A Comparison of the Reactivating and Therapeutic Efficacy of Two Newly Developed Oximes (K727 and K733) with Oxime K203 and Trimedoxime in Tabun‐Poisoned Rats and Mice

The reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of three original bispyridinium oximes (K727, K733 and K203) and one currently available oxime (trimedoxime) was evaluated in tabun‐poisoned rats and mice. The oxime‐induced reactivation of tabun‐inhibited acetylcholinesterase was measured in diaphragm and brain of tabun‐poisoned rats. The results showed that the reactivating efficacy of two recently developed oximes (K727 and K733) does not achieve the level of the reactivation of tabun‐inhibited acetylcholinesterase induced by oxime K203 and trimedoxime. While all oximes studied were able to increase the activity of tabun‐inhibited acetylcholinesterase in diaphragm, oxime K733 was not able to reactivate tabun‐inhibited acetylcholinesterase in the brain. The therapeutic efficacy of all oximes studied roughly corresponds to their reactivating efficacy. While both recently developed oximes were able to reduce acute toxicity of tabun less than 1.5‐fold, another original oxime K203 and commonly used trimedoxime reduced the acute toxicity of tabun almost two times. In conclusion, the reactivating and therapeutic potency of both newly developed oximes does not prevail the effectiveness of oxime K203 and trimedoxime, and therefore, they are not suitable for their replacement of commonly used oximes for the antidotal treatment of acute tabun poisoning.     

Fremdk?rperaspiration

Die Fremdk?rperaspiration stellt eine h?ufige Ursache für Atemnot und respiratorische Insuffizienz bei S?uglingen und Kleinkindern zwischen 6 Monaten und 3 Jahren dar. R?ntgendichte Fremdk?rper bereiten bei Abbildung des gesamten Respirationstraktes keine diagnostischen Schwierigkeiten. Nicht r?ntgendichte Fremdk?rper erfordern ein differenzierteres Vorgehen, wobei der erste radiologische Schritt in einer konventionellen Thoraxaufnahme in In- und Exspiration bestehen sollte. Zus?tzliche Aufnahmen, Durchleuchtungsuntersuchung und gegebenenfalls die Durchführung einer computertomographischen oder szintigraphischen Untersuchung h?ngen vom Ergebnis der Thoraxaufnahme ab. H?ufigstes radiologisches Erscheinungsbild ist die einseitige exspiratorische Ventilstenose mit überbl?hung des betroffenen Lungenabschnittes. Seltener finden sich Atelektasen, rezidivierende Pneumonien an identischer Lokalisation und inspiratorische Ventilstenosen. Kombinationsbilder sind m?glich, selbst ein unauff?lliges Untersuchungsergebnis kann eine Aspiration nicht ausschlie?en.     

Bildgebende Diagnostik der Nieren und der ableitenden Harnwege im Kindesalter

Zusammenfassung Die diagnostischen Entscheidungsb?ume in der P?diatrischen Radiologie unterscheiden sich oft erheblich von denen der Erwachsenenradiologie. Die Ursache hierfür besteht im unterschiedlichen Erkrankungsspektrum, in den unterschiedlichen therapeutischen Konsequenzen, die aus einem erhobenen Befund gezogen werden und auch im unterschiedlichen Stellenwert der bildgebenden Verfahren. Abgesehen vom schweren Abdominaltrauma, das prim?r mittels Computertomographie (CT) untersucht werden mu?, beginnt jede Nieren- und Harnwegsuntersuchung mit einer Ultraschall(US)-untersuchung Die Entscheidung, ob ein normaler oder ein pathologischer Befund der Bildgebung vorliegt, ist fast immer mittels US zu treffen. Die Aussagekraft und damit der diagnostische Stellenwert des US unterscheiden sich infolge der M?glichkeit, h?herfrequente Schallsysteme mit exzellenter Aufl?sung zu verwenden, erheblich von der Situation im Erwachsenenalter. Erst in Kenntnis des sonographischen Befundes wird der Ablauf der weiteren Bildgebung (Szintigraphie, R?ntgen, Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) und sehr selten CT) festgelegt. Nachfolgend sollen, ausgehend von den wichtigsten klinischen Symptomen, die diagnostischen Flu?schemata für drei h?ufige Standardsituationen in der Kinderradiologie dargestellt werden: Pr?natal erkannte Harnwegspathologie, Harntransportst?rung und Harnwegsinfektion.      

Involving children and young people in clinical research through the forum of a European Young Persons’ Advisory Group: needs and challenges

Children and young people are seen as fundamental to the design and delivery of clinical research as active and reflective participants. In Europe, involvement of children and young people in clinical research is promoted extensively in order to engage young people in research as partners and to give them a voice to raise their own issues or opinions and for their involvement in planning and decision making in addition to learning research skills. Children and young people can be trained in clinical research through participation in young person advisory groups (YPAGs). Members of YPAGs assist other children and young people to learn about clinical research and share their experience and point of view with researchers, thereby possibly influencing all phases of research including the development and prioritization of research questions, design and methods, recruitment plans, and strategies for results dissemination. In the long term, the expansion of YPAGs in Europe will serve as a driving force for refining pediatric clinical research. It will help in a better definition of research projects according to the patients’ needs. Furthermore, direct engagement of children and young people in research will be favorable to both researchers and young people.     

Improved Diagnostic Sensitivity of Bowel Disease of Prematurity on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

Bowel diseases of prematurity, including necrotizing enterocolitis, are dreaded ailments of neonates. Early diagnosis is difficult, with clinical and radiographic findings often inconclusive. We present a novel use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detection of pediatric bowel disease. Early identification of compromised blood flow or an at-risk bowel can be quantitatively detected and monitored. This ability has implications for guidance of emerging therapies, allowing targeting of inflammation. These findings represent an advancement in detection of bowel disease in neonates.     

Successful unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) is a chronic, progressive neurodevelopmental disorder causing motor and behavioral dysfunction due to decreased synthesis of the enzyme hypoxantine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). Affected boys have mental retardation, delayed development, extrapyramidal motor disturbances and self-injuring behavior. As hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been shown to be effective in several neurodevelopmental inborn errors, we hypothesized that it could be favorable in LNS as well. Following a myeloablative conditioning regimen (busulphan 3.2 mg/kg/day for 4 days, cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/day for 2 days with ATG Thymoglobin 2.5 mg/kg/day for 4 days) an unrelated umbilical cord blood unit was transfused at the age of 2 years. The graft was a 6/6 HLA-matched at HLA-A, B loci by antigen level, and at DRB1 by allelic level typing. Infused total nucleated cell dose was 3.6 × 10e7 per kilogram body weight. Serum HPRT levels reached normal values by the end of the sixth month post transplant. Slow neurodevelopmental improvement seen during the three-year follow-up and the missing self-injuring behavior can be considered as a proof for the presence of enzyme-competent cells behind the blood–brain barrier.     

HIV/AIDS among pastoralists and refugees in north-east Africa: a neglected problem

The eight member states (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda) of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) have the largest proportions of cross-border mobile pastoralists and refugees in Africa. Although all IGAD countries have had national HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment programmes since the late 1980s, the IGAD Regional HIV & AIDS Partnership Program was (IRAPP) established in 2007 to mitigate the challenges of HIV among neglected pastoral and refugee communities. This article assesses vulnerability of pastoralists and refugee communities to HIV and interventions targeting these groups in the IGAD countries. Outcomes from this study may serve as a baseline for further research and to improve interventions. Published articles were accessed through web searches using PubMed and Google Scholar engines and unpublished documents were collected manually. The search terms were HIV risk behaviour, vulnerability, HIV prevalence and interventions, under the headings pastoralists, refugees, IGAD and north-east Africa for the period 2001–2014. Of the 214 documents reviewed, 78 met the inclusion criteria and were included. Most HIV/AIDS related studies focusing of pastoral communities in IGAD countries were found to be limited in scope and coverage but reveal precarious situations. Sero-prevalence among various pastoral populations ranged from 1% to 21% in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda and from 1% to 5% among refugees in Sudan, Kenya and Uganda. Socioeconomic, cultural, logistic, infrastructure and programmatic factors were found to contribute to continuing vulnerability to HIV. Interventions need to be further contextualised to the needs of those impoverished populations and integrated into national HIV/AIDS programmes. HIV/AIDS remains a major public health concern among the pastoral and refugee communities of IGAD countries. This calls for IGAD to collaborate with national and international partners in designing and implementing more effective prevention and control programmes. Furthermore, interventions must extend beyond the health sector and improve the livelihood of these populations.