Mannitol Boosts Effectiveness of Potential Cord Blood Treatment for Cerebral Palsy in Lab Animals, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (June 1, 2010) — The sugar-alcohol compound mannitol improved the therapeutic effectiveness of human umbilical cord blood cells injected into neonatal rat models of cerebral palsy, reports a new international study led by the University of South Florida. The mannitol opened the blood-brain barrier by temporarily shrinking the tight endothelial cells that make up the barrier.

Intravenously-delivered human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) may offer therapeutic benefits to those suffering from cerebral palsy if the blood cells can get past the blood-brain barrier to the site of injury, the research team suggests. Their findings were recently published online in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (14:4).

The mannitol treatment did not increase the survival of human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) grafts, but by elevating the trophic factors HUBC combined with mannitol "could mediate robust functional improvement," according to Dr. Borlongan and his co-authors.

"Intravenous delivery of human umbilical cord blood alone promoted behavioral recovery in neonatal animal models of cerebral palsy, but their functional improvement was more pronounced when human umbilical cord blood transplantation was combined with mannitol," commented Dr. Borlongan.

The full article may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Autism Finding Could Lead to Simple Urine Test for the Condition

ScienceDaily (June 5, 2010) — Children with autism have a different chemical fingerprint in their urine than non-autistic children, according to new research published tomorrow in the print edition of the Journal of Proteome Research.

The researchers behind the study, from Imperial College London and the University of South Australia, suggest that their findings could ultimately lead to a simple urine test to determine whether or not a young child has autism.

The distinctive urinary metabolic fingerprint for autism identified in today's study could form the basis of a non-invasive test that might help diagnose autism earlier. This would enable autistic children to receive assistance, such as advanced behavioural therapy, earlier in their development than is currently possible.

At present, children are assessed for autism through a lengthy process involving a range of tests that explore the child's social interaction, communication and imaginative skills.

The full article maybe viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

World's Largest DNA Scan Reveals Rare Variants That Disrupt Gene Activity in Autistic Children

ScienceDaily (June 10, 2010) — The world's largest DNA scan for familial autism has uncovered new genetic changes in autistic children that are often not present in their parents. Identified in less than 1 percent of the population, these rare variants occur nearly 20 percent more in autistic children.

Using blood samples from 996 elementary school-age children diagnosed on the autism spectrum from the United States, Canada, and Europe, the scientific teams combed the children's DNA for rare deletions and duplications. In particular, they hunted for changes in the genetic information that a child inherits from each parent. The families consisted of parents with one autistic child.

"We discovered two striking things. First, the rare variants interfered nearly 20 percent more in the genes of autistic children than in the healthy children," said Dr. Daniel Geschwind, Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Chair in Human Genetics and UCLA professor of neurology and psychiatry. "Second, we found a number of disruptions that are new, or de novo. The autistic child is the first in their family to carry that variant. The parents do not have it.

"This suggests that tiny genetic errors may occur during formation of the parents' eggs and sperm, and these variations are copied during creation of their child's DNA," added Geschwind, who is also director of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment. "The finding parallels what takes place in chromosomal disorders like Down's syndrome."

The full article may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Work Incentive Seminar Event - 6/30/2010

Seminar: SSI and DI

Below are the details for this meeting.

Meeting Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Meeting Type & Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Meeting Name: West Columbia, SC 6/30/10
Meeting Location: Babcock Center
Street Address: 2725 Banny Jones Avenue
City, State and Zip: West Columbia, SC 29170
Presenter:
Contact: CJ Bilka
Contact's Phone: 803-935-5202
Contact's Email: cbilka@scvrd.state.sc.us
Hosting organization: South Carolina Pathways To Employment
Meeting Directions: Located off of Platt Springs Rd. between NCR and the Airport Midlands Technical School.

Registration information and the full info page for this conference may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Targeted Molecules Play Only Minor Role in Axon Repair

ScienceDaily (June 9, 2010) — Neuroscientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that removing three key inhibitory molecules from myelin -- the insulating material that surrounds nerve cell fibers -- does not significantly boost the ability of injured spinal axons to regenerate and restore themselves to full function.

"I think this just shows how incredibly complicated the challenge is to induce axon regeneration and functional recovery after central nervous system (CNS) injuries," said Binhai Zheng, PhD, assistant professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study. "It's not going to be one gene or one approach that proves to be the answer. Successful regeneration will likely require a combination of many approaches and techniques."

The findings, to be published by Zheng and colleagues in the June 10 issue of the journal Neuron, run contrary to a popular and enduring hypothesis that the elimination of key inhibitory molecules in myelin should measurably boost axon regeneration in CNS injuries.

To view the full article, click the link in this post's title.

Helping Hearts, Spinal Cords and Tendons Heal Themselves

ScienceDaily (June 8, 2010) — Queen's University researcher Brian Amsden is hoping that in about 10 years a tendon, spinal cord or heart valve will be able to regenerate itself after an injury or disease.

The chemical engineering professor, along with scientists from the University of Western Ontario and University of Toronto, is currently trying to develop microscopic polymer fibers to help rebuild human tissue and speed the healing process.

While using polymers to help grow muscles may sound like something out of Frankenstein, it's actually quite natural. Dr. Amsden is trying to develop the technique where stem cells from fat are placed on a polymer prosthetic that stimulates cell growth and that is later implanted it into a person's body.

The full article may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Basic Family Support Training: A Culturally Competent Training Series

The Center for Disability Resources (UCEDD)
in collaboration with
The SC Commission for Minority Affairs

PRESENTS A THREE-PART

TASH FAMILY SUPPORT TRAINING PROJECT
A CULTURALLY COMPETENT TRAINING SERIES ON:
BASIC FAMILY SUPPORT
LEADERSHIP IN ADVOCACY
LEADERSHIP IN POLICYMAKING
IF YOU ARE A PARENT OF A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR A PERSON WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THIS TRAINING IS FOR YOU!
JOIN US AND BECOME A BETTER ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILD.

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
June 26 – 27, 2010
Midlands Center Training Center
8301 Farrow Road
Columbia, SC 29203

For registration and additional information contact:
Karen Irick - 803.935.5222 karen.irick@uscmed.sc.edu
or
Marcy Hayden - 803.333.9621 ext. 23 mhayden@cfma.state.sc.us
Stipends are provided to all participants. Seats are limited.

Flyer available in alternative format.

The TASH Family Support Training Project is supported by a grant (#90DN0266) from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Consistent Bedtime May Give Kids Developmental Boost

MONDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- Sticking to a regular bedtime and getting enough sleep may help young children score higher on tests of development, a new study suggests.

Kids who had a consistent bedtime at the age of 4 scored higher on a number of tests, including some that measured literacy and math abilities. Earlier bedtimes and parental rules about keeping bedtime routines also were associated with higher scores on developmental measures.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that preschool children get at least 11 hours of sleep each night. Kids who got less than that had lower test scores, according to study author Erika Gaylor, a researcher with SRI International, a research institute in Menlo Park, Calif., and colleagues.

The study is based on responses from phone interviews with the parents of about 8,000 kids. The parents were interviewed when the children were 9 months old and again when they were 4 years old.

The full article may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Writing for the Web - Good Resources

Below are some good resources for writing for the web. Each title is a hot link, and I've tried to give you some idea of what each resource contains.

WebAIM’s Writing Clearly and Simply - WebAIM is a highly respected resource in all areas of accessible web design. Their site has many tutorials and articles, as well as an email discussion list.

Is it Possible to Write Clearly and Simply?

General Guidelines

Additional Considerations for Users with Reading Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities

Readability tests

Writing for the Webuseit.com: Jakob Nielsen's Website with many resources and an alertbox column.

How little do users read?

Low-literacy users

Microcontent: writing headlines, page titles, and email subject lines

Information pollution

Colorado State's Writing Guide for Email - Note: this link is to the "print-friendly" page for the information. When you click on the hot links on that page, it takes you to a non-print friendly page that's a bit cumbersome. All the information is on this page, so it's best not to use the hot links.

Content & usability: Web writing - Webcredible is a commercial company based in the UK. They offer many free resources on web accessibility and usability, including a newsletter.

Tips on Writing Web Sites and Web page Optimization - Web Copy writing TipsThe Web Content Cafe's suggestions focus on commercial web sites. Some topics include:
How to Format Long Copy on Web Pages
Place Links in the Line of Sight
Too Many Choices Reduces Conversion Rates

The SC Statewide Brain Injury Conference

The SC Statewide Brain Injury Conference
Life with Brain Injury
July 15 - 16, 2010
Columbia Conference Center, 169 Laurelhurst Avenue, Columbia, SC 29210.
Sponsored by the Brain Injury Alliance of South Carolina and South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council

The Complete Conference Brochure is now available. Many session topics are offered including Assistive Technology Aids and Reutilization for People with Brain Injury, Brain Injury Basics, Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Recreation, Transitioning to or Returning to Work, Independent Living Services, Current Research, Support Groups, and more!

Keynote Speakers are Kevin W. Kopera, MD, Medical Director, Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, Greenville, SC
and Mickey Plyler, Radio Sports Talk Show Host, Clemson, SC.

For More Information contact the Brain Injury Alliance of SC at (803)731-9823 or (877)TBI-FACT(in-state) or e-mail
scbraininjury@bellsouth.net or burgessenterprises@windstream.net

Hope to see you there!
Joyce Davis, CBIS, CTRS, Executive Director, Brain Injury Alliance of South Carolina
Tel. (803)731-9823, (877)TBI-FACT (in-state), Fax: (803)731-4804
www.biausa.org/SC

NOTE: To read more about the event, click on the title above.

Natural Self-Repair Mechanisms That Kick in After Spinal Cord Injury Identified

ScienceDaily (May 31, 2010) — Researchers in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine have made an important discovery that could lead to more effective treatments for spinal-cord injuries. Karim Fouad and David Bennett have identified one of the body's natural self-repair mechanisms that kick in after injury.

When someone suffers a spinal-cord injury they can lose almost all serotonin projections, so it was previously thought that the serotonin receptors were inactive. But the U of A researchers found that serotonin receptors are spontaneously active after spinal-cord injury, despite the absence of serotonin. Their study shows that this receptor activity is an essential factor in the recovery of functions like walking. Fouad and Bennett say this significant discovery provides important insight into how the spinal cord responds and changes after an injury, which is essential to developing meaningful treatments.

The article's full text may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Check Out our "Be Healthy…Read Healthy" Project!

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Library has received funds from the South Carolina Legislature for the Be Healthy…Read Healthy project, which aims to increase access to health information for underserved individuals in rural and urban communities throughout South Carolina. Access to quality consumer health information empowers patients and their families by increasing knowledge and improving decision-making. As part of this project, the School of Medicine Library selected consumer health and disability information resources, ten books and one DVD, to distribute to each county library system in the state.

CDR Librarian, Steven Wilson,

striking the all-powerful "Librarian Pose"

Assistant Director, Roz McConnaughy,

failing to escape the all-seeing camera

Beginning to unload the university van

Workin' hard... (Roz is the one taking the pictures...)

Job well done! Thanks for helping deliver the books, Betty! Curtis, too!
(And thanks to my graduate student assistant, Emily Boney, for stamping all of the books! )

SC Independent Living Council Events: Quarterly Meeting

SC Independent Living Council Events
SCILC Quarterly Meeting
SCILC June Meeting
DATE: June 11, 2010
TIME: 2:00pm-5:00pm
LOCATION: 1410 Boston Ave.
P Charles LaRosa Bldg
MORE: call (803) 731-1607

Join Our Mailing List!
SCILC
810 Dutch Square Blvd, Ste 214
Columbia, South Carolina 29210