Touching the earth with the heart of enlightened mind: A Buddhist practice of mindfulness for environmental education

This paper argues that the current ecological crisis arises from our dualisticconsciousness which separates mind from body and self from world. Thisdualistic consciousness prevents us from experiencing the value in nature, andtherefore leads to instrumentalist treatment of nature. We explore theBuddhist practice of mindfulness to help cultivate a nondualistic consciousness.We show how this practice may lead to compassionate attitudes and conducttowards the other-than-human

Using simulation to facilitate understanding of medicines

Over the course of the last few years, clinical pharmacists and scientists at theUniversity of Brighton have developed a learning activity that uses a state-of-the-art patientmanikin to demonstrate how an understanding of the scientific process can aid patient care. Usingthis approach, student pharmacists are able to identify problems related to patients’ medicines andpropose appropriate interventions

Association between the Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265/G196A) of the BDNF gene and cognitive performance with SSRI use in Arab Alzheimer’s disease patients

Brain derived neutrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein and a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors, supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. The BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265/G196A) is responsible for BDNF synthesis that impact BDNF function that includes memory and cognition. This study investigated whether the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265/G196A) is associated with cognitive function changes in both Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and elderly participants. In addition the impact of SSRI use on cognition improvement will be assessed. Healthy young, middle ages (25–59 years old) and elderly (more than 60 years old) participants (140) as well as 40 AD patients of whom are both of Saudi Arabian origin were recruited. The genotyping for the association study was performed by real-time PCR using Taqman chemistry in the ABI Prism 7900HT Sequence Detection System. Both Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were used to assess cognitive function of healthy and AD participants, respectively. The findings showed that the BDNF Val66Met genotype distributions and allele frequencies have significant association with cognitive performance in both elderly control group and AD patients. The main findings showed that carriers of GG homozygotes (Val/Val) have superior cognitive performance among AD patients and elderly control subjects. In addition the use of SSRIs in 13 AD patients and 17 elderly participants positively improved cognitive function in elderly (p > 0.001) but not in AD patients (p = 0.1)

Identification of clinical factors predicting warfarin sensitivity after cardiac surgery

Objectives: Warfarin is commonly initiated post-cardiac surgery to reduce the risk of intra-cardiac thrombus formation.Studies have found that sensitivity is increased after cardiac surgery and anti-coagulation is subsequently difficult to manage.This study set out to identify clinical markers of increased warfarin sensitivity in patients’post-cardiac surgery, and build a modelthat can predict warfarin sensitivity, and improve safety in this setting.Methods:The study was an observational, retrospective cohort design.Clinical parameters including Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF), cross-clamp time, age, serum albumin and C-reactive protein concentrations were collected from consenting patients who had undergone cardiac surgery and prescribed post-operative warfarin. Warfarin Dose Index (WDI) was calculated for each patient from their INR and warfarin dose, as a measure of sensitivity.Results:41 patients were recruited to the study.Logarithmically transformed WDI (log WDI) significantly correlated with LVEF, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, cross-clamp time, baseline INR and co-administration of amiodarone (p<0.05).When added to a linear regression model, LVEF and cross-clamp time produced a model that accounted for 41% of variance in log WDI (R2=0.41), p=0.0002).Applying a log WDI cut-off value of -0.349 discriminated between patients who develop an INR >4 and those who do not with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 70%.Conclusions:This single centrestudy has highlighted two risk factors for increased warfarin sensitivity post-cardiac surgery.Further research is needed to confirm these findings in a wider, more diverse population, and to validate this model

The association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the nuclear factor (erythroid derived 2)-like 2 gene with adverse drug reactions, multimorbidity and frailty in older people

Susceptibility to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), multimorbidity, and frailty are associated with human ageing, yet there is wide variation in the severity and age at which individuals are afflicted. Identifying genetic markers of increased risk of this phenotype would help stratify individuals to specialist interventions. Nuclear factor erythroid derived-2 like 2 (Nrf2) regulates a cell’s response to stressors, including the expression of enzymes involved in drug-metabolism. Its expression has been shown to decline in animal ageing models. In this study we tested the hypothesis that Nrf2 gene transcription/translation decline in human ageing, and that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Nrf2 gene are associated with increased ADR risk, multi-morbidity, and frailty in older people. Gene expression and protein levels were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) donated from healthy patients aged 18-80 years old. Nrf2 genotypes were determined at three loci in a sub-population of patients recruited to the PRIME study (a multicentre prospective cohort study that followed older adults for 8-weeks post-discharge to determine ADR). Both Nrf2 gene and protein expression declined significantly with age in human PBMCs. In the PRIME sub-study population, the rs35652124 Nrf2 SNP was associated with increased ADR risk, and decreased frailty and multi-morbidity scores

Stability testing of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine: a translational study in UK vaccination centres

Objective - The roll-out of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine has brought many logistical challenges, such as the absence of comprehensive stability data leading to strict handling instructions during dilution and administration. Accidental mishandling therefore presents challenging clinical dilemmas, which often led vaccine providers to err on the side of caution and discard mishandled vials rather than risk administering ineffective vaccine. This study aims to answer key questions about the vaccine’s stability to allow for a more informed decision-making process should a non-conformity occur. Methods - Residual vaccine in freshly used, but appropriately stored vials collected from vaccination centres in Brighton, UK, were tested after exposure to various handling conditions and analysed by dynamic light scattering to determine the size of the lipid-mRNA nanoparticles, and gel electrophoresis to visualise the mRNA integrity and separation from the lipid formulation. Results - Knocking or dropping vaccine samples from small heights resulted in lowest levels of instability, indicating low risk of compromising clinical efficacy. However, repeated drawing and injecting through 23 G needles at high speed and, more significantly, shaking and vortexing led to progressive increase in the size and polydispersity index of the lipid-mRNA nanoparticles, coupled with or caused by up to ~50% release of mRNA from the lipid formulation. This is thought to impact the vaccine’s efficacy due to lack of free mRNA protection and cellular internalisation. Conclusions - These results reiterate the importance of adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions on handling, especially with regard to shaking and exposing the vaccine to excessive vibration