UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum From: UIC News Bureau Date: 30 Nov 2010 11:28:07 -0600 To: diazm@uic.edu UIC News Release November 30, 2010 CONTACT: Brian Flood, (312) 996-7681, bflood@uic.edu UIC HOSTS CHICAGO MAYORAL CANDIDATE FORUM The University of Illinois at Chicago will host a public forum featuring Chicago mayoral candidates at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, in the Illinois Room of Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St. Candidates scheduled to participate as of Tuesday morning were Wilfredo De Jesus, Miguel del Valle, Ryan Graves, Jay Stone, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins, and William "Dock" Walls III. "The forum will help voters learn more about the mayoral candidates' platforms, values and visions for the city's future at a pivotal time in Chicago's history," says Warren K. Chapman, UIC vice chancellor for external affairs. Co-hosting the forum are WBEZ-FM (91.5), the Better Government Association, UIC's Undergraduate Student Government, and the university's Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Admission is open to the public. Doors open at 3 p.m. The event will be moderated by WBEZ-FM's Steve Edwards and a panel that includes Andy Shaw, executive director, Better Government Association; Dick Simpson, UIC professor and head of political science; Maria de los Angeles Torres, UIC professor and director of Latin American and Latino studies; and Saad Jamil; president, UIC Undergraduate Student Government. "This first public forum of the mayoral campaign will offer insights into the candidates' policies and positions as voters are beginning to evaluate a large and diverse field of contenders," said Simpson, a former Chicago alderman. "In keeping with our educational mission as an engaged public university, the forum also offers members of our campus community a first-hand look at the political process." WBEZ-FM will record the forum for a future broadcast. 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. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: UIC Nurse-Practitioner Students to Get Boost From Federal Grant From: UIC News Bureau Date: 18 Nov 2010 13:26:55 -0600 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 18, 2010 CONTACT: Sam Hostettler, (312) 355-2522, samhos@uic.edu UIC NURSE-PRACTITIONER STUDENTS TO GET BOOST FROM FEDERAL GRANT A new $1.5 million federal grant will allow nurse-practitioner students at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing to complete their studies in a more timely manner. Beginning in 2011, four students enrolled in UIC's nurse practitioner program will receive $20,000 grants to offset the cost of their tuition. Students are registered nurses who are working toward an advanced degree. The average nurse-practitioner student takes three to four years to finish their degree, said Patricia Lewis, UIC associate dean for clinical nursing practice studies, and the majority must work to pay their tuition and can't take a full course load. "This grant is a wonderful benefit," Lewis said. "We have found that some students would start the program on a two-year plan but couldn't afford to stay with it. This money will allow students to remain in school and concentrate their efforts on becoming the best nurse they can be." The grant is funded by the Health Resources and Health Administration's division of nursing, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly 500 students are enrolled in UIC's nurse-practitioner program, which includes specialties in adult and geriatric care, midwifery, pediatric care, women's health, mental health, and family health care. Nurse practitioners provide some of the same care as physicians and maintain close working relationships with them. A nurse practitioner, Lewis said, can serve as a patient's regular healthcare provider. Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat acute, episodic or chronic illness; they may order, perform or interpret diagnostic tests such as laboratory results and X-rays; and they may prescribe medication, Lewis said. "The number of nurse practitioners in the United States is increasing rapidly," she said. "There is a great need. This is becoming a much more visible and popular role." For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Genomic Signal Processing May Yield Clues to Cancer Treatment From: UIC News Bureau Date: 17 Nov 2010 11:58:03 -0600 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 17, 2010 CONTACT: Paul Francuch, (312) 996-3457, francuch@uic.edu GENOMIC SIGNAL PROCESSING MAY YIELD CLUES TO CANCER TREATMENT Dan Schonfeld is a leading expert in image and video analysis, and he is applying some of the tools of his specialty to try to nudge genetic behavior in ways that may someday cure disease. Schonfeld, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is studying gene expression and interactions in ways that are analogous to the workings of electrical or computer networks. He is project director and principal investigator of a four-year, $1.2 million National Institutes of Health grant. "The idea is that DNA gives expression to proteins, and the amount and level of proteins dictates the state of the organism," Schonfeld said. "If the expression level of one DNA goes up, it might reduce the expression level of another. There is this symbiotic relation between the genes in a network and the expression level of each of the proteins depends on one another." Schonfeld sees this dynamic behavior leading to production of either good or bad proteins. He envisions that using the tools of mathematics and engineering will lead to a method to control this protein production. To do it, he and his colleagues model gene regulatory networks as a Markov chain -- a statistical modeling tool often used in software development. They monitor the network over time and make slight changes or perturbations that may provide a degree of control. "We've actually formed a new sub-area of inverse perturbation theory where we say we know where we want to go, what is the smallest change in the network that we need to impose in order to guarantee that wherever we are, we're going to end up where we'd like to be," he said. Schonfeld said his goal is to take the results of mathematical analysis, transform it into a protocol for making small changes by putting certain chemicals into the cell resulting in a small change in the network, and then monitor its behavior over time to see whether it produces results predicted from the mathematical analysis. Their theoretical model will be tested on melanoma cells using RNA interference and plasmid molecules designed to regulate the expression levels of specific genes in a melanoma network. "We need to perturb and affect the influence of one gene on the other in order to move it in a better direction," he said. "The successful outcome of the proposed approach to the treatment of malignant melanoma cells could serve as a foundation for development of intervention strategies in other cancer networks." Schonfeld said an interdisciplinary approach is "essential to an effective plan for developing novel treatment and clinical decision making in cancer research." His collaborators are Nidhal Bouaynaya, assistant professor of systems engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (a former Ph.D. student of Schonfeld's at UIC); and Hassan Fathallah-Shaykh, associate professor and chair of neuro-oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (a UIC Ph.D. alumnus in mathematics). For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: 'Next Metro Economy' Panel Introduces Global Summit From: UIC News Bureau Date: 16 Nov 2010 11:34:03 -0600 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 16, 2010 CONTACT: Anne Brooks Ranallo, (312) 355-2523, aranallo@uic.edu 'NEXT METRO ECONOMY' PANEL INTRODUCES GLOBAL SUMMIT WHAT: The University of Illinois at Chicago, with the London School of Economics and Political Science, will host a panel discussion on "The Next Metro Economy: Confronting the Persistent Challenges of Cities." The discussion precedes the Global Metro Summit to be convened at UIC by the Brookings Institution, Deutsche Bank, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Time Magazine. WHEN: Dec. 6 Noon - 2 p.m., including complimentary lunch WHERE: UIC Student Center East 750 S. Halsted St. Room 302 DETAILS: Panelists will discuss the potential of a sustainable metropolitan economy to reduce material and social inequalities among vulnerable households and neighborhoods. Topics will include labor market attachment, decarceration, employment pathways, neighborhood reinvestment, and public service improvement. The panel will be chaired by Michael A. Pagano, dean of the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs and interim dean of the UIC College of Business Administration. Panelists include: - Andy Altman, CEO of Olympic Park Legacy Company (London 2012 Olympics) and former deputy mayor of Philadelphia - Gerald Frug, Louis D. Brandeis professor of law at Harvard Law School - Nik Theodore, director of UIC's Center for Urban Economic Development - Pauline Lipman, UIC professor of educational policy studies - Karen Mossberger, UIC professor of public administration - Xavier Nogueras, president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Chicago Seating is limited. Please RSVP by Dec. 1 to (312) 996-8874 or tmccoo2@uic.edu. The Global Metro Summit is Dec. 8 at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road. To register, go to http://www.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?i=b4aba448-72f0-452c-9de3 -d8f1658f1dba. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Brundage Scholarships Available for University of Illinois Students From: UIC News Bureau Date: 12 Nov 2010 15:44:07 -0600 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 12, 2010 CONTACT: Bill Burton, (312) 996-2269, burton@uic.edu BRUNDAGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS STUDENTS University of Illinois students who excel in both academics and athletics are encouraged to enter the 38th annual Avery Brundage Scholarship competition. Full-time students at the Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana campuses, including incoming freshmen, graduate and transfer students, may apply. Grant-in-aid recipients may be eligible for Brundage scholarships under specified conditions. Academic and athletic competence will be considered over financial need. Undergraduate and transfer student applicants must rank in the top 25 percent of their college, and incoming freshmen must rank in the upper 25 percent of their incoming class. Graduate and professional students must be in good academic standing. Students must also have demonstrated "special athletic ability" in an amateur sport. However, their participation must have been for personal development, rather than as preparation for professional athletics. Previous winners represent a wide variety of sports from archery and tennis to swimming and wheelchair basketball. Last year, 16 winners were awarded $2,250 each. Scholarship applications can be submitted online at www.usp.uillinois.edu/brundage. Paper applications will not be distributed. The deadline for submitting completed applications is Feb. 11. The late Avery Brundage, a 1909 U of I graduate, competed in the 1912 Olympics and later served as president of both the U.S. and International Olympic committees. He established the scholarship in 1974, with a $343,000 endowment to the University of Illinois Foundation. Over the past 37 years, 809 scholarships with a total value of $1,017,200 have been awarded. Brundage maintained his interest in the University through service as a member of the University of Illinois Foundation, President's Council and Citizen's Committee. [Additional media contact: Gayle Layman, director of university-wide student programs, (217) 333-2030, layman@uillinois.edu] - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: New UIC Midwifery Clinic to Aid Underserved Women From: UIC News Bureau Date: 10 Nov 2010 14:32:49 -0600 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 10, 2010 CONTACT: Sam Hostettler, (312) 355-2522, samhos@uic.edu NEW UIC MIDWIFERY CLINIC TO AID UNDERSERVED WOMEN The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing has received a $1.9 million federal grant to open a new midwifery clinic on the near northwest side of Chicago to provide care to medically underserved women and women who have physical disabilities. The new clinic, expected to open in January, will be located in the Logan Square, West Town or Humboldt Park neighborhood, said Judith Storfjell, professor of health systems science and the UIC College of Nursing's associate dean for academic practice. Many of the 360,000 residents in those areas are young, low-income, and culturally and ethnically diverse, and many do not speak English, she said. All three communities are designated medically underserved and health-professional shortage areas. In parts of these communities, infant mortality and premature birth rates are high, while reproductive health care screening rates are low, Storfjell said. The clinic is the latest project of UIC's Aviva Women's Health and Midwifery Care program, an advanced practice nurse managed center where UIC nursing faculty provide health care. Aviva means life and the beginning of the seasons in several languages. In 2008, the UIC College of Nursing partnered with Saint Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center to provide clinic services at two community sites: the Infant Welfare Society and the Chicago Public Health Department West Town clinic. The following year, the Aviva practice provided prenatal and women's health care to more than 250 women during more than 3,000 outpatient visits, and the midwives attended the vaginal deliveries of 150 women, Storfjell said. "This new grant will allow us to provide women's health care to more individuals," she said. "The Aviva services are currently restricted to the clients of our community partners and we are unable to meet the needs of other women in the community without dedicated clinic space." The nurse-managed Universal Design health center will contain a waiting/reception area, two examination rooms, a group activity room, a laboratory, storage area for supplies, and an accessible bathroom. Aviva midwives will provide well-women's care, including health education; gynecological exams; screening and follow-up; birth control counseling and prescriptions; anticipatory guidance; pre-pregnancy counseling; prenatal exams and education; deliveries; lactation consultation; menopausal counseling and management; group education; and support. A membership model will be designed giving women who obtain services from the practice unique opportunities to join general or specific (age, language, interest) groups either in person or virtually (through the use of Webinars), obtain health and wellness information and support one another. Storfjell said the clinic will be accessible to both non-disabled and physically disabled women and will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It will be funded through a five-year grant from the Health Resources Service Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Women with physical disabilities have the same need for reproductive health services as do all women, but physical obstacles and outdated attitudes often prevent them from getting proper care," said Storfjell, who also serves as director of the College of Nursing's Institute for Healthcare Innovation. "Our vision is that our clinic will become a national model of health care." For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Steppenwolf's Peyankov Directs Street-Style 'Romeo' at UIC Theatre From: UIC News Bureau Date: 9 Nov 2010 11:01:22 -0600 To: diazm@uic.edu UIC News Release November 9, 2010 CONTACT: Anne Brooks Ranallo, (312) 355-2523, aranallo@uic.edu STEPPENWOLF'S PEYANKOV DIRECTS STREET-STYLE 'ROMEO' AT UIC THEATRE [Ed. note: Photos to download at http://newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/uic_theatre/] WHAT: The University of Illinois at Chicago presents "Romeo and Juliet" set in Chicago's streets and basketball courts, directed by Yasen Peyankov, UIC associate professor and member of the Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble. WHEN: Nov. 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20 at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21 at 2:15 p.m. Nov. 17, noon (sold out) WHERE: UIC Theatre 1044 W. Harrison St. DETAILS: Pared down to a fast-paced two hours, this contemporary "Romeo and Juliet" takes place amid inner-city outdoor basketball courts and streets, where territory and status are life-or-death matters. Admission is $11-16. For information, please call (312) 996-3991. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: UIC Choirs Present Free Liturgical Concert From: UIC News Bureau Date: 5 Nov 2010 16:36:44 -0500 To: diazm@uic.edu UIC News Release November 5, 2010 CONTACT: Anne Brooks Ranallo, (312) 355-2523, aranallo@uic.edu UIC CHOIRS PRESENT FREE LITURGICAL CONCERT WHAT: The UIC Choirs will sing the liturgical "Magnificat." WHEN: Nov. 19 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Notre Dame de Chicago Church 1334 W. Flournoy St. DETAILS: The free concert, conducted by UIC music faculty Michael J. Anderson and Andrew Lewis, will feature the "Magnificat" as composed by Pachelbel, Pergolesi, Porpora and Raminsh. The UIC Choirs include a 50-singer mixed choir, a 20-singer mixed chamber choir, and a small women's ensemble. For information, call (312) 355-2434 or e-mail choirs@uic.edu. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Catholic Studies Lecture to Address Scholarship and Beliefs From: UIC News Bureau Date: 4 Nov 2010 12:00:50 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 4, 2010 CONTACT: Brian Flood, (312) 996-7681, bflood@uic.edu CATHOLIC STUDIES LECTURE TO ADDRESS SCHOLARSHIP AND BELIEFS WHO/WHAT: "Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Definition." The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presents the inaugural lecture of Ralph Keen, Arthur J. Schmitt Chair in Catholic Studies. WHEN: Nov. 18 3 p.m. WHERE: Student Center East Cardinal Room 750 S. Halsted St. DETAILS: Keen, newly appointed to the Catholic studies chair at UIC, will examine how major religions, as subjects of critical inquiry, are interpreted in academic disciplines and whether or not the analysis accurately resembles those faiths as they are lived by their believers. Keen is a historian of ideas who analyzes how thinkers in one era retrieve and apply the writings of earlier figures in the tradition. His research has included studies of early modern religious controversy, medieval and reformation church history, and religious and social thought. Among his authored or edited publications are "Exile and Restoration in Jewish Thought: An Essay in Interpretation," "The Christian Tradition," and "Luther's Lives." He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Studies in Early Modern Religious Reforms and a frequent presenter at conferences around the world. The Arthur J. Schmitt Chair in Catholic Studies was established at UIC in 1999 through the Arthur J. Schmitt Foundation's $1.25 million endowment to promote religious literacy. Admission is free. For more information call (312) 996-4687. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Geothermal Heat Pumps Reduce Energy Costs at Wastewater Plants From: UIC News Bureau Date: 3 Nov 2010 13:32:26 -0500 To: diazm@uic.edu UIC News Release November 3, 2010 CONTACT: Paul Francuch, (312) 996-3457, francuch@uic.edu GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS REDUCE ENERGY COSTS AT WASTEWATER PLANTS Can sinking geothermal heat pumps into waste water treatment plant aeration ponds provide heating and cooling to lower the plant's energy costs? Two University of Illinois at Chicago engineers will test two types of heat pump at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago's James C. Kirie plant in Des Plaines. Ill. The project, to be conducted over the coming year, "will determine the feasibility of harnessing energy from the effluent water," said Sohail Murad, professor and head of chemical engineering at UIC and the project's principal investigator. Murad said the demonstration project could determine which system can reduce the plant's heating and cooling energy needs by 20 percent. Further refinements could reduce energy use even more. Both "open" and "closed"-loop geothermal heat pump systems will be tested. Heat pumps collect heat during winter through fluid circulating in pipes called loops, placed below ground or in a body of water. The circulating fluid carries ground or water-stored heat indoors. In summer, the loop draws away indoor heat and carries it underground or under water, where it is absorbed. In a closed loop system, the circulating water or other suitable fluid stays within the pipes. In an open loop, water from the pond is used directly instead of the circulating fluid. It is pumped in and out of the system. "Open and closed-loop pond systems are not very common, so development work has to be done to establish optimal operating parameters," said Murad, who specializes in thermodynamics. "We'll also test if the treated water leads to any corrosion or fouling issues in the pipe in the open system," he said. The project will use treated water that exits the plant into adjacent aeration ponds. Catherine O'Connor, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago's assistant director of monitoring and research, said the project is novel and there is no documentation of a side-by-side comparison of an open versus closed-loop system that recovers heat from reclaimed water effluent. "The open system promises to be more efficient, but may prove to require excess maintenance," O'Connor said. Kirie ranks in the middle for capacity among the MWRD's seven water-reclamation plants, at about 46 million gallons of effluent daily. It is the district's newest plant. "Heating and cooling plant buildings are a significant cost to the district," O'Connor said. "Plant buildings include office space and buildings that house process control and the filters." Cost of the $175,000 project will be covered in part by an $87,500 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. UIC will handle process design. Other costs include the purchase of two 15-ton heat pumps with ancillary equipment to augment the current building heating and air conditioning system. Murad will be assisted by UIC postdoctoral researcher Huajun Yuan. For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: UIC Offers Online Certificate in Survey Research From: UIC News Bureau Date: 3 Nov 2010 12:41:09 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 3, 2010 CONTACT: Anne Brooks Ranallo, (312) 355-2523, aranallo@uic.edu UIC OFFERS ONLINE CERTIFICATE IN SURVEY RESEARCH The University of Illinois at Chicago will offer a new online certificate program in the basics of survey research, beginning in January. Five required courses totaling 11 credit hours will address survey design, data collection, sources of error, quality control, methodology evaluation, and data analysis and interpretation. All instructors are faculty in the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, including the Survey Research Laboratory, or the UIC School of Public Health. "Survey research is the predominant method of studying large populations. Despite this, few online training programs address it," said Tim Johnson, director of the Survey Research Laboratory. Survey research skills can benefit a wide range of professionals as well as research faculty and graduate students, Johnson said. Tuition for the certificate program is $725 per credit hour. Students can complete the program in three semesters and will earn graduate credit toward a master's degree in public administration at UIC. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 15. For information or to apply online, see www.surveyresearchmethods.uic.edu 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. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Black Raspberries May Prevent Colon Cancer, Study Finds From: UIC News Bureau Date: 2 Nov 2010 11:46:35 -0500 To: diazm@uic.edu UIC News Release November 2, 2010 CONTACT: Sherri McGinnis González, (312) 996-8277, smcginn@uic.edu BLACK RASPBERRIES MAY PREVENT COLON CANCER, STUDY FINDS Embargoed for release until Tue., Nov. 2, 12 p.m. (CDT) Black raspberries are highly effective in preventing colorectal tumors in two mouse models of the disease, according to a University of Illinois at Chicago study. The findings are published in the November issue of Cancer Prevention Research. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute. Building on previous research that found black raspberries have antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-neurodegenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, the researchers looked at the fruit's ability to prevent colon cancer. "We saw the black raspberry as a natural product, very powerful, and easy to access," said Dr. Wancai Yang, assistant professor of pathology at the UIC College of Medicine and senior author of the study, whose research focuses on the interactions of genetic and nutritional factors in the development of intestinal cancer and tumor prevention. The researchers used two strains of mice, Apc1638 and Muc2, which each have a specific gene knocked out, causing the mice to develop either intestinal tumors (in the case of Apc1638) or colitis in the case of Muc2. Colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine that can contribute to the development of colorectal cancer. Both mouse strains were randomized to be fed either a Western-style, high-risk diet (high in fat and low in calcium and vitamin D) or the same diet supplemented with 10 percent freeze-dried black raspberry powder for 12 weeks. The researchers found that in both mouse strains the black raspberry-supplemented diet produced a broad range of protective effects in the intestine, colon and rectum and inhibited tumor formation. In the Apc1638 mice, tumor incidence was reduced by 45 percent and the number of tumors by 60 percent. The researchers found that black raspberries inhibited tumor development by suppressing a protein, known as beta-catenin, which binds to the APC gene. In the Muc2 mice, tumor incidence and the number of tumors were both reduced by 50 percent, and black raspberries inhibited tumor development by reducing chronic inflammation associated with colitis. The researchers now hope to obtain funding to begin clinical trials in humans, said Yang. Because black raspberries not only prevent cancer but also inflammation, they may also protect against other diseases, such as heart disease. Yang is a member of the UIC Cancer Center. Co-authors are Xiuli Bi of UIC, Wenfeng Fang of UIC and Wuhan University in China, and Li-Shu Wang and Gary Stoner of the Ohio State University. The research was funded by UIC's department of pathology and the National Cancer Institute. 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. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: UIC Hosts 13th Annual Power of Nursing Leadership Event From: UIC News Bureau Date: 2 Nov 2010 13:33:04 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 2, 2010 CONTACT: Sam Hostettler, (312) 355-2522, samhos@uic.edu UIC HOSTS 13TH ANNUAL POWER OF NURSING LEADERSHIP EVENT Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy Jr., civil rights advocate, attorney and cancer survivor, will give the keynote address at the 13th Annual Power of Nursing Leadership Event Nov. 19 at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. The event, sponsored by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing and the host committee of local nursing leaders, follows the recent release of the Institute of Medicine's report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health." That report, says Terri Weaver, dean of the UIC College of Nursing, celebrates the leadership role nurses play in shaping health care to meet the needs of individuals throughout the U.S. Nurses' roles, responsibilities and education should change significantly to meet the increased demand for care that will be created by health-care reform and to advance improvements in America's increasingly complex health system. Kennedy will discuss reforming health care from the perspective of a person suffering from a chronic illness. "We are thrilled that Ted Kennedy Jr. will join us," Weaver said. "He is certain to provide valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges ahead for the professionals who will be on the front lines of implementing and leading change." Since losing one of his legs to bone cancer in 1973 at the age of 12, Kennedy, the son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy (D-Mass.), has devoted much of his professional and personal energy to working as an advocate for the civil rights of people with disabilities. He has served as the executive director of Facing the Challenge, a nonprofit advocacy and public policy office on disability-related issues, as a teaching fellow in disability policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, and as an attorney fighting for the rights of individuals with disabilities. Kennedy has also worked extensively with both policymakers and the corporate world in the areas of expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities. Kennedy worked for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and served for four years on the executive committee of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. He served on the board of directors for the Special Olympics and is a member of the board of Very Special Arts, an international education and arts organization for people with disabilities. He has also served on the board of Connecticut's Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, and serves as a board member of the American Association of Persons with Disabilities, a cross-disability civil rights and policy organization. Several awards will be presented to nurse leaders at the event: The Joan L. Shaver Illinois Nurse Leader Award recognizes an outstanding nurse leader who is highly influential in shaping quality health care in Illinois through hard work, dedication, supremely skilled leadership and the courage to break through barriers. The SAGE Award recognizes nurses who have made a significant impact on the lives and careers of others through their actions as role models, facilitators and mentors. Several extraordinary nurses will also be chosen and recognized as Pinnacle Nurse Leaders. Registration for the Power of Nursing Leadership Event will begin at 10 a.m. For more information, visit web.nursing.uic.edu/pnle/. For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Social Class May Impact Treatment for Depression From: UIC News Bureau Date: 2 Nov 2010 11:20:08 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 2, 2010 CONTACT: Jeffron Boynés, (312) 413-8702, jboynes@uic.edu SOCIAL CLASS MAY IMPACT TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION Current treatments for depression don't help working-class and poor patients as much as they help middle-class patients improve their ability to function at work, according to a recent University of Illinois at Chicago study. Depression has a profound impact on an individual's productivity. That's particularly true among individuals in lower social classes and with lower levels of education, such as many of those in sales and support jobs, says Lydia Falconnier, assistant professor in UIC's Jane Addams College of Social Work. Falconnier reviewed data from the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program from 1982 to 1986. Participants included 239 patients with major depressive disorder. The study found that following treatment for depression, working class and poor patients' ability to function at work improved less than middle-class patients. The same results were found for patients taking medication for depression or receiving one of two different kinds of psychotherapy: interpersonal psychotherapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy. The study also has implications for the ability of current depression treatments to help depressed working-class and poor mothers to improve the care they provide for their children. "This is particularly important since a lot of research shows negative outcomes for children of depressed mothers," said Falconnier, the study's principal investigator. "This also raises questions about mandated depression treatment for working-class and poor mothers who are involved in the child welfare system." Future research will be needed to discover what needs to change in depression treatment so that working class and poor patients can benefit from it as much as middle-class patients, Falconnier said. "One route to improved outcomes might be to adapt current therapies to include a greater focus on the daily work and economic stressors that low-income individuals face," she said. The study findings were published in a recent issue of the journal Psychiatric Services. 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. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: Scholar to Discuss African-Americans and the Bible From: UIC News Bureau Date: 2 Nov 2010 11:32:38 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 2, 2010 CONTACT: Brian Flood, (312) 996-7681, bflood@uic.edu SCHOLAR TO DISCUSS AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND THE BIBLE WHO/WHAT: "The Talking Book: African Americans and the Bible." The University of Illinois at Chicago's Jewish studies program and department of African-American studies present a talk by prominent New Testament scholar Allen Callahan. WHEN: Nov. 15 5 p.m. WHERE: UIC Education, Performing Arts, and Social Work Building 1040 W. Harrison St. Performance room DETAILS: Callahan will examine the ways in which African-Americans have interpreted the Bible historically for education, liberation, and as a cultural tool for empowerment. Callahan is the author of three books, including "The Talking Book", which portrays the Bible as a pivotal character in African-American culture by drawing a comparison between slavery's secluded forest prayer meetings to the bold style of today's hip-hop artists. He served as co-host of the 2009 Discovery Channel series "Who Was Jesus?" with Rachel Havrelock, UIC assistant professor of Jewish studies and English. Callahan is visiting professor at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. An ordained Baptist minister, he earned a doctorate from Harvard Divinity School. Admission is free. For more information, call (312) 413-4689. - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign. UIC Hosts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Forum.msg Subject: $12 Million Grant to Probe Root Causes of Heart Failure From: UIC News Bureau Date: 2 Nov 2010 11:06:37 -0500 To: archives@uic.edu UIC News Release November 2, 2010 CONTACT: Jeanne Galatzer-Levy, (312) 996-1583, jgala@uic.edu $12 MILLION GRANT TO PROBE ROOT CAUSES OF HEART FAILURE Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have been awarded more than $12 million by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to investigate both the acquired and familial causes of heart failure -- with the aim of identifying markers for diagnosis and targets for cures. The five years of new funding supports an ongoing program-project grant led by R. John Solaro, distinguished university professor and head of physiology and biophysics at UIC, that looks at one of the leading causes of death, disability and hospitalization in the western world. Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump effectively and is unable to meet the body’s need for blood and oxygen. More than 5.5 million Americans suffer from heart failure, and 670,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to the American Heart Association. "We’re looking at the overarching problem of the maladaptive changes the heart undergoes that lead into a vicious cycle of failure," says Solaro. His program, like other program-project grants, links the unique expertise of each investigator to those of the others. "The sum is greater than the individual parts," he said. His collaborators are Brenda Russell, professor in physiology and biophysics; E. Douglas Lewandowski, professor in physiology and biophysics; and Pieter de Tombe, chair of physiology at Loyola University, Chicago. The projects expand the program that Solaro has led for 10 years. Those 10 years have been "extraordinarily productive," resulting in dozens of papers in top-tier journals, said Russell, who is executive associate vice chancellor for research at UIC. A decisive factor for the NIH to extend a project grant is the productivity of the program, she said. Projects led by Solaro and de Tombe investigate energy consumption by the molecular motors of the cardiac muscle, called sarcomeres, which generate the pressure to pump blood through the arteries. Pilot studies have identified possible therapies for common familial cardiac disorders for which there is presently no cure. The project headed by Russell addresses the mechanisms for growth of the heart-muscle cells and the assembly of the sarcomeres during growth. Lewandowski focuses on the metabolic pathways that supply energy to the molecular motors and on the coordination of energy supply and demand, which he says brings "a slightly new perspective" to the program. Cellular metabolism is a topic of intense interest now, he said, because scientists think "the interplay between protein function and expression in the heart, and metabolic processes in the cell, can either make or break the contractile function of the heart." For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu - UIC - NOTE: Please refer to the institution as the University of Illinois at Chicago on first reference and UIC on second reference. "University of Illinois" and "U. of I." are often assumed to refer to our sister campus in Urbana-Champaign.