Clinically Applicable Sociolinguistic Assessment for Cognitive-Communication Disorders

Purpose: The third International Cognitive-Communication Disorders Conference was held in early 2022, providing an opportunity for researchers and clinicians to discuss management of cognitive-communication disorders (CCDs). Presentations that addressed social discourse initiated broader conversations about implementing sociolinguistic methods in research and clinical contexts. Given the heterogeneity of CCDs and sociocultural contexts, a person-centered approach is needed. Sociolinguistic methods are inherently relevant and salient to the individual\u27s communication context and partners. Sociolinguistic analyses provide information about language skills, cognitive-communication skills, and social cognition. The purpose of this article is to share a model of social communication and provide descriptions of current methods that can be used by researchers and clinicians to capture the complexity of social communication, thereby advancing our knowledge and practice. Conclusion: Although there is a growing literature base that supports the inclusion of sociolinguistic methods, there remains a disconnect between the literature and clinical application that current researchers and practitioners have an opportunity to address

Detection of Hemodialysis Venous Needle Dislodgment Using Venous Access Pressure Measurements: A Simulation Study

BACKGROUND: In rare instances, hemodialysis venous needles may become dislodged, and when left undetected can lead to severe injury or death. Although dialysis machines have alarms to detect venous needle dislodgment, their range of detection is limited. An understanding of the clinical conditions that may lead to missed needle dislodgments is needed for development of more robust detection systems. METHODS: We created a sham dialysis circuit with a Fresenius 2008 K dialysis machine for in vitro simulation testing of machine alarm behavior under variable conditions. The circuit used a blood substitute and mimicked a patient\u27s venous access site. We varied blood flow rate, venous pressure, and upward drift in venous pressure and analyzed the time to alarm for the machine and an improved alarm algorithm. We also performed a cross-sectional retrospective study to identify the clinical occurrence of venous pressure upward drift between September 1, 2016, and November 1, 2016 in patients on hemodialysis with an arteriovenous fistula. RESULTS: Of 43,390 venous pressure readings for 147 patients on hemodialysis, 16,594 (38%) showed an upward drift in venous pressure (range 20-79 mmHg), with a mean ± SD increase of 11±18 mmHg within 20±14 minutes. A total of 19 venous needle dislodgment simulations under different venous pressure and blood flow parameters resulted in 19 (100%) algorithm alarm activations. Only 8 simulations (42%) activated a machine alarm, and machine alarm activation time was longer than the algorithm activation time for all 8 machine alarms (range 1-13 seconds). CONCLUSIONS: Patients can experience changes in venous pressure during hemodialysis which may not trigger a machine alarm in the case of a venous needle dislodgment. Our simulations showed that current dialysis machine alarm systems may not compensate for upward drift in venous pressure, and improved algorithms for detecting needle dislodgment during hemodialysis are needed

Rocaglates as dual-targeting agents for experimental cerebral malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe and rapidly progressing complication of infection by Plasmodium parasites that is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Treatment options are currently few, and intervention with artemisinin (Art) has limited efficacy, a problem that is compounded by the emergence of resistance to Art in Plasmodium parasites. Rocaglates are a class of natural products derived from plants of the Aglaia genus that have been shown to interfere with eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A), ultimately blocking initiation of protein synthesis. Here, we show that the rocaglate CR-1-31B perturbs association of Plasmodium falciparum eIF4A (PfeIF4A) with RNA. CR-1-31B shows potent prophylactic and therapeutic antiplasmodial activity in vivo in mouse models of infection with Plasmodium berghei (CM) and Plasmodium chabaudi (blood-stage malaria), and can also block replication of different clinical isolates of P. falciparum in human erythrocytes infected ex vivo, including drug-resistant P. falciparum isolates. In vivo, a single dosing of CR-1-31B in P. berghei-infected animals is sufficient to provide protection against lethality. CR-1-31B is shown to dampen expression of the early proinflammatory response in myeloid cells in vitro and dampens the inflammatory response in vivo in P. berghei-infected mice. The dual activity of CR-1-31B as an antiplasmodial and as an inhibitor of the inflammatory response in myeloid cells should prove extremely valuable for therapeutic intervention in human cases of CM.We thank Susan Gauthier, Genevieve Perreault, and Patrick Senechal for technical assistance. This work was supported by a research grant (to P.G.) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (Foundation Grant). J.P. and P.G. are supported by a James McGill Professorship salary award. D.L. is supported by fellowships from the Fonds de recherche sante Quebec, the CIHR Neuroinflammation training program. J.P. is supported by CIHR Research Grant FDN-148366. M.S. is supported by a CIHR Foundation grant. J.A.P. is supported by NIH Grant R35 GM118173. Work at the Boston University Center for Molecular Discovery is supported by Grant R24 GM111625. K.C.K. was supported by a CIHR Foundation Grant and the Canada Research Chair program. (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); James McGill Professorship salary award; Fonds de recherche sante Quebec; CIHR Neuroinflammation training program; FDN-148366 - CIHR Research Grant; CIHR Foundation grant; R35 GM118173 - NIH; Canada Research Chair program; R24 GM111625

The Sorghum bicolor reference genome: improved assembly, gene annotations, a transcriptome atlas, and signatures of genome organization.

Sorghum bicolor is a drought tolerant C4 grass used for the production of grain, forage, sugar, and lignocellulosic biomass and a genetic model for C4 grasses due to its relatively small genome (approximately 800 Mbp), diploid genetics, diverse germplasm, and colinearity with other C4 grass genomes. In this study, deep sequencing, genetic linkage analysis, and transcriptome data were used to produce and annotate a high-quality reference genome sequence. Reference genome sequence order was improved, 29.6 Mbp of additional sequence was incorporated, the number of genes annotated increased 24% to 34 211, average gene length and N50 increased, and error frequency was reduced 10-fold to 1 per 100 kbp. Subtelomeric repeats with characteristics of Tandem Repeats in Miniature (TRIM) elements were identified at the termini of most chromosomes. Nucleosome occupancy predictions identified nucleosomes positioned immediately downstream of transcription start sites and at different densities across chromosomes. Alignment of more than 50 resequenced genomes from diverse sorghum genotypes to the reference genome identified approximately 7.4 M single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1.9 M indels. Large-scale variant features in euchromatin were identified with periodicities of approximately 25 kbp. A transcriptome atlas of gene expression was constructed from 47 RNA-seq profiles of growing and developed tissues of the major plant organs (roots, leaves, stems, panicles, and seed) collected during the juvenile, vegetative and reproductive phases. Analysis of the transcriptome data indicated that tissue type and protein kinase expression had large influences on transcriptional profile clustering. The updated assembly, annotation, and transcriptome data represent a resource for C4 grass research and crop improvement

Mutual inclinations between giant planets and their debris discs in HD 113337 and HD 38529

HD 113337 and HD 38529 host pairs of giant planets, a debris disc, and wide M-type stellar companions. We measure the disc orientation with resolved images from Herschel and constrain the three-dimensional orbits of the outer planets with Gaia DR2 and Hipparcos astrometry. Resolved disc modelling leaves degeneracy in the disc orientation, so we derive four separate planet-disc mutual inclination (∆I) solutions. The most aligned solutions give ∆I = 17°-32° for HD 113337 and ∆I = 21°-45○ for HD 38529 (both 1σ). In both systems, there is a small probability (<0.3 per cent) that the planet and disc are nearly aligned (∆I < 3○). The stellar and planetary companions cause the orbits of disc material to precess about a plane defined by the forced inclination. We determine this as well as the precession time-scale to interpret the mutual inclination results. We find that the debris discs in both systems could be warped via joint influences of the outer planet and stellar companion, potentially explaining the observed misalignments. However, this requires HD 113337 to be old (0.8-1.7 Gyr), whereas if young (14-21 Myr), the observed misalignment in HD 113337 could be inherited from the protoplanetary disc phase. For both systems, the inclination of the stellar spin axis is consistent with the disc and outer planet inclinations, which instead supports system-wide alignment or near alignment. High-resolution observations of the discs and improved constraints on the planetary orbits would provide firmer conclusions about the (mis)alignment status

Subchronic toxicity studies of cocoa pod husk pectin intended as a pharmaceutical excipient in Sprague Dawley rats

Context: Excipients play a key role in the quality of medicines and contribute to viable delivery systems. This has intensified the search for new natural polymer pharmaceutical excipients. Cocoa pod husks (CPHs) are a rich source of pectin. A study of CPH pectin showed that it possesses the requisite physicochemical properties to be employed as a multi-functional pharmaceutical excipient. However, the safety of this natural polymer has not been evaluated. Aims: To conduct sub-chronic toxic effects of CPH pectin in Sprague Dawley rats to assess its safety as a pharmaceutical grade excipient. Methods: CPH pectin at doses of 0.714, 7.14, and 71.4 mg/kg were administered to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats by oral gavage over a 90-day period. Parameters assessed were food and water intake, urinalysis, serum biochemistry, wet organ weights, histopathology and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time. Results: CPH pectin at the orally administered doses had no significant effects on feed and water intake nor on biochemical parameters, except elevations in alkaline phosphatase at the medium and high dose in the female rat. There were also reductions in creatine kinase in both male and female rats at the medium dose after 60 days, suggesting a potential cardioprotective effect of CPH pectin. Conclusions: There were no adverse effects of CPH pectin on the kidneys, wet organ weights and histopathology of the rat tissues. Subchronic administration of cocoa pod husk pectin therefore, has no significant toxic effects

The Vehicle, Spring 1984

Vol. 25, No. 2 Table of Contents The OpeningKathy Fordpage 3 PaintThomas B. Waltrippage 3 PhotographLisa Fresepage 4 City as Castigating AnimalJerry McAnultypage 5 LimitsMichelle Mitchellpage 6 In SilenceKeila Tooleypage 6 PhotographLisa Fresepage 7 Indian CreekJerry McAnultypage 8 The Right Idea about RainMichelle Mitchellpage 8 Van Gogh\u27s Young Male PeasantKeila Tooleypage 9 AbigailMaggie Kennedypage 9 CleaningJennifer K. Soulepage 10 Heat WaveJerry McAnultypage 11 VigilJanet Gracepage 11 Hatred of ClownsMichelle Mitchellpage 12 Trees in the YardKeila Tooleypage 13 Lost on Back RoadsToby Mirabellipage 13 The Death of My Father\u27s HandsGina Grillopage 14 Soft LandingMaggie Kennedypage 14 Incident in the Generic AisleMaggie Kennedypage 15 Happy Well-adjusted Individuals, ConsideringJennifer K. Soulepage 16 Old ManGina Grillopage 17 It Doesn\u27t MatterTed Boonepage 18 A Love Poem for Charles DonaldCathy Moepage 18 David Willey at Whitman WharfSue Oiler Millerpage 19 I Am the ArtsBrenda Renee Drummerpage 20 Mothers and DaughtersJennifer K. Soulepage 22 ScratchesMichelle Mitchellpage 26 SedativeStacey Flanniganpage 26 Calloused HandJanet Gracepage 27 Cool CatStacey Flanniganpage 27 For My History Teacher, Miss WilhelmCathy Moepage 28 Short Poem for Chris\u27s EyesBob Zordanipage 28 MissingMichelle Mitchellpage 29 Over ThereGraham Lewispage 30 Strange BedfellowsMaggie Kennedypage 31 Retired PlumberMichelle Mitchellpage 32 Rumors of War DeadKathy Fordpage 33 Night LightsKeila Tooleypage 33 Fish on the Train TracksJerry McAnultypage 34 DaddyKeily Tooleypage 34 A Message to the MessengerAmy Eadespage 35 Dancing AloneKathy Bowerpage 36 HandsMaggie Kennedypage 36 The Key to the Ladies\u27s RoomMichelle Mitchellpage 37 Crashing the BlueStacey Flanniganpage 37 The Cradle will FallMichelle Mitchellpate 38 One IslandKeila Tooleypage 38 Black Walnut PaintSue Oiler Millerpage 39 SerendipityGraham Lewispage 40 Cover ArtLisa Fresehttps://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1045/thumbnail.jp