Persistent Zika Virus Clinical Susceptibility despite Reduced Viral Burden in Mice with Expanded Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells Primed by Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes

Vaccines against Zika virus (ZIKV) infection that target CD8⁺ T cells are of considerable interest because Abs may enhance infection susceptibility. However, whether CD8⁺ T cells are protective or promote susceptibility to clinical infection symptoms remains uncertain. To more precisely investigate ZIKV-specific CD8⁺ T cells in isolation, we engineered a Listeria monocytogenes-based vector to express a single MHC class I-restricted immune dominant peptide, E294-302, from ZIKV envelope protein. We show accumulation of activated ZIKV-specific CD8⁺ T cells primed by recombinant L. monocytogenes is associated with reductions in circulating virus levels after ZIKV challenge in type I IFN receptor-deficient mice and wildtype mice administered neutralizing Abs against type I IFN receptor. Interestingly, susceptibility to ZIKV clinical infection including weight loss and mortality each persists and is neither significantly improved nor worsened compared with isogenic L. monocytogenes-primed control mice. These data demonstrating persistent ZIKV clinical susceptibility despite reduced viral burden in mice with expanded virus-specific CD8⁺ T cells highlights the need for targeting other adaptive immune components in developing vaccines against ZIKV infection.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Sentence Repetition and Nonword Repetition for Developmental Language Disorder in Vietnamese

Purpose Sentence repetition and nonword repetition assess different aspects of the linguistic system, but both have been proposed as potential tools to identify children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Cross-linguistic investigation of diagnostic tools for DLD contributes to an understanding of the core features of the disorder. This study evaluated the effectiveness of these tools for the Vietnamese language. Method A total of 104 kindergartners (aged 5;2-6;2 [years;months]) living in Vietnam participated, of which 94 were classified as typically developing and 10 with DLD. Vietnamese sentence repetition and nonword repetition tasks were administered and scored using multiple scoring systems. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated to assess the ability of these tasks to identify DLD. Results All scoring systems on both tasks achieved adequate to excellent sensitivity or specificity, but not both. Binary scoring of sentence repetition achieved a perfect negative likelihood ratio, and binary scoring of nonword repetition approached a highly informative positive likelihood ratio. More detailed scoring systems for both tasks achieved moderately informative values for both negative and positive likelihood ratios. Conclusions Both sentence repetition and nonword repetition are valuable tools for identifying DLD in monolingual speakers of Vietnamese. Scoring systems that consider number of errors and are relatively simple (i.e., error scoring of sentence repetition and syllables scoring of nonword repetition) may be the most efficient and effective for identifying DLD. Further work to develop and refine these tasks can contribute to cross-linguistic knowledge of DLD as well as to clinical practice.

IL-17-producing γδ T cells protect against Clostridium difficile infection

Colitis caused by Clostridium difficile infection is a growing cause of human morbidity and mortality, especially after antibiotic use in health care settings. The natural immunity of newborn infants and protective host immune mediators against C. difficile infection are not fully understood, with data suggesting that inflammation can be either protective or pathogenic. Here, we show an essential role for IL-17A produced by γδ T cells in host defense against C. difficile infection. Fecal extracts from children with C. difficile infection showed increased IL-17A and T cell receptor γ chain expression, and IL-17 production by intestinal γδ T cells was efficiently induced after infection in mice. C. difficile-induced tissue inflammation and mortality were markedly increased in mice deficient in IL-17A or γδ T cells. Neonatal mice, with naturally expanded RORγt+ γδ T cells poised for IL-17 production were resistant to C. difficile infection, whereas elimination of γδ T cells or IL-17A each efficiently overturned neonatal resistance against infection. These results reveal an expanded role for IL-17-producing γδ T cells in neonatal host defense against infection and provide a mechanistic explanation for the clinically observed resistance of infants to C. difficile colitis.

Low Burden Strategies Are Needed to Reduce Smoking in Rural Healthcare Settings: A Lesson from Cancer Clinics

Rural populations face significant smoking-related health disparities, such as a higher prevalence of lung cancer and cancer mortality, higher prevalence of smoking, and lower likelihood of receiving cessation treatment than urban counterparts. A significant proportion of health disparities in rural populations could be eliminated with low-barrier, easy-access treatment delivery methods for smoking cessation. In this study, we assessed treatment engagement among patients in rural and urban settings. Then, we examined the effect of an electronic health record-based smoking cessation module on patient receipt of evidence-based cessation care. As part of a quality improvement project, we retrospectively observed 479,798 unique patients accounting for 1,426,089 outpatient clinical encounters from June 2018-March 2019 across 766 clinics in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois, and mid-Missouri regions. Smoking prevalence was higher in rural versus urban clinics (20.7% vs. 13.9%, 6.7% [6.3, 7.1], odds ratio = 1.6 [1.6, 1.6], p < 0.0001), and yet rural smokers were nearly three times less likely than their urban counterparts to receive any smoking cessation treatment after adjusting for patients clustering within clinics (9.6% vs. 25.8%, -16.2% [-16.9, -15.5], odds ratio = 0.304 [0.28, 0.33], p < 0.0001). Although not yet scaled up in the rural setting, we examined the effects of a low-burden, point-of-care smoking module currently implemented in cancer clinics. After adjusting for patient clustering within clinics, patients were more likely to receive smoking treatment in clinics that implemented the module versus clinics that did not implement the module (31.2% vs. 17.5%, 13.7% [10.8, 16.6], odds ratio = 2.1 [1.8, 2.6], p < 0.0001). The point-of-care treatment approach offers a promising solution for rural settings, both in and outside the context of cancer care.

ATBS1-INTERACTING FACTOR 2 negatively regulates dark- and brassinosteroid-induced leaf senescence through interactions with INDUCER OF CBF EXPRESSION 1

ATBS1-INTERACTING FACTOR 2 (AIF2) is a non-DNA-binding basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor. We demonstrated that AIF2 retards dark-triggered and brassinosteroid (BR)-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Dark-triggered BR synthesis and the subsequent activation of BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1), a BR signaling positive regulator, result in BZR1 binding to the AIF2 promoter in a dark-dependent manner, reducing AIF2 transcript levels and accelerating senescence. BR-induced down-regulation of AIF2 protein stability partly contributes to the progression of dark-induced leaf senescence. Furthermore, AIF2 interacts with INDUCER OF CBF EXPRESSION 1 (ICE1) via their C-termini. Formation of the AIF2-ICE1 complex and subsequent up-regulation of C-REPEAT BINDING FACTORs (CBFs) negatively regulates dark-triggered, BR-induced leaf senescence. This involves antagonistic down-regulation of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4), modulated through AIF2-dependent inhibition of ICE1's binding to the promoter. PIF4-dependent activities respond to dark-induced early senescence and may promote BR synthesis and BZR1 activation to suppress AIF2 and accelerate dark-induced senescence. Taken together, these findings suggest a coordination of AIF2 and ICE1 functions in maintaining stay-green traits.

Commensal Candida albicans Positively Calibrates Systemic Th17 Immunological Responses

Mucosal barriers are densely colonized by pathobiont microbes such as Candida albicans, capable of invasive disseminated infection. However, systemic infections occur infrequently in healthy individuals, suggesting that pathobiont commensalism may elicit host benefits. We show that intestinal colonization with C. albicans drives systemic expansion of fungal-specific Th17 CD4⁺ T cells and IL-17 responsiveness by circulating neutrophils, which synergistically protect against C. albicans invasive infection. Protection conferred by commensal C. albicans requires persistent fungal colonization and extends to other extracellular invasive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus. However, commensal C. albicans does not protect against intracellular influenza virus infection and exacerbates allergic airway inflammation susceptibility, indicating that positively calibrating systemic Th17 responses is not uniformly beneficial. Thus, systemic Th17 inflammation driven by CD4⁺ T cells responsive to tonic stimulation by commensal C. albicans improves host defense against extracellular pathogens, but with potentially harmful immunological consequences.

Including Nonlinguistic Processing Tasks in the Identification of Developmental Language Disorder

Purpose Accurate identification of developmental language disorder (DLD) remains challenging, particularly for children who speak different dialects, languages, or more than 1 language. Children with DLD, on average, have shown subtle deficits on nonlinguistic cognitive processing tasks, and performance on such tasks may be minimally influenced by language experience. This study explores whether nonlinguistic cognitive processing tasks can contribute to the identification of DLD in children from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Method Study 1 combined data from 4 U.S.-based investigations to yield a sample of 395 children, ages 6-10 years, who spoke only English or both Spanish and English. Study 2 consisted of an international sample of 55 kindergarten children living in Vietnam. Each study included children with DLD and children with typical development. Participants completed nonlinguistic cognitive tasks of processing speed, auditory working memory, and attentional control. Data analysis compared typically developing to DLD groups by age and language background. Then, we empirically derived cut-points to report diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios). Results For all 3 tasks, adequate sensitivity or specificity (but not both in most cases) was achieved in nearly all age groups. Likelihood ratios reached moderately to very informative levels in several instances. Diagnostic results were maintained when monolingual and bilingual samples were combined into a single group. Conclusions Nonlinguistic cognitive processing tasks may contribute to accurate identification of DLD in combination with other measures. Further research is needed to refine tasks, confirm cut-points established here, and extend findings to children from additional language backgrounds.

Internal and External Factors That Support Children's Minority First Language and English

Purpose

Sequential bilingual children in the United States often speak 2 languages that have different social statuses (minority-majority) and separate contexts for learning (home-school). Thus, distinct factors may support the development of each language. This study examined which child internal and external factors were related to vocabulary skills in a minority language versus English.

Method

Participants included 69 children, aged 5-8 years, who lived in Southern California, spoke Vietnamese as the home language, and received school instruction in English. All participants had at least 1 foreign-born parent, and most mothers reported limited English proficiency. Parents completed a telephone survey, and children completed measures of receptive and expressive vocabulary in each language. Using correlations and stepwise regression, we examined predictors of vocabulary skills in each language that were internal to the child (age, gender, analytical reasoning, phonological memory) or that pertained to the surrounding environment (cumulative exposure, quantity and quality of input/output).

Results

Vietnamese vocabulary outcomes were related to multiple external factors, of which input and enrichment activities were the best predictors. In contrast, English vocabulary outcomes were related to internal factors, of which age and phonological memory were the best predictors. Parental use of Vietnamese contributed to children's Vietnamese vocabulary outcomes but was not related to children's English vocabulary outcomes.

Conclusions

Vietnamese exposure does not hinder English development. Children from immigrant families are learning English with or without familial support. Rich and frequent exposure and opportunities for practice are essential for the continued development of a minority first language.

Learning Words and Definitions in Two Languages: What Promotes Cross-Language Transfer?

This study used a brief vocabulary training paradigm to examine two factors for cross-language transfer: how similar the first language (L1) is to the second language (L2) and L1-L2 proficiency levels. Fifty-four sequential bilingual children (aged 6-8) with similar L2 English proficiency levels were assigned to three equal groups: a Vietnamese-English group with low L1 proficiency, a Spanish-English group with low L1 proficiency, and a Spanish-English group with high L1 proficiency. Individual training consisted of two mediated learning experiences conducted in the L1 targeting eight vocabulary items using narrative-based activities. Four of eight target words were cognates between Spanish and English. Pre- and posttesting measured definition quality in the L1 and L2. All groups showed improvement in the L1 following training, but only the Spanish-English group with high L1 proficiency improved in L2 English, revealing a degree of spontaneous cross-language transfer among children with high L1-L2 proficiency.

Commensal Fungi Recapitulate the Protective Benefits of Intestinal Bacteria

Commensal intestinal microbes are collectively beneficial in preventing local tissue injury and augmenting systemic antimicrobial immunity. However, given the near-exclusive focus on bacterial species in establishing these protective benefits, the contributions of other types of commensal microbes remain poorly defined. Here, we show that commensal fungi can functionally replace intestinal bacteria by conferring protection against injury to mucosal tissues and positively calibrating the responsiveness of circulating immune cells. Susceptibility to colitis and influenza A virus infection occurring upon commensal bacteria eradication is efficiently overturned by mono-colonization with either Candida albicans or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The protective benefits of commensal fungi are mediated by mannans, a highly conserved component of fungal cell walls, since intestinal stimulation with this moiety alone overrides disease susceptibility in mice depleted of commensal bacteria. Thus, commensal enteric fungi safeguard local and systemic immunity by providing tonic microbial stimulation that can functionally replace intestinal bacteria.

Preconceptual Zika virus asymptomatic infection protects against secondary prenatal infection

Pregnant women, and their fetal offspring, are uniquely susceptible to Zika virus and other microbial pathogens capable of congenital fetal infection. Unavoidable exposure to Zika virus in endemic areas underscores the need for identifying at-risk individuals, and protecting expecting mothers and their fetal offspring against prenatal infection. Here we show that primary Zika virus asymptomatic infection in mice confers protection against re-infection, and that these protective benefits are maintained during pregnancy. Zika virus recovery was sharply reduced in maternal tissues and amongst fetal concepti after prenatal challenge in mothers with resolved subclinical infection prior to pregnancy compared with mice undergoing primary prenatal infection. These benefits coincide with expanded accumulation of viral-specific antibodies in maternal serum and fetal tissues that protect against infection by the identical or heterologous Zika virus genotype strains. Thus, preconceptual infection primes Zika virus-specific antibodies that confer cross-genotype protection against re-infection during pregnancy.

Emerging health risks from agricultural intensification in Southeast Asia: a systematic review

Background Agricultural intensification is having profound impacts on food security and rural livelihoods; however, concerns remain about the potential implications on public health. Objectives We aim to examine and synthesize the evidence for human health risks of agricultural intensification in Southeast Asia. Methods We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and December 2015 from two electronic databases (PubMed, CAB Direct). Results A total of 73 relevant studies were included and evaluated. More than half of the studies used epidemiological methods while others applied alternative methods to quantify or estimate risks. Studies mainly focused on occupational and consumer exposure to pesticides, without often specifying the actual health risk. Conclusion Overall, the current knowledge on health risks appears to be limited. More research on long-term health implications and a wider range of contaminants are needed if sustainable benefits are to be obtained from agricultural intensification.

Synthesizing Information From Language Samples and Standardized Tests in School-Age Bilingual Assessment

Purpose

Although language samples and standardized tests are regularly used in assessment, few studies provide clinical guidance on how to synthesize information from these testing tools. This study extends previous work on the relations between tests and language samples to a new population-school-age bilingual speakers with primary language impairment-and considers the clinical implications for bilingual assessment.

Method

Fifty-one bilingual children with primary language impairment completed narrative language samples and standardized language tests in English and Spanish. Children were separated into younger (ages 5;6 [years;months]-8;11) and older (ages 9;0-11;2) groups. Analysis included correlations with age and partial correlations between language sample measures and test scores in each language.

Results

Within the younger group, positive correlations with large effect sizes indicated convergence between test scores and microstructural language sample measures in both Spanish and English. There were minimal correlations in the older group for either language. Age related to English but not Spanish measures.

Conclusions

Tests and language samples complement each other in assessment. Wordless picture-book narratives may be more appropriate for ages 5-8 than for older children. We discuss clinical implications, including a case example of a bilingual child with primary language impairment, to illustrate how to synthesize information from these tools in assessment.

Ex vivo antigen-pulsed PBMCs generate potent and long lasting immunity to infection when administered as a vaccine

Numerous studies have demonstrated that administration of antigen (Ag)-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) is an effective strategy for enhancing immunity to tumors and infectious disease organisms. However, the generation and/or isolation of DCs can require substantial time and expense. Therefore, using inactivated F. tularensis (iFt) Ag as a model immunogen, we first sought to determine if DCs could be replaced with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) during the ex-vivo pulse phase and still provide protection against Ft infection. Follow up studies were then conducted using the S. pneumoniae (Sp) vaccine Prevnar ®13 as the Ag in the pulse phase followed by immunization and Sp challenge. In both cases, we demonstrate that PBMCs can be used in place of DCs when pulsing with iFt and/or Prevnar ®13 ex vivo and re-administering the Ag-pulsed PBMCs as a vaccine. In addition, utilization of the i.n. route for Ag-pulsed PBMC administration is superior to use of the i.v. route in the case of Sp immunization, as well as when compared to direct injection of Prevnar ®13 vaccine i.m. or i.n. Furthermore, this PBMC-based vaccine strategy provides a more marked and enduring protective immune response and is also capable of serving as a multi-organism vaccine platform. The potential for this ex-vivo vaccine strategy to provide a simpler, less time consuming, and less expensive approach to DC-based vaccines and vaccination in general is also discussed.

Differential Cultivation of Francisella tularensis Induces Changes in the Immune Response to and Protective Efficacy of Whole Cell-Based Inactivated Vaccines

Francisella tularensis (Ft) is a category A biothreat agent for which there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine. Ft can survive in a variety of habitats with a remarkable ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Furthermore, Ft expresses distinct sets of antigens (Ags) when inside of macrophages (its in vivo host) as compared to those grown in vitro with Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB). However, in contrast to MHB-grown Ft, Ft grown in Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) more closely mimics the antigenic profile of macrophage-grown Ft. Thus, we anticipated that when used as a vaccine, BHI-grown Ft would provide better protection compared to MHB-grown Ft, primarily due to its greater antigenic similarity to Ft circulating inside the host (macrophages) during natural infection. Our investigation, however, revealed that inactivated Ft (iFt) grown in MHB (iFt-MHB) exhibited superior protective activity when used as a vaccine, as compared to iFt grown in BHI (iFt-BHI). The superior protection afforded by iFt-MHB compared to that of iFt-BHI was associated with significantly lower bacterial burden and inflammation in the lungs and spleens of vaccinated mice. Moreover, iFt-MHB also induced increased levels of Ft-specific IgG. Further evaluation of early immunological cues also revealed that iFt-MHB exhibits increased engagement of Ag-presenting cells including increased iFt binding to dendritic cells, increased expression of costimulatory markers, and increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, these studies directly demonstrate that Ft growth conditions strongly impact Ft vaccine efficacy and that the growth medium used to produce whole cell vaccines to Ft must be a key consideration in the development of a tularemia vaccine.

Pathways for learning two languages: lexical and grammatical associations within and across languages in sequential bilingual children

This study examines the strength and direction of lexical-grammatical associations within and between first and second languages (L1 and L2) in a longitudinal sample of sequential bilinguals. Thirty-three children who spoke Vietnamese (L1) and English (L2) completed picture-naming and story-telling tasks in each language at four yearly intervals. Hierarchical linear modeling across Years 1-4 revealed bidirectional within-language associations and a unidirectional cross-language association from the L1 to L2. Results suggest a conditional relationship between languages in which the L1 supports L2 growth, but not vice versa. Findings contribute to defining pathways for L1 and L2 learning across domains and languages.

Modulation of Protective Efficacy of Fracisella tularensis Immunogens by Differential Cultivation in Mueler Hinton Broth Versus Brain Heart Infusion Medium

Francisella tularensis (Ft) can survive in a variety of habitats with a remarkable ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. For example, Ft expresses a distinct set of antigens (Ags) in the macrophage, which are not expressed in Ft grown in vitro with Mueler Hinton Broth (MHB) medium. In contrast, Ft grown in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) medium exhibits an antigenic profile more closely resembling that of in vivo growth conditions. In addition, studies also suggest an alteration in immunological properties of Ft when grown in BHI versus MHB medium. Thus, we investigated the protective efficacy of BHI and MHB-grown Ft, when inactivated and used as an immunogen to protect against Ft LVS challenge. Inactivated Ft (iFt) generated in MHB (iFt-MHB) was found to have superior protective efficacy as compared to that of the iFt generated in BHI (iFt-BHI). The enhanced protection generated by iFt- MHB-immunized mice was also associated with lower bacterial burden and sepsis-like conditions in the lungs and spleens of iFt-MHB versus iFt-BHI-immunized mice. Further evaluation of early immunological events revealed, in the case of iFt-MHB immunogen, superior Ag binding to Ag-presenting dendritic cells (DCs), increased MHC class II expression by DCs, and enhanced Ag presentation by DCs, as apposed to the use of iFt-BHI. Also, iFt-MHB induced increased levels of Ft-specific IgG as well as IFNg and IL17 production versus that of iFt-BHI. These studies thus demonstrate the critical importance of considering bacterial growth medium in Ft vaccine development.

A longitudinal analysis of sentence interpretation in bilingual children

This longitudinal study used sentence interpretation tasks to consider growth in language processing among school-aged children learning Vietnamese and English. Thirty-two children participated yearly over three time points. Children were asked to identify the agent of sentences that manipulated linguistic cues relevant to Vietnamese (animacy) and English (word order). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine change in cue use over time as well as the relation between cue use and proficiency in each language. Findings include exclusive reliance on word order by the end point, nearly identical group-level cue-use patterns across languages with individual variation, and positive relationships between language proficiency and cue use. Findings are discussed within the unified competition model (MacWhinney, 2004) and the literature on sequential bilingualism.

Brassinazole resistant 1 (BZR1)-dependent brassinosteroid signalling pathway leads to ectopic activation of quiescent cell division and suppresses columella stem cell differentiation

Previous publications have shown that BRI1 EMS suppressor 1 (BES1), a positive regulator of the brassinosteroid (BR) signalling pathway, enhances cell divisions in the quiescent centre (QC) and stimulates columella stem cell differentiation. Here, it is demonstrated that BZR1, a BES1 homologue, also promotes cell divisions in the QC, but it suppresses columella stem cell differentiation, opposite to the action of BES1. In addition, BR and its BZR1-mediated signalling pathway are shown to alter the expression/subcellular distribution of pin-formed (PINs), which may result in changes in auxin movement. BR promotes intense nuclear accumulation of BZR1 in the root tip area, and the binding of BZR1 to the promoters of several root development-regulating genes, modulating their expression in the root stem cell niche area. These BZR1-mediated signalling cascades may account for both the ectopic activation of QC cell divisions as well as the suppression of the columella stem cell differentiation. They could also inhibit auxin-dependent distal stem cell differentiation by antagonizing the auxin/WOX5-dependent pathway. In conclusion, BZR1-/BES1-mediated BR signalling pathways show differential effects on the maintenance of root apical meristem activities: they stimulate ectopic QC division while they show opposite effects on the differentiation of distal columella stem cells in a BR concentration- and BZR1-/BES1-dependent manner.

Bilingual children with primary language impairment: 3 months after treatment

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the treatment effectiveness for bilingual children with primary language impairment (PLI) is needed to advance both theory and clinical practice. Of key interest is whether treatment effects are maintained following the completion of short-term intense treatments.

AIMS

To investigate change in select language and cognitive skills in Spanish-English bilingual children with PLI 3 months after children have completed one of three experimental treatment conditions. There are two main study aims. First, to determine if skills in Spanish, English and cognitive processing decline, improve or are maintained after treatment has been completed. Second, to determine if differential rates of change are a function of the type of treatment children received.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Participants were 48 children, aged 5:6-11:3, who spoke Spanish and English and were diagnosed with moderate to severe PLI. Participants received 6 weeks of treatment focused on English only (EO), bilingual skills in Spanish and English (BI) or nonlinguistic cognitive processing (NCP). Treatment effects reported in a previous study were determined by comparing pre- and post-treatment performance on a variety of language and cognitive measures. Here we re-administered each measure 3 months after completion of the experimental treatments. Hierarchical linear models were calculated for each measure using pre-, post- and follow-up testing scores to estimate change trajectories and compare outcomes between treatment conditions.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Participants in all three treatment conditions either maintained skills or showed improvement even after treatment was discontinued for 3 months. Main findings included (1) comparable, positive rates of change on all English language outcomes for EO and BI conditions; (2) maintenance of Spanish language skills, and (3) modest improvements in NCP following the discontinuation of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

This study is the first to examine longer-term treatment effects for bilingual school-age children with PLI. Differences in rates of change between languages and between treatment conditions are discussed in terms of social and cognitive processes that impact children's language systems. The main findings have at least two implications for clinical practice: (1) therapy that emphasizes focused practice in language and cognitive processing skills may promote gains in children's language learning abilities; and (2) bilingual treatment does not detract from outcomes in English, the language of the majority community for study participants.

Lexical profiles of bilingual children with primary language impairment

This study used lexical tasks to examine associations between languages, tasks, and age in bilingual children with primary language impairment. Participants (n = 41, mean age 8;8 years) lived in the United States, spoke primarily Spanish (L1) at home and English (L2) at school, and were identified with moderate to severe impairments in both languages. A total of eight tasks (four in each language) measured breadth of vocabulary knowledge (receptive and expressive vocabulary) and aspects of lexical processing (rapid automatic naming and nonword repetition). Correlational analyses revealed older children outperformed younger children on lexical tasks in L2 but not L1, as well as relative L2 dominance for most individuals and tasks. Positive associations were found between languages on processing-based tasks but not vocabulary measures. Findings were consistent with literature on typical bilingual learners, albeit with a notable increased risk of plateau in L1 growth. Results are interpreted within a Dynamic Systems framework.

A novel elastin gene mutation in a Vietnamese patient with cutis laxa

We report a 3-year-old girl from Vietnam with severe congenital cutis laxa; no cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurologic, or visceral involvement; and no family history of cutis laxa. Mutational analysis of the elastin gene identified heterozygosity for a previously unreported de novo c.2184delT mutation in exon 30 not present in either parent.

FcγRIIB limits protection against F. tularensis LVS challenge induced by inactivated F. tularensis (VAC7P.964)

We have previously demonstrated that intranasal (i.n.) immunization with inactivated Francisella tularensis (Ft) live vaccine strain (LVS) targeted to Fcγ receptors (FcγR) can induce partial protection against a lethal mucosal challenge with Ft SchuS4. This protection is antibody (Ab) and interferon gamma (IFNγ) dependent. FcγRIIB is the only inhibitory Fc receptor (FcR) in the FcγR family, and has been reported to regulate IgG production, which plays a significant role in protection against Ft LVS and Ft SchuS4 challenge. Thus, we sought to determine the impact of FcγRIIB on immune protection against Ft infection. We utilized inactivated Ft (iFt) as an immunogen. Naïve or iFt-immunized FcγRIIB knockout (KO) versus wildtype (WT) C57BL/6 mice were challenged with varying doses of Ft LVS. We observed no significant difference in survival between naïve KO versus WT mice or in basal levels of Ft-specific IgG or IgM. However, KO mice immunized with iFt showed significantly increased survival as compared to iFt-immunized WT mice. Furthermore, Ft-specific IgG and IgA production were elevated in the serum from iFt-immunized KO versus WT mice. IFNγ levels were also enhanced in iFt-immunized KO versus WT mice. In summary, our studies demonstrate that FcγRIIB influences the level of protection against Ft challenge generated by iFt immunization by limiting the production of Ft-specific Ab and IFNγ, which have been shown to play significant roles in protection against Ft infection.

Three treatments for bilingual children with primary language impairment: examining cross-linguistic and cross-domain effects

PURPOSE

This study examines the absolute and relative effects of 3 different treatment programs for school-age bilingual children with primary or specific language impairment (PLI). It serves to expand the evidence base on which service providers can base treatment decisions. It also explores hypothesized relations between languages and cognition in bilinguals with PLI.

METHOD

Fifty-nine school-age Spanish–English bilingual children with PLI were assigned to receive nonlinguistic cognitive processing, English, bilingual (Spanish–English), or deferred treatment. Participants in each of the 3 active treatments received treatment administered by nationally certified speech-language pathologists. Pre- and posttreatment assessments measured change in nonlinguistic cognitive processing, English, and Spanish skills, and analyses examined change within and across both treatment groups and skill domains.

RESULTS

All active treatment groups made significant pre- to post-treatment improvement on multiple outcome measures. There were fewer significant changes in Spanish than in English across groups. Between-group comparisons indicate that the active treatment groups generally outperformed the deferred treatment control, reaching statistical significance for 2 tasks.

CONCLUSION

Results provide insight into cross-language transfer in bilingual children and advance understanding of the general PLI profile with respect to relationships between basic cognitive processing and higher level language skills.