The COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has been associated with a spate of blood clot cases in Europe. A number of European nations, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, Denmark and Ireland, temporarily suspended administering the shot due to concerns about possible side effects. Responding to the news, a Taiwanese pediatric emergency doctor has recommended seeking immediate medical treatment if anyone experiences the following symptoms between four and 20 days after receiving the vaccine: rapid breathing, chest pain, paleness of the legs and feet, reduced blood circulation, persistent abdominal pain, headaches, blurred vision or bruising.
Wu Chang-teng, a pediatric emergency resident doctor at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, in a post on Facebook, addressed recent reports of “rare” cases of severe blood clots in Europe in individuals who had taken the AstraZeneca vaccine, including cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia. To date, most of the cases identified are women under 55 years of age. However, there are also reports of male cases, and most of them have occured between four to 16 days after vaccination was administered, said Wu.
Wu explained that the condition is being termed as “vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia,” or VIPIT for short. Wu added that this is because VIPIT is associated with the production of antibodies that can activate platelets which stimulate the formation of blood clots, leading to thrombocytopenia. Wu said that the process is similar to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), but the exact mechanism that triggers VIPIT is still being studied.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報廖振輝
Wu emphasized that medical professionals are still waiting for confirmation of the precise incidence of adverse reactions to the vaccination. According to data provided by the European Medicines Agency on March 18, it was initially estimated that one per million people who took the AstraZeneca vaccine had experienced VIPIT. However, Germany’s Paul-Ehrlich Institut has reported that the incidence is much higher and is in fact one per 100,000 people.
(Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones)
藥廠阿斯特捷利康（AstraZeneca）與牛津大學合作研製的AZ疫苗在歐洲出現血栓案例不斷，包括德、法、荷、義、加、丹麥、愛爾蘭等多國陸續加入暫停施打行列；對此，兒科急診醫師也呼籲，接種AZ疫苗後的第四天到第二十天，若出現呼吸急促，胸痛，單邊下肢蒼白、血液循環不好，持續性腹痛、頭痛、視力模糊、瘀斑等症狀，應立即就醫。
林口長庚醫院兒科急診主治醫師吳昌騰在臉書粉專發文指出，歐洲最近報導在使用AZ疫苗後，發生罕見的嚴重血液凝塊病例，這包括與血小板減少症有關的腦靜脈竇血栓形成。目前為止，查明的病例中，主要是五十五歲以下的婦女；但也有男性病例的報導，並且大多是發生在接種疫苗後的四至十六天之間。
吳昌騰解釋，這種不良事件被稱為疫苗誘導的血栓性免疫血小板減少症（VIPIT）。這是因為VIPIT與可激活血小板的抗體產生有關，然後經由可激活血小板形成血凝塊並導致血小板減少症。這其中的作用機制與肝素誘導的血小板減少症（HIT）相似。而真正觸發VIPIT的確切機轉仍在研究中。
吳昌騰強調，雖然這種不良事件的發生率仍有待確認。但根據歐洲藥品管理局於今年三月十八日提供的信息說明，最初估計每百萬接種AZ疫苗的人中有一人，但是德國的保羅·埃里希研究所報導的發病率更高，是每十萬人中就有一人。
(自由時報)
A: K-pop supergroup Blackpink is finally touring Taiwan again. B: I can’t believe we’re going to Blackpink’s concert at the Kaohsiung National Stadium over this weekend. A: The group has caused a global sensation since it went international in 2020. B: And the four members — Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa — have achieved success as solo artists. A: Seeing them live will be like a dream come true. A: 韓流天團Blackpink終於又來台巡演啦。 B: 真不敢相信我們這週末要去她們在高雄國家體育場的演唱會。 A: 該團自2020年進軍國際，便持續造成全球轟動。 B: 而4位團員––Jisoo、Jennie、Rose、Lisa––單飛也很成功。 A: 這次能去她們的演唱會真是美夢成真！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
Many popular English expressions originate from the world of sports. While their roots lie in athletics, their meanings extend far beyond the playing field. Here are three examples. Hat Trick This expression comes from cricket. When a bowler dismisses a batter, it’s called “taking a wicket.” Taking three wickets in a row is a great achievement, so in the past, a bowler who achieved this was rewarded with a hat. Later, sports like hockey and soccer adopted it to mean scoring three goals in a game. Nowadays, this phrase means to achieve any three successes consecutively, not just in sports. For example,
A: Is K-pop still popular now? B: Sure! The 110,000 tickets for supergroup Blackpink’s two shows to be held this weekend were all snatched up within three minutes. A: Apart from Blackpink, what other K-pop stars are visiting? B: I-dle’s Taiwanese member Yeh Shu-hua, King of K-pop G-Dragon, and Super Junior are all coming soon next month. A: Super Junior’s 2009 hit “Sorry, Sorry” boosted this Korean “Hallyu” to a peak. Let’s go experience SJ’s magic again. A: 韓國流行音樂還是很受歡迎嗎？ B: 當然啦，光是天團Blackpink本週末兩場演唱會，11萬張門票3分鐘內就被秒殺！ A: 除了Blackpink，還有哪些韓國歌手最近會來台？ B: I-dle的台灣成員葉舒華、韓流天王G-Dragon權志龍、Super Junior下月也都將來台。 A: Super Junior 2009年金曲《Sorry, Sorry》曾將「韓流」推上高峰，我們再去重溫一下SJ的魔力吧。
In today’s fast-paced world, many individuals are turning to alternative lifestyles that prioritize sustainability and simplicity. Two such lifestyles are sustainable living and minimalism. They both share some common threads: living more intentionally, reducing our environmental impact, and focusing on what truly matters. 1. Sustainable Living Sustainable living is about making choices that are environmentally friendly in every aspect of one’s life. The primary goal is to minimize one’s ecological footprint, conserve natural resources, and reduce waste. It might sound abstract, but in fact, it is rather easy to practice sustainable living. What we eat has a great impact on the environment. Small
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