A preliminary study of group intervention along with basic canine training among traumatized teenagers: A 3-month longitudinal study

The current study aimed to reduce the psychological distress of teenage girls who were exposed to traumatic event (physical or sexual abused), through using dogs-assisted therapy. Two sets of designs conducted: 1) longitudinal design which aims to answer the question: does dog assisted therapy will reduce psychological distress (namely depressive symptoms, post-traumatic symptoms), improve self confidence and subjective well being among these teenage girls? 2) Cross-sectional design that aims to compare the treatment group (dogs-assisted therapy) with comparison group at baseline and after the last session. The groups (intervention vs. matching) were compared on socio-demographic variables (only for time 1), subjective well-being, coping with stressful life events, PTSD symptoms, and depressive symptoms at base line (time 1) and at the end of the intervention (time 2). Findings from the longitudinal perspective have shown a rapid decline at the level of PTSD symptoms in the intervention group, along with significant reduction in the proportion of participants with elevated risk for PTSD. The main significant findings from the cross-sectional design were: lower level of subjective well-being, higher level of PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms among the intervention group compared to the matching group at base line. However, these differences became non-significant at the end of the intervention. Various explanations for these findings are discussed.Adolescent Dogs-assisted therapy Depression symptoms Post-traumatic symptoms Subjective well being

Blood Transfusion Promotes Cancer Progression: A Critical Role for Aged Erythrocytes

Background: In cancer patients, allogeneic blood transfusion is associated with poorer prognosis, but the independent effect of the transfusion is controversial. Moreover, mediating mechanisms underlying the alleged cancer-promoting effects of blood transfusion are unknown, including the involvement of donors' leukocytes, erythrocytes, and soluble factors. Method: Two syngeneic tumor models were used in Fischer 344 rats, the MADB106 mammary adenocarcinoma and the CRNK-16 leukemia. Outcomes included host ability to clear circulating cancer cells, and host survival rates. The independent impact of blood transfusion was assessed, and potential deleterious characteristics of the transfusion were studied, including blood storage duration; the role of erythrocytes, leukocyte, and soluble factors; and the kinetics of the effects. Results: Blood transfusion was found to be an independent and significant risk factor for cancer progression in both models, causing up to a fourfold increase in lung tumor retention and doubling mortality rates. Blood storage time was the critical determinant of these deleterious effects, regardless of whether the transfused blood was allogeneic or autogenic. Surprisingly, aged erythrocytes (9 days and older), rather than leukocytes or soluble factors, mediated the effects, which occurred in both operated and nonoperated animals. The effects of erythrocytes transfusion in the MADB106 model emerged immediately and dissipated within 24 h. Conclusions: In rats, transfusion of fresh blood is less harmful than transfusion of stored blood in the context of progressing malignancies. Further studies should address mediating mechanisms through which erythrocytes' storage duration can impact the rate of complications while treating malignant diseases and potentially other pathologies