Theory and practice in action: the contributions of Michael Perkins to clinical linguistics.

This article reviews the scholarly contributions of Michael R. Perkins in the discipline of clinical linguistics and provides some indication of the reasons that he has been so successful. Three primary attributes were described through an analysis of his publications.

Research report: variations on the theme of avoidance as compensations during unsuccessful reading performance.

This research report provides additional data, manifestations and discussion about avoidance strategies employed by a language-learning disabled student during reading activities. Rather than seeing avoidance as due to random distractions or oppositional behaviours, these data provide a rationale for viewing many types of avoidance as systematic and compensatory efforts to sustain interactional success in the emergence of linguistic difficulty.

Surgical management of infective endocarditis: early predictors of short-term morbidity and mortality.

Background: Infective endocarditis is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge that ultimately requires surgical intervention in 20% of all cases. Early determinants of morbidity and mortality in this high risk population are not well described.

Methods: The aim of this study was to determine preoperative clinical, microbiological, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic variables that predicted the need for permanent pacemaker implantation and in-hospital death in a surgical cohort of patients with active infective endocarditis.