The present study quantitatively evaluated the effects of interaction with dogs on children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), disorders characterized by lack of social communications and abilities. While interacting with a therapist, children were exposed to three different conditions: (a) a nonsocial toy (ball), (b) a stuffed dog, and (c) a live dog. Prosocial and nonsocial interactions were evaluated in terms of both behavioral and verbal dimensions. Results show that children exhibited a more playful mood, were more focused, and were more aware of their social environments when in the presence of a therapy dog. These findings indicate that interaction with dogs may have specific benefits for this population and suggest that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may be an appropriate forrm of therapy

The aim of this study was to identify the extent of genetic variability in breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) in humans. We first analysed the sequence of BCRP cDNA from human livers and from human intestines phenotyped for expression of intestinal BCRP. We then determined the frequency of all known coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) using DNA from individuals representing 11 different ethnic populations. Nine SNPs including four non-synonymous and three synonymous cSNPs and two intronic SNPs were identified. Of the missense mutations, exon 2 SNP (G34A) resulted in a V12M change; exon 5 SNP (C421A) resulted in a Q141K substitution; exon 6 SNP (A616C) resulted in an I206L amino acid substitution; and exon 15 SNP (A1768T) resulted in a N590Y change in the BCRP protein. The two most frequent polymorphisms identified in the human population studied were the G34A and C421A transitions. There was marked variation in BCRP genotypes and allele frequencies in the different populations. BCRP mRNA was phenotyped in human small bowel intestinal samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction and BCRP protein was analysed on immunoblots of tissue from the same individuals. There was a 78-fold variation in expression of BCRP mRNA and significant variation in BCRP protein expression in human intestine. Expression of intestinal BCRP mRNA and protein was not different between persons expressing the common Gln141 allele compared to the Lys141 allele. Thus, common natural allelic variants of BCRP have been identified, and did not influence interindividual variation in expression of BCRP mRNA in human intestine, but remain to be tested for their effect on BCRP function.

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Overall, students consider the HAB to be an important and valuable construct, one that was influential in their decision to become veterinarians. However, the HAB's importance seems to decrease as students progress in school. Also, students aspiring to food animal careers seem to attach less value to some aspects of the HAB. Females attached more importance to the role HAB plays in their lives than did males; those on "alternative" surgery track assigned more significance to the role of the HAB in veterinary medicine than did those on the "traditional" surgery track. Students also reported that they believe the HAB should be addressed in veterinary curricula.

The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation's forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the national forests and national grasslands, it strives-as directed by Congress-to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.