PENN STATE ARTIFICIAL HEART AGREEMENT WITH ABIOMED
Researchers from Penn State’s College of Medicine will be working with a new corporate partner as they continue their work on the total electric artificial heart. "We are very pleased to begin working with ABIOMED, Inc., they are a recognized leader in the field," says Gerson Rosenberg, Ph.D., professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Artificial Organs. ABIOMED announced yesterday that it has entered into agreements to acquire the exclusive rights to Penn State’s implantable replacement heart -- the Penn State Heart -- as well as the assets of BeneCor Heart Systems, Inc., a company recently created to commercialize the Penn State Heart. The transaction includes arrangements for ABIOMED to begin a collaborative relationship with Penn State, its College of Medicine, and The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. ABIOMED will also have access to future advances in related implantable replacement heart technology generated by the Penn State research and development team. ABIOMED intends to pursue the commercialization of the Penn State Heart at its Danvers, Massachusetts facility. For more on this story, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/2000/abiomed.html For information on ABIOMED, go to http://www.abiomed.com/

IST DEAN’S HOUSE TESTIMONY IS NOW ON THE WEB
School of Information Science and Technology Dean James Thomas gave testimony on the progress, philosophy, accomplishments and future plans of the school to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives this morning. To read his statement, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/oped/

PSUALUM.COM NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS
All Alumni Association members are now eligible to receive the benefit of e-mail forwarding at no charge. The e-mail forwarding service was originally offered as an experiment to Penn Staters who graduated after May 1998. The limited service was so successful that the benefit was expanded to all Alumni Association members beginning September 1. E-mail forwarding allows Association members to set up a permanent address at the "psualum.com" domain and have e-mail messages forwarded to any e-mail account users designate. Once a member activates e-mail forwarding, the psualum.com address is the only one members need to give to family and friends. As members move to new locations or change jobs and switch Internet providers, messages will be forwarded to a member's latest e-mail account.To sign up, go to http://psualum.com. To become a member, call 1-800-548-5466 or apply online at the Association Web site, http://www.alumni.psu.edu.

LECTURE, EXHIBIT ON ANNIVERSARY OF GERMAN UNIFICATION
Werner Schmidt, Press Officer at the German Consulate General in New York, will present a lecture on "Ten Years of German Unification: A Work in Progress" at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, in 102 Kern Building. The lecture will coincide with the opening of the exhibit, "Germany--Divided and Reunified," in the Kern Art Gallery. The exhibit features some 20 panels highlighting memorable events in German history between 1949 and 1999 and will be on display through Nov. 30. The public is invited to attend and participate in the subsequent discussion. For further information, contact Gerhard F. Strasser at 865-5481 or . For information and hours of the Kern Art Gallery, go to http://www.psu.edu/HUB/Galleries/index2.html

NEW BOOK ON STEAM-POWERED RAILWAY SYSTEM
Jeremy F. Plant, professor of public policy and administration at Penn State Harrisburg, has co-authored a book with George F. Melvin, "Central Vermont Railway in Color," published by Morning Sun Books. It is an illustrated history of the Central Vermont, an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway system connecting Canada and New England. The book chronicles the last years of steam-powered trains on the line in the 1940s and 1950s up to the sale of the CV in 1995 to a new operator, New England Central. Plant also is beginning a two-year term as chair of the Section on Transportation Policy and Administration of the American Society for Public Administration. For more books on trains published by Morning Sun Books, go to http://www.discount-train.com/books/morning_sun/morning_sun_1.html

MACKINNON'S CAFÉ, **THE** NEW SPOT FOR A STUDY BREAK
Library patrons now are able to take a study break in the new MacKinnon's Café, to grab fresh cappuccino, bagels, sandwiches and more without leaving the building. MacKinnon's, on the ground floor of Pattee Library west, offers an assortment of coffees, juices, pastries, sandwiches and salads, as well as microwaveable meals. Seating is available within the café and on the outdoor patio. Diner's Club and A La Board meal plan points are accepted. For daily hours of operation and more information go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/pubinfo/news/mackinnons-sept00.html

HONORS COLLEGE OFFERS LECTURE FOR PARENTS DAY
The Schreyer Honors College will celebrate Parents and Families Day with a one-hour program tomorrow featuring Dr. Alan Walker, a distinguished professor of anthropology and biology. Walker is a research associate of the National Museum of Kenya and has had many collaborative field programs with the Museum. The program will be held Saturday, Sept. 23, in 101 Thomas Hall at 2 p.m. For information on the Schreyer Honors College, go to http://www.scholars.psu.edu.

SIXERS TRAINING CAMP BEGINS OCTOBER 3 AT BJC
The Philadelphia 76ers will hold training camp at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center from Tuesday, Oct. 3, to Monday, Oct. 9. Fans can get an exclusive look from Penn State, including morning and evening training camp updates and behind-the-scenes photos, as the Sixers prepare for the 2000-2001 season. To see the action, go to http://www.sixers.com.

SMALL TALK: MORE Z’S MAKE MORE A’S
Parents who have trouble rousing their teenage children in the morning should be made aware that the youngsters are just responding to their biologic clocks. Teenagers may need more sleep than children do. According to research:

- Most teens require 9.25 hours of sleep per night, but average 7;

- Many teens involved in sleep studies fall asleep within 3 or 4 minutes--a sign that they are sleep deprived;

- The more sleep the average teen gets, the better his or her grades are.

"Small Talk" is a weekly column of safety and health information for parents and other caregivers for children. It is a community service of the Penn State Children’s Hospital, located at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. Please direct any comments or questions to Patricia Millner, director of nursing at the Penn State Children’s Hospital, at .