ENN messages will be sent to every member of the University community who has registered their personal contact information on MyUM. Please take a moment to confirm that your information on MyUM is registered and up to date. Those individuals who have not registered or have out-of-date information on MyUM will not be able to receive ENN phone or e-mail messages.

All messages sent as part of this exercise will clearly indicate that it is a test. It should take 90 minutes or less for all messages to be successfully transmitted. However, since the specifications of the system have yet to be verified, the timeframe may be significantly more or less.

A full explanation of the ENN system, frequently asked questions, and full, step-by-step registration directions are available on the Emergency Preparedness Web site at www.miami.edu/prepare. Please assist the University in this important initiative by sharing news about the network and test with your colleagues.

After the Center for Haitian Studies opened its doors, it didn’t take long Saturday for the building to be transformed into a buzzing mini-hospital. In numerous rooms, dozens of medical students from the Miller School of Medicine’s volunteer Mitchell Wolfson, Sr. DOCS Program, aided by physician/faculty members, were drawing blood to measure glucose and cholesterol levels, doing manual breast exams and Pap smears, checking blood pressure and body mass index and administering vision and other exams. All free services to a community where many don’t have adequate access to medical care.

“This is a good way to help the community and the community looks forward to this every year," said Joseph Metellus of Miami as he waited for the second stage of his eye exam. "This is the only place where some people discover if they have any medical problems like high blood pressure."

Metellus was among the more than 200 children and adults who visited the Center on Saturday for the 13th year of the Little Haiti Health Fair coordinated by the DOCS Program.

The student-run non-profit, an example of the community service all UM medical students perform before graduation, is an outgrowth of a program started in 1971 when UM medical students, guided by Dr. Iris Keim, founded a health fair in Big Pine Key. Today, the students hold clinics and several annual health fairs in various Florida communities. The next two will be held Saturday, Nov. 3, in Florida City and Tavernier.

“At the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, students are expected to contribute to the community while they are studying medicine," said Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt. M.D., who spent several hours lending a hand and encouraging students at the health fair. "These students are continuing a long tradition of caring and commitment and as a consequence, they were recognized this year with a Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Health Care Heroes Award."

The students appreciate the honors, of course, but directly helping people is simply a part of the DOCS mission, and a part of UM Miller’s mission, says Chris Caulfied, executive director of DOCS and a fourth-year medical student.

For an example of the impact of DOCS, Caulfield recounted the story of a mother and daughter who visited the health fair on Saturday. The woman lives in the community but her 92-year-old mother was visiting from Haiti. The mother saw a DOCS volunteer, the most medical attention she had received in nearly two decades. Arrangements were made for her to obtain follow-up treatment for skin lesions.

“A lot of us come to UM because of programs like these," Caulfield says. "The school has such a strong basis of community service and international health, and DOCS in many ways combines the two. The medical school has a mission of education, research, high-quality care and community service, and DOCS shares that mission."

With many benefits being launched or upgraded -- all under the new UMatter benefits banner -- it is important that you make an attempt to attend the fair where benefits administration representatives will be on hand to walk you through the details.

In addition, the last lunch and learn session for flexible spending accounts will be held on Tuesday Oct. 30, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Dominion Parking Garage, suite 155. Learn how to save money by using pre-tax dollars to pay for everyday expenses such as doctor's visits, prescription drugs, deductibles, day care and more. Lunch will be provided for the flexible spending account sessions. Please RSVP by e-mailing m.eddleman@miami.edu.

For details on UMatter and more health care and benefits information, please visit www.miami.edu/benefits.

A Parkinson’s disease support group/meditation class will be held monthly, and  Parkinson’s disease care-givers and deep brain stimulation support groups will be held twice a month. These are just some of the programs planned this fall. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact George Dumenigo, L.C.S.W., at 305-243-1865 or gdumenigo@med.miami.edu.

Remaining session dates and times are Monday, Oct. 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. and Monday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 3 p.m.

For additional information, please call Fredricka Williams at 305-243-3090.

Workshops will be held this Friday and Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Calder Memorial Library, third-floor classroom.

Space is limited, so please register online at http://ulearn.miami.edu/.  If you have any questions please contact Sofia Aymerich by e-mail at saymerich@med.miami.edu.

Faculty, please RSVP to olage@med.miami.edu. Medical students, please RSVP to emezerhane@med.miami.edu. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m.

This activity is eligible for up to one hour of continuing medical education credit and one continuing education unit. For more information, or to expedite continuing medical education processing, please contact Marie Corrales at 305 243-2576.

Anyone wishing to meet with the speaker should contact Sylka M. Pérez at 305-243-6265 or sperez6@med.miami.edu.

Please RSVP by calling Jason Torres at 305- 243-4751 or e-mail him at jtorres2@med.miami.edu.

The presentation is designated for one American Medical Association category one credit for all qualified participants.

Please join us on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium for a lecture by Susan F. Plaeger, Ph.D., acting director of the Basic Sciences Program in the Division of AIDS at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Plaeger will present "The Centers for AIDS Research: Twenty Years at the Forefront of HIV Research." 

The core leaders for UM's newly funded Developmental Center for AIDS Research will also be making a presentation to faculty and staff.

The session will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., in the Dominion Parking Garage, Professional Development and Training Office, suite 155. You must complete the corresponding online computer based learning modules prior to enrolling in the course. To register for the session, visit http://ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, call 305-243-3090.

You can download a brochure or register online by visiting www.cme.med.miami.edu. For more information, please contact the Division of Continuing Medical Education at 305-243-6716, or by email at umcme@med.miami.edu.

A light lunch will be served. Reservations are required and can be made by calling  800-545-2292. For more information, please contact Carthy Thomas at cthomas2@med.miami.edu.

 Carlos Hernandez-Cassis, M.D., from the Diabetes Research Institute, is currently recruiting patients 18 years of age and older with type II diabetes mellitus for participation in a research study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of inhaled insulin. Patients must be taking multiple oral medication daily for more than 2 months and be non-smokers. Those who are interested should contact George Mejia-Galvis at 305-243-6573 or Gmejia2@med.miami.edu.

The Department of Psychology and the UM/SCCC Division of Biobehavioral Oncology and Cancer Epidemiology are conducting an NCI-funded quality of life research study with patients recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Participants are eligible if they have been diagnosed with prostate cancer within 3 months and have not begun treatment. All participants will be followed for two years and will undergo psychosocial and medical assessments. Participants will be reimbursed up to $250 for their time and effort. If you or someone you know may be interested in more information about this study, please contact Natalie Escobio at 305-243-3329 or nescobio@med.miami.edu.  

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine is seeking patients with COPD for phase III protocol that will determine whether a once-a-day dose of an investigational medication, bronchodilator, will effectively improve breathing for 24 hours. You will be paid for your time and effort. For more information, please call 305-243-2568 or e-mail Eliana Mendes at emendes@med.miami.edu.

Robert M. Jackson, M.D., from the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, is seeking idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients for an ongoing Phase II clinical trial of vasodilator therapy (sildenafil). The objectives will be to assess possible therapeutic benefits of a vasodilator, sildenafil, on exercise tolerance and dyspnea in IPF patients and to observe changes in post-exercise markers of oxidant stress. The investigators seek patients with mild to moderate IPF and who have been diagnosed clinically. The study is open to at least ten additional patients. For more information, please contact Robert M. Jackson, M.D. or IPF program coordinator Carol Ramos at 305-575-3548 or by e-mail at rjackson2@med.miami.edu. This trial is funded by the Veterans Administration Research Service and is open to non-veterans of both genders. More information can be found at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00359736?order=2.

The Department of Psychology and the Division of Biobehavioral Oncology, Prevention, Epidemiology and Control at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center are conducting an NIH-funded intervention study to examine the effects of stress management on health and quality of life in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer (stages 0-III). Participants must have recently had surgery for breast cancer, have not yet begun chemotherapy or radiation treatment, and have fluency in English. Eligible women will participate in weekly group sessions over a period of five weeks and be compensated for completing three assessments (questionnaire packet, saliva collection, and blood draw). If you are interested in participating or would like further information about this study, please contact the study coordinator, Janny Rodriguez, at 305-284-2220 or jannyr@miami.edu.

 The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is recruiting patients for the following clinical studies:

• Cervical Dysplasia

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is testing experimental medications and therapies for the treatment of cervical dysplasia, a pre-cancerous condition that can lead to cancer if left untreated. Current treatments are surgical or invasive. This study is testing an investigational gene therapy to see if it safely and effectively treats HPV medicated cervical lesions as a result of dysplasia. If you are between 18 and 25 and have had an abnormal PAP test, you may be able to take part in this research study. Qualified participants will receive all study-related care and study therapy. To find out more, call Iliana Rivas at (305) 243-5832 or I.rivas@miami.edu.

• Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Do you experience heavy menstrual bleeding on two to five days of your regular menstrual period? Does heavy menstrual bleeding keep you from your normal social and work activities? If you answered yes to these questions, you may qualify for a research study of an investigational drug for heavy menstrual bleeding. This investigational drug is not a hormone. You must be a generally healthy woman between ages 18 and 49, have regular menstrual cycles with heavy bleeding, and not have any other bleeding disorder.

Qualified participants will receive the study drug and study-related procedures including physical exams, electrocardiograms, eye exams and laboratory tests at no cost. They will also receive compensation for time and travel. For more information, please contact Marisol Sloane at 305-243-1616.

Jay Skyler, M.D., and Jennifer Marks, M.D., from the Diabetes Research Institute, are currently recruiting patients 18 years of age and older with type 1 diabetes mellitus for participation in research studies to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of inhaled insulin. Patients must be taking multiple insulin injections daily, be non-smokers and in good health. Those who are interested should contact Rogelio Suarez at 305-243-6573 or rsuarez2@med.miami.edu.

Robert Kirsner, M.D., Ph.D., vice chairman of the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, is looking for people with foot ulcers as a complication of diabetes or venous insufficiency. Please contact Carol Kittles at 305-243-8485 for additional information on these studies.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is conducting a federally funded HIV behavioral intervention research study for women and their partners, the New Opportunities for Women 2 (NOW 2) Project. The project will address topics related to safer sex, sexual risk reduction, STDs and communication skills. The NOW 2 Project is currently recruiting English-speaking couples, in which one or both individuals must be HIV positive. Participants must be 18 years or older, willing to be tested for STDs, and answer personal questions in a confidential interview. Women and men who participate may each receive compensation of up to $360 for an entire year of participation (this includes attendance at all interviews, examinations and sessions). If interested, please contact Arnetta Phillips or Jackie Gomez, at 305-243-2103, or (aphillips@yahoo.com / jgomez4@med.miami.edu).

Patients with cirrhosis of the liver as a result of hepatitis B 
This is a phase III b protocol comparing entecavir vs. adefovir in chronic hepatitis B subjects with evidence of hepatic decompensation. Subjects must have cirrhosis because of hepatitis B infection, never been treated for hepatitis B or treated with lamivudine (epivir) only, and do not have HIV, hepatitis C or D. For further information please call 305-243-6939, or e-mail the study coordinator, Connie Higgins at chiggins@med.miami.edu.

Do you or someone you know experience pain related to spinal cord injury? Eva Widerström-Noga, Ph.D., and her colleagues are conducting research into the nature and treatment of pain associated with spinal cord injury. Studies are enrolling now.  Eligible participants will be 18 to 70 years of age and at least two years post-injury.  If you are interested in enrolling, please call The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at 305-243-8132 for information.

The Department of Psychology is recruiting participants for the following studies:

• A schizophrenia family study 
Have you or one of your relatives been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder? Are you in regular contact with this person? If so, you and your family may be eligible to participate in a free family-focused treatment research study. During the treatment, clinicians will provide factual information about schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. In addition, techniques to assist the family in coping with mental illness will be presented. Treatment is available in English and Spanish. If interested, please contact the Schizophrenia Family Project at 305-284-5455.

• A family factors and autism study
The aim of this project is to better understand families’ emotional reactions to autism spectrum disorders. We seek the participation of adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s and one of his or her parents. Participation will involve one hour-long telephone call. If you would like to help with this study or if you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Wasserman at 305-284-2307.

Researchers at the MRI Center need healthy subjects for a magnetic resonance imaging study. For more information, please visit http://midas.med.miami.edu/Research/MRStudies.htm.

The Department of Psychology and the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control is conducting a quality of life research intervention with advanced prostate cancer patients. Participants should have Stage III or IV prostate cancer and have recently or currently been treated with hormone therapy. Eligible participants will take part in a ten-week cognitive behavioral stress and affect management program or a health promotions program. Three psychosocial/medical assessments are also required. If you are interested in this study or would like more information, please contact Frank Penedo, Ph.D., at 305-243-3329, or fpenedo@miami.edu.

Daniel Santisteban, Ph.D., of the Center for Family Studies in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is currently conducting a research program that would provide adolescents and/or their family treatment for free. Participants must be 14 to 17 years old, have a parent or legal guardian willing to participate, meet DSM criteria for both substance abuse disorder and borderline personality disorder, and be willing to participate in four separate, paid evaluations. If interested, please contact Maite Mena, Psy.D., at 305-243-3658, or mmena@med.miami.edu for details. 

The Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement is conducting research with family caregivers of dementia patients who speak English and are 50 years of age or older. If you are not a caregiver but are interested in participating, you may be able to help as well. Participants will receive basic training on how to use the Internet and will be asked to look for information about care-giving and dementia. If you are interested in being a part of this research study, please call 305-355-9200. You will be paid for your time and effort.

Jennifer B. Marks, M.D., is currently recruiting patients ages 18 through 40 with type 1 diabetes mellitus with a recent diagnosis for participation in a research study to test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication. Patients must be taking multiple insulin injections daily and in good health. Those who are interested should contact Rogelio Suarez at 305-243-6573 or rsuarez2@med.miami.edu.

The AIDS Clinical Research Unit, directed by Margaret Fischl, M.D., is recruiting participants for the following studies:

• An investigational polyclonal caprine IgG, HRG214, for HIV patients not responding to antiretroviral therapy. HRG214 contains antibodies that targets HIV infected CD4 cells and specific regions on HIV. Laboratory/animal studies suggest these antibodies are capable of killing or disabling HIV and preventing further infection.  Participants must have HIV RNA < 5000 copies/ml and CD4 cells < 200 cells/cmm. The study will evaluate 3 increasing dose of HRG214 in part I and compare HRG214 to optimized antiretroviral therapy in part II. HFG214 is given IV over about 30 minutes three times a week for up to 26 weeks. $100 provided each completed week of HRG214 treatment and $25 each completed week of observation

 • A phase II study of investigation use of recombination human keratinocyte growth factor (rHuKGF, palifermin) for patients with incomplete immune recovery on HAART.  rHuKGF may enhance thymus production of lymphocytes and increase CD4 cell counts. Participants must be 18 years and older, receiving antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months with HIV RNA <200 and CD4 cell count <200 cells.  The study will evaluate 3 doses (20, 40 60 mcg/kg) of rHuKGF compared to placebo.  rHuKGF given IV bolus daily for 3 days. Follow up study visits at weeks 1,2,4,8, 12 and 24 with thymus CT scans at entry and week 12.

 • A phase II of an investigational glycosylated recombinant human IL-7 (CYT017, a cytokine that aids T-cell development and improves T-cell survival). Participants must be 18 years of age, receiving HAART for at least 12 months and have an HIV-1 RNA level < 1,000 copies/ml and CD4 cell count of 101– 400 cells/ccm. The study will evaluate three increasing doses (10, 20, 30 Fg/kg) of IL-7 given by SQ injection once a week for 3 weeks. Up to $275 in food certificates provided.

For more information on studies conducted by the AIDS Clinical Research Unit, contact Juan at 305-243-3838 or Leslie at L.Thompson@miami.edu.

Bruce Rubin, M.D., is currently performing a study on trigeminal neuralgia (TN) treatment with subcutaneous injections of BOTOX® to evaluate the effectiveness of treating facial pain associated with TN. Patients must have a diagnosis of TN for more than three months and be at least 18 years of age.
 
Dr. Rubin is also seeking patients for a research study on the treatment of tightness/spasticity in the wrist, fingers, and elbow caused by a stroke while evaluating the effect of BOTOX® on pulmonary functioning. Patients must be 18 years of age, have had a stroke six months ago or longer, have a pulmonary/breathing problem and cannot have used BOTOX® or any other botulinum toxin previously for any condition. Please contact Amy L. Kaye, ARNP, at 305-243-6223 for additional information on either of these studies.