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Background: There remains debate over the best invasive diagnostic modality for mediastinal nodal evaluation. Prior studies have limited generalizability and insufficient power to detect differences in rare adverse events. We compared the risks and costs of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided nodal aspiration and mediastinoscopy performed for any indication in a large national cohort.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study (2007-2015) with MarketScan, a claims database of individuals with employer-provided insurance in the United States. Patients who underwent multimodality mediastinal evaluation (n = 1,396) or same-day pulmonary resection (n = 2,130) were excluded. Regression models were used to evaluate associations between diagnostic modalities and risks and costs while adjusting for patient characteristics, year, concomitant bronchoscopic procedures, and lung cancer diagnosis.Results: Among 30,570 patients, 49% underwent EBUS. Severe adverse events-pneumothorax, hemothorax, airway/vascular injuries, or death-were rare and invariant between EBUS and mediastinoscopy (0.3% vs 0.4%; P = .189). The rate of vocal cord paralysis was lower for EBUS (1.4% vs 2.2%; P < .001). EBUS was associated with a lower adjusted risk of severe adverse events (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.32-0.55) and vocal cord paralysis (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.54-0.60). The mean cost of EBUS was $2,211 less than mediastinoscopy ($6,816 vs $9,023; P < .001). After adjustment this difference decreased to $1,650 (95% CI, $1,525-$1,776).Conclusions: When performed as isolated procedures, EBUS is associated with lower risks and costs compared with mediastinoscopy. Future studies comparing the effectiveness of EBUS vs mediastinoscopy in the community at large will help determine which procedure is superior or if trade-offs exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Upper airway injury is a recognized complication of prolonged endotracheal intubation, yet little attention has been paid to the consequences of laryngeal injury and functional impact. The purpose of our study was to prospectively define the incidence of acute laryngeal injury and investigate the impact of injury on breathing and voice outcomes.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Tertiary referral critical care center.Patients: Consecutive adult patients intubated greater than 12 hours in the medical ICU from August 2017 to May 2018 who underwent laryngoscopy within 36 hours of extubation.Interventions: Laryngoscopy following endotracheal intubation.Measurements and Main Results: One hundred consecutive patients (62% male; median age, 58.5 yr) underwent endoscopic examination after extubation. Acute laryngeal injury (i.e., mucosal ulceration or granulation tissue in the larynx) was present in 57 patients (57%). Patients with laryngeal injury had significantly worse patient-reported breathing (Clinical Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Questionnaire: median, 1.05; interquartile range, 0.48-2.10) and vocal symptoms (Voice Handicap Index-10: median, 2; interquartile range, 0-6) compared with patients without injury (Clinical Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Questionnaire: median, 0.20; interquartile range, 0-0.80; p < 0.001; and Voice Handicap Index-10: median, 0; interquartile range, 0-1; p = 0.005). Multivariable logistic regression independently associated diabetes, body habitus, and endotracheal tube size greater than 7.0 with the development of laryngeal injury.Conclusions: Acute laryngeal injury occurs in more than half of patients who receive mechanical ventilation and is associated with significantly worse breathing and voicing 10 weeks after extubation. An endotracheal tube greater than size 7.0, diabetes, and larger body habitus may predispose to injury. Our results suggest that acute laryngeal injury impacts functional recovery from critical illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane-derived authigenic carbonates (MDACs) in Miocene bathyal mudstones in North Island, New Zealand are typically expressed as either sub-seafloor conduit concretions or as seafloor seep limestones, but rarely are both types exposed in outcrop at one locality. Consequently, any potential genetic link between them is usually inferred. This also appears to be the case for global occurrences of MDAC. At the Rocky Knob seep complex near Gisborne both seep limestones and conduit concretions co-occur. The petrography and stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope compositions of their various authigenic carbonate components (automicrite, fibrous aragonite crystals, and granular, blocky and bladed calcite crystals) show that distinctive isotope and petrographic groupings for precipitates within the conduit concretions match or "correlate" with several of those in the seep limestones. This corroborates their genetic tie and derivation from the same fluids, albeit in different parts (i.e. sub-seafloor vs. seafloor) of the seep complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

low level of genetic variation has limited the application of molecular markers for characterizing important traits in cultivated tomato. To detect polymorphisms in tomato conserved ortholog sets (COS), expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were searched against tomato and Arabidopsis genomic sequences to define the positions of introns. Introns were amplified from 12 different accessions of tomato by polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequences were determined by sequencing. Results indicated that there was a possibility of 71% to amplify introns from tomato genomic DNA through this approach. A total of 201 introns were sequenced from 86 COS unigenes. The intron positions and numbers were conserved between tomato and Arabidopsis, but average intron length was three times longer in tomato than in Arabidopsis. A total of 307 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 75 indels were detected in introns of 57 COS unigenes among 12 tomato lines. Within cultivated tomato germplasm 172 SNPs and 47 indels were detected in introns of 33 COS unigenes. In addition, 41 SNPs were identified in the exons of 27 COS unigenes. The frequency of SNPs was 2.4 times higher in introns than in exons in the 22 COS unigenes having both intronic and exonic polymorphisms. These results indicate that intronic regions may contain sufficient variation to develop sufficient marker resources for genome-wide analysis in cultivated tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of 1,338 Spanish-speaking 1st graders examined contextual effects of bilingual programs on reading comprehension and the effect of language of instruction within these contexts. The study included 128 classrooms in 32 schools located in border Texas and in urban Texas and California. These classrooms used either English immersion or Spanish maintenance bilingual programs. Detailed observations of teachers' instructional language were made, sampled within the year. The analyses allowed classroom-level differences to be separated from student-level differences, for Spanish and English passage comprehension to be considered simultaneously. While mean differences between programs were reduced for English passage comprehension, maintenance programs still outperformed immersion programs in Spanish. Results also indicated large program and locale covariance differences at the classroom level, implying important differences in how these programs operate in these locales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxicity of drilling fluid XP-07 on gills of three life stages (fry, fingerling and post fingerling) of Tilapia guineensis was evaluated in a 96h static bioassay. The mortality rates of the organisms were determined using the same concentrations of XP-07 in all the life stages. At the end of 96h, the gills were examined for histopathological changes. The 96h median lethal concentrations for fry (Fr), fingerlings (F) and post fingerlings (PF) were 5.03, 7.77 and 6.93% XP-07 respectively. The median lethal time values decreased as concentration and time of exposure increased. The histopathological studies carried out on gills of T. guineensis showed injuries, which increased progressively with the concentration of the fluid. The fry stage was the most susceptible to the drilling fluid. This states the need for care to be taken in handling drilling fluids in Niger delta, since this area serves as breeding and nursery ground for several fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case Description - A 13-year-old neutered female Keeshond-cross was evaluated because of a history of melena, anemia, hematemesis, vomiting, and high serum liver enzyme activities over a 1.5-year period. Clinical Findings-Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a hyperechoic mass in the gallbladder. In the gallbladder mass itself, a distinct linear blood flow pattern was detected by use of color flow Doppler ultrasonography. Treatment and Outcome - A cholecystectomy was performed, and clinical signs resolved. Samples of the mass were examined histologically and immunohistochemically, and findings supported a diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor of the gallbladder. Clinical Relevance - Tumors of the biliary tree are a potential source of blood loss into the gastrointestinal tract. Color flow Doppler ultrasonography in conjunction with conventional grayscale ultrasonography may be useful in evaluation of the gallbladder in dogs. When echogenic material is detected in the gallbladder, it is important to evaluate the region for blood flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study evaluated the relation between Spanish and English vocabulary. Whereas previously reported correlations have revealed strong differences among types of vocabulary measures used and the ages of the students tested, no prior study had used a multilevel model to control for classroom-level differences. The current study used multiple measures of vocabulary--picture vocabulary and narrative production tasks--in multilevel models of 1,300 Spanish-speaking students in 247 kindergarten and 1st-grade classrooms in English immersion and bilingual transitional programs. The current results highlight the need to separate classroom effects from student effects, since for vocabulary measures, student-level correlations were strongly biased toward zero when classroom-level correlations were opposite in direction from student-level correlations. Most important, the current results support a strong distinction between types of vocabulary measure (e.g., picture vs. narrative) and suggest sizable influence of instruction for questions of bilingual performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Heat-Labile Enterotoxin Promotes Escherichia coli Adherence to Intestinal Epithelial Cells," by Amber M. Johnson, Radhey S. Kaushik, David H. Francis, James M. Fleckenstein, and Philip R. Hardwidge is presented.

S4 voltage-sensor mutations in CaV1.1 and NaV1.4 channels cause the human muscle disorder hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP). The mechanism whereby these mutations predispose affected sarcolemma to attacks of sustained depolarization and loss of excitability is poorly understood. Recently, three HypoPP mutations in the domain II S4 segment of NaV1.4 were shown to create accessory ionic permeation pathways, presumably ex- tending through the aqueous gating pore in which the S4 segment resides. However, there are several disparities between reported gating pore currents from different investigators, including differences in ionic selectivity and estimates of current amplitude, which in turn have important implications for the pathological relevance of these aberrant currents. To clarify the features of gating pore currents arising from different DIIS4 mutants, we recorded gating pore currents created by HypoPP missense mutations at position R666 in the rat isoform of Navl.4 (the second arginine from the outside, at R672 in human NaV1.4). Extensive measurements were made for the index mutation, R666G, which created a gating pore that was permeable to K~ and Nat This current had a markedly shallow slope conductance at hyperpolarized voltages and robust inward rectification, even when the ionic gradient strongly favored outward ionic flow. These characteristics were accounted for by a barrier model incorporating a voltage-gated permeation pathway with a single cation binding site oriented near the external surface of the electrical field. The amplitude of the R666G gating pore current was similar to the amplitude of a previously described proton-selective current flowing through the gating pore in rNaVl .4-R663H mutant channels. Currents with similar amplitude and cation selectivity were also observed in R666S and R666C mutant channels, while a proton-selective current was observed in R666H mutant channels. These results add support to the notion that HypoPP mutations share a common biophysical profile comprised of a low-amplitude inward current at the resting potential that may contribute to the pathological depolarization during attacks of weakness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Addressing the literacy needs of secondary school students involves efforts to raise the achievement levels of all students and to address specifically the needs of struggling readers. One approach to this problem is to consider the application of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model with older students. We describe an approach to enhanced literacy instruction for middle school students that includes the essential components of any RTI model: universal screening, progress monitoring, and multi-tiered instructional service delivery. We use screening and progress-monitoring tools specifically tied to state accountability tests and a multi-tiered instructional framework that addresses the literacy needs of all middle school students, including struggling readers. Presently a large-scale, multi-site randomized trial is under way to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this RTI model for middle school students. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Serious conceptual and procedural problems associated with current diagnostic methods call for alternative approaches to assessing and diagnosing students with reading problems. This study presents a new analytic model to improve the classification and prediction of children's reading development. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify the presence of 10 different heterogeneous developmental patterns. In all, 411 children in kindergarten through Grade 2 from 3 elementary schools in Texas were administered measures of phonological awareness, word recognition, and rapid naming skills 4 times a year. The mean ages were 5.8 years (SD = 0.35) for the kindergartners, 6.9 years (SD = 0.39) for Grade 1, and 8.0 years (SD = 0.43) for Grade 2; the percentage of boys was 50%. The results indicate that precursor reading skills such as phonological awareness and rapid naming are highly predictive of word reading (word recognition) and that developmental profiles formed in kindergarten are directly associated with development in Grades 1 and 2. Students identified as having reading-related difficulties in kindergarten exhibited slower development of word recognition skills in subsequent years of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stressful events during periods of drug abstinence likely contribute to relapse in cocaine-dependent individuals. Excessive cocaine use may increase susceptibility to stressor-induced relapse through alterations in brain corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) responsiveness. This study examined stressor- and CRF-induced cocaine seeking and other stress-related behaviors in rats with different histories of cocaine self-administration (SA). Rats self-administered cocaine under short-access (ShA; 2 h daily) or long-access (LgA; 6 h daily) conditions for 14 days or were provided access to saline and were tested for reinstatement by a stressor (electric footshock), cocaine or an icv injection of CRF and for behavioral responsiveness on the elevated plus maze, in a novel environment and in the light–dark box after a 14- to 17-day extinction/withdrawal period. LgA rats showed escalating patterns of cocaine SA and were more susceptible to reinstatement by cocaine, EFS, or icv CRF than ShA rats. Overall, cocaine SA increased activity in the center field of a novel environment, on the open arms of the elevated plus maze, and in the light compartment of a light–dark box. In most cases, the effects of cocaine SA were dependent on the pattern/amount of cocaine intake with statistically significant differences from saline self-administering controls only observed in LgA rats. When examined after several weeks of extinction/withdrawal, cocaine SA promotes a more active pattern of behavior during times of stress that is associated with a heightened susceptibility to stressor-induced cocaine-seeking behavior and may be the consequence of augmented CRF regulation of addiction-related neurocircuitry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proposes a method for direct determination of lycopene content in tomatoes by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and mutivariate analysis. It was confirmed that the ATR-IR protocol allowed for rapid, accurate, sensitive and reliable determination of lycopene in tomatoes with minimal sample preparation. The application of three-bounce diamond plate also provided increased spectral resolution.

This article reviews the validity of models based on (a) aptitude-achievement discrepancies, (b) low achievement, (c) intraindividual differences, and (d) response to instruction for the classification and identification of learning disabilities (LD). Models based on aptitude-achievement discrepancies and intraindividual differences showed little evidence of discriminant validity. Low achievement models had stronger discriminant validity but do not adequately assess the most significant component of the LD construct, unexpected underachievement. All three of these status models have limited reliability because of their reliance on a measurement at a single time point. Models that incorporate response to instruction have stronger reliability and validity but cannot represent the sole criterion for LD identification. Hybrid models combining low achievement and response to instruction most clearly capture the LD construct and have the most direct relation to instruction. The assessment of students for LD must reflect a stronger underlying classification that takes into account relations with other developmental disorders as well as the reliability and validity of the underlying classification and resultant identification system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular basis of non-host resistance, or species-specific resistance, remains one of the major unknowns in the study of plant–microbe interactions. In this paper, we describe the characterization of a non-host pathosystem involving the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the economically important and destructive oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Cytological investigations into the early stages of this interaction revealed the germination of P. infestans cysts on Arabidopsis leaves, direct penetration of epidermal cells, formation of infection vesicles and occasionally secondary hyphae, followed by a typical hypersensitive response. P. infestans biomass dynamics during infection of Arabidopsis was monitored using kinetic PCR, revealing an increase in biomass during the first 24 h after inoculation, followed by a decrease in the later stages. Transgenic reporter lines and RNA blot analyses were used to characterize the defence responses induced following P. infestans infection. Significant induction of PDF1.2 was observed at 48 h after inoculation, whereas elevated levels of PR gene expression were detected three days after inoculation. To further characterize this defence response, DNA microarray analyses were carried out to determine the expression profiles for c. 11 000 Arabidopsis cDNAs 16 h after infection. These analyses revealed a significant overlap between Arabidopsis non-host response and other defence-related treatments described in the literature. In particular, non-host response to P. infestans was clearly associated with activation of the jasmonate pathway. The described Arabidopsis–P. infestans pathosystem offers excellent prospects for improving our understanding of non-host resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to model the development of children's reading skills using the negative exponential curve with mixed effects model. The model describes the nature of growth in children's reading skills and accounts for intra-individual and inter-individual variations. In addition, we propose methods including cross-validation, regression, and graphing to determine an appropriate curve for the data, to find good initial values for parameters, and to select potential covariates. We illustrate with an example that motivated this research: a longitudinal study of academic reading skills from grade 1 to grade 12 in Connecticut public schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that deficits in phonological awareness skills are related to reading difficulties. Recently, another source of reading difficulty has been identified that involves naming speed, and combined impairments in phonological skills and naming speed will produce more severe reading deficits than single deficits in either of these cognitive skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the consequences of grouping children based on the presence or absence of deficits in these skills. We demonstrate that the greater severity of reading impairment found in children with a double deficit could be due in part to a statistical artifact caused by grouping children based on their performance on two correlated continuous variables. This artifact also makes it difficult to establish the relative impact of deficits in naming speed on reading ability independent of deficits in phonological awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures the information processing of Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) among first and second-grade students. Relation between the pause and articulation latencies of the three RAN subtests and reading; Performance of the student in RAN subtest; Predictor of decoding and reading comprehension.

The article presents recommendations for ladder safety. Topics include choosing a ladder the correct style, height, and weight tolerance for the task, checking for hazards such as overhead power lines and ground debris, and placement and climbing of ladders when accessing roofs or upper landings. Also discussed are ladder products such as multipurpose ladders, leveling devices, and outriggers.

The article presents the case of a 74-year-old woman who presented with a one-year history of hoarseness as well as dyspnea and wheezing. Laryngeal videostroboscopy revealed a subglottic mass that obstructed 75 percent of the airway, while microdirect laryngoscopy showed a rubbery submucosal mass adherent to the anterior subglottis. The mass was found to be a stage I marginal lymphoma. Further information on laryngeal tumors is presented.

Abstract: The advent and incorporation of the air bag into motor vehicles has resulted in the mitigation of many head and truncal injuries in motor vehicle collisions. However, air bag deployment is not risk free. We present a case of sodium azide-induced laryngospasm after air bag deployment. An unrestrained male driver was in a moderate-speed motor vehicle collision with air bag deployment. Medics found him awake, gasping for air with stridorous respirations and guarding his neck. The patient had no external signs of trauma and was presumed to have tracheal injury. The patient was greeted by the Anesthesiology service, which intubated him using glidescope-assisted laryngoscopy. The patient was admitted for overnight observation and treatment of alkaline ocular injury and laryngospasm. Although air bags represent an important advance in automobile safety, their use is not without risk. Bruising and tracheal rupture secondary to air bag deployment have been reported in out-of-position occupants. Additionally, alkaline by-products from the combustion of sodium azide in air bags have been implicated in ocular injury and facial burns. Laryngospasm after sodium azide exposure presents another diagnostic challenge for providers. Therefore, it is incumbent to maintain vigilance in the physical examination and diagnosis of occult injuries after air bag deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about two-stage brachiobasilic (BB) haemodialysis access arteriovenous (AV) fistula in the previous issue.

Presents the poem "City of Curiosities (Baltimore, 1820s)," by David Francis. First Line: The cheapest attractions were exhibited; Last Line: and played violin with her feet.

Presents the poem "Ruins at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec," by David Francis. First Line: Forced to retreat to their mountain refuge; Last Line: falls in silence, fails to report back.

Background: Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are an economically and nutritionally important crop colored by carotenoids such as lycopene and β-carotene. Market diversification and interest in the health benefits of carotenoids has created the desire in plant, food, and nutritional scientists for improved extraction and quantification protocols that avoid the analytical bottlenecks caused by current methods. Objective: Our objective was to compare standard and rapid extraction as well as chromatographic separation methods for tomato carotenoids. Method: Comparison was based on accuracy and the ability to discriminate between alleles and genetic backgrounds. Estimates of the contribution to variance in the presence of genetic and environmental effects were further used for comparison. Selections of cherry and processing tomatoes with varying carotenoid profiles were assessed using both established extraction and HPLC–diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) methods and rapid extraction and ultra-HPLC-DAD (UHPLC-DAD) protocols. Results: Discrimination of alleles in samples extracted rapidly (<5 min/sample) was similar to samples extracted using a standard method (10 min/sample), although carotenoid concentrations were lower due to reduced extraction efficiency. Quantification by HPLC-DAD (21.5 min/sample) and UHPLC-DAD (4.2 min/sample) were comparable, but the UHPLC-DAD method could not separate all carotenoids and isomers of tangerine tomatoes. Random effects modeling indicated that extraction and chromatographic methods explained a small proportion of variance compared with genetic and environmental sources. Conclusions: The rapid extraction and UHPLCDAD methods could enhance throughput for some applications compared with standard protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease caused by a combined infection of Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and any cereal infecting potyvirus is a threat to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Resistance to potyvirus has been extensively studied and Mdm1 gene for potyvirus resistance on chromosome 6 of maize is linked to Y1 gene for maize endosperm colour. This study is aimed at selecting for coupling-phase recombination of potyvirus resistance and white endosperm colour. White susceptible maize lines CML333 and CML277 were crossed with a yellow resistant line, Pa405, to produce F1 and F2 progenies. Progenies were screened using molecular markers to recover 22 white endosperm recombinants. 22 selections were advanced to F3 recombinant families, and 10 were assayed for their responses to Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV). Four families segregated for SCMV resistance, selection of homozygous recombinants within these families will provide lines appropriate for improving lines with resistance to SCMV and MLN resistance in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the dimensionality of bilingual phonological awareness (PA) in English and Spanish by replicating a kindergarten model in Grade 1, and presents alternatives to modeling clustered data. English and Spanish tasks were analyzed from previously collected samples totaling 1,586 first grade Spanish‐speaking English learners. Four distinct approaches to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models were examined: (a) uncentered student‐level data, (b) student‐level data centered at the classroom means, (c) classroom‐level data, and (d) multilevel CFA. Results indicated that while the multilevel CFA provided the most comprehensive view of the data, the multi‐level student‐level estimates were not appreciably different from estimates based on student‐level data centered at the classroom means, and multi‐level classroom‐level estimates were comparable to estimates based on the analysis of classroom means. Importantly, English and Spanish PA were statistically separable at the student‐level, but minimally distinct (r = .86) and slightly less correlated than what has been reported for kindergarten (r = .93). At the classroom level, the correlation was moderate (r = .51), and substantially reduced compared to kindergarten (r = .83). The distinction at the classroom‐level between kindergarten and Grade 1 implies that instruction differentiates the abilities across languages at the classroom‐level, but less so at the student‐level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated early indicators of Spanish‐speaking English learners (ELs) at risk for reading difficulties at the end of Grade 2 by examining their early bilingual oral language development, taking into account language of academic instruction. Standardized measures of reading and narrative samples were collected in English and Spanish from kindergarten to Grade 2 from 1,243 ELs primarily instructed in English or Spanish. Conditional growth curve models yielded four primary findings of reading and oral language development. First, ELs with low reading achievement at the end of Grade 2 demonstrated early reading difficulties during kindergarten. Second, although ELs demonstrated overall higher reading achievement in their instructed language, this difference decreased over time. Third, ELs with low reading achievement at the end of Grade 2 demonstrated lower oral language skills in each language over time. Fourth, ELs demonstrated overall higher oral language skills in their instructed language, yet these differences varied over time. The study provided a detailed description of the longitudinal relations among the bilingual reading and oral language skills of Spanish‐speaking ELs during the early school years. These findings help to inform the processes of early identification and intervention for Spanish‐speaking ELs who are likely to demonstrate reading achievement difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the validity of IQ‐achievement discrepancy and low achievement as criteria for the identification of disabilities in Spanish‐speaking English‐language learners (ELs) and the factors that moderate the validity of these approaches as bases for identification. While there has been a long history of examining the validity of different approaches to disability identification in monolinguals, there are no systematic approaches taken for ELs. Data from Grades 1 and 2 of a large longitudinal data set consisting of young Spanish‐speaking students attending schools in the United States were used to empirically examine criteria for disability identification among language minority children—one of the first large‐scale attempts. Findings indicated significant overidentification when the language of assessment was not matched to the language of the instruction, although the effects varied predictably over time and by language of instruction. Validation of classifications using measures external to the classification found that low achieving and discrepant children differ from typically developing children, and from one another in predictable ways based on differences in IQ. The study highlights the importance of taking into account the language of instruction and the severity of the cut‐off to reduce misidentification of typically developing children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Ty-6 is a major resistance gene on chromosome 10 of tomato that provides resistance against monopartite and bipartite begomoviruses and complements resistance conferred by the known Ty-3 and ty-5 genes. Resistance to monopartite and bipartite begomoviruses is an important breeding objective for cultivated tomato. Several begomovirus resistance genes have been introgressed from related Solanum species and are available for breeding purposes. In the present study, we mapped an additional locus, Ty-6, to chromosome 10 of tomato. Ty-6 is effective against both monopartite Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and bipartite Tomato mottle virus (ToMoV). Gene action is incomplete dominance, with an intermediate resistance response when Ty-6 is heterozygous. Analysis of populations segregating for Ty-6 along with Ty-3 or ty-5 indicates that the highest level of resistance against TYLCV is attained when Ty-6 is combined with an additional resistance allele. Our results also demonstrate that ty-5 is ineffective against ToMoV. Although multiple SNPs linked to Ty-6 were identified and can be used for breeding purposes, none of these were consistently polymorphic between Ty-6 and ty-6 breeding lines. Further research is underway to generate resequencing data for several Ty-6 inbred lines for the discovery of additional sequence polymorphisms that can be used for fine mapping and characterizing the Ty-6 locus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a rare disease with few local resources for individuals to use. With the explosive growth of online social networking, platforms such as Facebook possess compelling potential to facilitate user-driven sharing of health information and peer support. This study was performed to better understand the content shared in a busy online community for individuals with iSGS. Methods: The largest online community (OC) for individuals with iSGS, Living With Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis (LwiSGS), was examined. A thematic content analysis of the communications shared in February of 2018 was performed. A conventional qualitative analysis model was employed to analyze aggregated data. The data were then codified. Results: Analysis demonstrated that communications primarily encompassed three major thematic elements: (1) information sharing; (2) emotional support, expression, and experience sharing; and (3) community building. Positively toned posts grossly overshadowed negatively toned posts by almost a factor of 3. A significant portion of group members requested information from their peers, suggesting a high level of trust toward the resources provided in this group, even those involving a surgical procedure or medication. Conclusion: LwiSGS is a forum for patients with a rare chronic condition to share informational resources, personal experiences, and emotional support, as well as a community with their peers. These data suggest that LwiSGS could be a powerful resource for individuals with iSGS to share information, personal experiences, or emotional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Resequencing of "Caimanta" and "LA0722" reveals polymorphisms across the tomato genome. • Multiple sequence comparisons revealed several features relevant for breeding goals. • Development of DNA markers for easily accessed genotyping platforms. • Linkage map construction as genetic reference for QTL detection and resource for MAS. Abstract Next generation sequencing technologies have become affordable for most plant breeding programs. In this study we sequenced the entire genome of the Solanum lycopersicum L. cultivar Caimanta and S. pimpinellifolium L. accession LA0722 with assembly relative to the Heinz 1706 reference version SL2.50. We present 1) analysis of the amount and distribution of polymorphism in "Caimanta" and "LA0722", 2) examination of alleles in candidate genes affecting disease resistance, fruit shape, fruit weight and fruit quality and 3) development of molecular markers to construct a genetic linkage map based on a F 2 population. A total of 1,397,518 polymorphisms were detected in the comparison between "Caimanta" and "LA0722". A resistant allele for Rx4/ Xv3 was detected by sequence, and confirmed through inoculation. - We developed a set of insertion/deletion (InDel) DNA markers that can be multiplexed and scored using easily accessed genotyping platforms. These markers were used to construct a genetic linkage map. We demonstrate that the whole genome sequencing of parental lines can be successfully used to reveal phenotypes and characterize a reference population through easily accessed genotyping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Long-term neurological response to treatment after a severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a dynamic process. Failure to capture individual heterogeneity in recovery may impact findings from single endpoint sTBI randomized controlled trials (RCT). The present study re-examined the efficacy of erythropoietin (Epo) and transfusion thresholds through longitudinal modeling of sTBI recovery as measured by the Disability Rating Scale (DRS). This study complements the report of primary outcomes in the Epo sTBI RCT, which failed to detect significant effects of acute treatment at 6 months post-injury. Methods: We implemented mixed effects models to characterize the recovery time-course and to examine treatment efficacy as a function of time post-injury and injury severity. Results: The inter-quartile range (25th–75th percentile) of DRS scores was 20–28 at week1; 8–24 at week 4; and 3–17 at 6 months. TBI severity group was found to significantly interact with Epo randomization group on mean DRS recovery curves. No significant differences in DRS recovery were found in transfusion threshold groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the value of taking a comprehensive view of recovery from sTBI in the Epo RCT as a temporally dynamic process that is shaped by both treatment and injury severity, and highlights the importance of the timing of primary outcome measurement. Effects of Epo treatment varied as a function of injury severity and time. Future studies are warranted to understand the possible moderating influence of injury severity on treatment effects pertaining to sTBI recovery. (JINS , 2019, 25 , 293–301) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose Studies have shown that an additional mean dose of 1 Gy to the heart can increase the relative risk of cardiac events. The purpose of this study was to quantify the dose delivered to the heart and left anterior descending artery (LAD) in a series of patients with left-sided breast cancer (BC) or ductal carcinoma in situ treated with multicatheter-accelerated partial breast irradiation (MC-APBI) at a single institution. Methods and Materials Patients with left-sided BC or ductal carcinoma in situ treated consecutively from 2005 to 2011 with MC-APBI were retrospectively identified. Cardiac and LAD contours were generated for each patient. Cardiac dosimetry and distance to the planning target volume were recorded. Patient health records were reviewed and cardiac events were recorded based on Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Results Twenty consecutive patients with left-sided BC treated with MC-APBI were retrospectively identified. Median followup was 41.4 months. Mean equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions delivered to the heart and LAD were 1.3 (standard deviation: 0.7, range: 0.2–2.9) and 3.8 (standard deviation: 3.0, range: 0.4–11.3) Gy, respectively. There was an inverse linear relationship (R2 = 0.52) between heart-to-lumpectomy cavity distance and mean heart equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions. One patient (5%) experienced symptomatic cardiac toxicity. Conclusions MC-APBI consistently delivers average doses to the heart and LAD that are similar to those achieved in most series with deep inspiration breath-hold and lower than free-breathing radiotherapy techniques. Distance from the heart to the lumpectomy cavity and the availability of other heart-sparing technologies should be considered to minimize the risk of cardiac toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Pre-exposure with 1933 influenza A virus offers substantial cross-protection against both contemporary H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes in pigs. • The observed cross-subtype protection is not mediated by traditional serum neutralizing antibodies. Abstract There is an urgent need to develop a broad-spectrum vaccine that can effectively prevent or eliminate the spread of co-circulating swine influenza virus strains in multiple lineages or subtypes. We describe here that pre-exposure with a live virus generated via a A/WSN/1933(H1N1) reverse genetics system resulted in a significant reduction of viral shedding from pigs exposed to either a swine H1N1 virus or a swine H3N2 virus. At 3-day post challenge (DPC), approximately 1 log and 1.5 logs reductions of viral shedding were observed in the swine H1N1- and H3N2-challenged vaccinated pigs when compared to unvaccinated animals. A further decline in viral load was observed at 5 DPC where viral shedding was decreased by greater than 3 logs in vaccinated pigs receiving either the H1N1 or H3N2 virus challenge. Although the sera of the vaccinated pigs contained high titers of neutralizing antibodies against the vaccine strain, measured by Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) assay, only suboptimal HI titers of neutralizing antibody were detected in the post-challenge serum of the vaccinated animals using the challenge swine H1N1 virus. The substantial genetic and antigenic differences between the vaccine virus and the challenge viruses imply that the observed protection may be mediated by mechanisms other than neutralization by IgG, such as non-neutralizing antibody activities, mucosal immunity, or conserved T cell immunity, which warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argues that beginning reading is strategic and by design multi-level. Mischaracterization of National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reading researchers as skills-based researchers; Arguments defending claims that NICHD supports a narrow conceptual and methodological agenda.

Developing an optimal heterotrophic feeding regime has the potential to improve captive coral growth and health. This study evaluated the efficacy of three exogenous diets: Artemia nauplii (ART), a commercially available coral diet (Reef Roids) (RR), and a novel, micro-bound diet (ATF), against a comparatively natural, unfiltered seawater treatment (RAW), and an unfed, ultra-filtered seawater treatment (CTL), in adult Acropora millepora and Pocillopora acuta nubbins. After 90 days, both species showed significantly positive weight gain in response to one treatment (A. millepora–RAW, P. acuta–ART), and comparatively low growth in response to another (A. millepora–ATF, P. acuta–RR). The results highlighted substantial differences in the nutritional requirements between species. The nutritional composition of A. millepora in the best performing treatment was dominated by high-energy materials such as storage lipids and saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. In contrast, the P. acuta nutritional profile in the superior treatment showed a predominance of structural materials, including protein, phospholipids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study demonstrates that Artemia nauplii can successfully replace a natural feeding regime for captive P. acuta, yet highlights the considerable work still required to optimise supplementary feeding regimes for A. millepora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Hemagglutinin (HA) protein peptide array of H1N1 pdm09 and a panel of swine antisera against various swine influenza H1 and H3 clusters, we identified three immunoreactive epitopes with one (peptide 15) located in HA1 (amino acids 57–71) and two (peptides 121 and 139) in HA2 (amino acids 481–495 and 553–566). Further analysis showed that all swine antisera of H1 clusters efficiently recognized two HA2 epitopes; peptides 121 and 139, with only a subset of antisera reactive to HA1-derived peptide 15. Interestingly, none of these peptides were reactive to SIV H3 antisera. Finally, intranasal inoculation of peptides 15 and 121 into pigs revealed that peptide 121, not peptide 15, was able to generate antibody responses in some animals. The results of our experiments provide an important foundation for further analyzing the immune response against these peptides during natural viral infection and also provide peptide substrates for diagnostic assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]