Human-animal-environment interactions as a context for youth social-emotional health and wellbeing: Practitioners' perspectives on processes of change, implementation, and challenges.

BACKGROUND: Human-animal-environment interactions (HAEIs) are increasingly used in interventions for youth with psychosocial challenges, yet research is limited. Staff from an exemplary program that use HAEIs have unique perspectives on the processes involved in youth outcomes. The aim of this study was to elucidate processes of change that may underly HAEIs and key implementation considerations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A phenomenological approach was used to ascertain HAEI staff perspectives of how they have seen HAEIs impact youth. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 24 staff at a mental health treatment program that utilizes HAEIs. RESULTS: Six themes were identified, including views that HAEIs had challenges, afforded youth with valuable opportunities, improved mood, facilitated relationships and self-regulation, and strengthened self-conception. CONCLUSION: Findings will inform program development; and future research to assess mediating variables and best practices in implementation of HAEIs.

Therapeutic time window of multipotent adult progenitor therapy after traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. TBI results in a prolonged secondary central neuro-inflammatory response. Previously, we have demonstrated that multiple doses (2 and 24 h after TBI) of multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC) delivered intravenously preserve the blood-brain barrier (BBB), improve spatial learning, and decrease activated microglia/macrophages in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In order to determine if there is an optimum treatment window to preserve the BBB, improve cognitive behavior, and attenuate the activated microglia/macrophages, we administered MAPC at various clinically relevant intervals. METHODS: We administered two injections intravenously of MAPC treatment at hours 2 and 24 (2/24), 6 and 24 (6/24), 12 and 36 (12/36), or 36 and 72 (36/72) post cortical contusion injury (CCI) at a concentration of 10 million/kg. For BBB experiments, animals that received MAPC at 2/24, 6/24, and 12/36 were euthanized 72 h post injury. The 36/72 treated group was harvested at 96 h post injury. RESULTS: Administration of MAPC resulted in a significant decrease in BBB permeability when administered at 2/24 h after TBI only. For behavior experiments, animals were harvested post behavior paradigm. There was a significant improvement in spatial learning (120 days post injury) when compared to cortical contusion injury (CCI) in groups when MAPC was administered at or before 24 h. In addition, there was a significant decrease in activated microglia/macrophages in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus of the treated group (2/24) only when compared to CCI. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous injections of MAPC at or before 24 h after CCI resulted in improvement of the BBB, improved cognitive behavior, and attenuated activated microglia/macrophages in the dentate gyrus.