Effects of Therapy Dogs on Anxiety in Children Participating in Sexual Abuse Forensic Interviews at Children\u27s Advocacy Center

This study investigated the effect of therapy dogs on physiological and psychological measures of anxiety before and after a forensic interview in children who may have been sexually abused. A convenience sample consisted of 37 children ages 6 to 12 years who presented at a children’s advocacy center for sexual abuse forensic interviews. Twenty children had a therapy dog present during their time at the Center and 17 did not. Researchers measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) using a Zelwa WS-TS Touch Screen Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor. State- anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. All measurements were taken before and after participation in a forensic interview. Results indicate no significant differences in state-anxiety and physiological arousal in children who had the dog present in the waiting room compared to the children in the dog absent condition

Effect of metformin on fibrinolysis in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an explorative study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a high incidence of vascular disease which can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The risk of cardiovascular mortality in T2DM patients is observed to be more compared to the age-matched subjects. This is attributed to depression of the fibrinolytic system which maintains patency of blood vessels. Endogenous inhibitors such as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inhibit the activation of plasminogen and thus prevent the degradation of fibrinogen. In T2DM there is increased levels of PAI-1. Such a state of altered fibrinolysis is attributed to insulin resistance. A previous study done at our institute demonstrated higher euglobulin lysis time (ELT) in T2DM patients than controls, suggesting altered fibrinolytic activity in the former group. D-dimer is a degradation product of fibrin. Its presence indicates a state of hypercoagulability.  In a study by Nwose et al rise in D-dimer levels were observed in diabetics, especially with cardiovascular complications as compared to controls indicating D-dimer could be a useful marker for predicting the complications in T2DM

Cleaved Caspase-3 Sebagai Uji Apoptosis Pada Kanker Serviks IIB Tipe Sel Skuamosa Yang Mendapat Kemoterapi Neoadjuvan Cisplatin

Tujuan: mencari peningkatan ekspresi cleaved caspase-3 pada pasien kanker serviks IIB tipe sel skuamosa sesudah pemberian kemoterapi neoadjuvan cisplatin dan mencari kapan waktu yang tepat untuk mendeteksi apoptosis menggunakan cleaved caspase-3. Bahan dan Metode: Jenis penelitian analitik observasional berpasangan. Dilakukan pada penderita kanker serviks IIB tipe sel skuamosa berdasarkan kriteria FIGO yang berobat di POSA RSUD Dr. Soetomo Surabaya. Penelitian dilakukan mulai bulan Mei 2014. Sebelum dilakukan terapi semua penderita diambil biopsi serviks. Kemudian penderita diberikan cisplatin 50mg/m2/minggu Diambil biopsi serviks setelah diberikan kemoterapi ke 1 dan ke 4 (maksimal 8 jam setelah kemoterapi, sampel kedua). Sampel diperiksakan imunohistokimia cleaved caspase 3. Dilakukan penghitungan ekspresi cleaved caspase 3 di bawah mikroskop dengan perbesaran 400x pada 10 lapang pandang. Pengujian statistik dilakukan dengan nilai kemaknaan p<0,05.Hasil: Rata-rata ekspresi cleaved caspase 3 sebelum kemoterapi adalah 1,46± 1,854. Setelah kemoterapi ke 1 didapatkan rata- rata 10,77± 3,655.Setelah kemoterapi ke 4 didapatkan rata- rata 12,77± 5,703. Pada pemeriksaan didapatkan ekspresi cleaved caspase 3 setelah pemberian kemoterapi lebih meningkat dibandingkan sebelum pemberian kemoterapi (p<0,01), sedangkan ekspresi cleaved caspase 3 setelah kemoterapi ke 1 dan ke 4 tidak didapat-kan perbedaan bermakna (p=0,882).Simpulan: Pemberian kemoterapi terbukti memberikan efek peningkatan ekspresi cleaved caspase-3. Sehingga cleaved caaspase-3 dapat dijadikan sebagai salah satu uji apoptosis pada efek kemoterapi terhadap sel kanker

2-Fluoro-l-histidine

The title compound, C6H8FN3O2, an analog of histidine, shows a reduced side-chain pKa (ca 1). The title structure exhibits a shortening of the bond between the proximal ring N atom and the F-substituted ring C atom, indicating an increase in π-bond character due to an inductive effect of fluorine

Increases in the competitive fitness of West Nile virus isolates after introduction into California

To investigate the phenotypic evolution of West Nile virus (WNV) in California, we competed sixteen isolates made during 2007-08 against COAV997-5nt, a genetically marked clone from the founding 2003 California isolate COAV997-2003. Using in vivo fitness competitions in House Finches (HOFI) and Culex tarsalis mosquitoes, we found that the majority of WNV WN02 and SW03 genotype isolates exhibited elevated replicative fitness in both hosts compared to COAV997-5nt. Increased replicative capacity in HOFIs was not associated with increased mortality, indicating that these isolates had not gained avian virulence. One WN02 isolate from Coachella Valley, a region geographically close to the isolation of COAV997, showed neutral fitness in HOFIs and reduced fitness in Cx. tarsalis. Two isolates from Kern County and Sacramento/Yolo County out-competed COAV997-nt in HOFIs, but were transmitted less efficiently by Cx. tarsalis. Competition demonstrated neutral or increased fitness that appeared independent of both WN02 and SW03 genotypes

Deconvolution of complex G protein-coupled receptor signaling in live cells using dynamic mass redistribution measurements

Label-free biosensor technology based on dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) of cellular constituents promises to translate GPCR signaling into complex optical 'fingerprints' in real time in living cells. Here we present a strategy to map cellular mechanisms that define label-free responses, and we compare DMR technology with traditional second-messenger assays that are currently the state of the art in GPCR drug discovery. The holistic nature of DMR measurements enabled us to (i) probe GPCR functionality along all four G-protein signaling pathways, something presently beyond reach of most other assay platforms; (ii) dissect complex GPCR signaling patterns even in primary human cells with unprecedented accuracy; (iii) define heterotrimeric G proteins as triggers for the complex optical fingerprints; and (iv) disclose previously undetected features of GPCR behavior. Our results suggest that DMR technology will have a substantial impact on systems biology and systems pharmacology as well as for the discovery of drugs with novel mechanisms

A systematic review of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration

AbstractThis systematic review examined 140 outcome evaluations of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration. The review had two goals: 1) to describe and assess the breadth, quality, and evolution of evaluation research in this area; and 2) to summarize the best available research evidence for sexual violence prevention practitioners by categorizing programs with regard to their evidence of effectiveness on sexual violence behavioral outcomes in a rigorous evaluation. The majority of sexual violence prevention strategies in the evaluation literature are brief, psycho-educational programs focused on increasing knowledge or changing attitudes, none of which have shown evidence of effectiveness on sexually violent behavior using a rigorous evaluation design. Based on evaluation studies included in the current review, only three primary prevention strategies have demonstrated significant effects on sexually violent behavior in a rigorous outcome evaluation: Safe Dates (Foshee et al., 2004); Shifting Boundaries (building-level intervention only, Taylor, Stein, Woods, Mumford, & Forum, 2011); and funding associated with the 1994 U.S. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA; Boba & Lilley, 2009). The dearth of effective prevention strategies available to date may reflect a lack of fit between the design of many of the existing programs and the principles of effective prevention identified by Nation et al. (2003)

Alterations in auditory brain stem response distinguish occasional and constant tinnitus

BACKGROUND. The heterogeneity of tinnitus is thought to underlie the lack of objective diagnostic measures. METHODS. Longitudinal data from 20,349 participants of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) cohort from 2008 to 2018 were used to understand the dynamics of transition between occasional and constant tinnitus. The second part of the study included electrophysiological data from 405 participants of the Swedish Tinnitus Outreach Project (STOP) cohort. RESULTS. We determined that with increasing frequency of the occasional perception of self-reported tinnitus, the odds of reporting constant tinnitus after 2 years increases from 5.62 (95% CI, 4.83–6.55) for previous tinnitus (sometimes) to 29.74 (4.82–6.55) for previous tinnitus (often). When previous tinnitus was reported to be constant, the odds of reporting it as constant after 2 years rose to 603.02 (524.74–692.98), suggesting that once transitioned to constant tinnitus, the likelihood of tinnitus to persist was much greater. Auditory brain stem responses (ABRs) from subjects reporting nontinnitus (controls), occasional tinnitus, and constant tinnitus show that wave V latency increased in constant tinnitus when compared with occasional tinnitus or nontinnitus. The ABR from occasional tinnitus was indistinguishable from that of the nontinnitus controls. CONCLUSIONS. Our results support the hypothesis that the transition from occasional to constant tinnitus is accompanied by neuronal changes in the midbrain leading to a persisting tinnitus, which is then less likely to remit.publishedVersio

Comparison of the Structural Stability and Dynamic Properties of Recombinant Anthrax Protective Antigen and its 2- Fluorohistidine Labeled Analogue

Protective antigen (PA) is the primary protein antigenic component of both the currently used anthrax vaccine and related recombinant vaccines under development. An analogue of recombinant PA (2-FHis rPA) has been recently shown to block the key steps of pore formation in the process of inducing cytotoxicity in cells, and thus can potentially be used as an antitoxin or a vaccine. This rPA analogue was produced by fermentation to incorporate the unnatural amino acid 2-fluorohistidine (2-FHis). In this study, the effects of 2-FHis labeling on rPA antigen’s conformational stability and dynamic properties were investigated by various biophysical techniques. Temperature/pH stability profiles of rPA and 2-FHis rPA were analyzed by the empirical phase diagram (EPD) approach, and physical stability differences between them were identified. Results showed that rPA and 2-FHis rPA had similar stability at pH 7–8. With decreasing solution pH, however, 2-FHis rPA was found to be more stable. Dynamic sensitive measurements of the two proteins at pH 5 found that 2-FHis rPA was more dynamic and/or differentially hydrated under acidic pH conditions. The biophysical characterization and stability data provide information useful for the potential development of 2-FHis rPA as a more stable rPA vaccine candidate