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Hispanic Employee Group Meets

The annual meeting of the general assembly of the NIH Hispanic Employee Organization (NIH-HEO) was held recently, and new officers were elected. The organization is chartered by DHHS and is sanctioned by NIH as an employee group.

Dr. Carlos Caban introduced Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, NIH deputy director, who addressed the audience. She reported that the NIH portion of the short-term plan for implementation of the "Hispanic Agenda for Action: Improving Services to Hispanic Americans" (available at http://www.os.dhhs.gov/about/heo/wghi.htm)" has been forwarded to DHHS Secretary Shalala. Kirschstein also addressed questions concerning Hispanic underrepresentation in the workforce, recruitment and promotion, and career plans for employees at NIH.

The annual election of officers followed. Officers for the next year are: Ernest Marquez, NIGMS, president; Francisco Calvo, NIDDK, president-elect; Carlos Caban, OER, past president; Raymond Mejia, NHLBI, secretary; Ivan Hernandez, NIAID, treasurer. At-large members include Elva Ruiz, NCI; Margarita Valencia, NIDA; Luis Arvelo, NHLBI; Carlos Crespo, NHLBI.

Marquez pledged to continue and increase activities undertaken by NIH-HEO, especially involvement in the Hispanic Agenda, recruitment and retention, and the activities of the NIH-HEO committees.

All interested NIH'ers are invited to join. A report of the meeting may be obtained at http://mrb.niddk.nih.gov/ray/file/Minutes_1996_Annual_Meeting or by email request to NIH-HEO@list.nih.gov.

OPM Expands Children's Benefits

The Office of Personnel Management can now restart civil service annuity payments and continue health benefits coverage for children of deceased federal employees who previously lost those benefits because of marriage. OPM can resume benefits if a child's marriage has ended and he or she is still eligible for benefits because of disability or enrollment as a full-time student while under age 22. Under both CSRS and FERS, benefits for children end upon marriage. Prior to passage of the new law, benefits could not be restored if the marriage ended. Now, under Public Law 104-208, a child's benefits can begin again as early as Oct. 1, 1996; if he or she becomes divorced or the spouse has died before that date. Surviving children reclaiming benefits under the new law may call Sandra Brown at OPM, (202) 606-0313.

Performance Of 'Scrooge'

A musical adaptation of Scrooge will be presented at the fourth annual AIDS Benefit Show on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. The Performing Arts Ensemble will present this production, featuring Santa Claus as special guest. Proceeds will support NIH patients and families through the Friends of the Clinical Center. For tickets ($7 for adults, $3 for kids 12 and under) call 6-4600.

Prostate Cancer Seminar

Dr. Otis Brawley, assistant director, Office of Science Policy, NCI, will present "Issues in Prostate Cancer Screening and Prevention," a seminar sponsored by the NIH Black Scientists Association on Thursday, Dec. 5, as part of its Science Working for Us Seminar Series. The seminar is cosponsored by NINDS, and will take place in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10 at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome.

Blood Bank Changes Hours

The NIH Blood Bank is changing its hours. Beginning on Jan. 2, 1997, the blood bank will be open every Thursday until 5:15 p.m. This is to accommodate present and prospective donors who would like to give blood during the latter part of the day. The other hours will remain the same: Mon., Wed., Fri., 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Tue. 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Thurs. 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Walk-ins are accepted, however the bank prefers that you call ahead to schedule an appointment. Phone 6-1048.

Symposium on Oligonucleotides

The NIH Therapeutic Oligonucleotides Interest Group is hosting "The First NIH Symposium on Therapeutic Oligonucleotides," on Friday, Dec. 6. It will be held in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The talks will cover a range of topics in the area of antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics. The program will close with socializing from 4:50 to 5:30. Reservations are not required. Contact person is Yoon Cho-Chung, 6-4020.

Smokenders Comes to Rockledge

On Jan. 7, 9:30-11 a.m., Rockledge 2, Rm. 9104, there will be a free orientation seminar to introduce a smoke-cessation program. Those interested can participate in six 2-hour weekly sessions that will follow on consecutive Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 14. Smokenders helps you overcome nicotine addiction gradually. The program is sponsored by the Division of Workforce Development and NHLBI, and can be paid for with ICD funds. Cost for the six sessions will be $225 or $255 per person, depending on the number of participants. For more information call Judith Ireland, 5-0086.

Holiday Concert

The NIH Chamber Singers will be presenting a holiday concert and sing-along on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at noon in Natcher Auditorium B. The program will feature traditional Christmas and Chanukah favorites, some unusual pieces and a dash of humor to brighten your holidays. Admission is free.

STEP Session Focuses on Chronobiology

A STEP Science for All session entitled "Chrono-biology: Timing is Everything!" is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997, in the Natcher Conference Center auditorium from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Learn about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and light therapy, the facts behind melatonin and jet lag, and how daily biological rhythms can affect the outcome of surgery or chemotherapy. Speakers for the series are Thomas Wehr, NIMH; William Hrushesky, Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany; and Timothy Monk, University of Pittsburgh.

The session is open to all NIH'ers on a first-come, first-served basis. Inform STEP of any need for sign language interpretation/reasonable accommodation by Dec. 30. For more information call 5-2769.

NINDS Sponsors Stroke Symposium

NINDS will sponsor a national symposium on "Rapid Identification and Treatment of Acute Stroke" on Dec. 12 and 13 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. The symposium will bring together professionals from a variety of fields to develop a national plan for rapid stroke treatment.

On Dec. 12, the symposium will feature presentations and panel discussions. That evening, participants will assemble comments from these sessions into final reports that will be presented on Dec. 13. The conclusions will eventually be published.

For more information, contact Terry Balderson, (301) 495-1591 x265.

Flamenco Dance Program, Dec. 7

The Viva Flamenco Spanish Dance Company, featuring veteran NIH'er Ena Camargo, will perform at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. The program will feature music and dance encompassing various styles, geographic regions and periods of Spanish history. Tickets are available at the Bldg. 31 R&W store's activity desk for $10. Call 6-6061 for more details.

Takoma Mandoleers Hold Concert

The Clinical Center rehabilitation medicine department will present the Takoma Mandoleers in concert on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. in the 14th floor assembly hall, Bldg. 10. There is no admission charge and the public is welcome. The performance will include classical, popular and ragtime and music of the early 20th century. For more information, call Bob Hammond, 6-2378.

Symposium on Cytokine Biology

The NIH Cytokine Interest Group is hosting a minisymposium on "Methods in Cytokine Biology," on Thursday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Natcher Conference Center. The program will feature talks and workshops on new and existing techniques to measure cytokine expression. Featured topics will include "chip"-based DNA detection systems, multiprobe RNAse protection assays, single cell cytokine analysis by flow cytometry and quantitative PCR. For more information, contact Calman Prussin at calman@nih.gov, or visit the CIG website at http://www.nih.gov/sigs/cytokine/.

STEP Applications Due Dec. 20

The following STEP modules still have registration open: Module 3, "Solvency In Science," on Apr. 9, 1997, and Module 4, "The Last Phase of Life: Knowing How and When To Let Go," on May 8, 1997. Registration is required by Dec. 20. Application details and a form can be found in the back of the STEP catalog. For more information about STEP training activities, call 5-2769.

Seminar Convened to Celebrate 25 Years of Service

Dr. William E. Paul's 25 years as chief of NIAID's Laboratory of Immunology will be celebrated with a seminar convened in his name on Tuesday, Dec. 17, in Lipsett Amphitheater, Bldg. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Paul also serves as director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research. Paying tribute, as speakers for this event, will be Drs. Anthony S. Fauci, Baruj Benacerraf, Charles Janeway, Jr., Mark Davis, Anthony DeFranco, Laurie Glimcher, Kenji Nakanishi, Fred Finkelman, Ronald Schwartz, and Ronald Germain. No registration is required. Call Germain, 6-1904 for more details.

Wednesday Afternoon Lectures

The Wednesday Afternoon Lecture series, held on its namesake day at 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10, features two lectures at mid-month then goes on winter holiday until Jan. 8.

On Dec. 11, Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins will give the George Khoury Lecture on the topic "Molecular Aspects of Colon Cancer."

The final speaker of the year on Dec. 18 is Dr. Janet Smith, professor of biological sciences at Purdue University. She will discuss "Modular Organization in the Structure and Function of an Enzyme Family: The Glutamine Amidotransferases."

Kicking off the new year on Jan. 8 is Yale's Dr. Ira Mellman, who will discuss "Cell Biology of Antigen Presentation: MHC Class II Transport, Dendritic Cell Development and other Strange Tales." A special Monday lecture at 2 p.m. will be held Jan. 13 when Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein of the University of Texas lectures on "The Clinical Investigator: Bewitched, Bothered and Bedeviled." This is the first James A. Shannon Lecture. On Jan. 15, Princeton's Dr. Anne Treisman will talk about "Feature Binding, Attention, and Object Perception."

For more information or for reasonable accommodation, call Hilda Madine, 4-5595.

FAES Chamber Music Series Continues

The FAES Chamber Music Series will present Ignat Solzhenitsyn, piano, on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. Admission is $20 at the door, $10 for students. For more information, call 6-7975.

We're Outta Here...

This is the last NIH Record for 1996. We appear again in your hands on Jan. 14, 1997. The deadline for that issue is New Year's Eve -- Dec. 31. In other words, two paydays will pass (Dec. 17 and 31) where it will be up to you to invent a "second best thing about payday." Happy Holidays!