By Anthony Brino | Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Some Illinois lawmakers want public universities to stop paying to hire top leaders.

The Senate Higher Education Committee on Tuesday is expected to consider a proposal to bar publicly funded universities from using tax or tuition money to pay for outside firms to hire executives, such as coaches and top administrators.

“It’s a complete and utter disregard for any fiduciary obligation to tax dollars and students,” Rose said.

Hardy said that $300,000 came from revenue generated through research grants called “Indirect Cost Recovery Funds,” not tax or tuition dollars, and that searches for coaches are paid with money from athletic programs.

“We’ll get the job done one way or the other, if that’s what the Legislature wants,” Poshard said. “I just don’t know how much you’re going to save.”

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

Bill limits IL university spending on exec search firms | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Release Date: April 20, 2012

For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board on Friday announced the formation of the Model Validation Council, which will provide the Federal Reserve with expert and independent advice on its process to rigorously assess the models used in stress tests of banking institutions. In addition, the Federal Reserve announced it will host a two-day symposium to discuss best practices in stress testing. 

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required the Federal Reserve to conduct annual stress tests of large bank holding companies and systemically important, nonbank financial institutions supervised by the Board. The Model Validation Council will provide input on the Board’s efforts to assess the effectiveness of the models used in the stress tests. The council is intended to improve the quality of the Federal Reserve’s model assessment program and to strengthen the confidence in the integrity and independence of the program.

The 2012 Model Validation Council members are: 

• Francis X. Diebold, economics professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania (chair)
• Peter Christoffersen, professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto
• Mark Flannery, professor at the Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida
• Philippe Jorion, professor at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California at Irvine
• Chester Spatt, professor at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University
• Allan Timmermann, professor at the Rady School of Management at the University of California at San Diego

Formation of the council is one part of the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tap outside expertise in the stress testing process. In another step, the Federal Reserve will host a symposium on stress testing models on September 13 and 14 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Discussions will focus on the design and implementation of stress testing models, and cover topics including the relative merits of different modeling frameworks, best industry practices, and key challenges. Participants will include experts from academia, industry, and the Federal Reserve.  

Also on Friday, the Federal Reserve released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and responses regarding models used in the stress tests in the recently completed Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review based on industry outreach calls held last month. The FAQs cover a wide range of topics including methodologies to project losses for mortgages and other consumer portfolios, mortgage repurchase risk, and wholesale portfolios.

For media inquiries, call 202-452-2955

Frequently Asked Questions: Supervisory Methodologies in CCAR 2012 (463 KB PDF)

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ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ervin Yazzie, 34, a member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Tohlakai, New Mexico, was sentenced to a 41-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his assault conviction.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Yazzie was arrested on May 3, 2011 on a criminal complaint alleging that he assaulted an unarmed Navajo woman with a baseball bat on July 17, 2008. The assault occurred in the vicinity of the Twin Lakes Chapter House, which is located in the Navajo Indian Reservation. Yazzie has been in federal custody since his arrest.

According to court filings, Yazzie repeatedly struck the victim in the face and head with the bat during the attack. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of the assault and had to be airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was comatose and remained in the intensive care unit for approximately three weeks.

On May 25, 2011, Yazzie was indicted and charged with (1) assault with a dangerous weapon and (2) assault resulting in serious bodily injury. On October 20, 2011, Yazzie entered a guilty plea to count two of the indictment, charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

In his plea agreement, Yazzie admitted attacking the victim with a baseball bat and striking her on the head numerous times before fleeing. As required by the plea agreement, count one of the indictment was dismissed after Yazzie was sentenced.

The case was investigated by the Crownpoint Division of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the FBI, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark T. Baker and Presliano A. Torrez.

Tohlakai Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Assaulting Woman | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

April 3, 2012

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

Tepid signs of economic recovery in IL | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

By Andrew Thomason, Anthony Brino and Stephanie Fryer | Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Tuesday’s election was the knockout punch for many bruised Republican candidates, pitted against their own because of last year’s redistricting.

Statewide, mostly Republicans were facing the toughest races.

Democrats controlled the General Assembly and the governor’s office last year, allowing them to draw new legislative maps that were a boon to them and harsh to Republicans. New districts are drawn once each decade by the dominant party to reflect population shifts outlined by the U.S. Census.

“Republicans probably feel Democrats took care of themselves in redistricting; there’s no surprise there,” said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Many incumbent Republicans were corralled together in districts, forcing them to either step down or run against one another.

That was the case for the Senate District 23, which Kent Redfield, political science professor at University of Illinois here, called a classic example of a single-party race.

Looking to keep her seat, state Sen. Carole Pankau, R-Itasca, faced off against state Rep. Randy Ramey, R-Carol Stream, who was trying to move to the more distinguished chamber after seven years in the Illinois House.

Ramey and Pankau’s race turned ugly, after Ramey was charged with driving under the influence late last year. Pankau’s campaign used footage from Ramey’s arrest in television advertisements.

Pankau’s strategy prevailed. She could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Despite losing, Ramey said he plans to spend the rest of his term serving his constituents.

“I’m going to focus on completing my (House) term … I’ve been able to do quite a bit as a House member,” Ramey said.

Pankau will go on to face Democrat Thomas Cullerton, president of the Village of Villa Park, in the Nov. 6 general election.

House District 106 was also a bruising GOP primary, but unlike the Pankau and Ramey race, no incumbents were running, turning the race into a five-way brawl.

Josh Harms, a high school teacher at Watseka High School, beat candidates with more money and better name recognition to win the Republican nod in that district. Harms doesn’t have a challenger in the Nov. 6 general election.

Harms could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Tom Bennett, a professional development manager for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, came in second, despite raising the most money of the candidates. He added at least $12,300 to his war chest of $48,538 since the start of the year, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records.

Bennett said he’s going back to life as normal before the election cycle.

“I’m spending a couple of days with my wife. I promised her I would put the cell phone down. We’ve been going non-stop for quite a while, so it will be nice to just sit back with her for a couple of days and relax,” Bennett said.

Scott McCoy, former mayor of Pontiac and a self-proclaimed tea party candidate, came in third. McCoy gained notoriety when he battled former Gov. Rod Blagojevich over a plan to close the Pontiac Correctional Center.

McCoy said he will continue to be involved in politics, despite the loss.

“I will … really focus on keeping the Dwight Correctional Facility open,” McCoy said, referring to Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to shudder the state prison as part of his budget proposal.

What would have been an quiet win for the legacy Democratic Party in House District 10 turned into the most bizarre election Tuesday, when state Rep. Derrick Smith, D-Chicago, defeated his primary challenger, Tom Swiss.

Smith was charged by the federal government with accepting a $7,000 bribe to steer a $50,000 state grant to a daycare.

“Illinois adds to its reputation by nominating an official who was indicted for bribery,” Redfield said. ”It’s hard to say that we’ve put our corruption behind us, if we’re nominating a legislator who’s thought to have taken a (bribe) on tape.” 

The local Democratic Party organization supported Smith over Swiss despite the charge. Local Democratic leaders questioned Swiss’s intentions; he was once the Cook County Republican chairman.

“We want to make sure that we don’t elect a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Illinois U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-District 7, said at a Monday news conference urging voters to pick Smith over Swiss.

Smith trampled Swiss Tuesday night, 77 percent to 23 percent.

Smith and Swiss were reached for comment Tuesday night.

Smith faces no opponent in the Nov. 6 general election.

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

GOP takes a bruising in tough IL primary | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on February 10, 2012, Eric Terrelle Holmes, 34, of Lincoln, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following the prison term, Holmes will serve three years on supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit $7,500 to the United States of America.

On March 2, 2011, officers served a search warrant at Holmes’s Lincoln residence. Holmes was found in possession of three baggies which contained a total of 5.23 grams of a substance which tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. During the search, officers found items consistent with the use and distribution of methamphetamine. Holmes admitted to using and selling methamphetamine. On March 11, 2011, Lincoln Police officers obtained a seizure warrant for the $7,500 which had been posted as bond for Holmes in Lancaster County Court on state charges after further investigation indicated that the cash was related to Holmes’s distribution of methamphetamine. Holmes’s state charges were dismissed after he was indicted and had his first appearance on federal charges in May of 2011.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force which includes the Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistance in this matter was also provided by the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office.

Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

February 8, 2012

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

IL college chiefs back Quinn call for more MAP money | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

January 4, 2012

An exact determination of expected body weight for adolescents based on age, height and gender is critical for diagnosis and management of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, there are no clear guidelines regarding the appropriate method for calculating this weight in children with such disorders.

In a study to be published online Jan. 4, 2012, in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from the University of Chicago, the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Rochester Medical Center compared three common methods for calculating expected body weight of adolescents with eating disorders and found that the body mass index (BMI) percentile method is recommended for clinical and research purposes.

“There are no clear guidelines in the adolescent field,” said study author Daniel Le Grange, PhD, professor of psychiatry and Director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of Chicago. “We set out to do something that is relatively straightforward that hasn’t been done before, and that is look at some of the most frequently used methods of calculating weight in the pediatric and adolescent eating disorder populations, and see whether we can come up with a gold standard for clinical as well as for research purposes.”

Le Grange and his colleagues analyzed data from adolescents seeking treatment for eating disorders at the University of Chicago. They calculated expected body weights using the BMI method along with two other commonly used measures: the McClaren and Moore methods. The BMI method compares a patient’s current BMI to the 50th percentile BMI for a patient of the same age, height and gender according to charts published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That percentage can help determine whether a patient has an eating disorder.

Their analysis showed that of the three, the BMI method was the most useful for children and adolescents of all ages, heights and weights, and could account more accurately for very short and very tall patients as well.

By publishing their study in Pediatrics, the premier journal in the pediatric community, Le Grange hopes to reach a wider audience of pediatricians who may not be as familiar with eating disorders. “Pediatricians are at the forefront of making these diagnoses,” he said. “We wanted to make a clear statement to the pediatric and adolescent eating disorder community that we should all talk the same language and move forward in this way.”

The study also recommends that researchers cite the method used to calculate expected body weight in their research and stresses the importance of using the term “expected” instead of “ideal” to describe body weight to avoid unrealistic body image expectations in patients with eating disorders. “I think it’s a good clear clinical guide, and I hope pediatricians in the community feel they can pick it up and have a handy tool in their clinical practice,” Le Grange said.

The paper, “Calculation of Expected Body Weight in Adolescents with Eating Disorders,” appears as an early release online in Pediatrics [doi:10.1542/peds.2008-1536]. Other authors include Peter M. Doyle, Kali Ludwig and Catherine Glunz, University of Chicago; Sonja A. Swanson, Harvard School of Public Health; and Richard E. Kreipe, University of Rochester Medical Center.

Funding for this work was provided by the National Institutes of Health.

UCH_029148 (1)

Experts urge BMI method for calculating weight in kids with eating disorders | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BEGINS MARCH 2012

CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies are partnering to launch a new professional development program, the Certificate in Jewish Leadership. This new program combines Jewish scholarship with leading ideas from the contemporary business world to enhance the effectiveness of Jewish leaders.

Traditionally, programs for Jewish leadership have focused either on management skills or Jewish literacy. In this program, leadership training is taught within a distinctively Jewish context. Participants will learn to assess and improve their own leadership, to articulate vision and inspire and motivate stakeholders, to improve collaboration, to achieve organizational goals, to hone their communication skills, and to plan and execute for the future.

Students can apply to the program now. Classes begin in March 2012 and run through October 2012.

“I’m very proud to support the new Certificate in Jewish Leadership program offered by Northwestern’s School of Continuing Studies in cooperation with Spertus,” said Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro. “This innovative program will provide Jewish leaders the opportunity to enhance their professional careers in the context of their personal faith. It will be a wonderful addition to our leadership programs in the School of Continuing Studies.”

The Certificate in Jewish Leadership was developed for emerging leaders of nonprofit organizations, including those focused on social service, fundraising, education, culture, and public policy advocacy. Experienced leaders of Jewish organizations and professionals working outside the Jewish community may also find the program offers benefits to their work through its focus on best practices in a Jewish context.

“As a CEO, I draw inspiration from classical Jewish sources on humility, power sharing, and ethics, and at the same time, I am guided by today’s preeminent thinkers on leadership,” said Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis. “This is the overarching vision of the certificate — to provide participants with contemporary and ancient teachings that will enhance their skill sets and provide unparalleled opportunity to grow professionally while transforming their organizations.”

This program is the only one of its kind and is jointly offered by Northwestern University and Spertus, drawing faculty and expertise from both institutions. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary business best practices and from Jewish texts that offer timeless insights on leadership and imbue the program with an authentic Jewish character, empowering leaders to draw insights from Jewish traditions.

The program’s format is designed with the needs of working adults in mind. Classes meet one evening per week on the Chicago campuses of Spertus and Northwestern. A unique and essential aspect of the program will be its focus on the mentoring of students by seasoned Jewish professional and lay leaders. These mentors will lend their expertise to the students’ real-world challenges.

Faculty for the Certificate in Jewish Leadership includes Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis, along with Aleen Bayard, Dr. Gail Berger, Dorie Ellzey Blesoff, and Dr. Steven Resnicoff.

For more information, visit scs.northwestern.edu/pdp/npdp/jewishleader, call 312.503.0714, or email pdp@northwestern.edu.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES
The mission of Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is to extend the resources of Northwestern University to undergraduate and graduate students whose lives include significant professional and personal commitments that place limitations on their schedules and affect the pace at which they may achieve their educational goals. Consistent with Northwestern’s dedication to excellence, SCS makes distinguished teaching available to non-traditional students and, to the greatest extent possible, provides access to the University’s other resources, such as libraries, laboratories, recreational facilities, and events.

ABOUT SPERTUS
Spertus is a center for Jewish learning and culture that invites people of all backgrounds to explore the multifaceted Jewish experience. Spertus offers accredited graduate-level degree programs in areas that are critical to the Jewish and wider communities—including Jewish studies, leadership training, and nonprofit management. Recognizing that learning is sparked by many points of entry, programming at Spertus also includes cultural and continuing education offerings, such as lectures, seminars, exhibitions, concerts, and films.

Spertus is a partner in serving the community, supported by the JUF/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

SOURCE Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies

http://www.scs.northwestern.edu
http://www.spertus.edu

Spertus and Northwestern University Partner to Launch Certificate in Jewish Leadership | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The University of Chicago community is invited to attend a memorial service for the late Dr. James E. Bowman, professor emeritus in pathology and medicine, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave. Seating at the chapel will begin at 9 a.m.

Journalists also may attend the service, though some media restrictions will apply to all audience members. There will be no video or audio recording of any kind at the event, no still photography, and no interviews inside the chapel or on its grounds. No cameras of any kind will be permitted inside the chapel. Journalists attending the event should check in with a representative from the University News Office at the chapel’s 59th Street entrance. For more information, journalists may call the News Office at 773-702-8360.

In addition, a number of special parking restrictions will be in effect on Thursday to accommodate the service. Throughout the day, parking will not be permitted on 59th Street, between Ellis Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue; and on Woodlawn Avenue, between 58th and 59th streets. The University expects some additional traffic in the area as well. 

After the memorial service at Rockefeller, a reception will follow at Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St. Also on Dec. 1, the Bowman Society will host “A Night of Remembrance” for Dr. Bowman from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine.

Media information for Dr. James E. Bowman memorial service on Dec. 1 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Physicians who have a financial interest in imaging equipment are more likely to refer their patients for potentially unnecessary imaging exams, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

“Self-referral,” whereby a non-radiologist physician orders imaging exams and directs patients to imaging services in which that physician has a financial interest, is a concerning trend in medicine and a significant driver of healthcare costs.

“Self-referred medical imaging has been shown to be an important contributor to escalating medical costs,” said Ben E. Paxton, M.D., radiology resident at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

“Attempts to date at reducing healthcare spending on medical imaging have come in the form of across-the-board cuts that threaten to reduce access to vital imaging services,” said the paper’s senior author, Ramsey Kilani, M.D., associate faculty member at Duke. “We believe patients would be better served if we instead eliminated underlying drivers of unnecessary imaging spending.”

Between 2000 and 2005, ownership or leasing of MRI equipment by non-radiologists grew by 254 percent, compared to 83 percent among radiologists. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the proportion of non-radiologists billing for in-office imaging more than doubled from 2000 to 2006. During that same time period, private office imaging utilization rates by non-radiologists who control patient referral grew by 71 percent.

For the study, the researchers set out to determine if utilization of lumbar spine MRI differs, depending on the financial interest of the physician ordering the exam. They reviewed 500 consecutive diagnostic lumbar spine MRI exams ordered by two orthopedic physician groups serving the same community. The first group had financial interest in the MRI equipment used (FI group), and the second had no financial interest in the equipment (NFI group).

For each group, the researchers analyzed the number of abnormalities per positive scan, the mean age of the patients and the negative exam result rate.

The results of the study showed that among the 500 MRI exams (250 per group), between the two groups there was no significant difference in the number of abnormalities per positive scan. However, the mean age among patients in the FI group was 49.6, compared to 56.9 for the NFI group.

There were 86 percent more negative scans in the FI group than the NFI group, indicating a significantly higher number of potentially unnecessary exams. Of the 163 negative exams, 106 belonged to the FI group, compared to 57 for the NFI group. In the FI group, 42 percent of patients referred for exams had negative scans, compared to 23 percent of the NFI group.

“Orthopedic surgeons with financial interest in the equipment had a much higher rate of negative lumbar spine MRIs,” Dr. Paxton said. “In addition, they were much more likely to order MRI exams on younger patients. This suggests that there is a different clinical threshold for ordering MRI exams in the setting of financial incentivization.”

Dr. Paxton added that increased imaging utilization due to self-referral may not yield medically useful information and may place the patient at risk for potential adverse consequences.

“It is important for patients to be aware of the problem of self-referral and to understand the conflict of interest that exists when their doctor orders an imaging exam and then collects money on that imaging exam,” he said.

Coauthors are Matthew Lungren, M.D., Sin-Ho Jung, Ph.D., and Peter Kranz, M.D.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2011 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press11 beginning Monday, Nov. 28.

RSNA is an association of more than 48,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to excellence in patient care through education and research. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.

AT A GLANCE

• Imaging self-referral leads to increased medical costs and potentially unnecessary imaging exams for patients.
• From 2000 to 2006, private office imaging utilization rates by non-radiologists grew by 71 percent.
• Forty-two percent of patients referred for diagnostic lumbar spine MRI exams by physicians with a financial interest in the equipment had negative scan results.
• There were 86 percent more negative scans in the financial interest group than in the group with no financial interest in the equipment.

SOURCE Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

http://www.RSNA.org

Self-Referral Leads to More Negative Exams for Patients | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 28, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

“Lifestyle interventions may have more powerful beneficial cardiac effects than medication in these patients,” said the study’s lead author, Sebastiaan Hammer, M.D., Ph.D., from the Department of Radiology at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. “It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these effects are long term, illustrating the potential of this method.”

Diabetes is a chronic illness in which there are high levels of glucose in the blood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the U.S., with 18.8 million diagnosed cases and an estimated seven million undiagnosed cases. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, representing 90 to 95 percent of diagnosed cases among adults.

Pericardial fat is a visceral fat compartment around the heart that can be detrimental to cardiac function, especially in people with metabolic disease. Dr. Hammer and colleagues set out to determine the long-term effects of initial weight loss induced by caloric restriction on pericardial fat and cardiac function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Using cardiac MRI, the researchers analyzed cardiac function and pericardial fat in 15 patients—including seven men and eight women—with type 2 diabetes before and after four months of a diet consisting of 500 calories daily. Changes in body mass index (BMI) were also measured.

The results showed that caloric restriction resulted in a decrease in BMI from 35.3 to 27.5 over four months. Pericardial fat decreased from 39 milliliters (ml) to 31 ml, and E/A ratio, a measure of diastolic heart function, improved from 0.96 to 1.2.

After an additional 14 months of follow-up on a regular diet, BMI increased to 31.7, but pericardial fat only increased slightly to 32 ml. E/A ratio after follow-up was 1.06.

“Our results show that 16 weeks of caloric restriction improved heart function in these patients,” Dr. Hammer said. “More importantly, despite regain of weight, these beneficial cardiovascular effects were persistent over the long term.”

Dr. Hammer pointed out that these findings stress the importance of including imaging strategies in these types of therapy regimens.

“MRI clearly showed all the changes in fat compartments, structural changes in the heart and improvements in diastolic function, making it a very effective method of quantifying the effects of metabolic interventions,” he said.

While these results are promising, not all patients are eligible for this type of therapy. Patients should consult with their doctors before embarking on any type of reduced calorie diet.

“It is of utmost importance to follow such a complicated intervention under strict medical supervision,” Dr. Hammer said, “especially as patients may be able to stop all anti-diabetic therapy from Day 1.”

Coauthors are Jan W. Smit, M.D., Ph.D., Johannes A. Romijn, M.D., Ph.D., Jacqueline Jonker, M.D., Marieke Snel, M.D., Albert De Roos, M.D., Hildo Lamb, M.D., and Rutger W. Van Der Meer, M.D.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2011 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press11 beginning Monday, Nov. 28.

RSNA is an association of more than 48,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to excellence in patient care through education and research. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

AT A GLANCE

• A restricted calorie diet leads to loss of fat around the heart and improved heart function in patients with type 2 diabetes.
• After 16 weeks, none of the patients in the study required insulin. More than a year after returning to a regular diet, heart function remained improved.
• Approximately 25.8 million Americans are affected by diabetes.

For patient-friendly information on MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.

SOURCE Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

http://www.RadiologyInfo.org

Restricted Calorie Diet Improves Heart Function in Obese Patients with Diabetes | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The 23rd annual Dorothy MacLean Fellows Conference on medical ethics will tackle the role of professionalism in improving patient care and strengthening the alliance between medicine and society. A highlight of the conference, which will be held Nov. 11-12, will be the presentation of the first MacLean Center Prize in Clinical Ethics and Health Outcomes.

The $50,000 award, which is the largest such prize in the ethics field, will go to John Wennberg, the Peggy Y. Thomson Professor for Evaluative Clinical Sciences at Dartmouth Medical School and founding editor of The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. The project, which examines the patterns of medical resource intensity and utilization in the United States, has reported on patterns of end-of-life care, inequities in the Medicare reimbursement system and the underuse of preventive care.

The two-day conference will feature an esteemed lineup of experts on medical ethics. Among the speakers on Friday, Nov. 11:

• Arthur Rubenstein, dean emeritus of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
• Christine Cassel, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine
• Troy Brennan, executive vice president and chief medical officer of CVS Caremark
• Richard Epstein, the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law at New York University Law School
• Paul Starr, professor of communications and public affairs at Princeton University

On Saturday, Nov. 12, sessions will include talks on recent studies of the effects of neighborhoods on health, end-of life issues, the process of ethics consultations and medical education. Saturday’s program also will feature a discussion of a new book, Open Wound, a historical novel by former ethics fellow Jason Karlawish, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The book examines the professional and ethical issues raised by William Beaumont, a 19th-century surgeon who cared for—and experimented on—a patient with a shotgun-induced hole in his stomach and used this wound as a window to decipher the mysteries of digestion.

The MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics was founded by Mark Siegler, the Lindy Bergman Distinguished Service professor of medicine and executive director of the Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence at the University of Chicago. The center’s aim is to foster a network of clinical scholars worldwide who use clinical ethics to improve the quality of patient care and patient outcomes.

Since its founding in 1984, the MacLean Center has become the largest program in clinical ethics in the world. More than 250 physicians and other health professionals have trained at the MacLean Center, many of whom now hold professorships, endowed chairs and directorships of ethics programs in the United States, Canada and Europe. The research, conducted by former MacLean fellows, has helped open the bioethics field to a new research approach that is now described as “the empirical turn” in bioethics.

The medical ethics conference will be held at the University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St. Although there is no fee for this conference, attendees are asked to register online at ethicsconference2011.uchicago.edu. For questions, please contact Kimberly Conner at 773-702-1453 or email kconner1@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu.

Ethics conference to focus on future of medicine | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The FBI is holding a two-day contract linguist job fair beginning Nov. 4 at the Seattle University Student Center, 901 12th Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The FBI needs linguists proficient in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Dari, Hebrew, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Somali, Spanish, Urdu and many other languages. Bring a resume and come prepared to interview. Learn more.

FBI Linguist Job Fair in Seattle | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Women in religious leadership roles will participate Nov. 16 in an interfaith dialogue at North Park University, Chicago. The program, “Interfaith Dialogue with Women Leaders: Christian, Muslims and Jews Making a Difference,” will be held at the University’s Anderson Chapel beginning at 7 p.m.

“It is very exciting and important to have the presence and voices of women faith leaders and scholars engaging in interfaith dialogue,” said the Rev. Velda R. Love, director for justice and intercultural learning, North Park University Office of Diversity and Intercultural Programs. Love and Prof. Anis Said, lecturer in Arabic, are organizing the event.

“All of our speakers bring to this conversation a necessary framework of how women leaders, teachers, and advocates of social justice speak about the challenges and triumphs of women leading the way in bridging communities toward cooperation, peace, and empowerment,” Love added.

Religious leaders who will participate in the dialogue are the Rev. Karen E. Mosby-Avery, pastor of pastoral care and administration at Second Baptist Church, Evanston, Ill.; Rabbi Andrea C. London, Beth Emet — The Free Synagogue, Evanston, Ill.; and Dr. Marcia Hermansen, professor of theology and director, Islamic World Studies program, Theology Department, Loyola University, Chicago.

Rummana Hussain, Chicago Sun-Times criminal courts reporter, metro editor and occasional columnist, will serve as the dialogue moderator.

Panelists will engage each other in dialogue, answer questions from the audience and conclude with prayers from each religious tradition, Love said. As many as 300 people are expected to attend. The interfaith dialogue is part of the University’s commitment to President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. North Park is one of nearly 250 participating colleges and universities which pledged to strengthen communities through service and uniting people across lines of faith through dialogue and understanding.

North Park University sponsors of the event are the Office of Diversity and Intercultural Programs, the Collaboratory for Urban and Intercultural Learning and the Middle Eastern Studies Initiatives.

More information about the dialogue is at http://www.northpark.edu/News/Current-News/North-Park-University-to-Host-Women-of-Faith-Interfaith-Dialogue-Nov-16 on the North Park University website.

CONTACT:  John R. Brooks of North Park University, +1-773-244-5522, jbrooks@northpark.edu

SOURCE North Park University

http://www.northpark.edu

North Park University to Host ‘Women of Faith’ Interfaith Dialogue Nov. 16 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

GLENVIEW, Ill., Oct. 28, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The results are in for this year’s top 10 finalists for the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) seventh annual sportsmanship award www.arasportsmanshipaward.com, given to one outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship.  

The 2011 Sportsmanship Award recipient will be chosen from 10 finalists and announced this November.  ”This year’s candidates are an outstanding bunch, there is no shortage of positive role-model athletes,” according to former Brigham Young University Head Football Coach LaVell Edwards who chairs the selection committee.

Previous winners are Arizona Cardinals and former University of Texas defensive end, Sam Acho (2010); Miami Dolphin and former Kansas State University tight end, Jeron Mastrud (2009), Chicago Bears and former Northwestern University receiver Eric Peterman (2008); Winnipeg Blue Bombers and former Washington State quarterback Alex Brink (2007); Cincinnati Bengels and former Rutgers University fullback, Brian Leonard (2006) and, Carolina Panthers and former University of Memphis running back, DeAngelo Williams (2005).

The 2011 finalists, in alphabetical order are:

• Ben Boothby, University of Northern Iowa
• Drew Butler, University of Georgia
• Austin Davis, University of Southern Mississippi
• Gilbert “Chaz” Hine, University of Southern Florida
• Stuart Hines, University of Kentucky
• Barrett Jones, University of Alabama
• Jared Karstetter, Washington State University 
• Cory Leman, Eastern Illinois University
• Adam Replogle, Indiana University
• David Ruffer, University of Notre Dame

To qualify for the award, an athlete must be a starting player or significant contributor on his team; be in good academic standing; demonstrate great respect for competitors, school, teammates and coaches; show an ability to accept victory and defeat graciously; convey a high degree of humility and integrity; and demonstrate commitment in the classroom and to the community.  

Along with LaVell Edwards, the other members of the committee include (for a full list, go to arasportsmanshipaward.com):

• Bobby Bowden (Florida State)
• Fisher DeBerry (Air Force Academy)
• Spike Dykes (Texas Tech)
• Don James (Washington)
• Dick MacPherson (Syracuse)
• Don Nehlen (West Virginia)
• Tubby Raymond (Delaware)
• Gene Stallings (Alabama)
• Ted Tollner (University of Southern California)

For more details, www.arasportsmanshipaward.com.

SOURCE Awards and Recognition Association

http://www.arasportsmanshipaward.com

NCAA Division One Top 10 Finalists Announced for National ARA Sportsmanship Award | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Guest House is the only facility in Chicago serving both children and adult patients, and families of children and adult patients.

Previously, the foundation offered space in a motel several blocks west of the medical district. The area around the motel was mostly office space, deserted at night and forbidding to families.

“Our old space really wasn’t working well for our families,” said Margaret Price, director of IMD Guest House residence.

UIC worked with the foundation to find a way to accommodate patient families in the west side residence hall, which houses graduate students, visiting professors, university lecturers and guests.

The 10 new suites for patient families have a bedroom, living room with sleeper sofa, and a kitchen. They are fully furnished and equipped with flat-screen TVs, dishes, pots and pans and linens. There is 24-hour security and someone at the front desk at all times.

The suites are connected to the UIC Student Center West, whose amenities include several places to eat, a laundry, a bookstore, and a convenience store. Campus security, the well-lit campus, and the many people around at all times are much more comfortable for resident families, Price said.

Guest House has seen a tripling in the demand for housing since the new rooms became available in August, according to Price, who said they are already hoping to increase the number of rooms available at the residence hall. Four of the rooms are reserved for UIC families, four for Rush, and two for families from Stroger.

The IMD Guest House Foundation started in response to a critical need for affordable accommodations where family members can stay while their loved one receives medical treatment in the Illinois Medical District area.

Families with relatives requiring long hospital stays are generally referred to the foundation through medical personnel. Other families find the foundation through hospital guest services or online, said Price.

“We’re very pleased to be able to work with the Guest House in their mission to help the families of our transplant, heart surgery and other patients and those of the other hospitals within the medical district remain near their loved ones to provide the support they need for the best possible outcomes,” said John DeNardo, chief executive officer of the UIC Healthcare System.

The University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System is a leader in patient care, research and education, with a 491-bed hospital, an outpatient facility, specialty clinics and six health science colleges including the College of Medicine.

For more information about the IMD Guest House Foundation or to secure a room, call (312) 996-1167 or visit www.imdguesthouse.org.

UIC Opens Residence to Patients’ Families in the Illinois Medical District | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The book is based on an interview with LuAnne Henderson, inspiration for the character Marylou in Jack Kerouac’s classic, and was written with Henderson’s daughter, Anna Marie Santos.

WHEN:
Nov. 16
2 – 3:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Richard J. Daley Library
801 S. Morgan St.

DETAILS:
The New York Times recently wrote that Nicosia’s “Memory Babe” is “considered by many (including William S. Burroughs) to be the definitive Kerouac account.”

His new book discusses the Beat Generation figures portrayed in “On the Road” according to his 1978 recorded interview with LuAnne Henderson, first wife of Neal Cassady.

Nicosia served as a consultant to director Walter Salles’ upcoming film version of “On the Road,” teaching the cast (including Kristen Stewart of “Twilight” as Marylou) about the Beat writers and friends who became the basis for the book’s characters.

He has reviewed books for the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune and Kansas City Star. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from UIC.

His previous books include “Jan Kerouac: A Life in Memory,” a biography of Kerouac’s daughter; “Home to War,” about Vietnam veterans; and “Lunatics, Lovers, Poets, Vets & Bargirls,” a collection of Nicosia’s poems.

Admission is free. For information, please call (312) 413-0394.

Kerouac Expert to Discuss New Book About ‘On the Road’ Characters | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Garcia is an internationally-acclaimed physician-scientist and innovator in the genetics, prevention, and treatment of inflammatory lung disease and pulmonary edema.

“This is a very well-deserved honor. Dr. Garcia is not only a world-class researcher and physician, but also a visionary when it comes to charting the future for healthcare,” said University of Illinois President Michael Hogan. “In just a few months, he’s brought all these talents together as our new vice president for health affairs to expand the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System’s visibility and effectiveness in delivering state-of-the-art healthcare to citizens in Illinois and beyond.”

Each year up to 65 new members are elected to the Institute of Medicine based on their distinguished professional achievement in medicine and health and their demonstrated and continued involvement with the issues of healthcare, prevention of disease, education, or research. New members are nominated and elected by the current membership and announced at the annual meeting in October.

“It is an honor to be joining the Institute of Medicine, an organization recognized as the nation’s premier advisor on issues relating to biomedical science, medicine, and health,” said Garcia. “Membership in the IOM certainly represents the pinnacle of academic recognition in my field. More importantly, however, is the opportunity to share at the national level the expertise that we have at the University of Illinois for translating research-driven insights into disease toward the delivery of better healthcare, particularly to those who experience significant health care disparities.”

“Dr. Garcia’s election to the Institute of Medicine is confirmation of our belief that he is an extraordinary leader who sees what healthcare can be in the 21st century and has begun to build the infrastructure for that vision here,” said UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares, a member of the IOM since 2004.

Garcia joined the faculty of UIC in February 2010 as vice chancellor for research and as the Earl M. Bane Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology and Bioengineering. He was named vice president for health affairs in February. Author of 370 peer-reviewed publications, he is widely recognized as a leading NIH-funded scientist with a boundary-crossing approach to both science and medicine. Through his accomplishments at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois, he has achieved national recognition for his depth of leadership in building academic programs, for implementing innovative strategies that have increased the number of nascent physician-scientists, and for advancing diversity within the biomedical research workforce.

Garcia serves as an extraordinary academic role model, nurturing the pipeline for under-represented minorities, guiding minority students into M.D. and Ph.D. programs as well as serving as a mentor for physician-scientists. He is well-known for his commitment to protecting the quality of care for the medically underserved.

Under his leadership as vice chancellor for research, UIC’s sponsored research portfolio has realized significant growth. The Research Resources Center was able to obtain $6.8 million in federal funding to increase its equipment inventory. The Institute for Human Genetics, The Institute for Health Informatics and The Institute for Minority Health Research, all programs specifically designed to improve the medical management of human disease, were launched during his tenure at UIC. In addition, an aggressive Biospecimen Banking initiative for the large-scale acquisition of biospecimens for research use was initiated to serve as an institutional resource for accelerating the delivery of personalized medicine to patients cared for across the UI Hospital & Health Sciences System.

Garcia is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the 2009 Diversity Award from the Association of Professors in Medicine, American Thoracic Society Distinguished Scientist Award, the Henry F. Christian Award for Meritorious Research from the American Federation of Medical Research and the David M. Levine Excellence in Mentoring Award from the Johns Hopkins University.

Garcia received his B.S. from the University of Dallas and his M.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1980. He joined the faculty of the University of Texas Health Center in 1985, moving to Indiana University School of Medicine in 1988. He joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University in 1998 where he served as the David Marine Professor and Director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He also served as professor in the biomedical engineering, and in environmental health sciences in the Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of the Center for Translational Respiratory Medicine. In 2005, he was appointed as the Lowell T. Coggeshall Professor and Chair of the department of medicine at the University of Chicago and led an increase in diversity and academic excellence of that department rising to the top 10 of NIH-funded departments of medicine.

The Institute of Medicine is the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, which was chartered under Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Since 1970, the IOM has served as an independent, non-profit organization outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public.

UIC ranks among the nation’s leading research universities and is Chicago’s largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state’s major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world.

Photos available: newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/garcia/

U of I VP Elected to Institute of Medicine | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The importance of mentoring graduate students was celebrated at a symposium organized to honor Susan Goldin-Meadow, a psychologist who has helped guide students to become outstanding faculty members.

Goldin-Meadow received the Mentor Award in Developmental Psychology from the American Psychological Association at its summer conference in Washington. Many of her former students from around the country who attended the symposium talked about Goldin-Meadow’s influence on their work.

Recipients of the annual mentoring award are selected based on recommendations from former students who have become leaders in the field. The scholars honoring Goldin-Meadow, a UChicago faculty member since 1976, carry on her work on gesture, and a number of them continue to work with her on projects.

“Susan takes time to think through research issues with her students. She models good scientific habits and practices, and she assists students with the nuts-and-bolts of getting the work done—sharpening questions, planning analyses, outlining arguments, and interpreting data,” said Martha Alibali, PhD’94, now a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Alibali, one of five former students speaking at the symposium, praised Goldin-Meadow for encouraging student intellectual independence and pointing them toward doing important work that is publishable in top-tier journals. The others joining her were R. Breckinridge Church, PhD ’87, professor of psychology at Northeastern Illinois University; Michelle Perry, PhD ’87, professor of education and psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana; Jana Iverson, PhD ’96, associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh; and Spencer Kelly, PhD ’99, associate professor of psychology at Colgate University.

For Goldin-Meadow, the Bearsdley Ruml Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology, hearing her former students describe her mentoring style reminded her of her own mentors while doing graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a PhD in 1975.

“I had three exceptional mentors—Rochel Gelman, Lila Gleitman, and Henry Gleitman—and what I do as a mentor reflects my experience with them,” she said. Goldin-Meadow’s mentors taught her important skills she has carried on: always understand the question you’re asking, and try hard to explain your research in a way that others can understand.

“Henry always used to tell us, ‘Describe what you’re doing so that your grandmother can understand why you’re doing it—why it’s important,’ ” she said.

Goldin-Meadow also encourages students to look at the data “to see what it tells you. It’s important to have theories, but you have to pay attention to what you’re finding and where it leads you.” She also tells students to make the methods fit the question, and not the other way around.

The experience of mentoring provides many opportunities to guide students, to help them decide what kind of future they want, and to help them achieve their goals, she said.

“In mentoring as well as in teaching, I’ve learned the importance of paying attention to students’ strengths and focusing on how those strengths can be developed further,” she said.

“I also think it’s important to be passionate about what you do. Research can be slow and it can take years to see the results of what we do. You need the passion to help you stay with it, particularly when it’s not going well,” she said.

Expert on gesture Goldin-Meadow receives APA honor for mentoring students | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.