Policies & Procedures
S Pandey, Colleagues Report Alcoholism Remodels Brain DNA & Eases Anxiety
In the current (April 2) edition of the Journal of Neuroscience, Subhash Pandey, Ph.D., and his colleagues report that changes to genetic material in the brain may help induce anxiety that is characteristic of alcohol withdrawal. The finding points to possible therapies to prevent withdrawal-related anxiety. In the current study, scientists found evidence that the removal of acetyl groups (deacetylation) from histones in amygdala chromatin was associated with increased anxiety brought on by alcohol withdrawal. In a press release by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIAAA Deputy Director Kenneth Warren, Ph.D., said that the novel mechanism described in the study “is an intriguing contribution to efforts aimed at defining the complex molecular processes that underlie alcohol abuse and dependence.” The NIAAA press release is available at:
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2008/niaaa-02.htm
The Neuroscience article has generated considerable coverage in consumer media outlets, including:
http://www.anxietyinsights.info/alcoholism_remodels_brain_ dna_to_ease_anxiety_amplify_wit.htm
http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetic-Remodeling-in-Alcoholism-Shows- Functional-Changes-in-DNA-34967-1.htm
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/539293/
http://www.medicalnewsservice.com/fullstory.cfm?storyID=4914&fback=yes
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2008/04/02/brain_dna_ remodeled_in_alcoholism.html
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=36939
ABC Channel 7 News Quotes Gibbons on Antidepressant Use, Depression & Suicide
Robert Gibbons, Ph.D., was quoted recently in a recent ABC Channel 7 News segment on depression, the use of antidepressants, and suicide among teenagers and young adults. Dr. Gibbons decries the FDA “black box” warning on antidepressants prescribed to teenagers, because it prompted a sharp decline in the use of antidepressants, and a corresponding spike in teen suicides. The story, Too Young to Die, may be accessed at this link: Too young to die
Mason and West Receive Great Cities Institute Seed Funds for Research
Sally Mason, Ph.D., and Amy West, Ph.D., are among the six UIC faculty members who recently received Great Cities Institute seed funds for the 2008-2009 academic year. Seed Fund recipients use their awards to support new or expanding interdisciplinary and innovative research on cities and their conditions. Dr. Mason will apply her award to a project entitled “Understanding and Managing Stigma with Adolescents of HIV+ Mothers: Consumer/Professional Collaboration.” Dr. West will use her Seed Fund award to pursue the project “Urban American Indian Youth in Chicago: The Use of Culturally-Informed Methodology to Determine Community Needs and Inform Intervention Development.”
M3 Class Names Blitzstein Raymond B. Allen Golden Apple Award Recipient
The M3 class of 2008 last week selected Sean Blitzstein, M.D., as the Raymond B. Allen Golden Apple Award recipient for excellence in teaching. The award will presented at the Chicago Awards and Recognition Day ceremony April 23 at 2:30 p.m. in Chicago Rooms A, B, and C of the Student Center West Building.
Policies & Procedures
Over the next few months we will be providing and implementing Department Electronic, Network, Computing Policies and Procedures. All Department Policies and Procedures will be reviewed and endorsed by the Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) prior to presenting to the Department.
Because of our relationship to UIC and College of Medicine there are some Policies we automatically inherit. Two such policies:
- Information Security Policy - The University of Illinois
- University Guidelines on the Sale, Donation, or Transfer of Computer Hard Drives and Other Magnetic Media
These policies can be found on our web site using the following link: https://intranet.psych.uic.edu/is/ you will be required to “log-in” to access these policies.
We will make both of these policies (along with others forth coming) a part of new employee orientation, but to those of us already in the system we are asking that each of you please take the time to read these policies.
If you have any questions concerning any policy or procedure please contact Lloyd Keith, thank you.
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