Juvenile probation officers\u27 pereceptions of the efficacy of functional family therapy

This study sought to examine the perceptions that juvenile probation officers have regarding their experience with Functional Family Therapy (FFT). The study highlighted the importance of communication between the probation officers and the FFT staff as well as strong support from the supervising staff

Mesothelin-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses Provide Evidence of In Vivo Cross-Priming by Antigen-Presenting Cells in Vaccinated Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Tumor-specific CD8+ T cells can potentially be activated by two distinct mechanisms of major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted antigen presentation as follows: direct presentation by tumor cells themselves or indirect presentation by professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). However, controversy still exists as to whether indirect presentation (the cross-priming mechanism) can contribute to effective in vivo priming of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells that are capable of eradicating cancer in patients. A clinical trial of vaccination with granulocyte macrophage–colony stimulating factor–transduced pancreatic cancer lines was designed to test whether cross-presentation by locally recruited APCs can activate pancreatic tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. Previously, we reported postvaccination delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to autologous tumor in 3 out of 14 treated patients. Mesothelin is an antigen demonstrated previously by gene expression profiling to be up-regulated in most pancreatic cancers. We report here the consistent induction of CD8+ T cell responses to multiple HLA-A2, A3, and A24-restricted mesothelin epitopes exclusively in the three patients with vaccine-induced DTH responses. Importantly, neither of the vaccinating pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed HLA-A2, A3, or A24. These results provide the first direct evidence that CD8 T cell responses can be generated via cross-presentation by an immunotherapy approach designed to recruit APCs to the vaccination site

Secular score gains on Raven’s Progressive Matrices in a population of Polish adolescents

The paper presents findings on secular score gains in Raven’s Progressive Matrices during six decades (1948- 2009) in Polish adolescents. Seven groups are being compared, comprising of 20, 490 subjects in total. The representative groups examined in 2000 (N=1,331) and 2009 (N=3,650) are those of special interest as they are the most numerous and allowing formal means comparison using standard test for comparison of means and Welch’s test. Possible causes for the noted effect are being discussed, with special emphasis on the economic growth and its implications - such as improved nutrition, education changes, growth of adolescent’s well-being and child upbringing practices

Critical thinking about occupation: a framework for guiding pedagogy in occupational therapy

Title: Critical thinking about occupation: a framework for guiding pedagogy in occupational therapy Type of session: Theoretical paper Keywords: critical thinking, occupation, theory development Intent: This theoretical paper presents our initial proposed framework for critical thinking about occupation. Literature review and a practical scenario are used to illustrate critical thinking about occupation as different from professional reasoning (Facione & Facione, 1996; Schell & Cervero, 1993). Models and frameworks of critical thinking from other disciplines are examined in relationship to occupation (Moseley et al., 2005). Argument: Critical thinking about occupation is a foundation that needs to be explicitly taught in the occupational therapy curriculum--before and while teaching professional reasoning. Critical thinking about occupation is different from the application of professional reasoning in practice, as critical thinking requires deep understanding of the underlying structure of the discipline. Although there has been renewed focus on deep learning about occupation (Hooper et al., 2014), currently there is no existing framework for teaching critical thinking about occupation. We present an initial framework with elements of information gathering, building understanding, and productive thinking interacting with strategic and reflective thinking about occupation. Importance to occupational science: Occupational science is the conceptual and empirical basis for the practice of occupational therapy, and informs pedagogical approaches to teaching the epistemology of the discipline of occupational therapy. A recognized framework for teaching critical thinking about occupation may increase awareness of the need to include occupational science in the occupational therapy curriculum. Conclusion: This is an invitation for dialog that will inform development of a framework for teaching critical thinking about occupation. We argue that critical thinking about occupation is distinct from professional reasoning in occupational therapy, and that occupational science directly informs this critical thinking. Questions to facilitate discussion: Taking a look at the elements and processes in our framework- how do you see these holding true as you teach critical thinking about occupation? What elements are supported? What elements are missing? What examples do you have of pedagogical methods that explicitly promote critical thinking about occupation? What opportunities exist for the measurement of growth in critical thinking about occupation in learners across a curriculum? What are some examples of how occupational science research could be integrated into occupational therapy curricula as a method for teaching critical thinking about occupation

Effects of early-life exposure to allergens and bacteria on recurrent wheeze and atopy in urban children

BackgroundWheezing illnesses cause major morbidity in infants and are frequent precursors to asthma.ObjectiveWe sought to examine environmental factors associated with recurrent wheezing in inner-city environments.MethodsThe Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma study examined a birth cohort at high risk for asthma (n = 560) in Baltimore, Boston, New York, and St Louis. Environmental assessments included allergen exposure and, in a nested case-control study of 104 children, the bacterial content of house dust collected in the first year of life. Associations were determined among environmental factors, aeroallergen sensitization, and recurrent wheezing at age 3 years.ResultsCumulative allergen exposure over the first 3 years was associated with allergic sensitization, and sensitization at age 3 years was related to recurrent wheeze. In contrast, first-year exposure to cockroach, mouse, and cat allergens was negatively associated with recurrent wheeze (odds ratio, 0.60, 0.65, and 0.75, respectively; P ≤ .01). Differences in house dust bacterial content in the first year, especially reduced exposure to specific Firmicutes and Bacteriodetes, was associated with atopy and atopic wheeze. Exposure to high levels of both allergens and this subset of bacteria in the first year of life was most common among children without atopy or wheeze.ConclusionsIn inner-city environments children with the highest exposure to specific allergens and bacteria during their first year were least likely to have recurrent wheeze and allergic sensitization. These findings suggest that concomitant exposure to high levels of certain allergens and bacteria in early life might be beneficial and suggest new preventive strategies for wheezing and allergic diseases