Phonological features of child African American English.

The production of phonological features of African American English (AAE) was examined for 64 typically developing African American children in the 2nd through the 5th grade. Students read aloud passages written in Standard American English. Sixty of the students read the passages using AAE, and 8 different phonological features were represented in their readings. Phonological features were more frequent than morphosyntactic features. The findings as a whole support use of the taxonomy developed for this investigation in characterizing the phonological features of child AAE.     

Intraocular pressure and aqueous humor flow during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp in patients with type 1 diabetes and microvascular complications

Background  

Microvascular complications, including retinopathy and nephropathy are seen with type 1 diabetes. It is unknown whether functional changes in aqueous humor flow or intraocular pressure (IOP) develop in parallel with these complications. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that clinical markers of microvascular complications coexist with the alteration in aqueous humor flow and IOP.     

Involvement of the 12-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism in homosynaptic long-term depression of the rat hippocampus

Low-frequency stimulation is associated with long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic efficacy in various brain structures. Like long-term potentiation (LTP), homosynaptic LTD in area CA1 of the hippocampus appears to require NMDA receptor activation, changes in postsynaptic calcium concentration and phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) activation. Arachidonic acid (AA) is released after the activation of calcium-dependent phospholipases and free AA is rapidly metabolized to a family of bioactive products (the eicosanoids) which are thought to be both intracellular and extracellular messengers. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways of AA metabolism in the formation of homosynaptic LTD in the rat hippocampus. Stimulation at 1 Hz for 15 min was used to produce homosynaptic depression in area CA1 of hippocampal slices. LTD induction was partially blocked by bromophenacyl bromide (50–100 μM), a selective PLA₂ inhibitor, and by the a nonselective lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA; 100 μM). In contrast, the specific cyclooxygenase blocker indomethacin (100 μM) did not significantly reduce hippocampal LTD. Since NDGA interferes with LTD formation, we examined whether specific inhibitors of 5- and 12-lipoxygenases were capable of blocking LTD expression. The 12-lipoxygenase inhibitor baicalein at a concentration of 50 μM reduced LTP formation when given in the bath, an effect that was less pronounced with the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor AA-861. These data suggest that the activation of endogenous PLA₂ and the formation of 12-lipoxygenase metabolites of AA may be important factors controlling the expression of hippocampal LTD.     

The role of promotion in alcoholism treatment marketing.

This article is an overview of the promotion function as a part of the ATM's marketing mix. It approaches various promotion decision areas from a managerial perspective, focusing upon some key components of promotion planning. Rather than provide specific operational or implementation details (how to write a brochure) it is more conceptual in nature and offers a framework for promotion planners. The article addresses promotion management, promotion objectives, analysis for promotion planning, the promotion mix, and addresses the benefits and limitations of some specific promotion tools available to the ATM manager. It treats ATMs as a service and reveals specific implications for promotion strategy dictated by services. The article also reports promotion tools employed by Alabama ATMs citing data from the Alabama study.     

Development and Initial Testing of a Permanently Implantable Centrifugal Pump

Abstract: To be able to salvage heart failure patients, the need for an economical permanent ventricular assist device is increasing. To meet this increasing demand, a miniaturized centrifugal blood pump has been developed as a permanently implantable device. The Gyro permanently implantable model (PI-601) incorporates a sealless design with a blood stagnation free structure. The pump impeller is magnetically coupled to the driver magnet in a sealless manner. This pump is atraumatic and antithrombogenic and incorporates a double pivot bearing system. A miniaturized actuator was utilized in this system in collaboration with the University of Vienna. The priming volume of this pump is 20 ml. The overall size of the pump actuator package is 53 mm in height and 65 mm in diameter, 145 ml of displacement volume, and 305 g in weight. Testing to date has included in vitro hydraulic performance and hemolysis. This pump can provide 5 L/min against a 110 mm Hg total pressure head at 2,000 rpm and 8 Limin against 150 mm Hg at 2,500 rpm. The normalized index of hemo-lysis (NIH) value of this pump was 0.0028 g/100 L at 5 Limin against 100 mm Hg. A preliminary anatomical study revealed the possibility of the implantability of 2 such systems in biventricular bypass at a preperitoneal location. This system is feasible for use as a permanently implantable biventricular assist device.     

Platelet microvesicles adhere to subendothelium and promote adhesion of platelets.

A role in hemostasis has been suggested for platelet membrane microvesicles (mv). The objectives of the studies reported here include functional analysis of platelet mv in models developed for study of platelet adhesion, as well as investigation of possible interactions between mv and intact platelets in these same adhesion models. Microvesicles were prepared from washed platelet concentrates by repeated freezing and thawing. Adhesion to subendothelium was measured quantitatively by radiolabelling mv with 111-In, and morphologically by scanning electron microscopy. Platelet mv adhered to subendothelium quantitatively over time. Using a modified Baumgartner chamber, we found adhesion of mv to subendothelium significantly increased with increasing shear rates. With this same model we found that prior exposure of subendothelium to mv greatly increased subsequent adhesion of platelets to the same everted vessel, compared to platelet adhesion in the absence of mv. All of these experiments were conducted with mv suspended in ACD/saline, indicating that plasma components are not essential for adhesion of mv. Our studies show that platelet mv adhere to subendothelium in much the same way as do platelets, and support the concept of a hemostatic role for mv in that they appear to increase platelet adhesion.