Recent years have witnessed an explosion of technological advances, which has transformed virtually every aspect of human existence. Prominent among these advances are assistive technologies, which have been employed to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. In this volume, recent advances in technological applications for individuals with learning and behavioural disabilities are described and discussed, in a collection that includes reviews of research, and original research reports. Technologies in this area have provided a multiplicity of uses, from advances in tools for basic research to text and content-enhancements to promote learning and behaviour change in educational environments. Discussed in this volume are technologies for improving our understanding of eye movements in learning from text, as well as technological applications in reading and literacy development. These technologies are employed to promote learning within classrooms, and also to connect learners with mentors outside the classroom. Beyond text, the use of virtual reality has been employed to promote understanding of complex concepts in physics. In many cases, these technologies have been employed effectively with students with emotional or behavioural disorders. Also discussed are issues in technological applications, including considerations of the most effective and appropriate uses of technology, where research is or should be heading, and teachers' understandings of the uses of technology with students with learning and behavioral disabilities. Also included in this volume are discussions of issues in learning disabilities, including discussions of significant issues in discrepancy models, and strategic coherence of individuals with learning difficulties. Overall, the ten chapters in this volume aim to provide some of the most current thinking and applications in learning and behavioural disabilities.

Dry needling is the ideal tool for a wide range of therapists involved in treating myofascial trigger points in adults. This book is written in a concise manner as a "quick to hand" reference guide regarding key issues around safe, effective and appropriate dry needling. It represents the ideal accompaniment to course notes and the perfect in-office tableside reference guide. The Concise Book of Dry Needling provides accurate and essential information for the identification and subsequent treatment of myofascial trigger points through the exclusive use of a fine, filiform needle. Skilled palpation skills supported by the ability to visualize and observe anatomical landmarks are essential to avoid neurovascular and other vital structures that could result in insult, injury, or additional pain. The book includes a description of the origin, etiology and pathophysiology of the myofascial trigger point, plus indications and contraindications for myofascial trigger point dry needling, supplemented by color anatomical images, referred pain patterns, and photographs to show correct needle application/insertion.

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and continues to increase in prevalence in almost all countries in which it has been studied, including developed and developing countries around the globe. The causes of obesity are complex and multi-factorial. Childhood obesity becomes a life-long problem in most cases and is associated with long term chronic disease risk for a variety of diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as psychosocial as issues and obesity seems to affect almost every organ system in the body. In recent years there has been tremendous progress in the understanding of this problem and in strategies for prevention and treatment in the pediatric years. Childhood Obesity: Causes, Consequences, and Intervention Approaches presents current reviews on the complex problem of obesity from the multi-level causes throughout early life before adulthood and the implications for this for long-term disease risk. It reviews numerous types of strategies that have been used to address this issue from conventional clinical management to global policy strategies attempting to modify the global landscape of food, nutrition, and physical activity. Each chapter is written by a global authority in his or her respective field with a focus on reviewing the current status and recent developments. The book features information on contributing factors to obesity, including developmental origins, social/family, birth cohort studies, influence of ethnicity, and global perspectives. It takes a life-course approach to the subject matter and includes exhaustive treatment of contributing factors to childhood obesity, such as assessment, environmental factors, nutrition and dietary factors, host factors, interventions and treatment, consequences, and further action for future prevention. This broad range of topics relevant to the rapidly changing field of childhood obesity is suitable for students, health care professionals, physicians, and researchers.

Fung zeroes in on why insulin resistance has become so prevalent and offers specific outside-the-box solutions that have emerged as the key to maximizing health." --Jimmy Moore, author, Keto Clarity and Cholesterol Clarity Everything you believe about how to lose weight is wrong. Weight gain and obesity are driven by hormones--in everyone--and only by understanding the effects of insulin and insulin resistance can we achieve lasting weight loss. In this highly readable and provocative book, Dr. Jason Fung sets out an original, robust theory of obesity that provides startling insights into proper nutrition. In addition to his five basic steps, a set of lifelong habits that will improve your health and control your insulin levels, Dr. Fung explains how to use intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and reach a healthy weight--for good.

Approaching disability as a cultural construction rather than a medical pathology, this book studies the impact of disability and concepts of disability on composers, performers, and listeners with disabilities, as well as on discourse about music and works of music themselves. For composers with disabilities--like Beethoven, Delius, and Schumann--awareness of the disability sharply inflects critical reception. For performers with disabilities--such as Itzhak Perlman and Evelyn Glennie--the performance of disability and the performance of music are deeply intertwined. For listeners with disabilities, extraordinary bodies and minds may give rise to new ways of making sense of music. In the stories that people tell about music, and in the stories that music itself tells, disability has long played a central but unrecognized role. Some of these stories are narratives of overcoming-the triumph of the human spirit over adversity-but others are more nuanced tales of accommodation and acceptance of life with a non-normative body or mind. In all of these ways, music both reflects and constructs disability.

Now in its second edition, this comprehensive handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of recent advances in drug and non-drug therapies for obesity and diabetes. It also addresses major comorbidities, covering topics such as, cardiovascular diseases, renal and neuropsychiatric disorders, appetite control and micro RNAs. Special attention is also devoted to pediatric care, including the latest recommendations for therapy and prevention. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are among the top global health-care budget concerns worldwide and impact professional practice at all levels: in hospitals, clinics and physicians' offices alike. They prominently feature in headlines, and virtually no family, community or country is exempt from their protean, deleterious consequences. Furthermore, given the multiple intersections in their pathways, they often go hand in hand. The good news is that scientific advances in all fields, including genomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and microbiomics, are increasing our understanding of these two disease areas. At the same time, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mobile health and advanced implantable and external devices are rendering prevention and management more available, safe and cost-effective. In addition, bariatric and metabolic surgery has evolved from a niche specialty to an officially endorsed option for several modalities of obesity and diabetes. This book presents the latest lifestyle, pharmacological, surgical and non-surgical treatment options, including endoscopic intervention and cell therapy. Objectively reviewing natural and artificial sweeteners and critically examining issues such as public health initiatives, government mandated taxes for unhealthy foods and environmental planning, no stone is left unturned in gathering the latest practical information. As such, the book will appeal to seasoned specialists, as well as students and healthcare professionals in training.

Photonanotechnology for Therapeutics and Imaging surveys major concepts and recent advances in the use of photonanotechnology with nanomaterials reported in various interdisciplinary fields, including chemistry, materials science, biomedical engineering and biomedicine. This book discusses the impact of this technology on the advancement of therapeutic modalities and imaging methods in cancers, infectious diseases and other serious diseases. Photonanotechnology studies the design principle, application and development of photoactive nanomaterials. It applies light-controlled strategies for the development of nanotherapeutics, imaging agents and diagnostic nanodevices.

The first text of its kind, Communication for Kinesiology serves as a communication primer for undergraduate students in kinesiology and sport studies, preparing them for successful written and oral scholarly communication within the field.Assuming a contextual approach to communication, the text focuses on formal writing and presentations in scholarly and professional settings. The author provides a wealth of pedagogical features including chapter overviews outlining the topics to be discussed, brief recap lists at the end of each chapter, examples, definitions, tips, and techniques, as well as an end-of-text glossary. Structured with both instructors and students in mind, the modular chapters allow for fluid and flexible application and contain practical and theoretically grounded advice to encourage students to hone their writing and presentation skills by changing how they think about the process and engaging with the rules and conventions of the field. Written to address the needs of undergraduate kinesiology students in North America, Communication for Kinesiology is an invaluable introductory resource for the classroom and beyond.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in countries like the United States. This book provides a comprehensive summary of obesity in America and around the world, discussing the causes and proposing ways to help stem the tide and to help those who are overweight. A highly useful and accessible resource for high school to undergraduate students as well as post-graduate level readers with an interest in health and nutrition, this updated second edition of Obesity: A Reference Handbook offers up-to-date answers to essential questions about obesity and connected societal and health care-related issues. A single-volume, go-to resource, this book addresses difficult questions such as whether obesity is a disease or a moral failing; what factors contribute to obesity; what the economic impacts of obesity are on the health care industry; if and how poverty is a contributor to obesity; how our society encourages obesity; and how changes can be made to improve our society's eating habits as a whole. It presents citations from individuals and peer-reviewed journals and review articles, providing a balance of information sourced from both professionals and informed lay commentators. Also included are dozens of biographies of individuals who have been important in studying, preventing, managing, or increasing awareness about obesity, such as Jared Fogle, longtime Subway sandwiches spokesperson; Kelly Brownell, who coined the phrase "toxic environment" to describe unhealthy food and exercise patterns; researcher Ethan Allen Sims, who examined the relationship between obesity and diabetes; and Oprah Winfrey, well-known celebrity who stated that if there were a pill to lose weight or a magic diet, she would have it. Provides clear, easy-to-understand, and useful information for general readers who want to learn more about the history and current events concerning obesity Includes a Perspectives chapter that enables readers to hear voices from a range of individuals who are concerned with obesity, such as medical professionals and fat acceptance activists Presents real-world strategies and solutions that readers can apply-and benefit from-in their own lives Includes excerpts of key documents from the National Institutes of Health; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the U.S. Surgeon General that inform how we as a society view, prevent, and treat obesity

This book brings the animal into the scholarly discussion of animal-assisted therapy and other interventions. Challenging the current reliance on outcome studies, the author offers a new way of thinking empirically about animal-assisted interventions-analysis of human-animal interaction as a critical component. Through empirical demonstrations from laboratory and applied settings, the book encourages practitioners and scholars to undergo a deeper examination of the basic interactions that occur between clients or patients and therapy animals. Dr. Fournier provides new ideas on measurement, experimentation, and interpretation of human-animal interaction, aimed at identifying the role of the animal in interventions for human health and well-being.

What State Do You Live In explains the events that take place in your body if you lose control over your weight. Tens of millions of adult Americanssuffer from weight related chronic disease states including pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal blood cholesterol, the metabolic syndrome, andtype II diabetes. If you are overweight and suffer from high blood glucose, you're suffering from insulin resistance and need to read this story.

What State Do You Live In begins with you in the normal state, when insulin is in complete control over blood glucose and blood fat levels. Itprogresses into the insulin resistant state which describes in detail the events that stem from weight related insulin resistance including elevatedtriglycerides, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, the metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes.

What State Do You live In is different from other books. It provides you with realistic expectations. It does not suggest pills, supplements, or anyother form of synthetic nutrition as a means to reverse faulty nutrition. It does offer you more than a single solution to begin reversing the insulinresistant state, including the lower carbohydrate approach to improve high blood glucose.

What State Do You Live In provides you with five different levels of food strategies to put you back in control of your blood glucose. Don't ignorehigh blood glucose, if left untreated, the consequences are life threatening.

Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity, Second Edition focuses on the important role that exercise, dietary changes and foods play in promoting and reducing visceral fat. Nutritionists, dieticians and healthcare providers seeking to address the abdominal obesity epidemic will find this book to be a valuable resource in their long-term goal of preventing chronic diseases, especially heart, vascular and diabetic diseases. Chapters define a range of dietary approaches to reduce risk for the associated chronic diseases. In addition, discussions of the importance of dietary approaches to reduce abdominal obesity, along with clinical approaches, are discussed, including costs and risks.

This book focuses on the analysis of cancer dynamics and the mathematically based synthesis of anticancer therapy. It summarizes the current state-of-the-art in this field and clarifies common misconceptions about mathematical modeling in cancer. Additionally, it encourages closer cooperation between engineers, physicians and mathematicians by showing the clear benefits of this without stating unrealistic goals. Development of therapy protocols is realized from an engineering point of view, such as the search for a solution to a specific control-optimization problem. Since in the case of cancer patients, consecutive measurements providing information about the current state of the disease are not available, the control laws are derived for an open loop structure. Different forms of therapy are incorporated into the models, from chemotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy to immunotherapy and gene therapy, but the class of models introduced is broad enough to incorporate other forms of therapy as well. The book begins with an analysis of cell cycle control, moving on to control effects on cell population and structured models and finally the signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis and their influence on therapy outcome. It also discusses the incorporation of intracellular processes using signaling pathway models, since the successful treatment of cancer based on analysis of intracellular processes, might soon be a reality. It brings together various aspects of modeling anticancer therapies, which until now have been distributed over a wide range of literature. Written for researchers and graduate students interested in the use of mathematical and engineering tools in biomedicine with special emphasis on applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment, this self-contained book can be easily understood with only a minimal basic knowledge of control and system engineering methods as well as the biology of cancer. Its interdisciplinary character and the authors' extensive experience in cooperating with clinicians and biologists make it interesting reading for researchers from control and system engineering looking for applications of their knowledge. Systems and molecular biologists as well as clinicians will also find new inspiration for their research.

Complete, up-to-date coverage of the broad area of nucleic acid chemistry and biology

Assembling contributions from a collection of authors with expertise in all areas of nucleic acids, medicinal chemistry, and therapeutic applications, "Medicinal Chemistry of Nucleic Acids" presents a thorough overview of nucleic acid chemistry--a rapidly evolving and highly challenging discipline directly responsible for the development of antiviral and antitumor drugs. This reliable resource delves into a multitude of subject areas involving the study of nucleic acids--such as the new advances in genome sequencing, and the processes for creating RNA interference (RNAi) based drugs--to assist pharmaceutical researchers in removing roadblocks that hinder their ability to predict drug efficacy. Offering the latest cutting-edge science in this growing field, Medicinal Chemistry of Nucleic Acids includes:

In-depth coverage of the development and application of modified nucleosides and nucleotides in medicinal chemistry

A close look at a large range of current topics on nucleic acid chemistry and biology

Essential information on the use of nucleic acid drugs to treat diseases like cancer

A thorough exploration of siRNA for RNAi and the regulation of microRNA, non-coding RNA (ncRNA), a newly developing and exciting research area

Thorough in its approach and promising in its message, "Medicinal Chemistry of Nucleic Acids" probes the new domains of pharmaceutical research--and exposes readers to a wealth of new drug discovery opportunities emerging in the dynamic field of nucleic acid chemistry.

Noncommunicable Diseases: A Compendium introduces readers to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - what they are, their burden, their determinants and how they can be prevented and controlled. Focusing on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease and their five shared main risk factors (tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and air pollution) as defined by the United Nations, this book provides a synopsis of one of the world's biggest challenges of the 21st century. NCDs prematurely claim the lives of millions of people across the world every year, with untold suffering to hundreds of millions more, trapping many people in poverty and curtailing economic growth and sustainable development. While resources between and within countries largely differ, the key principles of surveillance, prevention and management apply to all countries, as does the need to focus resources on the most cost-effective and affordable interventions and the need for strong political will, sufficient resources, and sustained and broad partnerships. This compendium consists of 59 short and accessible chapters in six sections: (i) describing and measuring the burden and impact of NCDs; (ii) the burden, epidemiology and priority interventions for individual NCDs; (iii) social determinants and risk factors for NCDs and priority interventions; (iv) global policy; (v) cross-cutting issues; and (vi) stakeholder action. Drawing on the expertise of a large and diverse team of internationally renowned policy and academic experts, the book describes the key epidemiologic features of NCDs and evidence-based interventions in a concise manner that will be useful for policymakers across all parts of society, as well as for public health and clinical practitioners.

This is a timely and informative updated edition for all health care providers challenged with helping patients manage weight. Similar to the well-reviewed first edition, this updated title is directed toward individuals who wish to read further about targeted topics, rather than find an introduction to the field. This second edition again provides insights into recent scientific advances in obesity research and provides the most up-to-date instruction about current treatment issues and strategies for both adults and children. While several of the chapters are no longer relevant from the first edition, other topics have emerged as interesting and current. This edition will keep the two-section format of Physiology and Pathophysiology and Clinical Management, but it increases the first section to 10 chapters and reduces the second section to 12 chapters. The plan is to keep this edition in the range of about 350 to 400, maximum, printed pages. The volume is again divided into two parts. Part 1 covers new discoveries in the physiological control of body weight, as well as the pathophysiology of obesity. Expert authors discuss pathways that control food intake, energy expenditure and peripheral nutrient metabolism, including a look at the emerging evidence of the role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ. Part 2 covers all the key issues central to clinical management, including recent developments in the epidemiology of obesity, assessment of the obese patient, behavioral strategies in weight management, dietary modification as a weight management strategy, physical activity as a weight management strategy, weight loss drugs, surgical approaches to obesity and other important clinical topics. An essential, practical text that sorts, synthesizes and interprets the latest information on obesity-related topics, this second edition will be an essential resource for clinical endocrinologists and other health care providers across a broad spectrum of specialties.

This book presents a comparison analysis of two cancer treatment therapies: carbon ion therapy and protontherapy. It is divided in 5 sections. The first ones gives the reader a brief history of Radiotherapy and types of radiation. In the second section, the techniques and equipments, including new ones in development such as Cyclinac , Laser and DWA, are described. The third section describes biophysical (such as stopping power and LET) and biological (such as RBE and OER) properties, the fundamental experiments and clinical area. The fourth section presents models and the fifth section compares both techniques, showing advantages and disadvantages of each, and their similarities.

Nutritional Pathophysiology of Obesity and Its Comorbidities: A Case-Study Approach challenges students and practitioners to understand the role of nutrients within the pathophysiology and development of disease, specifically those diseases which develop as a result of obesity. Through a case-based approach, the author presents complex clinical scenarios that require multiple treatment strategies, including targeted diet modification as an adjuvant to medical therapy. The book is divided into 9 modules and 5 appendices each of which covers aspects of obesity and its comorbidities. Within each module, a case is detailed with relevant history, laboratory and physical data, and follow-up information. Each case is followed by a resource section which delineates current understanding of the pathophysiology of the condition, as well as the actions of nutrients and food components shown to modify these processes. A "further readings" section cites current supporting clinical and basic literature as well as published guidelines.

Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to develop stem cell-based therapies for difficult to treat diseases. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, also referred to as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appear to hold great promise in regards to a regenerative cell-based therapy for the treatment of these diseases. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are underway worldwide exploring the use of MSCs for the treatment of a wide range of disorders including bone, cartilage and tendon damage, myocardial infarction, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, critical limb ischemia and many others.

MSCs were first identified by Friendenstein and colleagues as an adherent stromal cell population within the bone marrow with the ability to form clonogenic colonies "in vitro. "In regards to the basic biology associated with MSCs, there has been tremendous progress towards understanding this cell population s phenotype and function from a range of tissue sources. Despite enormous progress and an overall increased understanding of MSCs at the molecular and cellular level, several critical questions remain to be answered in regards to the use of these cells in therapeutic applications. Clinically, both autologous and allogenic approaches for the transplantation of MSCs are being explored. Several of the processing steps needed for the clinical application of MSCs, including isolation from various tissues, scalable "in vitro "expansion, cell banking, dose preparation, quality control parameters, delivery methods and numerous others are being extensively studied. Despite a significant number of ongoing clinical trials, none of the current therapeutic approaches have, at this point, become a standard of care treatment. Although exceptionally promising, the clinical translation of MSC-based therapies is still a work in progress.

The extensive number of ongoing clinical trials is expected to provide a clearer path forward for the realization and implementation of MSCs in regenerative medicine. Towards this end, reviews of current clinical trial results and discussions of relevant topics association with the clinical application of MSCs are compiled in this book from some of the leading researchers in this exciting and rapidly advancing field. Although not absolutely all-inclusive, we hope the chapters within this book can promote and enable a better understanding of the translation of MSCs from bench-to-bedside and inspire researchers to further explore this promising and quickly evolving field.