bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Variable Production of African American English Across Oracy and Literacy Contexts
Authors: Thompson Connie A. , Craig Holly K. , Washington Julie A. 
Published: April 2006

Many African American students produce African American English (AAE) features that are contrastive to Standard American English (SAE). The AAE-speaking child who is able to dialect shift, that is, to speak SAE across literacy contexts, likely will perform better academically than the student who is not able to dialect shift.Method:This investigation examined the AAE productions of 50 typically developing African American third graders across three language contexts—picture description, oral reading of SAE text, and writing.Results:All participants produced AAE during picture description. A downward shift in contrastive AAE features was evident between spoken discourse and the literacy contexts. More students produced more AAE features during picture description than writing. Both morphosyntactic and phonological features characterized the picture description context. Phonological features predominated during oral reading. In contrast, morphosyntactic features were the most dominant feature in writing.Clinical Implications:The findings are discussed in terms of dialect-shifting abilities of African American students and the role of writing as a special context to support their entry into dialect shifting.
Phonological Awareness Intervention and the Acquisition of Literacy Skills in Children From Deprived Social Backgrounds
Authors: Nancollis Alex , Lawrie Barbara-Anne , Dodd Barbara 
Published: April 2006

Purpose:This study examined the effect of phonological awareness intervention that focused on syllable and rhyme awareness on the acquisition of literacy and the development of phonological awareness skills 2 years post intervention. The longitudinal study compared two groups of children from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds in the United Kingdom. One group received a program of phonological awareness intervention and one did not.Method:Ninety-nine children received a 9-week program of phonological awareness intervention in the summer term of their final preschool year. These children were then assessed on measures of phonological awareness and language in the first term of their first year at school (Mage=4;7 [years;months]) and again 2 years later (Mage=6;8) on measures of phonological awareness and literacy. One year earlier, a control group of 114 children from the same schools were also assessed at these two points in their schooling on the same measures. This group did not receive any phonological awareness intervention.Results:At the second assessment, the group of children who received phonological awareness intervention performed better than those children who received no intervention (control group) on rhyme awareness and nonword spelling. Surprisingly, however, the control group performed better than the children who had received intervention on the phoneme segmentation task.Conclusion:The phonological awareness intervention that was implemented, which focused on enhancing syllable and rhyme awareness, had little effect on later literacy development and may have interfered with the acquisition of phoneme awareness. Implications for intervention with children from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds are discussed in the context of current research.
Getting Started in Evidence-Based Practice for Childhood Speech-Language Disorders
Authors: Johnson Carla J. 
Published: April 2006

PurposeEvidence-based practice (EBP) entails a critical mindset and rigorous methods that foster the judicious integration of scientific evidence into clinical decision making. The purpose of this tutorial is to present strategies, resources, and examples to help speech-language pathologists get started in EBP for childhood speech and language disorders.MethodThe tutorial begins with an overview of key principles of EBP, including potential benefits and challenges, and other initial considerations. Five recommended steps for implementing EBP are then presented: posing a question, locating the evidence, appraising the evidence, making and implementing clinical decisions, and evaluating those decisions. Included is a compilation of synthesized evidence resources, such as systematic reviews/meta-analyses and EBP guidelines. Finally, illustrative examples are provided to assist practitioners with integrating research evidence into clinical decision making in childhood speech-language disorders.ConclusionSpeech-language pathologists who work with children are encouraged to adopt EBP for clinical decision making.
The Role of Sequential Stream Segregation and Frequency Selectivity in the Perception of Simultaneous Sentences by Listeners With Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Mackersie Carol L. , Prida Tammy L. , Stiles Derek 
Published: April 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of frequency selectivity and sequential stream segregation in the perception of simultaneous sentences by listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. Simultaneous sentence perception was tested in listeners with normal hearing and with sensorineural hearing loss using sentence pairs consisting of one sentence spoken by a male talker and one sentence spoken by a female talker. Listeners were asked to repeat both sentences and were scored on the number of words repeated correctly in each sentence. Separate scores were obtained for the first and second sentences repeated. Frequency selectivity was assessed using a notched-noise method in which thresholds for a 1000 Hz pure-tone signal were measured in noise with spectral notch bandwidths of 0, 300, and 600 Hz. Sequential stream segregation was measured using tone sequences consisting of a fixed frequency (A) and a varying frequency tone (B). Tone sequences were presented in an ABA_ABA_... pattern starting at a frequency (B) either below or above the frequency of the fixed 1000 Hz tone (A). Initially, the frequency difference was large and was gradually decreased until listeners indicated that they could no longer perceptually separate the two tones (fusion threshold).
Scores for the first sentence repeated decreased significantly with increasing age. There was a strong relationship between fusion threshold and simultaneous sentence perception, which remained even after partialling out the effects of age. Smaller frequency differences at fusion thresholds were associated with higher sentence scores. There was no relationship between frequency selectivity and simultaneous sentence perception. Results suggest that the abilities to perceptually separate pitch patterns and separate sentences spoken simultaneously by different talkers are mediated by the same underlying perceptual and/or cognitive factors.
Modeling Tongue Surface Contours From Cine-MRI Images
Authors: Stone Maureen , Davis Edward P. , Douglas Andrew S. , Aiver Moriel Ness , Gullapalli Rao , Levine William S. , Lundberg Andrew Jon 
Published: April 2006

This study demonstrated that a simple mechanical model of global tongue movement in parallel sagittal planes could be used to quantify tongue motion during speech. The goal was to represent simply the differences in 2D tongue surface shapes and positions during speech movements and in subphonemic speech events such as coarticulation and left-to-right asymmetries. The study used tagged Magnetic Resonance Images to capture motion of the tongue during speech. Measurements were made in three sagittal planes (left, midline, right) during movement from consonants (/k/, /s/) to vowels (/i/, /a/, /u/). MR image-sequences were collected during the C-to-V movement. The image-sequence had seven time-phases (frames), each 56 ms in duration.A global model was used to represent the surface motion. The motions were decomposed into translation, rotation, homogeneous stretch, and in-plane shear. The largest C-to-V shape deformation was from /k/ to/a/. It was composed primarily of vertical compression, horizontal expansion, and downward translation. Coarticulatory effects included a trade-off in which tongue shape accommodation was used to reduce the distance traveled between the C and V. Left-to-right motion asymmetries may have increased rate of motion by reducing the amount of mass to be moved.
Speaking and Breathing in High Respiratory Drive
Authors: Bailey E. Fiona , Hoit Jeannette D. 
Published: April 2006

Pulmonary ventilation during speech breathing reflects the sum of the airflow changes used to speak and to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Studying interactions between speaking and breathing may provide insights into the mechanisms of shared respiratory control. The purposes of this study were to determine if healthy subjects exhibit task-specific breathing behaviors in high respiratory drive and to document subjects' perceptions during breathing and speaking under these conditions.

Ten men were studied in air and high CO
2
. Magnetometers were used to estimate lung volume, rib cage and abdomen volumes, minute volume, breathing frequency, tidal volume, inspiratory and expiratory duration, and inspiratory and expiratory flow. Subjects' perceptions were assessed informally.

Results indicated that the chest wall kinematic behaviors associated with breathing and speaking in high drive were similar in pattern but differed in the magnitudes of lung volume and rib cage volume events and in inspiratory and expiratory flow. Linguistic influences remained strong, but not as strong as under normal conditions. All subjects reported a heightened sense of breathing-related discomfort during speaking as opposed to breathing in high respiratory drive.
We conclude that in healthy subjects breathing behavior associated with speaking in high respiratory drive is guided continuously by shared linguistic and metabolic influences. A parallel-processing model is proposed to explain the behaviors observed.
Social Difficulties and Victimization in Children With SLI at 11 Years of Age
Authors: Conti-Ramsden Gina , Botting Nicola 
Published: April 2006

Specific language impairment is sometimes thought to be associated with concurrent difficulties in the area of social and behavioral development (N. Botting & G. Conti-Ramsden, 2000; D. P. Cantwell & L. Baker, 1987; M. Fujiki, B. Brinton, & C. Todd, 1996; S. Redmond & M. Rice, 1998). The present study follows a group of 242 children, initially studied at age 7 years when they attended language units in England, and assesses their social and behavioral status at age 11 years.
In total, 64% of the children were found to have scores on the Rutter behavioral questionnaire (M. Rutter, 1967) of 9 or above (clinical threshold); 34% scored over the threshold for the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (R. Goodman, 1997); and 39% scored below average on the Peer Competence subscale of the Harter Perceived Competence Scale (S. Harter & R. Pike, 1984). On further analysis, these generalized difficulties were characterized mainly by poor social competence. In addition, 36% of the cohort were at risk of being regular targets for victimization compared to 12% of a comparison sample of typically developing peers.
Few associations were found between social outcome and other measures, including nonverbal intelligence, overall linguistic skill, gender, and longitudinal measures taken previously. Importantly, however, pragmatic language difficulties measured on the Children's Communication Checklist (D. V. M. Bishop, 1998) were most strongly related to poor social outcome and to expressive language related to victimization.
The Intersection of the Development of Gestures and Intentionality
Authors: Crais Elizabeth , Douglas Diane Day , Campbell Cheryl Cox 
Published: April 2006

This study examined the development of deictic and representational gestures in 12 typically developing children from 6 to 24 months of age. Gestures were categorized into J. Bruner’s (1981) 3 broad (and 8 specific) communicative functions: behavior regulation (i.e., requesting objects, requesting actions, protesting), joint attention (i.e., commenting, requesting information), and social interaction (i.e., representational gestures, attention seeking, social games). Ongoing parental completion of researcher-created gesture recording forms and monthly researcher observational confirmation were used to capture the emergence and consistent use of targeted gestures. Within each specific functional category, a hierarchy of development was documented for the gestures and behaviors used to signal that intent. This study provides rich detail as to the order of emergence of common deictic and representational gestures and their relationship to other preceding and concomitant behaviors that children use to signal their intentions. Furthermore, the results document younger ages of emergence, in comparison with previous studies, for most of the targeted gestures and provide insight into the controversy in the literature regarding the relative emergence of declarative and imperative gestures.
KEY WORDS: gestures, intentionality, communication development
Characteristics That Promote Transmission ofStaphylococcus aureusin German Nursing Homes
Authors: Wendt C. , Svoboda D. , Schmidt C. , Bock-Hensley O. , von Baum H. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjective:To determine factors that influence transmission ofStaphylococcus aureusin nursing homes in the Rhine-Neckar region of southern Germany.Design:Ecologie study.Setting:Forty-seven nursing homes in the region.Participants:Residents of the approached nursing homes who agreed to participate.Methods:Personal data and swabs of the nares were collected from participants. Swabs were examined for growth ofS. aureus.AllS. aureusisolates were typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Transmission rates were calculated by dividing the number of transmissions (ie, cases in which two inhabitants shared the same PFGE type) by the number of S.aureuscarriers. Characteristics of the nursing homes were correlated with a home's transmission rate.Results:In each nursing home, 12% to 54% of the residents were colonized with S.aureus.The transmission rates for the 47 nursing homes ranged from 0% to 70%. A linear regression model revealed that a stay in the nursing home of longer than 6 months and accommodation in a room with 3 or more beds were positively associated with the transmission rate. Receipt of antibiotics during the 4 weeks preceding the study was negatively associated with transmission.Conclusions:Stays beyond 6 months and accommodation in rooms with multiple beds are important for the transmission of S.aureus.One way to reduce transmission would be to design facilities with single and double rooms. However, the social needs of the residents must be evaluated and respected.
Nursing Home-Acquired Bloodstream Infection
Authors: Smith Philip W. , Mylotte Joseph M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjectives:This article reviews published studies of nursing home-acquired BSI in North America to determine whether there have been changes in the epidemiology of this infection in the past 20 years and to define indications for blood cultures in the nursing home setting.Methods:A Medline search was conducted for the period from 1980 to August 2003.Results:Seven studies of nursing home-acquired BSI were identified. The incidence of nursing home-acquired BSI was low (0.3 episode per 1,000 resident care-days). Sources of BSI changed little during the past two decades, with urinary tract infection representing approximately 50% of the episodes. The bacteriology also did not change substantially during the past 20 years; gram-negative bacilli were isolated in approximately 50% of the episodes and Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated organism. In the most recent study, covering the period 1997-2000, resistance to fluoroquinolones and broad-spectrum penicillins and cephalosporins was uncommon among gram-negative blood isolates; MRSA was the most common resistant organism causing nursing home-acquired BSI. Case-fatality rates changed little during the past 20 years; urinary tract infection was associated with the lowest mortality and pneumonia had the highest case-fatality rate.Conclusion:There has been little change in the epidemiology of nursing home-acquired BSI in the past 20 years. Given the low incidence of BSI and the low overall yield of positive results of blood cultures (probably ≤ 6%), there is currently no support for the routine use of blood cultures in the nursing home setting.
Changes in cannabis use and its consequences over 3 years in a remote indigenous population in northern Australia
Authors: Clough Alan R. , Lee Kim S. Kylie , Cairney Sheree , Maruff Paul , O'Reilly Bridie , D’Abbs Peter , Conigrave Katherine M. 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACTBackground  Few studies describe cannabis use in indigenous populations, and no longitudinal studies are available in Australia. We conducted 3‐year follow‐up interviews and assessments in Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land (Northern Territory, NT).Methods  A randomly selected sample (n = 161; 80 males, 81 females aged 13–36 years) was assessed in October 2001 and then reassessed in September 2004. An opportunistically recruited sample (n = 104; 53 males, 51 females aged 13–36 years) was also interviewed in 2001 and followed‐up in 2004. Cannabis and other substance use were determined by combining proxy assessments by local Aboriginal health workers, medical records and data from interviews. Changes in cannabis use and symptoms of misuse were assessed using McNemar's test for paired proportions and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Logistic regression assessed associations between clinical presentations and cannabis use at both time‐points.Results  Those who used cannabis at both baseline and follow‐up were at greater risk than those who never used it to have suffered: auditory hallucinations; suicidal ideation; and imprisonment. In the randomly selected cohort there were fewer cannabis users at follow‐up than at baseline (P = 0.003). The reduction was evident in females generally (P = 0.008) and older males (aged = 16 at baseline) (P = 0.007). In those interviewed at both baseline and follow‐up we measured no statistically significant reduction in frequency and levels of use, although fewer cannabis users reported symptoms of misuse such as: fragmented thought processes; memory disruption; difficulties controlling use; and auditory and visual hallucinations.Conclusions  Modest reductions in cannabis use and its consequences in this population were demonstrated. These may be the result of enhanced supply control and broader socio‐political changes.
Elevated serum interleukin (IL)-12p40 levels in common variable immunodeficiency disease and decreased peripheral blood dendritic cells: analysis of IL-12p40 and interferon-γ gene
Authors: Martinez-Pomar N , Raga S , Ferrer J , Pons J , Munoz-Saa I , Julia M-R , De Gracia J , Matamoros N 
Published: April 2006

SummaryCommon variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by low immunoglobulin serum levels and recurrent bacterial infections. Several studies suggest that CVID patients have a polarized immune response towards a T helper type 1 phenotype (TH1). However, the factors causing the TH1 polarization remain to be determined in this disease. In the present study, serum interleukin (IL)-12, interferon (IFN)-γ levels and the IL-12p40 and IFN-γ gene were studied in CVID patients. Furthermore, we evaluate dendritic cells (DCs) compartment, myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and plasmocytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which help to differentiate naive T cells preferentially into TH1 and TH2, respectively. The serum IL-12p40 subunit levels were increased significantly in CVID patients compared to healthy controls. We examined whether these elevated serum IL-12p40 levels are associated with IFN-γ or IL-12p40 gene polymorphisms, or with new mutations in the IL-12p40 promoter gene. In our hands, no new mutations were found and gene polymorphisms frequencies in CVID patients were similar to the control population. In conclusion, the elevated serum levels of IL-12p40 found in our CVID patients were not related to these genetic variations. The DC compartment analysis did not show an imbalance between pDCs and mDCs, but revealed the presence of low numbers and percentage of both DC populations in CVID.
Circulating IgA from acute stage of childhood Henoch-Schönlein purpura can enhance endothelial interleukin (IL)-8 production through MEK/ERK signalling pathway
Authors: Yang Y-H , Huang Y-H , Lin Y-L , Wang L-C , Chuang Y-H , Yu H-H , Lin Y-T , Chiang B-L 
Published: April 2006

SummaryRecently, sera from children with active Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) have been found to enhance interleukin (IL)-8 production by human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC). To further determine the possible factor with the ability to enhance endothelial IL-8 production in sera from acute stage of HSP, 10 children with HSP at the acute stage and 10 healthy controls were enrolled. IgA antiendothelial cell antibodies (AECA) were detected by cell-based ELISA. Active sera with or without pretreatment with anti-human IgA antibody, sera of controls, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) derived from sera were used to stimulate the HUVEC. The ability of these factors to enhance endothelial IL-8 production was evaluated. Furthermore, signalling pathways were also assayed by different inhibitors, and confirmed by immunoblotting. Serum levels of IgA AECA in HPS patients at the acute stage were significantly higher than in controls (P &lt; 0·001). The active sera could enhance endothelial IL-8 production (P = 0·004, compared with control sera), and the ability of these sera was mostly abolished when pretreated with fixed anti-human IgA antibody. The supernatant IL-8 levels of endothelial cells stimulated by IgA derived from acute stage of HSP were statistically higher than controls (P &lt; 0·001). PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK phosphorylation, significantly reduced IgA AECA-stimulated endothelial IL-8. IgA AECA also enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK1 with a time-dependent manner. Together with these findings, it is concluded that IgA AECA derived from acute stage of HSP may bind to endothelial and enhance endothelial cells to produce IL-8 via MEK/REK signalling pathway.
Emerging role of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in coronary vascular function
Authors: Larsen B. T. , Gutterman D. D. , Hatoum O. A. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe importance of endothelium‐derived nitric oxide in coronary vascular regulation is well‐established and the loss of this vasodilator compound is associated with endothelial dysfunction, tissue hypoperfusion and atherosclerosis. Numerous studies indicate that the endothelium produces another class of compounds, the epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which may partially compensate for the loss of nitric oxide in cardiovascular disease. The EETs are endogenous lipids which are derived through the metabolism of arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 epoxygenase enzymes. Also, EETs hyperpolarize vascular smooth muscle and induce dilation of coronary arteries and arterioles, and therefore may be endogenous mediators of coronary vasomotor tone and myocardial perfusion. In addition, EETs have been shown to inhibit vascular smooth muscle migration, decrease inflammation, inhibit platelet aggregation and decrease adhesion molecule expression, therefore representing an endogenous protective mechanism against atherosclerosis. Endogenous EETs are degraded to less active dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids by soluble epoxide hydrolase. Pharmacological inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase has received considerable attention as a potential approach to enhance EET‐mediated vascular protection, and several compounds have appeared promising in recent animal studies. The present review discusses the emerging role of EETs in coronary vascular function, as well as recent advancements in the development of pharmacological agents to enhance EET bioavailability.