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.

The average investment result for the University over the last three years was a 3.5 percent return; the average over the last five years was a 6.8 percent gain; and the average over the last 10 years was an 8.3 percent gain. All of those compare favorably to the market-based, strategic benchmarks used by the University for these periods.

The strong recovery of the endowment, after the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, took place even as the University established a lower risk profile and significantly improved liquidity.

The most recent results reflect continued broad recovery of equities and private markets, together with strong performance by the University’s investment managers, according to Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Mark Schmid.

“We are pleased to report a second year of positive investment results,” Schmid said. “Our investment strategy is part of a comprehensive approach to the University’s fiscal health. The investment team, working closely with the Investment Committee and University leadership, is committed to supporting the University’s mission, now and in the long term.”

University of Chicago reports 18.8 percent return on investments in FY’11 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

In “Compañeros: Latino Activists in the Face of AIDS ” (University of Illinois Press, 2011), Jesus Ramirez-Valles, UIC professor of community health sciences, writes about the life histories of GBT Latinos who come together to fight racism and homophobia, and in the process change themselves.

“’Compañeros’ tells us what it’s like to be an activist, a volunteer, and get involved in community affairs,” says Ramirez-Valles. “The book is about Latino gay men and transgender individuals, but it speaks to the broader idea of getting involved in the community — not only to change major social forces that shape our lives, but to change ourselves, to connect with others, and in the process become better individuals and better citizens.”

As a public health researcher, Ramirez-Valles has studied gender and race in health promotion and HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention in the United States and Latin America.

“The voices of Latino gay men in the AIDS epidemic have not been heard, and in many instances have been distorted. I felt a responsibility to share them with a larger audience,” said Ramirez-Valles, who also produced a documentary, funded by the National Institutes of Health, featuring individuals in his book.

The book and film are based on scientific research on discrimination and stigma and the consequences of these behaviors on GBT Latinos.

In the late 1990′s, Ramirez-Valles became interested in how HIV/AIDS patients transformed their lives by becoming activists — from protesting against the inaction of the federal government to volunteering in the neighborhood to distribute food and take care of patients.

He soon realized there were positive effects on self esteem, decreased depression, and improved health outcomes associated with volunteerism and activism, and he began writing about the subjective experiences of these individuals, or compañeros.

Ramirez-Valles hopes the book will change negative attitudes, particularly in the heterosexual community, about HIV/AIDS and that readers will find inspiration in the personal stories.

“Unlike other works, ‘Compañeros’ succeeds in allowing the activists to speak for themselves and shares with readers an intimate connection to their lives, thoughts, and emotions,” said Rafael M. Díaz, author of “Latino Gay Men and HIV: Culture, Sexuality, and Risk Behavior,” in writing about the book. “The life stories of gay men and transgender women are movingly presented with both passion and clarity, giving a feeling of great respect and admiration for a group who heroically turns oppression into a source of resilience and strength, as well as a solidarity seldom seen in contemporary social movements.”

A book signing will be held Nov. 3 at the Center on Halsted, John Baran Senior Center, 3656 N. Halsted St. from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The book is available at:
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/54qmf8px9780252036446.html.

Photos of Ramirez-Valles are available at newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/Compañeros/.

Audio of Ramirez-Valles is available at: https://blackboard.uic.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/web/news/podcasts/PdCst86-Oct5%2711-Ramirez-Valles.mp3. (Spanish version available upon request)

For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu.

New Book Explores Latino Gay Activists | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

October 3, 2011

Bruce A. Beutler, MD, a 1981 graduate of the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, is among three winners of the Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2011. He shares the honor with Jules A. Hoffmann and the late Ralph M. Steinman for their discoveries about the immune system, which helped to lead to treatment and prevention of cancers and infectious illnesses.

Beutler is part of a family tradition at Pritzker. His father, Ernest Beutler, MD, a distinguished biologist, completed his undergraduate and medical programs and residency training at the University of Chicago, receiving his MD in 1950 at the age of 21. His brother, Steven, graduated from Pritzker in 1977.

Bruce Beutler was born in Chicago on Dec. 29, 1957, when his father was teaching at the University. The family moved to Southern California two years later. Beutler earned a bachelor of arts at the University of California San Diego and, at age 23, his medical degree at the University of Chicago.

In his fourth year at Pritzker, Beutler worked in the laboratory with neurologist Avertano Norohna, MD, professor of neurology, studying kainic acid-like molecules in Huntington’s disease in an effort to speed diagnosis. “He went to work on his project and, in short order, had data for publication,” Norohna said. They published a paper in 1981 in the Journal of Neurological Sciences.

He received further medical training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University. He then joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 1986.

The Nobel Foundation lauded the 2011 medicine laureates, saying they have “revolutionized our understanding of the immune system” by discovering key principles for its activation. Beutler and Hoffmann discovered receptor proteins that can recognize microorganisms and activate innate immunity, the first step in the body’s immune response. Steinman discovered the dendritic cells of the immune system and their unique capacity to activate and regulate adaptive immunity, the later stage of the immune response during which microorganisms are cleared from the body.

The discoveries of the three Nobel laureates have revealed how the innate and adaptive phases of the immune response are activated and thereby provided novel insights into disease mechanisms. Their work has “opened up new avenues for the development of prevention and therapy against infections, cancer, and inflammatory diseases,” according to the Nobel Foundation.

“It’s very exciting news because it’s a very fundamental discovery in immunology that impacts much of the work we do here at the University of Chicago,” said Cathryn Nagler, PhD, professor of pathology at the University.

The discoveries by these three Nobel laureates will have very broad impact, said Vinay Kumar, MD, chairman of the department of pathology at the University of Chicago, who knew both Steinman and Beutler. “These findings are the intellectual foundation of how to design a good vaccine.”

Bruce Beutler, MD, U Chicago graduate, to receive 2011 Nobel Prize in Medicine | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — North Park University announced this week that traditional undergraduate enrollment for the Fall Semester 2011 reached a record 1,929 students, an increase of 79 students from 2010. Combined with graduate enrollment, the University’s total student population for the fall semester is 3,223.

“North Park University is very pleased to see this growth in the size of our incoming traditional undergraduate class,” said Dr. David L. Parkyn, North Park University president. “Not only did the class increase in numbers, but we are proud of the academic strength and diversity of this class.”

Such enrollment growth in one year is “a tremendous accomplishment in a competitive marketplace and a challenging economy,” said Nate Mouttet, North Park University vice president for enrollment and marketing.  

To reach its record undergraduate enrollment, the University conducted “an extensive review of admissions processes and financial aid, athletic team recruitment and opportunities for growth,” Mouttet said. As a result, “our dean of enrollment, Mark Olson, developed a new recruitment ‘attitude,’ communication strategy and enrollment structure,” he said, noting emphasis on relationship building with potential students, creation of an admissions officer role to focus on the needs of applicants, and improvements in data entry.

Mouttet also cited improvements in seeking students, implementation of a new application process, growth in the number of student athletes, and the “great value” for students in terms of their educational costs.  

In addition, Mouttet noted that the incoming undergraduate class grade point average is 3.18 (on a four-point scale), up from 3.09 one year ago. The incoming class is diverse, with about 15 percent of its students Latino; 10 percent black; 6 percent Asian; and about 53 percent white. Another 7 percent are international students. The university is also financially stronger, Mouttet said.

Mouttet hopes this year’s incoming class is the start of an upward trend. “We are asking our recruitment and enrollment team to prepare for an even larger class next year so we can see this as the beginning of a trajectory in enrollment growth,” he added.

North Park University, founded in 1891, is located in Chicago’s diverse Albany Park neighborhood. The University emphasizes three core values: Distinctively Christian, Internationally Urban, Purposefully Multicultural.

Read more at http://www.northpark.edu/News/Current-News/North-Park-University-Announces-Record-Traditional-Undergraduate-Enrollment-for-Fall-2011 on the North Park University website.

SOURCE North Park University

http://www.northpark.edu

North Park University, Chicago, Announces Record Traditional Undergraduate Enrollment for Fall 2011 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Director Robert S. Mueller, III named Joseph S. Campbell special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Division. Mr. Campbell most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ), where he led teams responsible for sensitive investigations and the assessment of FBI operations and performance at FBIHQ and in field offices.

Mr. Campbell entered on duty as an FBI special agent in 1990 and was assigned to the Chicago Division after graduation from new agents training in Quantico, Virginia. While in Chicago, he investigated white-collar crime, public corruption, organized crime, and drug cases.

In November 1998, Mr. Campbell was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Operations Unit at FBIHQ, where he oversaw national WMD threat responses and investigations. In February 2001, he was promoted to supervisory special agent of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Denver Division. While in this position, he directed intelligence collection and the investigation of terrorism activity.

Mr. Campbell was assigned as an assistant inspector for the Inspection Division at FBIHQ in September 2004. He returned to the Denver Division in December 2005 as assistant special agent in charge, overseeing intelligence, WMD, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and cyber programs.

In March 2008, Mr. Campbell returned to FBIHQ as section chief in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. As section chief, he directed national and international WMD training and exercises. Additionally, he oversaw the development and implementation of WMD countermeasures.

Mr. Campbell earned a Juris Doctorate from the Washburn University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Kansas.

Joseph Campbell Named Special Agent in Charge of the San Juan Division | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

“What’s Your Story? Rethinking LGBTQ Heritage” is organized by the Gender & Sexuality Center at UIC, which provides educational resources to combat prejudice and misunderstanding about issues related to gender and sexual identity.

For more information about the events, visit www.gsc.uic.edu or call (312) 413-8619.

Wednesday, Oct. 5
“Woke Up Black.” Film screening and discussion with filmmaker Mary Morten and associate producer Keisha Farmer-Smith. 7 p.m. James Stukel Towers, Events Center, 718 W. Rochford St.

Thursday, Oct. 6
“Woke Up Black.” Film screening and discussion with filmmaker Mary Morten and associate producer Keisha Farmer-Smith. 3 p.m. UIC Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center, Lecture Center B2, 803 S. Morgan St. (located directly west of Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St.)

Tuesday, Oct. 11
National Coming Out Day 23rd annual celebration. 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lecture Center Plaza (located directly west of Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St.)

Wednesday, Oct. 12
Transgender Oral History Project reception and community discussion. Opening event will celebrate the Transgender Oral History Project in residence at UIC through November. 4 – 7 p.m. Behavioral Sciences Building, Rooms 181 and 183, 1007 W. Harrison St.

Tuesday, Oct. 18
Safe Zone 101 Training. Program to increase awareness and comfort with LGBTQ people and issues. 9 – 11:30 a.m. Stevenson Hall, Room 304, 701 S. Morgan St.

Sexy Spirit discussion. Author, filmmaker, and president/CEO of Tribal Elder Productions Roger Goodman will talk about HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and his spiritual journey. 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Behavioral Sciences Building, Room 183, 1007 W. Harrison St.

Wednesday, Oct. 19
Video storytelling workshop facilitated by Community TV Network. 4 – 8 p.m. Space limited, registration required. RSVP by Oct. 14 at www.gsc.uic.edu.

For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu.

LGBTQ Heritage Month at UIC | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.