Search

The article examines narratives by and about former child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a hitherto neglected corpus despite the topicality of child soldiering in African literatures after 2000. Critical readings of three testimonial texts that have been published in France are juxtaposed with the analysis of one testimonial narrative and one youth novel that have been published in Kinshasa. The editorial framing and narrative strategies that speak to different audiences located in different literary fields are identified. The popularity of testimonial narratives in the West relies on the depiction of violence and the iconic function of the child soldier in medial and human rights discourses. By contrast, narratives about the reconciliation and the reintegration of child soldiers prevail in the DRC. Thus, the different functions of global and local narratives on the sensitive issue of children at war are exposed.

This article examines the novels Icône urbaine (2005, Urban Icon) by French-Togolese writer Lauren Ekué and Blues pour Elise (2010, Blues for Elise) by French-Cameroonian/Afropean writer Léonora Miano, with regard to their contribution to chick-lit in a broad sense. With a focus on urban working women, their love lives and consumerism, these novels fulfil a number of criteria of mainstream chick-lit. At the same time, however, a serious concern for structural power relations is inscribed into these texts. Both novelists make ample use of intermedial writing such as structural borrowing from and references to music, TV formats and the fashion press. I will analyse these narrative strategies and address how far Ekué and Miano copy, rewrite and reinvent the Anglo-American chick-lit genre from the transnational perspective of the African Diaspora in France and considering the peculiarities of black Paris as a space.

After national recommendations, palivizumab is administered in Germany to high-risk infants to prevent hospitalizations related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. Limited data are available to characterize those children who receive palivizumab in 2 consecutive RSV seasons.This was a comparative analysis of data from a postmarketing observational study (German SYNAGIS Registry, AbbVie Germany GmbHCo.KG, Wiesbaden) detailing RSV-related risk factors and main indications for palivizumab in 920 children who received at ≥1 palivizumab injection in a second season between 2010 and 2016 [second season population (SSP)].Median birth weight and gestational age at birth as well as the proportion of children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease, with any form of chronic lung disease of prematurity or with any form of neuromuscular impairment, were significantly higher in the SSP. Accordingly, hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease and other reasons (including neuromuscular impairment) and not prematurity were the main indications for palivizumab in the SSP. The RSV-related hospitalization rate confirmed by viral testing in the SSP (receiving palivizumab prophylaxis) was 0.9%. No deaths due to RSV were reported.Second season recipients of palivizumab differ from one season recipients of palivizumab in terms of risk factors and main indications for prophylaxis. Keeping in mind the limitations of an uncontrolled prospective observational study, these results support the effectiveness of palivizumab (concerning the RSV rehospitalization rate) and do not reveal new safety alerts in a large SSP.

Background The recommended standard immunosuppressive therapy for renal transplant recipients comprises an initial induction therapy mainly with an interleukin-2-receptor antibody (IL2-RA) and a triple maintenance therapy. With tacrolimus and mycophenolate acid it is unknown whether IL2-RA application affects the short- and long-term results. This question is addressed in the present analysis. Methods From July 2007 to June 2019 a total of 127 living donor kidney transplant recipients meeting the center-specific definition of immunologic low risk situation (first transplantation, HLA-mismatch ≤3, panel reactive antibody ≤10%) were identified. In 83 recipients with a first-degree relationship to the donor we omitted the IL2-RA induction (IL2-RA-). The remaining 44 recipients, mostly not first-degree relatives, served as controls (IL2-RA+). Biopsy-proven acute rejection and long-term patient and graft survival rates were compared. Results Biopsy-proven acute rejection rates after 3 months were similar in both groups with 4.8% (IL2-RA-) vs 13.7% (IL2-RA+; P = .0937), including borderline rejection rates of 18.0% (IL2-RA-) vs 18.3% (IL2-RA+; P = 1.000), respectively. Ten-year long-term survival rates were comparable between the IL2-RA- and the IL2-RA+ group with 95.6% vs 93.5% (patient survival; P = .5465) and 92.1% vs 90.6% (death-censored graft survival; P = .8893). Conclusion For low-risk living donor kidney transplant recipients with first-degree relationship to the donor, it is safe to omit induction therapy with IL2-RA.

Following national recommendations, palivizumab is administered in Germany to high-risk infants to prevent hospitalizations related to Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection.In this post marketing observational study (German SYNAGIS™ Registry) data on risk factors and the clinical course of children, who received at least one palivizumab injection between 2009-2016 (01 September to June 30) were entered into an internet-based data entry system by the attending physicians after informed consent.63 572 immunizations were documented for 12 729 evaluable patients (EVP) from 2009 to 2016, with an average of 5.0 immunizations per patient per season. 45% of infants received more than 5 injections. The predominant primary reason for immunization was premature birth (74%). In the EVP the rate of hospitalizations with causal relationship to RSV was 0.7% (=92/12 729) or 1.2% in a worst case scenario including patients with missing RSV test. In patients with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease as main indication, RSV-related hospitalization rate was 0.8%. Intensive care was necessary in 16.9% (median duration 3 days), mechanical ventilation in 8.0%. No death related to RSV infection was reported.Keeping in mind the limitations of an uncontrolled prospective observational study, our results confirm the effectiveness and safety of palivizumab prophylaxis. The total number of patients with hsCHD is lower than expected. A better adjustment to the regional epidemiology would probably reduce the need for more than 5 injections.Palivizumab wird in Deutschland Hochrisikokindern nach den Empfehlungen der Fachgesellschaften verabreicht um Hospitalisierungen zu verhindern, die durch eine RSV Infektion bedingt sind.In einer prospektiven Post-Marketing Surveillance Studie (Deutsches SYNAGIS™ Register) wurden Daten zu Risikofaktoren und zum Verlauf von Kindern erhoben, die zwischen 2009 und 2016 (1. Sept. – 30. Juni) mindestens eine Gabe Palivizumab erhalten haben. Nach Zustimmung der Sorgeberechtigten wurden die Daten von den behandelnden Ärzten in ein internetbasiertes Register eingegeben.Insgesamt erhielten zwischen 2009 und 2016 12 729 auswertbare Patienten (EVP) 63 572 Palivizumab Injektionen (im Mittel 5.0/Patient und Saison); 45% erhielten mehr als 5 Gaben. Frühgeburtlichkeit war die Hauptindikation (74%). Die Rate der RSV-bedingten Hospitalisierungen in der EVP betrug 0,7% (=92/12 729) bzw.1,2% in einem Worst-Case Szenario unter Einschluss der Patienten ohne RSV Test. Bei Patienten mit hämodynamisch signifikanter angeborener Herzerkrankung (hsCHD) betrug die RSV-bedingte Rehospitalisierungsrate 0,8%. Eine Intensivtherapie war in 16,9% erforderlich (mediane Dauer 3 Tage), invasive Beatmung in 8%. Es wurden keine RSV-bedingten Todesfälle berichtet.Vorbehaltlich der Limitationen eines nicht kontrollierten prospektiven Registers bestätigen die aktuellen Daten des Deutschen Synagis™ die Effektivität der Palivizumab Prophylaxe. Die absolute Anzahl der Kinder mit Hauptindikation hsCHD ist kleiner, als erwartet. Eine bessere Anpassung an die lokale Epidemiologie würde wahrscheinlich die Notwendigkeit von mehr als 5 Gaben pro Saison reduzieren.

Heart of Darkness is certainly the most important founding text for a literary tradition of representing the Congo. Yet at the historical moment, it was just one text in a much larger corpus of travel writing, reports, pamphlets and fiction that formed a discourse on the so-called Congo atrocities, a subject which provoked heated debate among colonial powers at the time. The larger discursive formation has political implications for Europe and the colonial politics of the day. This article explores the contribution of popular genres, including adventure and romance fiction, to the representation of the particular crimes committed in the Congo Free State. Focussing on Henri de Vere Stacpoole’s The Pools of Silence (1909) and Arnaldo Cipolla’s L’Airone: Romanzo dei fiumi equatoriali (1920), I argue that contemporary fiction served to construct the Congo as a space of terror and degeneration while simultaneously employing discursive patterns and images taken from contemporary political debates about the Free...

This paper explores some aspects of the controversy which is now surrounding Afropolitanism, and examines the philosophical and literary output in relation to the concept. Mobility between spaces, in the cosmopolitan tradition, as well as digital mobility and visibility through the use of social media, are considered as key elements of Afropolitanism as a diasporic movement. So Afropolitanism can be described as a form of cosmopolitanism with African roots. However, the commodification of the term as a brand, and the class bias of Afropolitan lifestyle are more problematic. In the second part of the paper, the positions of African intellectuals are shown to convey more philosophical depth and moral relevance to Afropolitanism. In this vision of the concept, as it was initiated by Achille Mbembe, Afropolitanism is relevant for both the diaspora and for Africa. Afropolitanism in this understanding of it decentres, de-essentializes and valorizes the continent. The paper closes with readings of two novels of ...

Infants with Down syndrome (DS) face an increased risk of respiratory tract infections. Recent studies describe DS as independent risk factor for a complicated clinical course in infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The prospective observational German Synagis™ Registry comprises data from 249 children below 25 months of age with DS and palivizumab prophylaxis 2009-2016 (1191 administrations; mean 4.8 per patient and season). The median gestational age and the birth weight in patients without and with DS were 31 versus 37 weeks (P 0.001) and 1590 versus 2750 g, respectively (P 0.001). Patients with DS significantly more often had congenital heart disease (CHD), siblings in kindergarten or school, treatment with oxygen at home, immunodeficiency, and neuromuscular impairment. The RSV-related hospitalization rate in patients with DS was 1.20%; the hospitalization rate in patients without DS was 0.71%.Data from 249 children with DS receiving palivizumab prophylaxis in seven consecutive RSV seasons (2009-2016) in Germany reveal important differences between patients with and without DS concerning the main indication for palivizumab use and additional risk factors. Bearing in mind the limitations of an uncontrolled postmarketing observational study, the results confirm the field effectiveness of palivizumab prophylaxis in this special population. What is Known: • Recent studies describe the Down syndrome as independent risk factor for a complicated clinical course in infants with RSV infection. What is New: • Compared with other infants receiving palivizumab prophylaxis, patients with Down syndrome significantly more often had congenital heart disease, siblings in kindergarten or school, treatment with oxygen at home, immunodeficiency, and neuromuscular impairment. • In infants with palivizumab prophylaxis breakthrough, RSV-related hospitalization rates were not significantly higher in those with Down syndrome.

The construction of African male blackness is read against the backdrop of Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks, a text that informed the writings of Simon Njami as well as of authors such as Dambudzo Merechara, Dillibe Onyeama, and Daniel Biyaoula. Njami’s African Gigolo exposes the ‘pathological patterns’ of male behaviour and the mythical image of black male sexuality to be structurally rooted in (historically established) reciprocal assumptions about Euro-African gendered encounters.

Cet article élabore le concept de la traversée du Moi en tant qu’outil méthodologique d’interprétation des écritures autobiographiques francophones actuelles. Concept qui s’érige contre l’expression de la quête d’identité, la traversée du moi souligne la pluralité ouverte du sujet esquissé dans les textes autobiographiques de Assia Djebar, Ken Bugul et Patrick Chamoiseau., This article elaborates the concept of the crossing of the self as a methodological tool for the interpretation of recent francophone autobiographical writing. As a concept which overthrows the notion of a quest for identity, the crossing of the self underlines the open plurality of the subject outlined in the autobiographical texts of Assia Djebar, Ken Bugul and Patrick Chamoiseau.

This article explores the Congolese remembering of the experienced colonial violence through the medium of literature. Although criticism of colonialism is not a favourite topic of Congolese writers, there exists an important corpus of texts, especially when the literary production of Congo Kinshasa and Congo Brazzaville with their politically distinct though sometimes similar experiences is taken into account. Three main strategies of writing about the topic can be distinguished: a documentary mode, an allegorical mode and a fragmented mode, which often appear in combination. Intertextuality with the colonial archive as well as oral African narrations is a recurrent feature of these texts. The short stories of Lomami Tchibamba, of the first generation of Congolese authors writing in French, are analysed as examples for a dominantly allegorical narration. Mythical creatures taken from the context of oral literature become symbols for the process of alterity and power relations during colonialism, while the construction of a heroic figure of African resistance provides a counter-narrative to colonial texts of conquest. Thomas Mpoyi-Buatu's novel La reproduction (1986) provides an example of fragmented writing that reflects the traumatic experience of violence in both Congolese memory of colonialism and Congolese suffering of the present violent dictatorial regime. The body of the protagonist and narrator becomes the literal site of remembering. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde Vol. 46 (1) 2009: pp.11-27