Reflections and Critical Directions for Toilet Training in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Achieving toileting independence is a critical skill that yields several benefits of pressing social, developmental, and health-related importance. The seminal behavioral approach to toilet training established the conceptualization of continence and framework for toileting research thereafter. Contemporary researchers continue to evaluate toilet training procedures that produce efficacious outcomes for young children that closely align with current applied behavior analysis (ABA) ethics and standards of practice.

Anger treatment via CBAT delivered remotely: Outcomes on psychometric and self-monitored measures of anger.

Studies of anger treatment have often reported on reappraisal and relaxation techniques delivered in person to forensic and psychiatric samples. The present study evaluated an integrative programme of cognitive-behavioural affective therapy (CBAT) delivered remotely to chronic pain sufferers with comorbid anger. Volunteers (N = 54) were randomly assigned to either CBAT or an Emotional Education (EE) group, both receiving hour-long videorecorded sessions twice a week for 4 weeks plus weekly calls by telephone.

A Comparison of Baseline Procedures in Task Analyses.

Several methods for assessing baseline performance in chained tasks have been outlined in the literature, including the fixed-opportunity probe (FOP) and the multiple-opportunity probe (MOP). Concerns have been raised regarding how each of these methods might change the baseline performance of a task, affecting the interpretation of experimental control. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a within-subject comparison of both the FOP and MOP procedures for children with autism performing daily living and self-care skills.

Acceptability of Single-dose Clindamycin Gel for Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to assess the acceptability of a single-dose bioadhesive 2% clindamycin vaginal gel for bacterial vaginosis (BV).

Methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study compared a new clindamycin gel with placebo gel (2:1 ratio). The primary objective was efficacy; secondary objectives were safety and acceptability.

Parameters of anger as related to sensory-affective components of pain.

Objectives: Comorbid with chronic pain are negative emotions, anger being particularly salient. To evaluate specific relationships between pain and anger, the present study deconstructed anger into five parameters and dichotomized pain into sensory vs. affective components.

Single-Dose, Bioadhesive Clindamycin 2% Gel for Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To assess efficacy and safety of a single-dose vaginal clindamycin gel for bacterial vaginosis treatment.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study comparing clindamycin gel with placebo (2:1 ratio). Entry required clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, that is, all four Amsel's criteria, without other genital infections.

Further evaluation of functional analysis screening methods in early autism intervention.

A goal of some functional analysis (FA) variations is to reduce assessment time while still maintaining efficacy. This may be especially important when conducting FAs in early intervention programs, where time is a crucial commodity. To that end, we evaluated a model for using the results of the no-interaction condition as a screening for behavioral function and to guide selection of FA test conditions with 20 participants (22 assessments) aged 3 to 7 years old.

Distribution of Paycheck Protection Program to otolaryngology practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted physician practices in many ways with some ENT clinics reporting around a 50% drop in completed scheduled ENT visits during the first wave of the pandemic compared to 2019.

Aims: This study surveyed first round PPP loan disbursement to otolaryngology practices in the United States in response to COVID-19.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using publicly available data published on PPP by the SBA.

Analysis of Online Patient Education Materials on Rhinoplasty.

Are education materials available online appropriate for patients seeking information before rhinoplasty? Google.com and YouTube.com were searched for patient education information on rhinoplasty procedures.

Evaluating bowel movements, self-initiations, and problem behavior with the emergence of urinary continence.

Much of the research evaluating toilet training interventions for children with ASD has focused on urinations as the primary dependent variable. As a result, the effects that toilet training interventions targeting urinations may have on other related dependent variables remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective analysis of data obtained by Perez et al.

A Novel Parent Questionnaire for the Detection of Seizures in Children of Spanish-Speaking Families.

Background: We developed and validated a Spanish seizure screen for children based on a previously validated English seizure screen that could be administered by a trained research assistant in a 2-step process, approximating the clinical diagnostic process of a pediatric epilepsy specialist. This questionnaire was designed to study seizure prevalence in a research population of children at risk for epilepsy.

Methods: Spanish-speaking parents of children 6 months to 17 years old were recruited from the pediatric neurology clinics at Boston Medical Center and interviewed using a computerized questionnaire.

An extension of commonly used toilet-training procedures to children with autism spectrum disorder.

The current study evaluated a toilet-training treatment package described by Greer et al. (2016) with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most of the current research on toilet-training interventions for children with ASD are replications and modifications of Azrin and Foxx (1971) or (more recently) LeBlanc et al.

Functional analysis and operant treatment of food guarding in a pet dog.

The present study extended functional analysis (FA) methodology to human-directed resource guarding in a dog in an in-home setting. The subject underwent four conditions including control, attention, escape, and tangible, arranged in a modified FA. The results indicated multiply controlled resource guarding (i.

Direct vasoactive effects of the chromogranin A (CHGA) peptide catestatin in humans in vivo.

Catestatin is a bioactive peptide of chromogranin A (CHGA) that is co-released with catecholamines from secretory vesicles. Catestatin may function as a vasodilator and is diminished in hypertension. To evaluate this potential vasodilator in vivo without systemic counterregulation, we infused catestatin to target concentrations of approximately 50, approximately 500, approximately 5000 nM into dorsal hand veins of 18 normotensive men and women, after pharmacologic venoconstriction with phenylephrine.

Three femoral fixation devices for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: comparison of fixation on the lateral cortex versus the anterior cortex.

Purpose: To evaluate the biomechanical properties of 3 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction femoral fixation devices in a porcine model with implantation on both the lateral femoral cortex and the anterior femoral cortex.

Methods: ACL reconstructions with an 8-mm porcine tendon graft were performed on 48 porcine femurs with the EndoButton CL (Smith & Nephew, Andover, MA), ToggleLoc with ZipLoop technology (Biomet Sports Medicine, Warsaw, IN), or EZLoc (Biomet Sports Medicine). In 8 specimens for each implant, the femoral tunnel was drilled from the 10:30 surgical position out the lateral cortex.

Genetic variation within adrenergic pathways determines in vivo effects of presynaptic stimulation in humans.

Background: Catecholamines govern stress blood pressure responses. Catecholaminergic responses may be partially genetic and contribute to the complex heritability of hypertension.

Methods And Results: To evaluate catecholaminergic responses without systemic counterregulation, we infused graded concentrations of tyramine, an indirect presynaptic norepinephrine releaser, into dorsal hand veins of 49 normotensive men and women of 5 ethnicities.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent gene expression contributes to L1 cell adhesion molecule-dependent motility and invasion.

The cell adhesion molecule L1 has been implicated in a variety of motile processes, including neurite extension, cerebellar cell migration, extravasation, and metastasis. Homophilic or heterophilic L1 binding and concomitant signaling have been shown to promote cell motility in the short term. In this report, L1 is also shown to induce and maintain a motile and invasive phenotype by promoting gene transcription.

Alphav-integrin utilization in human beta-cell adhesion, spreading, and motility.

The role of individual integrins in human beta-cell development and function is largely unknown. This study describes the contribution of alpha(v)-integrins to human beta-cell adhesion, spreading, and motility. Developmental differences in alpha(v)-integrin utilization are addressed by comparing the responses of adult and fetal beta-cells, and vitronectin is used as a substrate based on its unique pattern of expression in the developing pancreas.

Recognition of the neural chemoattractant Netrin-1 by integrins alpha6beta4 and alpha3beta1 regulates epithelial cell adhesion and migration.

Netrins, axon guidance cues in the CNS, have also been detected in epithelial tissues. In this study, using the embryonic pancreas as a model system, we show that Netrin-1 is expressed in a discrete population of epithelial cells, localizes to basal membranes, and specifically associates with elements of the extracellular matrix. We demonstrate that alpha6beta4 integrin mediates pancreatic epithelial cell adhesion to Netrin-1, whereas recruitment of alpha6beta4 and alpha3beta1 regulate the migration of CK19+/PDX1+ putative pancreatic progenitors on Netrin-1.

A novel approach to increase human islet cell mass while preserving beta-cell function.

Human islet expansion in monolayer culture leads to loss of function and senescence. By maintaining the 3-D configuration of islets in fibrin gels, it is feasible to expand beta-cells in response to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) while preserving physiologic glucose responsiveness both in vitro and in vivo after transplantation into nude mice. Islets were cultured free floating with or without growth factors and nicotinamide and in fibrin gels with the same conditions.