Disability across the Life Course

I just received this announcement and thought you might be interested in obtaining this new text:

The recently published book "Disability across the Life Course" by Tamar Heller and Sarah Parker Harris, from the Institute on Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), explores topics central to the lives of people with disabilities across the life course. It is part of The SAGE Reference Series on Disability, edited by Gary Albrecht,(UIC). In this book, the life course approach assumes that, beginning prenatally, events occurring early in life affect later periods in one's life. It recognizes that development does not necessarily proceed in neat stages and that impairments interact with social determinants (e.g., culture and socioeconomic status) and environmental aspects (e.g., services and supports) across the life course, resulting in differing outcomes for people. The disability studies approach adds to a life course perspective by bringing in the concepts of disability identity, societal attitudes, the lived experience of people with disabilities and the social and political contexts affecting their lives. In addition to providing an overall theoretical and historical background, this book addresses disability across the life course through delineation of various age phases from pre-natal periods to death. Cross-cutting issues highlighted are: family; health; policy, legislation, and service; and self-determination and participation.


The following is a link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/Disability-Through-Life-Course-Reference/dp/1412987679

Messiah by Handel: The Complete Work

This concert is going to be incredible!                    The                   Apollo Chorus    is an awesome group of men and women dedicated to the very best choral music. This concert is on Sat Dec 10th and Sunday the 18th). Click on the link above to learn more.

The Top Ten Most Cited Articles in Optometry

The Top 10 Cited articles published in Optometry, Journal of the American Optometic Association in the last five years include:

Ciuffreda, K.J. Kapoor, N. Rutner, D. Suchoff, I.B. Han, M.E. Craig, S. Occurrence of oculomotor dysfunctions in acquired brain injury: A retrospective analysis Optometry, Volume 78, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 155-161


Andrasko, G.  Ryen, K. Corneal staining and comfort observed with traditional and silicone hydrogel lenses and multipurpose solution combinations Optometry, Volume 79, Issue 8, 2008, Pages 444-454


Jiang, B.Tea, Y.C. O'Donnell, D. Changes in accommodative and vergence responses when viewing through near addition lenses Optometry, Volume 78, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 129-134


Richer, S. Devenport, J. Lang, J.C. LAST II: Differential temporal responses of macular pigment optical density in patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration to dietary supplementation with xanthophylls Optometry, Volume 78, Issue 5, 2007, Pages 213-219


Shintani, K. Shechtman, D.L. Gurwood, A.S. Review and update: Current treatment trends for patients with retinitis pigmentosa Optometry, Volume 80, Issue 7, 2009, Pages 384-401


Vaughn, W. Maples, W.C. Hoenes, R. The association between vision quality of life and academics as measured by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development Quality of Life questionnaire Optometry, Volume 77, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 116-123


Ciuffreda, K.J. Rutner, D. Kapoor, N. Suchoff, I.B. Craig, S. Han, M.E. Vision therapy for oculomotor dysfunctions in acquired brain injury: A retrospective analysis Optometry, Volume 79, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 18-22


Doughty, M.J. Jonuscheit, S.  An assessment of regional differences in corneal thickness in normal human eyes, using the Orbscan II or ultrasound pachymetry Optometry, Volume 78, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 181-190


Kester, E.M. Charles Bonnet syndrome: Case presentation and literature review Optometry, Volume 80, Issue 7, 2009, Pages 360-366


Sullivan-Mee, M. Halverson, K.D. Saxon, M.C. Saxon, G.B. Qualls, C.Central corneal thickness and normal tension glaucoma: A cross-sectional study Optometry, Volume 77, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 134-140

I congratulate all the authors, the American Optometric Association, Dr. Paul Freemen, Optometry's editor and Optometry's Journal Review Board for consistently producing such an outstanding publication.

As a member of the Journal Review Board, I am somewhat biased, but if the latest citation index findings are any indication, Optometry, is not only moving up in the index, but also is being used by scientific publications as an impoprtant authority in the area of eye care science and clinical practice.

I am also thrilled that my very good friends and colleagues, Drs. Ciuffreda, Kapoor, Suchoff, Gurwood and Richter are the authors/co-authors of these fine papers.

Please note the number of articles emphasizing binocular vision, accommodation, oculomotor ability, optometric vision therapy, brain injury, patients with special needs and quality of life issues....all of which are near and dear to my heart....and should be a sign that optometry's future rests upon our ability to guarentee single, clear, comfortable, pathology-free, binocular vision for all our patients.

If you are an optometrist, read your journal.
If you are an optometrist, write for your journal.
If you are an optometrist, tell others about your journal.

Do it.

DM

How Meditation Benefits The Brain

I am reposting this since many of you have asked for the link to the article....I usually add the link...but forgot to do so .... here it is http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/238093.php

Enjoy! DM

.... found that the experienced meditators, regardless of the type of meditation they practised, seemed able to switch off the default mode network, which has been linked to lapses of attention, and disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety. This part of the brain, comprising the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex, has also been linked to the accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

They also found that when the default mode network was active in the experienced meditators, other parts of the brain, associated with self-monitoring and cognitive control, were active at the same time. This was not the case with the novices....

Make Christmas Special!

Listen to the  

Apollo Chorus 

Sing Handel's Messiah! 

Click the above link to learn more!

How The Brain's Structure And Genes Affect Autism And Fragile X Syndrome

 ....Research just released shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior. The research findings were presented at Neuroscience 2011, the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science health.....

 

Xbox Kinect

Xbox Kinect: can you imagine what awesome things we could do with this in optometric vision therapy?

Toll-like Receptors Play Role In Brain Damage In Newborns

.....Roughly two in every thousand babies are at risk of suffering brain damage as a result of events before, during and after delivery. Infections in the blood or a reduced supply of oxygen and blood can lead to inflammation in the brain, causing injury. This type of brain damage, which is much more common in premature babies, can result in neurological problems such as cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and epilepsy.....

Digital Health Summit Consumer Electronics Show 2012

Digital Health Summit at Consumer Electronics Show

The Digital Health Summit at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show gives you a ringside seat for a look at today’s and tomorrow’s medical care. You’ll hear from innovative change agents in medicine and technology today and see the building blocks of at the forefront of this brave new world. Join us in the life-changing discussions that will impact the future of global healthcare.

Just a few of the Speakers and Moderators:

Gary Strumolo, Global Manager of Health & Wellness Research, Interiors and Infotainment for Ford Research and Innovation, Ford Motor Company

Ira Flatow, Science Correspondent and TV Journalist, Science Friday on NPR

Eric J. Topol, M.D., Director, Scripps Translational Science Institute, Vice-Chair, West Wireless Health Institute, Author, Creative Destruction of Medicine

Reed Tuckson, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of  Medical Affairs, UnitedHealth Group

John Sculley, Served as: President of PepsiCo, CEO of Apple, Chairman of Watermark Medical

Daniel Kraft, MD, Founder and Executive Director, Intellimedicine and FutureMed

Don Jones, Vice President of Wireless Health, Global Strategy and Market Development, Qualcomm

Eric Taub, Writer, New York Times ..... and many more!

What You’ll Learn:

Who are the visionaries shaping the future of digital health?

How are gaming and social networking revolutionizing healthcare?

How can your organization can capitalize on this high-growth market?

Diabetes and Obesity: How Can Technology Change the Outcomes?

Is Technology Changing the Doctor-Patient Relationship?

Is Mobile Making Us Healthier?

How the new platforms like automobiles and kitchen appliances will be delivering consumer health solutions?

Who is paying the bill for eHealth?

How will personalized medicine play an essential role in the future of healthcare?

Go to Consumer Electronics Show

Comments: I spoke at this show last year and it was awesome! DM



Banning Sugar-Sweetened Beverages In Schools Does Not Appear To Reduce Consumption Among Adolescents

...State policies banning all sugar-sweetened beverages in schools are associated with reduced in-school access and purchase of these beverages, however these policies are not associated with a reduction in overall consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages ...

Comments: Another example of why you do not what government telling you what to eat... Let the parents tell the kids what they should/should not eat. DM

Shedding Light On How We See Family Resemblance In Faces

.....Whether comparing a man and a woman or a parent and a baby, we can still see when two people of different age or sex are genetically related. How do we know that people are part of a family? Findings from a new study published in the Journal of Vision increases our understanding of the brain's ability to see through these underlying variations in facial structure.....

Vision and School Performance

...Betsy Cowand, a kindergarten teacher from West Shore elementary in Tampa, Florida and Dr. Larry Lampert, a developmental and behavioral optometrist, join The Balancing Act to discuss the relationship between eyesight and scholastic performance. With one in four children having an undetected vision problem that can interfere with the ability to read and learn, the discussion focuses on the importance of children having their eyes examined BEFORE school starts. Poor eyesight affects scholastic performance....

Comments: Watch this video by clicking on the link above. DM

Excerpt from research conducted by Professor Dr. Anne Bamford, Director of the International Research Agency

3D Education Research

Excerpt from research conducted by Professor Dr. Anne Bamford, Director of the International Research Agency