Treatment of anxiety in older adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders: A pilot study.

Anxiety disorders are commonly comorbid in adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism. Cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) for anxiety, when adapted and expanded to target autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristics, may be beneficial, but there is minimal evidence to guide clinicians in their application. This multiple-baseline design study evaluated the initial efficacy of a CBT protocol adapted to address anxiety symptoms and adaptive functioning in this population.

The peer relationships of girls with ASD at school: comparison to boys and girls with and without ASD.

Background: This study examines the social relationships of elementary school children with high-functioning autism, focusing on how gender relates to social preferences and acceptance, social connections, reciprocal friendships, and rejection.

Method: Peer nomination data were analyzed for girls with and without ASD (n = 50) and boys with and without ASD (n = 50). Girls and boys with ASD were matched by age, gender, and IQ.

Predicting treatment success in social skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: the UCLA Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills.

This study seeks to examine the predictors of positive social skills outcomes from the University of California, Los Angeles Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, an evidence-based parent-assisted social skills program for high-functioning middle school and high school adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. The results revealed that adolescents with higher parent-reported baseline social skills and lower self-reported perceived social functioning demonstrated greater improvement in social skills following the intervention.

Long-term outcomes of parent-assisted social skills intervention for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders.

This study aims to evaluate the long-term outcome of Children's Friendship Training, a parent-assisted social skills intervention for children. Prior research has shown Children's Friendship Training to be superior to wait-list control with maintenance of gains at 3-month follow-up. Participants were families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who completed Children's Friendship Training 1-5 years earlier.

An attenuated Listeria monocytogenes vector primes more potent simian immunodeficiency virus-specific mucosal immunity than DNA vaccines in mice.

A human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine that induces potent immune responses in the gastrointestinal mucosa would be highly desirable. Here we show that attenuated recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, administered orally utilizing its natural route of infection, induces potent mucosal as well as systemic immune responses in mice. Moreover, these responses can be boosted efficiently with replication-incompetent adenoviral vectors.

Pediatric overweight prevention through a parent training program for 2-4 year old Latino children.

Background: Latino preschool children in the United States are at high risk for obesity. The objective of this study was to measure over a one-year period whether a parent training based on social learning theory combined with evidence-based interventions to promote optimal nutrition and physical activity will reduce the upward trend of BMI z-scores in groups of 2–4 year old Latino children living in low-income households.

Methods: Seven weekly classes with 2 booster classes were delivered to low-income Latino parents with 2–4 year old children.

Maternal Reports of Play Dates of Clinic Referred and Community Children.

Recent interventions have focused upon play dates as a means to improve friendships. However, no measures have been published which quantify play date quality. An important characteristic of play dates in this regard may be the amount of conflict.

Development of a Listeria monocytogenes-based vaccine against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a promising bacterial vector able to induce a T-cell response to tumor-associated antigens and demonstrates great potential for use in vaccine development. A novel recombinant LM-based vaccine (Lmdd (LM ΔdalΔdat)-MPFG (multiple peptide fusing genes)) was developed with the ability to express and secrete hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-related tumor-associated antigens fragments due to the insertion of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-X protein (HBx)-derived epitopes HBx(52-60) and HBx(140-148), the universal T-helper epitope, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) epitope AFP(158-166), and melanoma antigen gene (MAGE)-3(271-279) into the HBV core protein. Following immunization with the Lmdd-MPFG vaccine, macrophages exhibited uptake of the bacteria; the vaccine was then nearly cleared 3 days after the first administration.

Evidence-based social skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: the UCLA PEERS program.

The present study examines the efficacy and durability of the PEERS Program, a parent-assisted social skills group intervention for high-functioning adolescents with ASD. Results indicate that teens receiving PEERS significantly improved their social skills knowledge, social responsiveness, and overall social skills in the areas of social communication, social cognition, social awareness, social motivation, assertion, cooperation, and responsibility, while decreasing autistic mannerisms and increasing the frequency of peer interactions. Independent teacher ratings revealed significant improvement in social skills and assertion from pre-test to follow-up assessment.

Prime-boost vaccination with heterologous live vectors encoding SIV gag and multimeric HIV-1 gp160 protein: efficacy against repeated mucosal R5 clade C SHIV challenges.

We sought to induce primate immunodeficiency virus-specific cellular and neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses in rhesus macaques (RM) through a bimodal vaccine approach. RM were immunized intragastrically (i.g.

Prior exposure to an attenuated Listeria vaccine does not reduce immunogenicity: pre-clinical assessment of the efficacy of a Listeria vaccine in the induction of immune responses against HIV.

Background: We have evaluated an attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) candidate vaccine vector in nonhuman primates using a delivery regimen relying solely on oral vaccination. We sought to determine the impact of prior Lm vector exposure on the development of new immune responses against HIV antigens.

Findings: Two groups of rhesus macaques one Lm naive, the other having documented prior Lm vector exposures, were evaluated in response to oral inoculations of the same vector expressing recombinant HIV-1 Gag protein.

A live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes vaccine vector expressing SIV Gag is safe and immunogenic in macaques and can be administered repeatedly.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is known to induce strong cellular immune responses. We constructed a live-attenuated Lm vector, Lmdd-BdopSIVgag, which encodes SIVmac239 gag. Intragastric (i.

Mothers' reports of play dates and observation of school playground behavior of children having high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

Background: Children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are generally included with typically developing peers at school. They have difficulties interacting with peers on the school playground. Previous literature suggests that having play dates in the home may be related to better peer acceptance at school.

Parent-assisted group treatment for friendship problems of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Children with Asperger's Disorder or High Functioning Autism are included in regular education classes but find themselves excluded from the social lives of their classmates. This paper briefly reviews studies which attempt to provide them with training to overcome their social difficulties. These interventions have had limited success and have not systematically incorporated the child's parents into the intervention.

Psychosocial and familial impairment among overweight youth with social problems.

Objective: Emerging research indicates that overweight children with social impairments are less responsive to weight control interventions over the long term. A better understanding of the breadth and psychosocial correlates of social problems among overweight youth is needed to optimize long-term weight outcomes.

Methods: A total of 201 overweight children, aged 7-12 years, participated in a randomized controlled trial of two weight maintenance interventions following family-based behavioral weight loss treatment.

A randomized controlled study of parent-assisted Children's Friendship Training with children having autism spectrum disorders.

This study evaluated Children's Friendship Training (CFT), a manualized parent-assisted intervention to improve social skills among second to fifth grade children with autism spectrum disorders. Comparison was made with a delayed treatment control group (DTC). Targeted skills included conversational skills, peer entry skills, developing friendship networks, good sportsmanship, good host behavior during play dates, and handling teasing.

Impact of a social skills intervention on the hostile attributions of children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to a wide array of developmental deficits, including significant impairments in social skills. Given the extensive body of evidence linking social information-processing patterns with social behavior, it is possible that social information-processing may represent one mechanism of behavioral change. The present investigation sought to answer the question of whether a well-established social skills intervention decreased the hostile attributions of children with PAE.

Effects of the K65R and K65R/M184V reverse transcriptase mutations in subtype C HIV on enzyme function and drug resistance.

Background: We investigated the effects of mutations K65R and K65R plus M184V on enzymatic function and mechanisms of drug resistance in subtype C reverse transcriptase (RT).

Methods: Recombinant subtype C HIV-1 RTs containing K65R or K65R+M184V were purified from Escherichia coli. Enzyme activities and tenofovir (TFV) incorporation efficiency by wild-type (WT) and mutant RTs of both subtypes were determined in cell-free assays.

Parent-assisted social skills training to improve friendships in teens with autism spectrum disorders.

This study examines the efficacy of a manualized parent-assisted social skills intervention in comparison with a matched Delayed Treatment Control group to improve friendship quality and social skills among teens 13-17 years of age with autism spectrum disorders. Targeted skills included conversational skills, peer entry and exiting skills, developing friendship networks, good sportsmanship, good host behavior during get-togethers, changing bad reputations, and handling teasing, bullying, and arguments. Results revealed, in comparison with the control group, that the treatment group significantly improved their knowledge of social skills, increased frequency of hosted get-togethers, and improved overall social skills as reported by parents.

Behavioral regulation as a predictor of response to Children's Friendship Training in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) evidence an array of structural brain abnormalities and neurocognitive deficits. Furthermore, previous research suggests that deficits in executive functioning (EF) may be associated with significant difficulties in the formation of positive peer relationships in this population. The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of EF as a predictor of treatment response to a controlled social skills intervention for children with FASDs.

Novel vaccination protocol with two live mucosal vectors elicits strong cell-mediated immunity in the vagina and protects against vaginal virus challenge.

Most HIV infections result from heterosexual transmission to women. Because cellular immunity plays a key role in the control of the infection, we sought to strengthen cellular immune responses in vaginal tissue. We explored a novel prime-boost protocol that used two live mucosal agents that trigger different pathways of innate immunity and induce strong cellular immunity.

Live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes expressing HIV Gag: immunogenicity in rhesus monkeys.

Induction of strong cellular immunity will be important for AIDS vaccine candidates. Natural infection with wild-type Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), an orally transmitted organism, is known to generate strong cellular immunity, thus raising the possibility that live attenuated Lm could serve as a vaccine vector. We sought to examine the potential of live attenuated Lm to induce cellular immune responses to HIV Gag.

Kinetics of inhibition of HIV type 1 reverse transcriptase-bearing NRTI-associated mutations by apricitabine triphosphate.

We wished to investigate the effects of various mutations in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) on biochemical inhibition by the active form of a novel nucleoside termed apricitabine. Accordingly, we studied the efficiency of chain-termination mediated by apricitabine triphosphate (TP) in cell-free assays that used either recombinant wild-type or mutated RTs. We also performed steady-state-kinetics and primer-unblocking assays.