Peer teaching in paediatrics - medical students as learners and teachers on a paediatric course.

Background: Peer assisted learning is known as an effective educational strategy in medical teaching. We established a peer assisted teaching program by student tutors with a focus on clinical competencies for students during their practical training on paediatric wards. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of a clinical skills training by tutors, residents and consultants on students evaluations of the teaching quality and the effects of a peer teaching program on self assessed clinical competencies by the students.

Five-year outcome in pediatric patients with mycophenolate mofetil-based renal transplantation.

Background: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) based immunosuppression after renal transplantation has proven to be safe and beneficial for children and adolescents. However, long-term analysis, in particular of pediatric patients, is scarce.

Patients: Data of 140 patients receiving MMF versus azathioprine (AZA) in combination with cyclosporine A (CsA) and prednisone without induction were analyzed with a main focus on survival and renal function in long-term follow-up.

Detection of polyomavirus BK and JC in children with kidney diseases and renal transplant recipients.

Background: Reactivation of polyomavirus is a known reason for severe renal dysfunction in adult renal transplant recipients. Testing for polyomavirus DNA in plasma has been described as a sensitive and specific method to discover viral nephropathy in adult patients. We were now interested in polyomavirus status in a pediatric patient setting.

Competition for nitrogen between Australian native grasses and the introduced weed Nassella trichotoma.

Background: and Aims Nassella trichotoma is an unpalatable perennial grass weed that invades disturbed native grasslands in temperate regions of south-eastern Australia. This experiment investigated whether elevated N levels, often associated with disturbance, increases the competitiveness of N. trichotoma relative to C3 and C4 native Australian grasses.