Hybrid whole genome sequencing was used to investigate if nosocomial Verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase (VIM) carbapenemase transmission occurred between two patients without epidemiological links or common pathogens. Challenges in genomic methodology and appropriate analytical depth for mobile carbapenemase outbreaks are described including how inappropriate choices can mislead results and impact infection control practices.

Major depressive disorders (MDD) are common and disabling, and are linked to functional impairment and increased mortality. While current treatments for MDD are moderately effective, ultimately, up to one third of patients do not achieve full remission. Interestingly, while affective symptoms of depression resolve with the resolution of a depressive episode, cognitive impairment frequently persists, and has been identified as one of the most prominent predictors of illness recurrence. Additionally, MDD is well-recognised as a key risk factor for further cognitive decline and dementia. Yet, available treatments in MDD do not typically address cognitive impairment. Cognitive training (CT), represents a promising and novel therapeutic intervention in this regard. Our review systematically identified and quantitatively evaluated the evidence for CT in adults with MDD. Following PRISMA guidelines, eligible studies were selected according to pre-defined criteria delineating our target population (adults with clinically defined MDD), parameters for CT interventions (computer-or strategy-based, clinician-facilitated), and study design (controlled trials including pre/post cognitive and psychological or functional outcome data). Of 111 identified, nine studies met inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated for methodological quality and risk of bias. Despite heterogeneity, qualitative and meta-analytic synthesis of study findings revealed significant improvements in cognitive and affective outcomes following CT, with pooled effect sizes ranging from moderate to large. Unfortunately, very few studies investigated ‘far transfer’ to broader domains of everyday functioning. Overall, given the strong evidence supporting the efficacy and value of CT in this context, CT should be considered as a primary therapeutic intervention in the holistic treatment of MDD.

The present study examines the perceptual, linguistic, and social cues that were associated with preschoolers’ (4;11) growth in word-learning during shared book-reading and guided play activities. Small groups of three preschoolers (n = 30) and one adult were video-recorded during an intervention study in which new vocabulary words were explicitly taught. Adult use of taught words was coded for perceptual and linguistic cues and type of social interaction. Hearing taught words used in the book text and learning information about words’ meanings during play was positively associated with growth in word-learning. Adult use of words in responsive, or child-initiated, interactions was positively associated with word-learning growth in both book-reading and play, while adult-initiated use of words was negatively associated with word-learning growth in both settings.

Objective: Detection of cognitive impairment suggestive of risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression is crucial to the prevention of incipient dementia. This study was performed to determine if performance on a novel object discrimination task improved identification of earlier deficits in older adults at risk for AD. Method: In total, 135 participants from the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center [cognitively normal (CN), Pre-mild cognitive impairment (PreMCI), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and dementia] completed a test of object discrimination and traditional memory measures in the context of a larger neuropsychological and clinical evaluation. Results: The Object Recognition and Discrimination Task (ORDT) revealed significant differences between the PreMCI, aMCI, and dementia groups versus CN individuals. Moreover, relative risk of being classified as PreMCI rather than CN increased as an inverse function of ORDT score. Discussion: Overall, the obtained results suggest that a novel object discrimination task improves the detection of very early AD-related cognitive impairment, increasing the window for therapeutic intervention. (JINS, 2019, 25, 688–698)

Seven half-day regional listening sessions were held between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide-resistance management. The objective of the listening sessions was to connect with stakeholders and hear their challenges and recommendations for addressing herbicide resistance. The coordinating team hired Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC, to facilitate all the sessions. They and the coordinating team used in-person meetings, teleconferences, and email to communicate and coordinate the activities leading up to each regional listening session. The agenda was the same across all sessions and included small-group discussions followed by reporting to the full group for discussion. The planning process was the same across all the sessions, although the selection of venue, time of day, and stakeholder participants differed to accommodate the differences among regions. The listening-session format required a great deal of work and flexibility on the part of the coordinating team and regional coordinators. Overall, the participant evaluations from the sessions were positive, with participants expressing appreciation that they were asked for their thoughts on the subject of herbicide resistance. This paper details the methods and processes used to conduct these regional listening sessions and provides an assessment of the strengths and limitations of those processes.

Herbicide resistance is ‘wicked’ in nature; therefore, results of the many educational efforts to encourage diversification of weed control practices in the United States have been mixed. It is clear that we do not sufficiently understand the totality of the grassroots obstacles, concerns, challenges, and specific solutions needed for varied crop production systems. Weed management issues and solutions vary with such variables as management styles, regions, cropping systems, and available or affordable technologies. Therefore, to help the weed science community better understand the needs and ideas of those directly dealing with herbicide resistance, seven half-day regional listening sessions were held across the United States between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide resistance management. The major goals of the sessions were to gain an understanding of stakeholders and their goals and concerns related to herbicide resistance management, to become familiar with regional differences, and to identify decision maker needs to address herbicide resistance. The messages shared by listening-session participants could be summarized by six themes: we need new herbicides; there is no need for more regulation; there is a need for more education, especially for others who were not present; diversity is hard; the agricultural economy makes it difficult to make changes; and we are aware of herbicide resistance but are managing it. The authors concluded that more work is needed to bring a community-wide, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complexity of managing weeds within the context of the whole farm operation and for communicating the need to address herbicide resistance.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the presence and severity of potential cultural and language bias in widely used cognitive and other assessment instruments, using structural MRI measures of neurodegeneration as biomarkers of disease stage and severity. Methods: Hispanic (n=75) and White non-Hispanic (WNH) (n=90) subjects were classified as cognitively normal (CN), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild dementia. Performance on the culture-fair and educationally fair Fuld Object Memory Evaluation (FOME) and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) between Hispanics and WNHs was equivalent, in each diagnostic group. Volumetric and visually rated measures of the hippocampus entorhinal cortex, and inferior lateral ventricles (ILV) were measured on structural MRI scans for all subjects. A series of analyses of covariance, controlling for age, depression, and education, were conducted to compare the level of neurodegeneration on these MRI measures between Hispanics and WNHs in each diagnostic group. Results: Among both Hispanics and WNH groups there was a progressive decrease in volume of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, and an increase in volume of the ILV (indicating increasing atrophy in the regions surrounding the ILV) from CN to aMCI to mild dementia. For equivalent levels of performance on the FOME and CDR, WNHs had greater levels of neurodegeneration than did Hispanic subjects. Conclusions: Atrophy in medial temporal regions was found to be greater among WNH than Hispanic diagnostic groups, despite the lack of statistical differences in cognitive performance between these two ethnic groups. Presumably, unmeasured factors result in better cognitive performance among WNH than Hispanics for a given level of neurodegeneration. (JINS, 2018, 24, 176–187)

The authors adopt a new approach to modeling the relationship between emissions and income using long-run per capita growth rates. This approach allows them to test multiple hypotheses about the drivers of per capita emissions in a single framework and avoid several of the econometric issues that have plagued the environmental Kuznets curve literature. They estimate models for carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions. They can reject restricted models that omit either growth or beta convergence effects. Although the term representing the environmental Kuznets effect is statistically significant for per capita carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions, the estimated income per capita turning points are out of the sample for the full data set.

Field experiments were conducted to compare large crabgrass control by clethodim or sethoxydim applied alone and with selected fungicides registered for use in peanut. Fluazinam, propiconazole plus trifloxystrobin, or tebuconazole did not affect efficacy of clethodim or sethoxydim. Azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, and pyraclostrobin reduced efficacy of clethodim and sethoxydim in some experiments. Increasing the herbicide rate increased large crabgrass control regardless of the addition of chlorothalonil. In laboratory experiments, 14C absorption was less when 14C-clethodim or 14C-sethoxydim was applied with chlorothalonil. Pyraclostrobin and tebuconazole did not affect absorption of 14C-clethodim or 14C-sethoxydim.

Studies were conducted to evaluate the absorption, translocation, and metabolism of 14C–CGA-362622 when foliar-applied to purple and yellow nutsedge. Less than 53% of the herbicide was absorbed after 96 h. Both nutsedge species translocated appreciable amounts of herbicide (30%) out of treated leaves. Translocation was both acropetal and basipetal, with at least 25% transported basipetally. Neither nutsedge species translocated more than 4% of applied radioactivity to the tubers and roots. Most of the metabolites formed by the nutsedge species were more polar than 14C–CGA-362622 and averaged 69 and 61% of the radioactivity in purple and yellow nutsedge, respectively. The half-life of CGA-362622 was estimated at 4 h in both purple and yellow nutsedge.

Research was conducted to evaluate root uptake, translocation, and metabolism of 14C-sulfentrazone alone or in a mixture with clomazone in solution in flue-cured tobacco transplants. Uptake and translocation of sulfentrazone was rapid and was not affected by the addition of clomazone. Fifty-nine and 65% of the 14C absorbed by the plant was translocated to the leaves within 24 h with sulfentrazone alone and in the clomazone plus sulfentrazone mixture, respectively. Differences in plant metabolism were observed between sulfentrazone alone and sulfentrazone plus clomazone. After 3 h, 66% of the 14C recovered from the leaves was metabolized when sulfentrazone was applied alone, compared to 91% when sulfentrazone was applied with clomazone. The difference could indicate that metabolism of sulfentrazone by tobacco transplants was enhanced by the presence of clomazone.

Five experiments were conducted during 2001 and 2002 in North Carolina to evaluate peanut injury and pod yield when glyphosate was applied to 10 to 15 cm diameter peanut plants at rates ranging from 9 to 1,120 g ai/ha. Shikimic acid accumulation was determined in three of the five experiments. Visual foliar injury (necrosis and chlorosis) was noted 7 d after treatment (DAT) when glyphosate was applied at 18 g/ha or higher. Glyphosate at 280 g/ha or higher significantly injured the peanut plant and reduced pod yield. Shikimic acid accumulation was negatively correlated with visual injury and pod yield. The presence of shikimic acid can be detected using a leaf tissue assay, which is an effective diagnostic tool for determining exposure of peanut to glyphosate 7 DAT.