The enema continence catheter in spina bifida: successful bowel management

Patients with spina bifida who have fecal incontinence are managed by means of a large-volume saline enema. To facilitate administration of the enema, a special catheter has been devised that prevents leakage of the enema fluid. Continence has been achieved in 112 children and youths with spina bifida who were managed in this fashion.     

Safety and Immunogenicity of DNA Prime and Modified Vaccinia Ankara Virus-HIV Subtype C Vaccine Boost in Healthy Adults

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I trial was conducted in 32 HIV-uninfected healthy volunteers to assess the safety and immunogenicity of 3 doses of DNA vaccine (Advax) plus 1 dose of recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) (TBC-M4) or 3 doses of TBC-M4 alone (groups A and B, respectively). Both vaccine regimens were found to be safe and well tolerated. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay responses were detected in 1/10 (10%) individuals in group A after three Advax primes and in 9/9 individuals (100%) after the MVA boost. In group B, IFN-γ ELISPOT responses were detected in 6/12 (50%) and 7/11 (64%) individuals after the second and third MVA vaccinations, respectively. Responses to all vaccine components, but predominantly to Env, were seen. The breadth and magnitude of the T cell response and viral inhibition were greater in group A than in group B, indicating that the quality of the T-cell response was enhanced by the DNA prime. Intracellular cytokine staining indicated that the T-cell responses were polyfunctional but were skewed toward Env with a CD4⁺ phenotype. At 2 weeks after the last vaccination, HIV-specific antibody responses were detected in all (100%) group B and 1/11 (9.1%) group A vaccinees. Vaccinia virus-specific responses were detected in all (100%) group B and 2/11 (18.2%) group A vaccinees. In conclusion, HIV-specific T-cell responses were seen in the majority of volunteers in groups A and B but with a trend toward greater quality of the T-cell response in group A. Antibody responses were better in group B than in group A.     

Invasive pneumococcal disease in Australia, 2006

Enhanced surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was carried out in all Australian states and territories in 2006 with comprehensive comparative data available since 2002. There were 1,445 cases of IPD notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in Australia in 2006; a notification rate of 7 cases per 100,000 population. The rates varied between states and territories and by geographical region with the highest rates in the Northern Territory, the jurisdiction with the largest proportion of Indigenous people. Invasive pneumococcal disease was reported most frequently in those aged 85 years or over (30.8 cases per 100,000 population) and in children aged one year (26.5 cases per 100,000 population). There were 130 deaths attributed to IPD resulting in an overall case fatality rate of 9%. The overall rate of IPD in Indigenous Australians was 4.3 times the rate in non-indigenous Australians. The rate of IPD in the under two years population continued to fall in 2006, but the rate in Indigenous children (73 cases per 100,000 population) was significantly greater than in non-Indigenous children (21 cases per 100,000 population). The rates of disease caused by serotypes in the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) decreased between 2002 and 2006 by 78% in children aged under two years as a result of the introduction of a universal childhood 7vPCV immunisation program. Significant decreases in IPD caused by 7vPCV serotypes also occurred in the 2-14 years and 65 years or over age groups. Rates of disease caused by non-7vPCV in the same periods were little changed. Serotypes were identified in 94% of all notified cases, with 43% of disease caused by serotypes in the 7vPCV and 85% caused by serotypes in the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV). The number of invasive pneumococcal isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility remains low and reduced susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins is rare.     

Outreach training: the special interest group’s report

Following three sessions at ADEE Annual Meetings, the special interest group on outreach training presents a brief report of its proceedings. Outreach, here, is clinical teaching away from the home dental school. After covering the diversity and benefits of programmes, the report considers different models and the relationship between contexts and outcomes. It concludes that: outreach provides access to additional resources; programmes prepare students for the demands of the profession; a programme’s design should harmonise with both its context and its objectives; and, the educational benefits warrant the additional organisation involved.     

Insertional mutagenesis combined with acquired somatic mutations causes leukemogenesis following gene therapy of SCID-X1 patients

X-linked SCID (SCID-X1) is amenable to correction by gene therapy using conventional gammaretroviral vectors. Here, we describe the occurrence of clonal T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) promoted by insertional mutagenesis in a completed gene therapy trial of 10 SCID-X1 patients. Integration of the vector in an antisense orientation 35 kb upstream of the protooncogene LIM domain only 2 (LMO2) caused overexpression of LMO2 in the leukemic clone. However, leukemogenesis was likely precipitated by the acquisition of other genetic abnormalities unrelated to vector insertion, including a gain-of-function mutation in NOTCH1, deletion of the tumor suppressor gene locus cyclin-dependent kinase 2A (CDKN2A), and translocation of the TCR-β region to the STIL-TAL1 locus. These findings highlight a general toxicity of endogenous gammaretroviral enhancer elements and also identify a combinatorial process during leukemic evolution that will be important for risk stratification and for future protocol design.     

Student nurses as peer-mentors: collegiality in practice

Mentoring is promoted as a key strategy for supporting nursing students and new practitioners in clinical settings. However, mentoring is also a complex process, requiring the development of bounded and purposeful relationships underpinned by knowledge, experience and opportunities for reflection. This paper reports the findings of an evaluation by second-year nursing student mentors and first-year mentee students of a short peer-mentoring programme. The main objective of the programme was to support students making the transition to the university and nursing. At a more focused professional level, the programme also provided the opportunity for students to be a mentor or to be mentored, as a learning precursor to being mentored in the clinical setting. The programme provided rich learning opportunities for the development of the qualities and skills required for mentoring roles and was a vehicle for encouraging collegial interaction and learning. The students' evaluation of the programme also demonstrated that formal mentoring programmes require considerable organisational investment and ongoing commitment in educational and clinical settings. Mentors and mentees require time for face-to-face meetings and discussion, effective and on-going communication channels, and adequate role preparation.