Andrew Carle
Assistant Professor, and Director, Program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration
Expertise: Senior Housing and Care, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care, Retirement Communities

Andrew Carle is an internationally recognized expert on senior housing and care. He has written extensively about, and presented nationally and internationally on, the best models of Alzheimer’s care including the 1950s inspired Waveny Care Center in New Canaan, Connecticut. Carle conducts research related to the quality of housing options for seniors and designed the Alzheimer’s facilities for a national “Top 10” assisted living provider. According to Carle, more than one-third of the nation’s 40,000 assisted living and continuing care retirement communities offer some type of Alzheimer’s care. However, families considering such housing need to know what to look for in terms of staffing, programming and facility design.

“Nearly 10 million U.S. caregivers struggle with issues of assisting someone with Alzheimer’s disease — often out of fear of moving the loved one to a long-term care facility. Assisted living has developed some truly innovative facilities for people with Alzheimer’s, but families are exhausting themselves because they think their only choices are between a nursing home or providing the care themselves,” says Carle. “Up to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s caregivers report providing more than 40 hours of help a week, with nearly 60 percent feeling they were ‘on duty’ 24 hours a day during the last year of the afflicted family member’s life. And to make things even more challenging, up to 1.4 million people live more than one hour from the person they are helping.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Mark Meiners
Professor of Health Administration and Policy
Expertise: Long-term Care Financing and Delivery Systems

Mark Meiners specializes in the areas of aging and health, with an emphasis on financial issues. He is nationally recognized as one of the leading experts on financing and program development in long-term care. Among his most recent and noteworthy accomplishments is his leadership of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Medicare/Medicaid Integration Program, an initiative designed to help states develop new systems of care that better coordinate acute and long-term care. In addition, he has led the RWJF Partnership for Long-Term Care since its beginning in 1987. His ground-breaking research on long-term care insurance has significantly increased public interest in this topic and his work on Medicare/Medicaid integration has helped advance chronic care improvement strategies for all aged and disabled populations.

“The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion every year. It is time to get a handle on these costs. Finding a cure is the goal, but until then, improved care coordination for Alzheimer’s patients and their families can go a long way toward bending the cost curve,” says Meiners. “Alzheimer’s patients and their families need medical and social service providers to work together in helping them cope with the stress of dealing with our fragmented health care system. Congress is beginning to support care coordination as an important part of health care reform, but care coordination needs to focus on the individual and engage interdisciplinary teams that include both health and social service professionals.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

Robin Couch
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Expertise: Therapeutics for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Robin Couch is a research scientist who is investigating the development of new therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Couch is currently evaluating the effectiveness of neuroprotection, which involves the use of neurotrophins, or molecules naturally produced by resident cells in the brain, to defend the brain cells from death. This includes nerve growth factor which is a specific neurotrophin that binds to brain cells and promotes their survival. His other research interests include isoprene biosynthesis, personalized medicine and anti-cholesterol therapeutics.

“Recent studies have revealed a significant reduction of brain cell death and a reduced rate of cognitive decline with nerve growth factor therapy. While these results are exciting and illustrate the potential of nerve growth factor for Alzheimer’s disease therapy, the most critical drawback is the inability of neurotrophins to travel from the bloodstream into the brain which means that invasive methods, such as direct injection or surgical implantation, are required to introduce nerve growth factors into the brain. To circumvent this problem, scientists are developing drugs that are able to enter into the brain and stimulate the resident cells to increase their natural secretion of nerve growth factor. Our research is helping to facilitate the development of such drugs,” says Couch.

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Jane Flinn
Director, Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience
Expertise: Role of Metals in Alzheimer’s Disease

Jane Flinn is examining the role of metals, particularly zinc, iron and copper, in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients. She is also studying the effects of metal levels in drinking water on behavior and on plaque development. Flinn, who holds a doctorate in psychology from George Washington University and a doctorate in physics from Oxford University, has long been focused on the biological bases of learning and memory. She recently completed a study — conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey — that focuses on the effects of enhanced zinc on spatial memory and plaque formation in transgenic (or genetically modified) mice.

“We found that iron significantly impairs spatial memory in transgenic mice with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Zinc caused spatial memory impairments that were partially alleviated by treating the mice with small amounts of copper. This is important because zinc, with copper, is recommended as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As a result, we have begun to examine metal levels in the eyes of people who have AMD,” says Flinn. “Also, as a general comment, mental stimulation and physical exercise are possible preventative measures for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Pamela M. Greenwood
Associate Professor of Psychology
Expertise: Genetics of Cognitive Aging, Cognitive Aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease

Pamela Greenwood uses behavioral, genetic and computational methods to investigate the cognitive sciences. Her overall goal is to find ways to identify older individuals who are likely to remain healthy and those who are likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Her research focuses on genes which regulate both normal cognitive aging and abnormal cognitive aging. She looks for effects of gene-to-gene interactions on cognitive aging, notably genes associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, including the Apolipoprotein E gene and neurotransmission genes. Greenwood serves as a reviewer for the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging Special Emphasis Panels and for the National Science Foundation’s Cognitive Neuroscience Program.

“Alzheimer’s disease is the scourge of old age. However, we have reached a real turning point in Alzheimer’s research. For the first time in the history of the disease, there are drugs undergoing clinical trials which are aimed at possible mechanisms of the disease. The path forward is not yet clear but we can now start to eliminate hypotheses,” says Greenwood. “Pathological changes can be detected years before the neuron death which occurs about the time of diagnosis. This provides a window of time during which the disease may be slowed or delayed and investigations into ways to do this could yield real benefits in the near future.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Dmitri Klimov
Associate Professor, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Expertise: Computer Simulations of Molecular Aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease

Dmitri Klimov uses computer simulations to study Alzheimer’s disease. His research focuses on the formation of starchlike protein assemblies that accumulate in body tissues called amyloid fibrils and their role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. He is also interested in the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. He has published more than 57 papers and recently received a half-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health in support of his research. Prior to joining Mason, Klimov worked as an assistant research scientist at the Institute for Physical Science and Technology at the University of Maryland at College Park.

“The design of drugs against Alzheimer’s disease requires an understanding of the formation of amyloid fibrils on the microscopic level. The molecular computer simulations performed in our lab have given us a much better understanding of this disease. Studying the interactions of ibuprofen with Alzheimer amyloid fibrils should help us to determine how this drug dissolves them and to develop strategies to enhance ibuprofen’s therapeutic benefit,” says Klimov. “I believe that molecular computer simulations are uniquely positioned to map the development of Alzheimer’s disease on a microscopic level.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Raja Parasuraman
University Professor, and Director, Ph.D. Program in Human Factors and Applied Cognition, and Chair, Neuroimaging Core of the Krasnow Institute
Expertise: Cognitive and Brain Function in Alzheimer’s Disease; Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease; Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Brain

Raja Parasuraman is a world-renowned researcher of cognitive neuroscience and human performance in human-machine systems. Parasuraman is known for developing the field of neuroergonomics, which he defines as the study of brain and behavior at work. He has conducted many studies using information-processing paradigms, event-related brain potentials and functional brain imaging both in normal populations and in relation to aging and Alzheimer’s disease. He has investigated the roles of human attention, memory and vigilance in automated and robotic systems as well as the molecular genetics of cognition, specifically attention and working memory. Parasuraman has authored several books related to his neuroscience research including The Psychology of Vigilance, Varieties of Attention, Event-Related Brain Potentials, Automation and Human Performance, The Attentive Brain, and Neuroergonomics: The Brain at Work.

“The number of cases of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is reaching epidemic proportions. Research focused on early detection, in adults in their 50s and early 60s, can help reduce the devastating health, economic, and social impact of this disease,” says Parasuraman. “There is hope arising from the convergence of scientific fields — neuroscience, genetics, and psychology — that an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to early detection will help in reducing the number of Alzheimer’s cases. Early detection of those at greatest risk can help in identifying who may best benefit from treatments that delay the onset of the disease. Even a one- to two-year delay in the age of onset can lead to a substantial decline in the number of cases.”

Media Contact: Marjorie Musick, 703-993-8781, mmusick@gmu.edu

Mason Professors Begin Basketball Training as Part of U.S. Department of State Grant

FAIRFAX, Va.,—Two George Mason University faculty members are currently traveling in India as part of a U.S. Department of State cultural exchange program meant to develop awareness of basketball in the country. Robert Baker, associate professor of sport management, and Craig Esherick, assistant professor of sport management, will hold combined coaching clinics and youth basketball camps in various cities throughout India. The trip is funded by an International Sports Initiative grant.

The grant, awarded through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will fund a multi-part plan meant to provide a formative experience in the lives of participating Indian boys and girls. Clinics and camps will be held in six cities in India with Baker and Esherick providing direct instruction, cross-cultural exchanges and hands-on experiences for players, coaches and league administrators that will not only enhance skill development, but also broaden participants’ understanding of diverse cultures.

“Basketball has become wildly popular all over the globe,” says Esherick. “We have a chance to help popularize basketball in a country that has not yet wrapped its arms around this sport. Our trip is also a great opportunity to exchange ideas about coaching all sports as well as to discuss best practices in sport management.”

Baker and Esherick have partnered with J.D. Walsh, a former player and coach who is also the founder of JDBasketball School.

During the clinics, the trio will teach fundamental basketball skills to Indian youth while simultaneously exposing them to American culture through the basketball experience. Coaches and administrators will learn how to run and market successful basketball leagues and clinics in India while coaches are also taught various instruction methods.

“The fact that the State Department has a program for grants to use sport on an international cultural exchange and development basis is recognition of sport as a cultural connection,” says Baker, who is also the director of Mason’s Center for Sport Management. “Our intent is to take the best practices of basketball leadership in the U.S. to India.”

While traveling in India, Baker and Esherick will identify 10 sports leaders to travel to the United States in summer 2010 to attend a Coaching Academy at Mason. During their time in Virginia, Indian coaches and administrators will receive instruction in sport management, participate in extensive interactive exchange with American sport officials and undertake an opportunity for coaching certification. They will stay in campus dormitories, learn from Mason faculty and take trips to various sporting facilities in the area.

On the current week-long trip, the group will visit New Delhi and Kolkata for their first clinics. Baker and Esherick plan to return to India in the spring to visit Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai. The Basketball Federation of India, local universities and YMCAs will provide classroom space and access to basketball courts for the clinics.

About George Mason University
Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.

About JD Walsh and JDBASKETBALL
John David ‘JD’ Walsh is a former University of Maryland basketball player and founder of JD Walsh Basketball School. JDBASKETBALL has operated in 10 countries on three continents, reaching more than 17,000 youth around the world. His ‘Hoops for Health’ project with Chinar.org, an orphanage in Kashmir, won the 2008 Ashoka Nike Gamechanger Award. Since 2007, JDBASKETBALL INDIA has worked with the Basketball Federation of India and eight state basketball associations to promote the game of basketball in India. In the past three years, JDBASKETBALL INDIA has conducted more than125 clinics in 13 cities to more than 6,000 youth, including the 2009 National Junior Championship in Mumbai. For more information please visit his web site at www.jdbasketball.com.

Forty-six percent of those surveyed indicated that immigration had had either no effect on them personally or has had a positive effect.  A total of 79 percent stated that they like their neighborhoods and 56.9 percent said that they planned to stay in their neighborhood in the next 5 years.

Yet, 53 percent of residents in the Weems and Sumner Lakes neighborhoods surveyed stated that the U.S. should take decisive action to deport illegal immigrants, and/or blamed them for depleting local resources such as health care and education. Some expressed strong anti-immigrant sentiments as indicated by the statements: “The place is being barraged with Latinos…Everywhere you go, there are swarms of them,” and, “Can I send them on a bus and load it up until they all speak English?” Others were more moderate in their sentiments, citing the issue of immigrants having entered the country illegally as a key concern.

“Our research suggests that the changes that have taken place in Manassas in the last 20 years have been unsettling for some residents," says Debra Lattanzi Shutika, assistant professor of English at Mason. "Many of these residents seemed to be experiencing what I have identified as a type of ‘localized displacement'—they feel out of place in their home community. In some cases, residents told us that they found it difficult to adapt to the changes taking place around them, and that these changes that made their 'home' seem unfamiliar.”

Interviews were conducted in selected neighborhoods revealed by Census tract data and press accounts to have become home to both white, native-born Americans and Latino immigrants in the preceding decade.  An unknown number of immigrants are alleged to have entered the U.S. without documentation. The survey employed an in-depth sampling strategy, the ethnosurvey, which requires in-person interviews at randomly-selected street addresses. The survey produced 104 responses for face-to-face interviews of approximately one hour in which residents were asked their opinions on a number of neighborhood quality of life measures. These findings were followed by 21 life history interviews that were taped and transcribed verbatim.

Shutika and colleague Carol Cleaveland are examining the discrepancy between the perceived high quality of life for most residents and the expression of strong anti-immigrant sentiments. One explanation, the researchers note, might be the patterns of residency – in particular the use of residential property to house large groups of men. Neighbors believed the men had been recruited for the construction industry, which had flourished in the area prior to the recession. Sixty-six percent of those interviewed complained of overcrowded houses, and 59 percent stated that too many cars are parked on streets as a result of this crowding. Fifty-three percent said some homes in their neighborhood were poorly maintained. Seventy percent cited foreclosures as a problem in their neighborhoods.

“Homeowners naturally want their investments to appreciate,” says Cleaveland, a faculty member in Mason's Department of Social Work. “What becomes problematic is turning this discussion into one about the presence of a particular group of people, and creating a social issue in which a certain segment of the population is targeted. We would have hoped for a debate and response that concerned trash pick-up, parking and overcrowding, instead of one in which a particular group is singled out as problematic."

Both researchers emphasize that that the work they’ve done is not meant to be a representative sample of the larger population in Prince William County. "Our intent was to gain a more in-depth understanding of how the controversy broke out in Manassas, and to understand how residents interpreted the events happening in their community," says Shutika.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.

FAIRFAX, Va.,—George Mason University was recently congratulated by Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine for winning a Governor’s Technology Award. The awards are given annually to Virginia-based companies and institutions for excellence in use of information technology.

Mason received the Innovative Use of Technology in Higher Education Award for implementing the Virtual Computing Lab (VCL). The VCL is a time-, energy- and cost-saving initiative that enables faculty and students to access specialized software from any computer with an internet connection anywhere in the world at any time. The VCL resolves many challenges associated with physical labs such as limited lab hours, limited space, travel time to campus, as well as the availability of complex tools for distance learners. 

"What we’ve done is create a new computing environment," says Sharon Pitt, executive director of Division of Instructional Technology at Mason and director of the VCL. "Anyone can access software such as Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Mathematica or GIS from their home, residence hall or local coffee shop any time of the day or night. The idea is that it will no longer be necessary to come to campus during lab hours to use these applications." 

The code for the VCL was developed at North Carolina State University and made openly available for other institutions to use. In addition to being recognized for the improvements it made to the system, Mason was also praised for coordinating and hosting the other Virginia institutions using the VCL, including the College of William & Mary, James Madison University and Virginia Commonwealth University. As host, Mason provides the system management software and the technical infrastructure for those institutions.

Mason is trying to accommodate the many private and public universities across the state that have expressed interest in accessing the VCL. The system’s popularity is evident on Mason’s campus, attracting an additional 300 new student users within the past two weeks.

"Clearly the VCL has become an effective and convenient tool that focuses on students and helps faculty enhance the learning environment," Pitt says. "We are hopeful our success, coupled with the recognition of this award, will help us build the momentum we need to keep the system growing in size and scope." 

The Governor’s Technology Awards were presented at the eleventh annual Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium in Williamsburg, Va. Honorees were determined independently by a judging panel of Virginia government information technology professionals. Judges included representatives of state, local and educational government interests.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.

FAIRFAX, Va.--Worried about climate change and want to learn more? You probably aren't watching television then. A new study by George Mason University Communication Professor Xiaoquan Zhao suggests that watching television has no significant impact on viewers' knowledge about the issue of climate change. Reading newspapers and using the web, however, seem to contribute to people's knowledge about this issue.

The study, "Media Use and Global Warming Perceptions: A Snapshot of the Reinforcing Spirals", looked at the relationship between media use and people's perceptions of global warming. The study asked participants how often they watch TV, surf the Web, and read newspapers. They were also asked about their concern and knowledge of global warming and specifically its impact on the polar regions.

"Unlike many other social issues with which the public may have first-hand experience, global warming is an issue that many come to learn about through the media," says Zhao. "The primary source of mediated information about global warming is the news."

The results showed that people who read newspapers and use the Internet more often are more likely to be concerned about global warming and believe they are better educated about the subject. Watching more television, however, did not seem to help.

He also found that individuals concerned about global warming are more likely to seek out information on this issue from a variety of media and nonmedia sources. Other forms of media, such as the Oscar-winning documentary "The Inconvenient Truth" and the blockbuster thriller "The Day After Tomorrow," have played important roles in advancing the public's interest in this domain.

Politics also seemed to have an influence on people’s perceptions about the science of global warming. Republicans are more likely to believe that scientists are still debating the existence and human causes of global warming, whereas Democrats are more likely to believe that a scientific consensus has already been achieved on these matters.

"Some media forms have clear influence on people's perceived knowledge of global warming, and most of it seems positive," says Zhao. "Future research should focus on how to harness this powerful educational function."

For a full copy of the paper, or to talk with Zhao, contact Tara Laskowski, Public Relations Manager, 703-993-8815 or tlaskows@gmu.edu.

Robin Remsburg, associate dean of Mason’s School of Nursing in the College of Health and Human Services who is also a gerontological nurse, notes that older patients who are hospitalized are much more likely to develop conditions such as delirium, hospital acquired infections and adverse reactions to medication that can prolong their hospitalization and exacerbate the original medical issues for which they were being treated.

“There are special needs to be considered when caring for older adults in various health care settings. Developing faculty expertise will allow us to meet the growing demand for nurses who know how to minimize the likelihood of complications by giving the best quality of gerontological care to patients,” says Remsburg.

Beginning on Oct. 24, approximately 24 nursing faculty members from Northern Virginia nursing schools including Mason will undergo two 15-hour seminar courses, a two-week summer practicum, a three-day certification review course and follow-up booster sessions in order to be able to teach their undergraduate students how to provide treatment to older adults. As early as fall 2010, graduates from schools across the region may benefit from this faculty education program as nurse-educators begin to incorporate new PEG content into course materials.

The program, which will eventually be made available to other nursing schools outside of the region through online courses, is supported by a three-year Health Resources and Services Administration grant totaling almost a half-million dollars. AARP, the West Virginia Geriatrics Education Center, and the Fairfax County Health Department are collaborating with the university on the project.

“As we join forces with community stakeholders and partners, the School of Nursing will do our part to fend off a potential public health crisis in Northern Virginia by helping older patients in hospitals or nursing homes receive the best possible care. Ultimately, patients will benefit and that’s what this is all about,” says Remsburg.

About George Mason University
Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country.  Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.