Got any durable medical equipment and assistive technology to donate?

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Project through collaboration with Walton Options for Independent Living, has become part of the Southeastern Technology Access and Reuse Network (STAR), a regional initiative committed to finding alternatives to disposal of used durable medical equipment and assistive technology no longer being used by the original owner.

The goal of this collaboration is to provide South Carolinians and South Carolina's organizations with opportunities to access assistive technology and durable medical equipment through the redistribution of used equipment that has been sanitized, checked for safety, and repaired for appropriate use.

Walton Options will be collecting donated equipment from partner sites in selected cities throughout South Carolina and then preparing it for redistribution to persons who need the equipment.

Donated items such as wheelchairs, tub benches, hospital beds, hoyer lifts, cctv’s, rolling walkers, lift chairs, cell phones, and specialized assistive technology such as communication boards, cctv’s, amplified hearing devices are all needed to build the equipment supply.

Please call Anita Howard or James Sparks at 1-877-821-8400 or email equipmentdepot@waltonoptions.org to get information on where you may drop off donations.

More information about requests for used equipment and pickup routes will be coming in the future.

MRI Scans Can Predict Effects Of Multiple Sclerosis Flare-ups On Optic Nerve

ScienceDaily (Dec. 16, 2008) — One of the most pernicious aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS) — its sheer unpredictability — may finally be starting to yield to advanced medical imaging techniques.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report online in the journal Neurology that an approach known as magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allowed them to estimate three months in advance the chronic effects of inflammation of the optic nerve. The condition occurs most often as a result of MS, a neurodegenerative disorder that can present with an extremely broad variety of symptoms that range from vision loss and other sensory damage to muscle weakness, spasticity or paralysis to depression, sleep loss or incontinence. MS affects an estimated 500,000 Americans.

"We see this as part of a battery of tests we hope to give patients within the next decade to help our clinical assessment and tailor it to an optimal treatment," says lead author Robert T. Naismith, M.D., assistant professor of neurology and a staff physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "It may also help further refine our basic understanding of MS in terms of expanding our insights into where and how damage occurs and why it can affect patients differently."

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

SC Assistive Technology Expo 2009

South Carolina Assistive Technology Expo 2009


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

9 am – 4 pm

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

Columbia, South Carolina

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

NO PRE-REGISTRATION NECESSARY


Exhibits and workshops about the latest assistive

technology for people with disabilities and age-related limitations.


Check the Expo Web page regularly for updates!


http://www.sc.edu/scatp/atexpo09.html

Amputees Can Experience Prosthetic Hand As Their Own

ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2008) — Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Lund University in Sweden have succeeded in inducing people with an amputated arm to experience a prosthetic rubber hand as belonging to their own body. The results can lead to the development of a new type of touch-sensitive prosthetic hands.

The illusion of having a rubber hand was achieved by the scientists by touching the stump of the amputated arm out of sight of the subject while simultaneously touching the rubber hand in full view of the same subject. This created the illusion that the sensory input was coming from the prosthetic hand rather than from the stump, and that the hand belonged to the subject’s own body.

The effect was confirmed by the subjects’ own descriptions of the experience and by their tendency to point to the hand when asked to localise the point of stimulation. That they experienced the rubber hand as their own was also substantiated physiologically in that they started to sweat when the hand was pricked with a needle.
The study, which was carried out at the Red Cross hospital in Stockholm, opens up new opportunities for developing prosthetic hands that can be experienced by wearers as belonging to their own bodies, which would be a great benefit to patients and which is considered an important objective in applied neuroscience.

To view entire article, please click on the title above.

New Classification Of Spinal Deformity Defines Range Of Normalcy

ScienceDaily (Dec. 10, 2008) — A University of Cincinnati (UC) neurosurgeon who has spent his career helping people with severe spine problems stand up straight has spearheaded the creation of a new spinal deformity classification system. The system, published this fall in the journal Neurosurgery, defines deformity in relation to the healthy, normal curve of the spine.

“What we’ve done is define spinal deformity and its manifestations throughout the course of a lifetime, based on a systematic approach to the spine, from the head to the pelvis,” says Charles Kuntz IV, MD, an associate professor in UC’s neurosurgery department and director of the division of spine and peripheral nerve surgery at the UC Neuroscience Institute. “Defining deformity with this degree of precision allows us to provide optimal treatment.”

Kuntz, who practices at the Mayfield Clinic, and his co-authors defined spinal deformity by synthesizing published literature that describes normal neutral upright spinal alignment in asymptomatic juvenile, adolescent, adult and geriatric volunteers.

To view entire article, please click on the title above.

Discovery Of A Debilitating Genetic Syndrome

ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2008) — Canadian researchers announce the discovery of MEDNIK Syndrome, a debilitating genetic syndrome. A research team led by Dr. Patrick Cossette, from the Université de Montréal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) and Associate Professor, Université de Montréal (U de M), has demonstrated that this syndrome is caused by a newly found mutation in the AP1S1 gene.

MEDNIK syndrome was discovered in a group of families in Quebec from the Kamouraska region, sharing a common ancestor, suspected from clinical manifestations showing striking similarities to those of a similar syndrome. Caused by a mutation in the AP1S1 gene, this syndrome is characterized by mental retardation, enteropathy, deafness, and peripheral neuropathy, ichthyosis, and keratodermia (MEDNIK).

''Our observations strongly suggest that MEDNIK Syndrome is caused by impaired development of various neural networks, including the spinal chord (ataxia and neuropathy), the inner ear (sensorineural deafness) and possibly the brain (microcephaly and psychomotor retardation)," notes Dr. Cossette. ''Disruption of the AP1S1 gene in humans may be associated with more widespread perturbation in the development of various organs, including the gut and the skin.

To view the entire article, please click on the title above.

Dec 11 Grandcare Systems Training

Thursday, December 11, 2008
An Introduction to GrandCare Systems
9:00am – 11:00am
Assistive Technology Resource Room, Midlands Center, Columbia

Presenter: Stacey Pierce, Director of Home Services, The Oaks, Orangeburg, SC

There is huge demand for an enabling technology for our decreasing numbers of caregivers. In a series of focus groups with people age 50-65, the Center for Aging Services Technologies found that most participants are seeking a technology that allows them and their parents more freedom and the ability to stay independent. The study showed that those nearing retirement want technology that can enrich communication, alleviate the challenges of daily life and preserve social connectedness.

This presentation will show how GrandCare Systems explores a new frontier in technology using the Internet, the senior’s television to communicate and wireless sensors to monitor wellness, motion, temperature, door, blood pressure cuff, weight scale, and more.

The breakthrough technology allows family and caregivers to virtually connect with loved ones by sending pictures, videos, reminders, emails, calendar appointments, messages and news/weather updates directly to a private channel on the loved one’s television. The loved one needs no technical knowledge to enjoy this new GC “Communication Station”. Meanwhile, various smart sensors placed around the home can assure family members that their loved one is comfortable, happy, healthy and truly independent at home. The rules are easily set up online and customized to the loved one’s lifestyle. GrandCare leaves the caregivers (who know the loved one best) 100% in charge, with no third party interference.

With this system, family and other caregivers can be wholly involved in the care of loved ones, whether they live across the street or across the country. The training is in the Assistive Technology Resource and Demonstration Center so no food or drink please.

Cost: Free! This class has a maximum of 18 participants.
To register for this presentation:

Option 1: Complete the online registration form at http://www.sc.edu/scatp/forms/trainingregform12-11-08.html
Option 2: Email Sally Young at Sally.Young@uscmed.sc.edu
Option 3: Call Sally Young at (803) 935-5263 or 800-915-4522.
Option 4: Fax your registration information to (803) 935-5342. Please include your name, organization, address, email address, phone.

Seizure Meds Can Be Safely Withdrawn From Kids With Epilepsy

MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- It's generally safe to stop giving anti-seizure medication to children with epilepsy who've achieved seizure-freedom while on the medication, because these children aren't at high risk of later developing intractable epilepsy, a Mayo Clinic study finds.

Intractable epilepsy, which affects about 10 percent of children with epilepsy, is a condition in which medications alone don't control seizures and in which seizures have a disabling effect on the patient's quality of life.

"It is often recommended that children with epilepsy who become seizure-free on anti-seizure medications be withdrawn from the drugs to avoid side effects of long-term use. Those potential side effects include cognitive slowing, incoordination, weight change, behavioral decline, and liver damage," pediatric neurologist Dr. Katherine Nickels said in a Mayo news release. "However, few previous studies had examined the risk of intractable epilepsy following withdrawal of anti-seizure medication, and the reported risks varied widely."

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Discovery Of A Debilitating Genetic Syndrome

ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2008) — Canadian researchers announce the discovery of MEDNIK Syndrome, a debilitating genetic syndrome. A research team led by Dr. Patrick Cossette, from the Université de Montréal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) and Associate Professor, Université de Montréal (U de M), has demonstrated that this syndrome is caused by a newly found mutation in the AP1S1 gene.

MEDNIK syndrome was discovered in a group of families in Quebec from the Kamouraska region, sharing a common ancestor, suspected from clinical manifestations showing striking similarities to those of a similar syndrome. Caused by a mutation in the AP1S1 gene, this syndrome is characterized by mental retardation, enteropathy, deafness, and peripheral neuropathy, ichthyosis, and keratodermia (MEDNIK).

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Robotic Technology Improves Stroke Rehabilitation

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2008) — Research scientists using a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI (fMRI) have found that chronic stroke patients can be rehabilitated, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). This is the first study using fMRI to map the brain in order to track stroke rehabilitation.

"We have shown that the brain has the ability to regain function through rehabilitative exercises following a stroke," said A. Aria Tzika, Ph.D., director of the NMR Surgical Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Shriners Burn Institute and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "We have learned that the brain is malleable, even six months or more after a stroke, which is a longer period of time than previously thought."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and a principal cause of severe long-term disability. Approximately 700,000 strokes occur annually in the U.S., and 80 percent to 90 percent of stroke survivors have motor weakness.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

Vaccine Against Multiple Sclerosis? Mouse Experiment Yields Promising Results

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2008) — Some 80,000 people in Germany suffer from multiple sclerosis – their immune system attacks and destroys healthy nerve tissue. Researchers at the Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg have succeeded in vaccinating mice with specially treated, autologous immune cells and preventing them from developing encephalitis, which is similar to multiple sclerosis in humans.

A protein of the nervous system, that is the target of the harmful immune reaction in multiple sclerosis, was placed on the surface of the cells; the cells were treated with an agent that suppresses immune defense.

The Heidelberg researchers have published their results, initially online, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Researchers Call For Fragile X Testing Throughout The Lifespan

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2008) — Writing recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute researchers urge physicians to test for mutations of the fragile X gene in patients of all ages. That's because, after decades of research, it is clear that mutations in this gene cause a range of diseases, including neurodevelopmental delays and autism in children, infertility in women and neurodegenerative disease in older adults.

"We want to notify specialists in a variety of areas, as well as allied health professionals, of the potential impact of the fragile X mutation at different times in patients' lives," said Randi Hagerman, director of the Fragile X Research and Treatment Center at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute.

Hagerman, who is also the institute's medical director, co-authored the commentary with fellow M.I.N.D. Institute researcher and husband, Paul Hagerman, who is also director of the UC Davis NeuroTherapeutics Research Institute (NTRI).

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

MRI Machines May Damage Cochlear Implants

ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2008) — Patients with cochlear implants may want to steer clear of certain magnetic imaging devices, such as 3T MRI machines, because the machines can demagnetize the patient's implant, according to new research published in the December 2008 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that restores partial hearing to the deaf. It is surgically implanted in the inner ear and activated by a device worn outside the ear. Unlike a hearing aid, it does not make sound louder or clearer. Instead, the device bypasses damaged parts of the auditory system and directly stimulates the nerve of hearing, allowing individuals who are profoundly hearing impaired to receive sound. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people have cochlear implants.

To view this entire article, please click on the title above.

Virtual Ears And The Cocktail Party Effect

ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2008) — Oxford University research has helped understanding of the so-called ‘cocktail party effect’ – how our brains develop the ability to pinpoint and focus on particular sounds among a background of noise.

The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, has implications for the emergence of hearing abilities in children and for restoring hearing after fitting hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Humans begin to develop their hearing at a very early stage. Even a 28 week old foetus will respond to sound, and newborn infants can distinguish different types of speech sound. Our hearing continues to develop throughout childhood, including the ability to distinguish between sounds coming from different directions and to understand speech in difficult acoustic environments, such as a busy room with many echoes.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Study Shows Families' Financial Strain from Autism

CHICAGO – More than half a million U.S. children have autism with costly health care needs that often put an unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show.

Compared with parents whose youngsters have chronic health care needs but not autism, those with autistic children are three times more likely to have to quit their jobs or reduce work hours to care for their kids. They pay more for their kids' health needs, spend more time providing or arranging for that care, and are more likely to have money difficulties, the study found.

"This is the first national survey that looked at the impact on families of having kids with special health care needs," said lead author Michael Kogan, a researcher with the government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The results are from a nationally representative 2005-06 survey of nearly 40,000 children with special health care needs. These children have a broad range of chronic conditions, including physical and mental illness, requiring more extensive than usual medical care.

To view this entire article, please click the title above.

Scans Show Sound-Processing Deficits in Autistic Kids

MONDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism spectrum disorder process sounds a fraction of a second slower than other children, an abnormality that offers insight into listening and language issues linked to the condition, a new study says.

Researchers used magnetoencephalography (MEG), which records minute magnetic fields associated with electrical brain activity, to detect the slight delay in autistic children who were exposed to beeps, tones in pairs, vowels and sentences at different speeds, tones and frequencies.

The findings were expected to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), in Chicago.

To view this entire article, please click the title above.

Check out this GREAT Accessible Travel Resource

The Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH), founded in 1976, is an educational nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to raise awareness of the needs of all travelers with disabilities, remove physical and attitudinal barriers to free access and expand travel opportunities in the United States and abroad. Members include travel professionals, consumers with disabilities and other individuals and corporations who support our mission.

WHAT'S NEW?

Visit our Sponsors & Partners page to find out more about those companies and organizations who are concerned with making travel more accessible for all.

Check out out News & Updates for exciting news about the WCD EXPO! http://www.wcdexpo.com/

UPDATE: Please check the News & Updates section for the complete Updated White House Advisement for People With Disabilities regarding airline travel.

Get the newest information about Passport requirements...Go to News & Updates

LOG ON TO TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SITE from NEED TO KNOW FACTS page! In order to assist persons with disabilities or medical concerns, TSA has developed guidelines with input from various groups.

Check out US Department of State website on our NEED TO KNOW FACTS page for all information on travel to and from US!

Check out News and Updates for "Five Times That You Need a Travel Agent" from SmarterLiving!

The Travel Institute's "Accessible Travel" Lifestyle Specialist course is now available. Visit www.thetravelinstitute.com for more information and to sign up to become a Lifestyle Specialist.

For more information, please click on the title above

Pluripotent Stem Cells Shown To Generate New Retinal Cells Necessary For Vision, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2008) — Pluripotent stem cells — those, like embryonic stem cells, that give rise to almost every type of cell in the body — can be converted into the different classes of retinal cells necessary for vision, according to a new study from researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

This research points to exciting new possibilities for preventing or reversing the disabling vision loss caused by age‑related macular degeneration, diabetes retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and other diseases that damage the retina, the layer of light‑sensitive nerve cells that line the back of the eye. The research was presented at Neuroscience 2008, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C.

“Vision is lost in these diseases because one or more of the seven retinal cell types die,” said the study’s lead author, Michael Ezra Zuber, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and adjunct assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at SUNY Upstate Medical University. “Current treatments can slow these diseases’ progression, but they can’t replace lost retinal cells. Pluripotent cells offer a promising starting point from which to generate new retinal cells.”

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Brain Abnormalities That May Play Key Role In ADHD

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2008) — A study published in the online advance edition of The American Journal of Psychiatry for the first time reveals shape differences in the brains of children with ADHD, which could help pinpoint the specific neural circuits involved in the disorder. Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. and the Johns Hopkins Center for Imaging Science used a new analysis tool, large deformation diffeomorphic mapping (LDDMM), which allowed them to examine the precise shape of the basal ganglia.

The study found boys with ADHD had significant shape differences and decreases in overall volume of the basal ganglia compared to their typically developing peers. Girls with ADHD did not have volume or shape differences, suggesting sex strongly influences the disorder's expression.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

ADHD Medications Don't Pose Cancer Risk

FRIDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Two popular medications for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not cause genetic damage linked to an increased risk for developing cancer, a new study says.

The study, done by researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health, counters a previous one that reported biomarkers associated with an increased cancer risk were present in the blood of children taking the ADHD drug methylphenidate.

"The new findings should help alleviate some of the concerns that were raised by the previous study," study co-author Scott Kollins, director of Duke's ADHD program, said in a university news release. "However, we need to continue to study the long-term effects of these medications and expand our analyses to include older patient populations."

The new study, which looked at methylphenidate (Ritalin LA and Concerta) and amphetamine (Adderall and Adderall XR), used a larger study sample and conditions that apply to a wider cross-section of children with ADHD than the initial study did, he said.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Neurons Derived From Embryonic Stem Cells Restore Muscle Function After Injury

ScienceDaily (Nov. 20, 2008) — Dalhousie Medical School researchers have discovered that embryonic stem cells may play a critical role in helping people with nerve damage and motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regain muscular strength.

Motor neurons reside in the spinal cord and control limb movements by enabling muscles to contract. Diseases like ALS cause them to degenerate, resulting in muscle weakness, atrophy, and eventual paralysis.

“This study builds on a series of studies in which we demonstrated that motor neurons can be generated from mouse embryonic stem cells,” says Dr. Victor Rafuse, associate professor of anatomy & neurobiology. “It’s very exciting that these neurons can be used for transplantation to prevent degeneration of muscle.”


To view the entire article, please click on the title above.

Microarray Analysis Improves Prenatal Diagnosis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 17, 2008) — A "chip" or array that can quickly detect disorders such as Down syndrome or other diseases associated with chromosomal abnormalities proved an effective tool in prenatal diagnosis in a series of 300 cases at Baylor College of Medicine, according to an article in the journal Prenatal Diagnosis.

In the report, a team led by Dr. Arthur Beaudet and Dr. Sau Wai Cheung at BCM, described use of array comparative genomic hybridization to analyze samples taken during amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling for chromosomal abnormalities. Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling allow researchers to obtain fetal cells for testing.

"Larger studies of this test will help us decide whether it should be used as a first line measure to detect chromosome abnormalities in fetuses," said Beaudet, chair of molecular and human genetics at BCM and senior author of the report. "They will also enable us to determine whether such testing should be offered more widely to pregnant women."

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Gene Associated With Epilepsy Discovered

ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2008) — A University of Iowa-led international research team has found a new gene associated with the brain disorder epilepsy. While the PRICKLE1 gene mutation was specific to a rare form of epilepsy, the study results could help lead to new ideas for overall epilepsy treatment.

The findings, which involved nearly two dozen institutions from six different countries, appear in the Nov. 7 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

In epilepsy, nerve cells in the brain signal abnormally and cause repeated seizures that can include strange sensations, severe muscle spasms and loss of consciousness. The seizures may not have lasting effects but can affect activities, such as limiting a person's ability to drive. Most seizures do not cause brain damage but some types of epilepsy lead to physical disabilities and cognitive problems. Medications can control symptoms, but there is no cure.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Pro-Parents Calendar

11/20/2008
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

“Is Your Child a Target of Bullying?” Workshop
St. Paul Elementary School
3074 Liberty Hill Road
Summerton, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

11/20/2008
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Family Connection
St John’s Methodist Church
321 S. Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

11/20/2008
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
*

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Florence DSS Office
Building 2685 South Irby
Florence, SC 29505

PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
1-866-863-1512

11/24/2008
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Communication Workshop
Walker Gamble Elementary
2358 Walker Gamble Road
New Zion, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/08/2008
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

ADD / ADHD Workshop
Foothills Alliance
Watkins Community Center
204 South Main Street
Honea Path, SC 29654

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/10/2008
10:30 am - 2:30 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Bamberg County DDSN
16553 Heritage Highway
Bamberg, SC 229042

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/11/2008
10:30 am - 2:30 pm

Transitioning Out of Special Education
Sumter County DDSN
775 Electric Avenue
Sumter, SC 29153

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/12/2008
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Burton Center / Edgefield DDSN
Edgefield County Library
105 Courthouse Square
Edgefield, SC 29824

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/13/2008
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Parent & Student Rights In Special Education
Lee County DDSN
Gibbs Training Center
307 Chappelle Drive
Bishopville, SC 29010

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/15/2008
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

“Is Your Child a Target of Bullying?” Workshop
Upstate Parents Network
New Day Club House
1530 Ashville Highway
Spartanburg, SC 29303

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/16/2008
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Transition Into Special Education Workshop
Oconee DDSN
116 S. Cove Road
Seneca, SC 29672

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

12/16/2008
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Inclusion Workshop
Oconee DDSN
116 S. Cove Road
Seneca, SC 29672

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator
To register call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

To see a complete listing of events, please click the title above.

Brain Implants May Help Stroke Patients Overcome Partial Paralysis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2008) — Scientists have shown for the first time that neuroprosthetic brain implants may be able to help stroke patients with partial paralysis.

Researchers found that implants known as brain-computer interfaces (BCI) may be able to detect activity on one side of the brain that is linked to hand and arm movements on the same side of the body. They hope to use these signals to guide motorized assistance mechanisms that restore mobility in partially paralyzed limbs.

Partial paralysis on one side of the body results from stroke damage to the opposite side of the brain. This fits with the conventional model of how the brain controls movement, which says signals in one half of the brain control the opposite half of the body .

To view the entire article, please click on the title above.

FREE Training This Thursday: Microsoft XP Accessibility Options - Charleston

Microsoft XP Accessibility Options & Access Supports

Thursday, November 20, 2008
9:30 am - 12:30 pm

Charleston Regional Technology Center
1870 Wallace School Road
Charleston, SC

Presenter: Stacy Springer, MS, OTR/L, ATP, Assistive Technology
Specialist, SC Department of Education

Learn all the accessibility options built into Microsoft & Windows XP!
This hands-on computer lab session will include features built into the
computer as well as some additional free access supports. This session
will not cover Windows Vista, only XP. The training is in a computer
lab, so no food or drink please.

Cost: Free! This class has a maximum of 15 participants.

To register for this workshop:
Email Stacy Springer at sspringer@ed.sc.gov or call (843) 766-2048

Multiple Sclerosis: In The War Against Diseases, Nerve Cells Need Their Armor

ScienceDaily (Nov. 14, 2008) — In a new study, researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, and the Université de Montréal have discovered an essential mechanism for the maintenance of the normal structure of myelin, the protective covering that insulates and supports nerve cells (neurons). Up until now, very little was known about myelin maintenance.

This new information provides vital insight into diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other progressive demyelinating diseases in which myelin is destroyed, causing irreversible damage and disrupting the nerve cells' ability to transmit messages. The research, published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first to identify a role for the protein netrin-1, previously characterized only in the developing nervous system, with this critical function in the adult nervous system.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Riken Researchers Make Brain Tissues from Stem Cells

Japanese researchers said Thursday they had created functioning human brain tissues from stem cells, a world first that has raised new hopes for the treatment of disease. Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain, according to researchers at the government-backed research institute Riken.

The research was led by Yoshiki Sasai at Riken Center for Development Biology in Kobe.

The tissues self-organized into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human fetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals, the institute said.

Research on stem cells is seen as having the potential to save lives by helping to find cures for diseases such as cancer and diabetes or to replace damaged cells, tissues and organs.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Film looks at disability perceptions, reality

Portland News-If you had to have a disability, which one would you choose?

That's the question posed by the documentary "Disabled Lives," directed by four Portland-area teens as part of Film Action Oregon's Project Youth Doc.

"We interviewed people all over the city — Waterfront Park, Hollywood Theatre, Pioneer Square, OHSU, Grant Park," says Nate Higby, one of the filmmakers. "Most of the people we asked were willing to talk with us, but a lot of them had trouble answering that question."

One young man in the film responds, "I don't want any disabilities." Another, after stalling, says he would choose the one that is "the least visible."

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

Brain Implants May Help Stroke Patients Overcome Partial Paralysis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 11, 2008) — Scientists have shown for the first time that neuroprosthetic brain implants may be able to help stroke patients with partial paralysis.

Researchers found that implants known as brain-computer interfaces (BCI) may be able to detect activity on one side of the brain that is linked to hand and arm movements on the same side of the body. They hope to use these signals to guide motorized assistance mechanisms that restore mobility in partially paralyzed limbs.

Partial paralysis on one side of the body results from stroke damage to the opposite side of the brain. This fits with the conventional model of how the brain controls movement, which says signals in one half of the brain control the opposite half of the body. That model led scientists to assume that stroke damage would make it impossible for BCIs to pick up any useful movement control signals from the brain and restore function in the body's paralyzed half.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

Can Vitamins And Minerals Prevent Hearing Loss?

ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2008) — About 10 million people in the United States alone—from troops returning from war to students with music blasting through headphones—are suffering from impairing noise-induced hearing loss.

The rising trend is something that researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute are hoping to reverse, with a cocktail of vitamins and the mineral magnesium that has shown promise as a possible way to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noises. The nutrients were successful in laboratory tests, and now researchers are testing whether humans will benefit as well.

The prevention of noise induced hearing loss is key," says Glenn E. Green, M.D., assistant professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Health System and director of the U-M Children's Hearing Laboratory.

"When we can't prevent noise-induced hearing loss through screening programs and use of hearing protection, then we really need to come up with some way of protecting people who are still going to have noise exposure. My hope is that this medication will give people a richer, fuller life."

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Autism Gene Linked to Childhood Language Disorder

LONDON (Reuters) – A gene linked to autism may also play a role in the most common childhood language disorder, researchers said on Wednesday, perhaps explaining why some children develop language difficulties.

"This is the first time anyone has pinpointed a specific gene that is involved in common forms of language impairments," University of Oxford geneticist and Wellcome Trust researcher Simon Fisher, who led the study, said in a telephone interview.

The condition known as specific language impairment affects an estimated 2-7 percent of pre-school children and is as common as dyslexia, Fisher said.

The starting point for the study was a different gene called FOXP2 that regulates other genes and appears to play a role in a severe but rare form of speech and language disorder.

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Head Injury in Young Kids May Predict ADHD Diagnosis

THURSDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Very young children who sustain a head injury may be more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later, researchers report.

The head injury is not a cause of ADHD, but rather a result of excessive risk-taking, according to the paper published in the Nov. 8 online edition of the British Medical Journal.

"There have been studies done that link moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in older children to ADHD," said lead researcher Dr. Heather Keenan, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. "There has been some suggestion that mild traumatic brain injury could also be linked to ADHD."

The researchers wanted to know whether or not head injury that occurs before the age of 2 might cause ADHD. A diagnosis of ADHD cannot be made before that age, Keenan noted.

"It is hard to figure this out, because we don't know whether or not the kids would have gone on to develop ADHD regardless of the head injury," Keenan said.

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Brain Injury Repair? Damaged Nerves Regenerated By Silencing Natural Growth Inhibitors In Neurons

ScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2008) — Silencing natural growth inhibitors may make it possible to regenerate nerves damaged by brain or spinal cord injury, finds a study from Children's Hospital Boston. In a mouse study published in the November 7 issue of Science, researchers temporarily silenced genes that prevent mature neurons from regenerating, and caused them to recover and re-grow vigorously after damage.

Because injured neurons cannot regenerate, there is currently no treatment for spinal cord or brain injury, says Zhigang He, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Children's and senior author on the paper. Previous studies that looked at removing inhibitory molecules from the neurons' environment, including some from He's own lab, have found only modest effects on nerve recovery. But now He's team, in collaboration with Mustafa Sahin, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Children's, demonstrates that re-growth is primarily regulated from within the cells themselves.

"We knew that on completion of development, cells stop growing due to genetic mechanisms that prevent overgrowth," explains He. "We thought that this kind of mechanism might also prevent regeneration after injury."

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Multiple Sclerosis Progression Can Be Predicted With MRI

ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2008) — A new study published in Journal of Neuroimaging shows that MRI scans used on multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to determine if the disease has affected gray matter in the brain can identify those at-risk for progression of disability.

MS affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States and as many as 2.5 million worldwide. It is the most common cause of progressive disability in young adults. While the cause of the disease remains unknown, it is characterized by damage to the covering over the nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord, or to the nerve fiber itself.

In an attempt to understand the causes of disease progression, researchers at the Partners MS Center, led by Dr. Rohit Bakshi and his team, have developed new ways to detect gray matter damage.

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Is ADHD More Likely To Affect Movement In Boys Or Girls?

ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2008) — Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to affect movement in boys more than it does in girls, according to a new study. ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders found in children. Symptoms include impulsiveness, hyperactivity, such as not being able to sit still, and inattention or constant daydreaming. Few studies have been done that compare ADHD and movement in both boys and girls.

Researchers tested the movement abilities of 132 boys and girls with ADHD and 136 without the disorder. The children were between the ages of seven and 15 years and were tested for how fast and how well they could tap their toes, walk on their heels, maintain balance and keep a steady rhythm during a task compared to scores typical for their age.

The study found that girls with ADHD and the control group of children without ADHD were twice as likely to be able to control their movements for their age compared to boys with ADHD, who showed continued difficulties.

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Autism Linked with Rainfall in Study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Children who live in the U.S. Northwest's wettest counties are more likely to have autism, but it is unclear why, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

Michael Waldman of Cornell University and colleagues were searching for an environmental link with autism, a condition characterized by learning and social disabilities.

They got autism rates from state and county agencies for children born in California, Oregon and Washington between 1987 and 1999 and plotted them against daily precipitation reports.

"Autism prevalence rates for school-aged children in California, Oregon and Washington in 2005 were positively related to the amount of precipitation these counties received from 1987 through 2001," they wrote in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

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Interferon Could Be A Key To Preventing Or Treating Multiple Sclerosis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2008) — Multiple sclerosis (MS) results when the body's own defense system attacks nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Now scientists led by John Russell, Ph.D., at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that interferon-gamma plays a deciding role in whether immune cells attack and injure the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) in mice.

Interferon-gamma is an immune system protein that helps the body defend itself from invaders. In their latest research, which appeared in the October issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the researchers show that interferon-gamma determined whether activated immune cells — previously primed to go after nerve cells — would actually cause nerve damage in experimental mice.

The researchers found that in the cerebellums and brainstems of the mice, interferon-gamma was protective. However, in the spinal cord, interferon-gamma had the opposite effect, permitting nerve cell damage.

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Gene Find Sheds Light On Motor Neuron Diseases Like ALS

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2008) — Scientists have identified a gene in mice that plays a central role in the proper development of one of the nerve cells that goes bad in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and some other diseases that affect our motor neurons.

The study is the result of a collaboration by scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center who normally focus on the eye, working together with a developmental neuroscientist at Harvard who focuses on the cerebral cortex. The work appears in the Oct. 23 issue of the journal Neuron.

The work centers on corticospinal neurons, crucial nerve cells that connect the brain to the spinal cord. These neurons degenerate in patients with ALS, and their injury can play a central role in spinal cord injury as well. These are the longest nerves in the central nervous system – nerves sometimes several feet long that run from the brain to the spinal cord. As the ends of the nerves degenerate, patients lose the ability to control their muscles.

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