PENN STATE HERSHEY IMPLANTS HEART “JACKET”
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, a leader in cardiac care, successfully performed their first implantation of the Acorn CorCap Cardiac Support Device - a heart “jacket” that offers promising potential in the treatment of heart failure. Walter E. Pae, Jr., M.D., professor of surgery, implanted the device in Robert Frey, a 49-year-old father of two from Harrisburg during a successful one-hour surgery on Sept. 26. “The surgery went well,” Pae reported. “Ordinarily, a patient like Mr. Frey would undergo a much more invasive and lengthy procedure than the one he experienced. Hopefully this operation will result in his improved quality of life. We are certainly eager to chart his progress over the next three to six months to measure the effectiveness of the device.” Penn State Hershey Medical Center has been selected as one of 20 sites nationwide to test the heart jacket, which is intended to halt the progression of heart failure, reducing heart size and improving cardiac function. For the full story, visit http://www.hmc.psu.edu/news/pr/2001/Oct/heart_jacket.htm.
OLD MAIN TO ILLUMINATE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
Old Main will be covered in a pink light through Oct. 15 as part of the “Illuminate Pennsylvania Campaign,” an effort to educate the public about breast cancer. Organized by the Appalachia Cancer Network in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the pink lighting that illuminates Old Main is just one of many similar events across the state. The State Capitol, county courthouses, offices of state senators and representatives, medical facilities and community businesses also will be illuminated in a pink light in tandem with Gov. Tom Ridge’s declaration of October 2001 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the full story by Kim Dionis, visit http://www.aginfo.psu.edu/News/october01/cancer.html.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR ROBINSON FORUM
Janet Robinson, president of The New York Times, will deliver the Penn State Forum lecture at noon on Friday, Oct. 5, at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The topic of her presentation is “The State of the Times.” Robinson was named senior vice president of newspaper operations for The New York Times Company last year, and is responsible for leading the operations of all the company’s newspaper properties. The Penn State Forum is a lunchtime speaker series offered by the Faculty Staff Club and is sponsored in part by the Penn State Bookstore. Tickets are $10 for members and $12 for non-members and include lunch, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Reservations can be made by stopping by the Faculty Staff Club office at 103 HUB-Robeson Center. Tickets will be on sale at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information call (814) 865-7590.
STUDY FINDS ECOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS SAVE MONEY
A report from the Green Destiny Council on the ecological analysis of Mueller Laboratory, a biology building on the University Park campus, shows changes that foster environmental stewardship will save the University significant amounts of money. Christopher Uhl, head of the Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology and director of the council, says the report identifies ways to cut the ecological impact of Mueller Laboratory in half while creating healthier working conditions for its occupants. Increased efficiency, use of “smart” technologies and increased environmental awareness among the people who work in Mueller Laboratory could cut coal consumption by 755 tons (and thereby carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 2,000 tons) per year; cut water use by more than 100,000 gallons a year; cut paper consumption by 67 percent; reduce waste associated with the disposal of transparencies, diskettes, computers, carpeting, furniture and printer cartridges; and reduce volatile organic compounds and other toxic and caustic chemicals associated with carpeting, paints, cleaning agents and pest control.
LAWYER TURNED TV HOST NEXT DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER
Ben Stein, host of the Emmy award-winning Comedy Central quiz show, “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” will speak at Eisenhower Auditorium at the University Park campus as part of Penn State’s Distinguished Speakers Series on Monday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 12, at the Eisenhower Auditorium box office. Limited tickets may also be available the night of the speech. Formerly a speechwriter and lawyer for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Stein is also a longtime screenwriter, author and actor. His part of the monotone teacher in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was recently ranked as one of the 50 most famous scenes in American film. For more information, call (814) 863-3786 or visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/benstein01.html.