = 0.169) attention regulation (p = <0.001, ηp2 = 0.211), self-regulation (p = 0.002, ηp2 = 0.190) body listening (p = 0.010, ηp2 = 0.097), trusting (p = 0.026, ηp2 = 0.070), but did not impact positive affectivity and satisfaction with life.ConclusionA 3-months long complex yoga-based intervention has a positive impact on many aspects of healthy psychological functioning.