China Science

Dixon,JB; Gashev,AA; Zawieja,DC; Moore-JE,Jr; Cote,GL

Abstract Efforts have recently been made to estimate wall shear stress throughout thecontractile cycle of mesenteric rat lymphatics with a high speed video microscopy system. This wasprompted by reports in the literature that lymphatic pumping is related to wall shear stress. Whileone can estimate wall shear stress by tracking lymphocyte velocity, it is prohibitively tedious tomanually track particles over a reasonable time frame for a good number of experiments. (more…)

Abstract This paper focuses on the role of human service staff when supporting individuals with severe disabilities who use speech-generating devices (SGDs) for functional communication. Following a brief overview of research that demonstrates the efficacy of SGDs within this group, a summary is provided of skills staff require to help ensure that individuals with severe disabilities have opportunities to use SGDs in effective ways. (more…)

Abstract Many individuals with cerebral palsy use natural speech as one mode of communication. Recent research suggests that, for these individuals, speech supplementation strategies, such as topic cues, alphabet cues, and combined cues, can have a significant impact on intelligibility; however, the impact of these strategies when speakers actually implement them while producing connected speech is largely unknown. In the present study, the effects of speaker-implemented topic cues, alphabet cues, and combined cues (compared with a no cues control condition) were studied for three individuals with profound dysarthria secondary to cerebral palsy. (more…)