COVID-19 vaccine safety in Scotland - background rates of adverse events of special interest

Objectives: Mass COVID-19 vaccination commenced in December 2020 in Scotland. Monitoring vaccine safety relies on accurate background incidence rates (IRs) for health outcomes potentially associated with vaccination. This study aimed to quantify IRs in Scotland of adverse events of special interest (AESI) potentially associated with COVID-19 vaccination. Study design and methods: IRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 36 AESI were calculated retrospectively for the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (01 January 2015–31 December 2019) and the COVID-19 pandemic period (01 April 2020–30 November 2020), with age-sex stratification, and separately by calendar month and year. Incident cases were determined using International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10)–coded hospitalisations. Results: Prepandemic population-wide IRs ranged from 0.4 (0.3–0.5 CIs) cases per 100,000 person-years (PYRS) for neuromyelitis optica to 478.4 (475.8–481.0 CIs) cases per 100,000 PYRS for acute renal failure. Pandemic population-wide IRs ranged from 0.3 (0.2–0.5 CIs) cases per 100,000 PYRS for Kawasaki disease to 483.4 (473.2–493.7 CIs) cases per 100,000 PYRS for acute coronary syndrome. All AESI IRs varied by age and sex. Ten AESI (acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathies and peripheral neuropathies, respiratory failure, rheumatoid arthritis and polyarthritis, seizures and vasculitis) had lower pandemic than prepandemic period IRs overall. Only deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism had a higher pandemic IR. Conclusion: Lower pandemic IRs likely resulted from reduced health-seeking behaviours and healthcare provision. Higher IRs may be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections. AESI IRs will facilitate future vaccine safety studies in Scotland

Insights into Melanoma Clinical Practice: A Perspective for Future Research

Background: Early diagnosis is the key to improving outcomes for patients with melanoma, and this requires a standardized histological assessment approach. The objective of this survey was to understand the challenges faced by clinicians when assessing melanoma cases, and to provide a perspective for future studies. Methods: Between April 2022 and February 2023, national and international dermatologists, pathologists, general practitioners, and laboratory managers were invited to participate in a six-question online survey. The data from the survey were assessed using descriptive statistics and qualitative responses. Results: A total of 54 responses were received, with a 51.4% (n = 28) full completion rate. Of the respondents, 96.4% reported ambiguity in their monthly melanoma diagnosis, and 82.1% routinely requested immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing to confirm diagnosis. SOX10 was the most frequently requested marker, and most respondents preferred multiple markers over a single marker. Diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as therapeutic options and patient management, were all identified as important areas for future research. Conclusions: The respondents indicated that the use of multiple IHC markers is essential to facilitate diagnostic accuracy in melanoma assessment. Survey responses indicate there is an urgent need to develop new biomarkers for clinical decision making at multiple critical intervention points.Giang T. Lam, Carmela Martini, Tiffany Brooks, Sarita Prabhakaran, Ashley M. Hopkins, Ben S.-Y. Ung, Jingying Tang, Maria C. Caruso, Robert D. Brooks, Ian R. D. Johnson, Alexandra Sorvina, Shane M. Hickey, Litsa Karageorgos, Sonja Klebe, John J. O, Leary, Douglas A. Brooks, and Jessica M. Loga

Caracterização citogenética em Schlumbergera truncata (Haworth) Moran e Schlumbergera × buckleyi (T. Moore) Tjaden (Cactaceae) Cytogenetic characterization of Schlumbergera truncata (Haworth) Moran and Schlumbergera × buckleyi (T. Moore) Tjaden (Cactaceae)

O número cromossômico diplóide de Schlumbergera truncata e Schlumbergera x buckleyi, de indivíduos com diferentes tipos de coloração de pétalas, foi determinado usando-se pontas de raízes. A utilização de 8-hidroxiquinoleína 0,003 M à 36 &deg;C por 3 horas possibilitou melhor separação cromossômica. Técnica de bandeamento C e de coloração Giemsa permitiram o estudo cariológico dessas espécies. O híbrido Schlumbergera &times; buckleyi (rósea) apresenta 2n = 22 cromossomos com fórmula cariotípica 16 M + 6 SM. Schlumbergera truncata, apresentando pétalas nas cores vermelha, branca e pink, possui 2n = 22 cromossomos, formulação cariotípica idêntica à de Schlumbergera &times; buckleyi, enquanto a planta com flores de coloração amarelada mostrou 2n = 34 cromossomos. A classificação cromossômica foi baseada no índice centromérico. Nas plantas que apresentam coloração vermelha, branca, pink e rósea nas pétalas, o melhor período de obtenção de metáfases corresponde ao período de florescimento. Schlumbergera truncata com flores amareladas apresenta dois picos anuais de divisão mitótica. Esses resultados dão suporte à um melhor entendimento da biologia no gênero Schlumbergera e auxiliam na classificação taxonômica nos casos onde apenas as características fenotípicas não são suficientemente confiáveis para a classificação das plantas no mesmo táxon.<br>The diploid chromosome number of Schlumbergera truncata and Schlumbergera &times; buckleyi, in individuals with different types of petal color, was determined using root tips. The use of 8-hydroxyquinolein 0.003 M at 36 ºC provided better chromosome separation. C-banding technique and Giemsa coloration allowed the karyological study of these species. Schlumbergera &times; buckleyi hybrid (light pink) species has 2n = 22 chromosomes with karyotype formula 16M + 6SM. Schlumbergera truncata with red, white, and pink petals and 2n = 22 chromosomes has karyotype formula identical to Schlumbergera &times; buckleyi, while the plant with yellowish flowers has 2n = 34 chromosomes. Chromosome classification was based on the centromeric index. In plants with white, red, pink and light pink petal color, the best time to obtain metaphases is during flowering. Schlumbergera truncata with yellowish flowers has two annual peaks of mitotic division. These results give us a better understanding of the biology of the genus Schlumbergera and aid in taxonomic classification where phenotypic characteristics alone are not reliable enough to classify plants of the same taxon