This volume brings together noted scientists who study presbycusis from the perspective of complementary disciplines, for a review of the current state of knowledge on the aging auditory system. Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the top three most common chronic health conditions affecting individuals aged 65 years and older. The high prevalence of age-related hearing loss compels audiologists, otolaryngologists, and auditory neuroscientists alike to understand the neural, genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this disorder. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is needed so that effective prevention, intervention, and rehabilitative strategies can be developed to ameliorate the myriad of behavioral manifestations.

The aim is to provide students and researchers in auditory science and aging with a understanding of the various effects of aging on the auditory system.

Contents:

• Introduction and Overview Sandra Gordon-Salant and Robert D. Frisina
• The Physiology of Cochlear Presbyacusis Richard A. Schmiedt
• The Cell Biology and Physiology of the Aging Central Auditory Pathway Barbara Canlon, Robert Benjamin Illing, and Joseph Walton
  
• Closing the Gap between Neurobiology and Human Presbycusis: Behavioral and Evoked Potential Studies of Age-related Hearing Loss in Animal Models and in Humans James R. Ison, Kelly L. Tremblay, and Paul D. Allen
• Behavioral Studies with Aging Humans: Hearing Sensitivity and Psychoacoustics Peter J. Fitzgibbons and Sandra Gordon-Salant.
• Binaural Processing and Auditory Asymmetries David A. Eddins and Joseph W. Hall III

• The Effects of Senescent Changes in Audition and Cognition on Spoken Language Comprehension Bruce A. Schneider, Kathy Pichora-Fuller, and Meredyth Daneman
• Factors Affecting Speech Understanding in Older Adults Larry E. Humes and Judy R. Dubno
• Epidemiology of Age-related Hearing Impairment Karen J. Cruickshanks, Weihai Zhan, and Wenjun Zhong
• Interventions and Future Therapies: Lessons from Animal Models James F. Willott and Jochen Schacht

Sandra Gordon-Salant is Professor and Director of the Doctoral Program in Clinical Audiology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. Robert D. Frisina is Professor of Otolaryngology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, and Biomedical Engineering, and Associate Chair of Otolaryngology at the University of Rochester Medical School. Arthur N. Popper is Professor in the Department of Biology and Co-Director of the Center for Comparative and Evolutionary Biology of Hearing at the University of Maryland, College Park. Richard R. Fay is Director of the Parmly Hearing Institute and Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago.

About the series:

The Springer Handbook of Auditory Research presents a series of synthetic reviews of fundamental topics dealing with auditory systems. Each volume is independent and authoritative; taken as a set, this series is the definitive resource in the field.

The economic crises of the 1970s marked the end of the 'Golden Age' of the welfare state and triggered a broad range of cost containment measures in OECD countries. In the healthcare sector the difficulties of cutting back state involvement are largely caused by the fact that the legitimacy of health systems is based on their capability to provide a satisfactory standard of healthcare for all citizens, irrespective of their ability to pay for it. Hence, the divergent healthcare system types of the heydays of the welfare state which were characterized by the distinct role of the state have now changed profoundly. Combining cross-sectional studies on healthcare financing, provision and policy values with in-depth country studies of Britain, Germany and the US, this volume argues that divergent healthcare system types are now converging toward hybrid forms.

This volume brings together noted scientists who study presbycusis from the perspective of complementary disciplines, for a review of the current state of knowledge on the aging auditory system. Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the top three most common chronic health conditions affecting individuals aged 65 years and older. The high prevalence of age-related hearing loss compels audiologists, otolaryngologists, and auditory neuroscientists alike to understand the neural, genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this disorder. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is needed so that effective prevention, intervention, and rehabilitative strategies can be developed to ameliorate the myriad of behavioral manifestations.

The Daode Jing, a highly enigmatic work rooted in ancient Chinese cosmology, ontology, metaphysics, and moral thinking, is regularly offered to college and high-school students in religion, philosophy, history, literature, Asian studies, and humanities courses. As a result, an ever-expanding group of faculty with very different backgrounds and training routinely confront the question: "How should I teach the Daode Jing?"
Written for non-specialists who may not have a background in ancient Chinese culture, the essays collected in this volume provide up-to-date information on contemporary scholarship and classroom strategies that have been successful in a variety of teaching environments.
A classic text like the Daode Jing generates debate among scholars and teachers who ask questions like: Should we capitalize on popular interest in the Daode Jing in our classrooms? Which of the many translations and scholarly approaches ought we to use? Is it appropriate to think of the Daode Jing as a religious text at all? These and other controversies are addressed in this volume.
Contributors are well-known scholars of Daoism, including Livia Kohn, Norman Girardot, Robert Henricks, Russell Kirkland, Hans-Georg Moeller, Hall Roth, and Michael LaFargue. In addition, there are essays by Eva Wong (Daoist practitioner), David Hall (philosophy), Gary DeAngelis (mysticism), and a jointly written essay on pedagogical strategies by Judith Berling, Geoffrey Foy, and John Thompson (Chinese religion).

Describes developments in healthcare systems over nearly four decades. Combining cross-sectional studies on healthcare financing, provision and policy values with in-depth country studies of Britain, Germany and the USA, this volume is a thorough examination of the convergence toward hybrid forms of healthcare systems.

Many people will pick this book up and wonder what is this really about; or even think it's simply another compilation of writings by someone they don't know. Which I guess to some extent would be correct, but the reality of it is, this book relates to everyone. Filled with poems, fictional stories, non-fictional stories and song lyrics I have written over my lifetime. I feel that these works must be shared not only because I feel people can farther understand me but for the fact I have lived with a heavy burden on my shoulder to always keep my struggles to myself. It is finally time to free myself from this weight and move on to bigger and better things. My hope is that people will see my life in these works, and relate to me, whether it be good or bad. But know that I have come from such a dark and sorrow filled place but as I look forward at what's to come I only see happiness.

Susan Weston Frisina was born and raised in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her middle teen years, Susan made her profession of faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Her spiritual development began when she became part of the young youth movement with Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa and he study under Pastor Chuck Smith. While attending college in middle Tennessee, Susan met her husband Michael, who was serving in the United States Army with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She then began a twenty year journey in support of her husband's military career raising three "Army Angels" along the way. Throughout their military travels, Susan remained active in teaching in both women's and children's ministries all over the United States. Susan has taken a collection of life experiences from her "spiritual crucible" that include childhood, education, family, and ministry encounters to weave together short stories that convey both life and spiritual insight to living a consistent and fulfilled walk with God. Serving alongside her husband who now pastors a Calvary Chapel in Columbia, South Carolina, Susan is an avid Bible teacher and speaker at women's conferences and now adds this book to her ministry repertoire.

Award winning educator, leadership expert, and pastor, Michael E. Frisina has created a thought-provoking book that combines Bible wisdom and remarkable neuroscience insights about human factors of change behavior. We all want our lives to count for something and to make a difference. Most likely you have already tried a host of self-help books and techniques to "be a better you." Unfortunately, most of us stop trying to make real change happen in our lives because we stop believing we are capable of changing and we simply think change is too hard to do - we lose the will to change. No matter who you are, or what you do for a living, in Metamorphosis you will learn how to apply biblical principles of change that will transform your life. Break out of your mold and take flight toward "a world more loving and glorious than you can imagine." Michael E. Frisina received his B.S. degree from Saint Bonaventure University where he graduated with honors and as a distinguished military graduate. He received his M.A. degree and completed doctoral studies at Indiana University. He completed doctoral studies and graduated with honors from Auberdeen University. Michael founded The Paraclete Group, a teaching ministry that emphasizes spiritual growth and development. An ordained minister, he is founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Northeast Columbia, located in Columbia, SC. He is the author of numerous papers and published articles on leadership and organizational effectiveness. He has had feature articles on marriage and the family in Christian Single, Higher Ground and Homelife magazines. He is a contributing author to The Borden Institute's highly acclaimed textbook series on military medicine. Michael is married to the former Susan Gail Weston and they have three adult children, Michael, Robert, and Rebekah with one grandson, Connor.

Hearing is a detailed introduction to the perception of sound and its neural basis. Highlights include a special historical review of the field of hearing science, a unique introduction to cochlear mechanics aimed at readers new to this area, an extended treatment of the central, auditory portion of the brain not available in any other textbook, and a rich collection of illustrations emphasizing parallels between the psychology and physiology of sound perception. The ideal teaching tool for courses in contemporary hearing science, this text will also serve as a prototype for the study of other sensory systems.