Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices provide the ability for many people with disabilities to make themselves understood. For the large proportion of users with an intellectual disability, these devices may be their only means of communication. Estimates of the number of AAC devices in use are vague and lack transparency. This prevents researchers from answering key question...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCGM1588 has a novel chromosomal class 1 integron, In151, which includes the aac(6')-Iaj gene. The encoded protein, AAC(6')-Iaj, was found to consist of 184 amino acids, with 70% identity to AAC(6')-Ia. Escherichia coli transformed with a plasmid containing the aac(6')-Iaj gene acquired resistance to all aminoglycosides tested except gentamicin. Of note, aac(6')-Iaj contr...

PURPOSE To review literature specific to the use of AAC with adults who have severe aphasia. METHOD The authors reviewed studies involving AAC interventions for adults with severe aphasia. RESULTS Published data support the use of aided and unaided AAC with adults with severe aphasia in controlled treatment contexts. Reported gains in communication typically have not generalized to everyday...

The use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services and supports with infants and young children has been limited, owing to a number of myths about the appropriateness of AAC use with this population. This article will provide an overview of some of the myths that have hampered the inclusion of AAC into early intervention service delivery and refutes them. It will then examine ...

BACKGROUND Process of accelerated atherosclerosis specific for uremia increases cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may be influenced by the different structure of arteries. The study assesses the influence of traditional and novel risk factors on calcification of coronary arteries (CAC) and abdominal aorta (AAC) in hemodialysis patients (HD). METHODS CAC and...

The plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pharmacokinetics of arabinosyl-5-azacytidine (AAC) were studied in rhesus monkeys following a 15-min, 1-h, or 12-h i.v. infusion of 200 mg/kg. No clinically significant toxicity was observed with these schedules. The plasma elimination of AAC is rapid and characterized by a triphasic decay with t1/2 alpha = 3.6-5.4 min, t1/2 beta = 18-24 min, and t1/2 ga...

N-Acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) are used as quorum-sensing signal molecules by many gram-negative bacteria. We have reported that Shewanella sp. strain MIB015 degrades AHLs. In the present study, we cloned the aac gene from MIB015 by PCR with specific primers based on the aac gene in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1, which showed high homology with the known AHL-acylases. Escherichia coli exp...

Seven parents of individuals with cerebral palsy who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices participated in a focus group discussion on the benefits and challenges of learning AAC technology. The focus group was conducted on the Internet over a 9-week period. Six major themes emerged from the discussion: (a) issues in the selection of AAC technology; (b) knowledge and ski...

BACKGROUND Vascular calcification (VC) is a key process associated with cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients. Gelsolin is an actin-binding protein that can modulate inflammation, correlated inversely with hemodialysis (HD) mortality and involved in bone calcification homeostasis. In this report, we aim to characterize progression in aortic arch calcification (AAC) and investigate its a...