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Patients with post‐haemopoietic stem cell transplant or chimeric antigen receptor T ‐cell (CAR‐T) therapy face a significant risk of morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 because of their immunosuppressed state. As case numbers in Australia and New Zealand continue to rise, guidance on management in this high‐risk population is needed. Whilst we have learned much from international colleagues who faced high infection rates early in the pandemic, guidance relevant to local health system structures, medication availability and emerging therapies is essential to equip physicians to manage our patients optimally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia and New Zealand have achieved excellent community control of COVID‐19 infection. In light of the imminent COVID‐19 vaccination roll out in both countries, representatives of all adult and paediatric allogeneic bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) centres as well as representatives from autologous transplant only centres in Australia and New Zealand collaborated with infectious diseases specialists with expertise in TCT on this consensus position statement regarding COVID‐19 vaccination in TCT patients in Australia and New Zealand. It is our recommendation that TCT patients, should have expedited access to high‐efficacy COVID‐19 vaccines given that these patients are at high risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID‐19 infection. We also recommend prioritising vaccination of TCT healthcare workers and household members of TCT patients. Vaccination should not replace other public health measures in TCT patients given the effectiveness of COVID‐19 vaccination in TCT patients is unknown. Furthermore, given the limited available data, prospective collection of safety and efficacy data of COVID‐19 vaccination in this patient group is a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives A positive and strong safety culture underpins effective learning from patient safety incidents in health care, including the community pharmacy ( CP) setting. To build this culture, perceptions of safety climate must be measured with context-specific and reliable instruments. No pre-existing instruments were specifically designed or suitable for CP within Scotland. We therefore aimed to develop a psychometrically sound instrument to measure perceptions of safety climate within Scottish CPs. Methods The first stage, development of a preliminary instrument, comprised three steps: (i) a literature review; (ii) focus group feedback; and (iii) content validation. The second stage, psychometric testing, consisted of three further steps: (iv) a pilot survey; (v) a survey of all CP staff within a single health board in NHS Scotland; and (vi) application of statistical methods, including principal components analysis and calculation of Cronbach's reliability coefficients, to derive the final instrument. Results The preliminary questionnaire was developed through a process of literature review and feedback. This questionnaire was completed by staff in 50 CPs from the 131 (38%) sampled. 250 completed questionnaires were suitable for analysis. Psychometric evaluation resulted in a 30-item instrument with five positively correlated safety climate factors: leadership, teamwork, safety systems, communication and working conditions. Reliability coefficients were satisfactory for the safety climate factors (α > 0.7) and overall (α = 0.93). Conclusions The robust nature of the technical design and testing process has resulted in the development of an instrument with sufficient psychometric properties, which can be implemented in the community pharmacy setting in NHS Scotland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives Medication-related safety incidents are a source of concern to patients, policy makers and clinicians. The role of education in improving safety-critical practices in health care is poorly appreciated. This pilot study aimed to initiate collective discussion among professional groups of clinical staff about a range of medicine-related patient safety issues which were identified from a local incident reporting system. In engaging staff to collectively reflect on reported medication incidents we attempted to uncover a deeper understanding of local contextual issues and potential educational needs. Methods A mixed method study was conducted involving categorical analysis of 1058 medication incident reports (Phase 1) and the use of three mixed focus groups of clinical staff (Phase 2) in three acute hospitals in one locality in NHS Scotland. Results Focus group transcript analysis produced four main themes (e.g. the medical role) and 12 related sub-themes (e.g. pharmacological education and skill mix for administration of medicines) concerning medication-related practices and possible educational interventions. Conclusions While it is necessary to review reported incident data and disseminate the educational messages for the improvement of quality, this traditional risk management process is inadequate on its own. Reporting systems can be enhanced by collective examination of reported information about medicines by local clinical teams. We identified a strong message from the focus groups for learning about each other and from each other, and that the method piloted may be an important inter-professional mechanism for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the authors discuss problems which boys have in performing as well as girls do against literacy benchmarks and on standardized tests. They are critical of the ways that boys' literacy underachievement is defined and of the ways in which boys continue to be viewed as disadvantaged. They argue that new methods must be used to evaluate the complex factors which affect boys' and girls' engagement with literacy.

The article reports on the COVID-19 consensus position statement of Bone Marrow Transplant Society of Australia and New Zealand. Topics mentioned include cryopreservation of all unrelated donor products before starting conditioning, exclusion of donors who have developed COVID-19 for at least three months, and screening of donors and recipients for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to commencement of donor mobilisation and recipient conditioning.

Summary The mucosal immune status of Australian Antarctic personnel was monitored during six wintering expeditions at two Australian Antarctic Research Stations, Casey in 1992, 1993, 1994, and Mawson in 1992, 1995, 1996. Salivary immunoglobulin and albumin levels were examined for differences between stations and expeditions, and for monthly changes over the expedition year. Salivary IgA and IgM concentrations were on average higher for the 1993 Casey expeditioners, and all salivary protein levels were lower for 1996 Mawson expeditioners compared to levels of the other expeditions. The change in salivary IgA and IgM concentrations over the 1-year period revealed a consistent pattern between expeditions. Salivary IgA levels were lower in March, April and May compared to other months of the year (P = 0.0002). Salivary IgM levels were lowest in the first 4 months of the year, with peak levels in June and July (P < 0.0001). There were no changes in salivary IgG and albumin concentrations over the expedition year. Though the cause of the changes in salivary IgA and IgM levels over the year is unknown, the changes could reflect alterations in mucosal immunity in response to stressors associated with isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Read alongside the next article by Geoff Tennant, Anne Watson's observation of low attainers ‘caught in the act’ of thinking in mathematically sophisticated ways is illuminating and has a number of important implications, not least for the training of support staff. ‘Is it possible’ she asks, ‘to structure work so that higher-order thinking is encouraged and noticed even in simple mathematical situations?’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two biotypes of Lophodermium pinastri, perhaps differing in their pathogenicity, were recognised on Pinus sylvestris in Scotland. These biotypes are described in artificial culture and are shown to he associated with definite habitats on pines, both in the plantation and in the nursery. In the discussion it is suggested that the present results might help to explain the difficulty many workers have experienced in trying to infect artificially young pine needles with Lophodermium pinastri. During the investigations Lophodermium pinastri was frequently isolated from infected pine needles.

The article reviews the book "The Powers That Be: Global Energy for the Twenty-first Century and Beyond" by Scott L. Montgomery.

Editorial. Introduces papers published in the February 2001 issue of `Support for Learning' journal concerning the mathematical abilities of children. Description of pupils who do well in mathematics; Reasons for failure in mathematics; Background on the papers.

The article reviews the book "Biodiversity and Insect Pests: Key Issues for Sustainable Management" edited by G. M. Gurr, S. D. Wratten,W. E. Snyder and D. M.Y. Read.