Research shows that natural remedies may be worth a try if you’re trying to reduce inflammation and blood pressure – leading to greater heart health.
Although human trials are either mixed or not yet active, experts say your health routine could benefit from extracts of bilberry, garlic, the hawthorn berry, ginkgo biloba and Omega-3.
Five randomized trials have shown aged garlic extract helps reduce dangerous plaque build-up in one’s arteries and can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, said Dr. Matthew Budoff, a principal investigator at the Lundquist Institute, a 70-year-old medical research lab in Torrance, California.
One nice benefit is that the supplement is odorless, Budoff noted.
In one study, 55 patients ages 40-75 who had been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome were given either a placebo or a dose of 2,400 milligrams of aged garlic extract every day. The syndrome’s conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and excess body fat around the waist.
A follow-up screening a year after the initial screening revealed the people who’d taken the aged garlic extract had slowed their total plaque accumulation by 80 percent and reduced their soft plaque accumulation, according to the study in the Journal of Nutrition.
Other potentially heart-healthy supplements include:
• Omega 3, a fish oil derivative, has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events, Budoff said. The best validated is a prescription therapy shown to reduce cardiac events – incidents that can damage the heart muscle, he said. Such events can include heart fluttering, chest pain and shortness of breath.
• A non-prescription dietary supplement called
hawthorn, which comes from a flowering tree or shrub of the rose family. Animal studies have shown the supplement can relax constricted blood vessels.
• Bilberries, often called English blueberries, contain antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties.
• Ginkgo-biloba can reduce inflammation, but experts caution that people should first consult their doctors before taking it.
Budoff cautioned against extreme diets or other measures.
“There’s not one diet fits all,” he said. “And diets that are quiet extreme are not sustainable. By definition, they don’t work.”’
Budoff, a cardiologist for more than two decades, said neither eating a caveman diet of pure protein or a pure vegan diet is healthy.
“There’s nothing about our physiology or tooth structure that says we can be sustained by vegetables only,” he said.
“This is truly a marathon,” Budoff said of heart-healthy lifestyle changes. “It’s about changing behaviors for life.”
HENRY: Portrait of a Serial Killer screens February 24th at Doc Films. (35mm print)
Image source: IMDb.com
Time for more horror listings! There are some 35mm genre screenings this week, including HENRY: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Bong Joon-ho’s MOTHER. Other options include: THE LODGE, EVOLUTION, and a Q&A with actor William Forsythe for I AM FEAR. Relax and hang out at a Stranger Things official pinball launch party. Films listed are scheduled for dates through next Thursday.
“Don’t walk to the theater–RUN!”
MOVIES:
MOTHER [35mm] – (Feb. 21st at 2pm; Feb. 25th at 6pm) South Korean director Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Parasite) made another masterpiece with Mother, a story about a woman whose slow-witted son is accused of murdering a local schoolgirl, resulting in her taking to the streets to investigate the mystery herself since the cops and her lawyer are of no help. Part of the From Asia, with Love film series. Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., Chicago 60601.
THE LODGE – (Feb. 21st-26th) A woman is left with her fiancé’s two children in a cabin during a blizzard, but that’s not the only thing they have to worry about. Fantasy Island, Parasite, and Knives Out also continue their runs. ArcLight Cinema, 1500 N. Clybourn, Chicago, IL 60610.
BRAHMS: The Boy II – (Feb. 20th – Feb. 26th) He’s back! A family moves into the Heelshire mansion, where the doll, Brahms, is waiting. Times vary. Hollywood Palms Cinema, 352 South Route 59, Naperville, IL 60540.
THE NEW YORK RIPPER / AMITYVILLE ISLAND – (Feb. 21st at 7pm) Windy City Horrorama presents a double feature of New York-themed horror movies. BYOB. Bucket O’ Blood Books & Records, 3182 N. Elston, Chicago, IL 60618.
COLOR OUT OF SPACE – (Feb. 21st & 22nd) Midnight Friday and Saturday. The long-awaited directorial return of Richard Stanley (Dust Devil, Hardware) offers a dazzling, ultra vivid, sci-fi horror film starring Nic Cage and Joely Richardson. Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, a family moves to a remote farm for a quiet life, which quickly turns into a terrifying nightmare after a meteorite lands nearby and an extraterrestrial organism begins to infect both their bodies and minds. Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613.
HENRY: Portrait of a Serial Killer [35mm]– (Feb. 24th at 7pm) Raw, cold, chilling depiction of a fictionalized account of a short, violent period during the life of a serial killer (loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas). Michael Rooker’s chilling lead performance is still haunting to this day. Filmed (without permits) in Chicago, this offers a bleak realism that quickly cemented this as one of the most truly disturbing films ever made. (Parasite also screens at 7pm & 9:30pm Sat.; Sun. at 4pm) Doc Films, Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago, 1212 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637.
PARASITE – (through Feb. 27th) Director Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer) is a master at his craft and it’s worth seeking out his entire body of work. Don’t miss this film that just won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture! Times vary. Landmark Century Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Chicago, IL 60657.
I AM FEAR – (Feb. 23rd & 24th at 7pm) A celebrity reporter is captured by terrorists. Saturday’s screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Jeremy Rosen and actor William Forsythe! Also stars Kristina Klebe and Bill Moseley. Official release is March 3rd, 2020. Also, PARASITE continues through Feb. 25th. Logan Theatre, 2646 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60647.
EVOLUTION – (Feb. 27th at 9:30pm) Creepy French sci-fi/horror mystery featuring an island solely populated by young boys and women. Doc Films, Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago, 1212 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637.
MAD MAX: Fury Road – (Feb. 27th at 5pm) Screening as part of the 2019-2020 One Book, One Chicago season. Chicago Public Library, West Chicago Ave. Branch, 4856 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651.
THE FOG – (Feb. 27th at 7pm) Ghoulish Mortals hosts free movie nights each Thursday at 7pm. 228 W. Main Street, St. Charles, IL 60174.
THE INVISIBLE MAN – (Feb. 27th at 7pm, 8:15pm, 10:15pm) Leigh Whannell’s 2020 reimagining starring Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale). Hollywood Palms Cinema, 352 South Route 59, Naperville, IL 60540.
KNIVES OUT – (through Feb. 27th) Smartly written whodunit. Wilmette Theatre, 1122 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – (Saturdays at 11:55pm) Full cast performance each Saturday at midnight. Hollywood Boulevard Cinema, 1001 W. 75th St., Woodridge, IL 60517.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW [35mm] – (Feb. 22nd at midnight) Includes Midnight Madness shadowcast. Sponsored by ALTER with a 7-minute intro film, Road Trash. Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613.
Movie Trivia Night – (Tuesdays at 8pm) Every Tuesday in their swanky lounge! Team limit 5 people. Winning team members receive a Logan Theatre gift card! Logan Theatre, 2646 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60647.
Sinema Obscura TV Party – (Feb. 19th-July 15th) Sinema Obscura and Trust This Ghost present monthly independent entertainment in the lounge each Wednesday. Logan Theatre, 2646 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60647.
STAGE:
BUG -(Jan. 23rd-March 15th) The intense tale of a mismatched pair in Oklahoma whose relationship goes terribly, terribly wrong. When paranoia, bugs, and government conspiracies destroy any semblance of sanity! Written by Tracy Letts (The Sinner, Homeland, Lady Bird) and directed by David Cromer (The Newsroom). Starring Carrie Coon (The Leftovers, The Sinner, Fargo TV series), Namir Smallwood (Chicago Fire), Gary Cole (Office Space), and Randall Arney (Chain Reaction). Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL.
EVIL DEAD: The Musical – (Jan. 23rd-Feb. 29th) This gory comedic mashup takes from all three (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness) and creates a wildly funny, bloody musical (complete with Splatter Zone seats)! Directed by Matty Gregg. (Under 17 must be accompanied by an adult.) Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, Chicago, IL. TICKETS.
POISON – (Feb. 20th – March 14th) The plight of poison-makers among rich society in 17th century Paris. Presented by The Plagiarists (Previews Feb. 14th, 15th, 19th) Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan, Chicago, IL.
STRANGER THINGSOfficial Pinball Launch Party – (Feb. 21st from 7pm-midnight) Episodes streaming all night. IFPA tournament begins at 8pm. A DJ spins the Stranger Things soundtrack along with 80s dance music. (21+) Logan Arcade, 2410 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL 60647.
Suffering Organic Impairments – (Feb. 7th-29th) Horror Floral presents a look at the beauty of death and the return to nature. Various artists. Supported by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Ct., Elgin, IL 60120.
Troll Hunt! – (through June 2020) Search across 1700 acres of The Morton Arboretum for troll sculptures ranging from 15ft. to 30ft. tall! Tips: Check the site for info, maps, and locations so you do not get lost and please do not go without wearing some form of strong bug spray. Extra tips HERE. Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL 60532. Troll Cheat Sheet!
Space Golf – (Daily) Alien-themed outer space fun with blacklight mini golf, 3D golfing, holograms, a Sci-Fi Cafe, and more. 15611 S. 94th Ave., Orland Park, IL 60462.
Bad Axe Throwing – (Days/times vary) Group rates apply or do a walk-in for $20 for one hour. Bad Axe Chicago, 2828 N. Clark (Atrium Level), Chicago, IL. (888) 435-0001.
Fox in a Box Escape Room– Visit their newest room, Zodiac, which is themed on the successor to the Zodiac Killer. The room was scenically designed by a designer from the Field Museum. 47 W. Polk, Suite L5, Chicago, IL 60605. (Recently ranked #1 escape room in the USA and #2 in the world for the month of March 2019.)
Chicago Rage Room – Got rage? Get rid of it pronto with the sweetest release (without hurting anyone!). Pay for items to break or bring your own! Room prices begin at $15. (Reservations required.) 153 W. Ohio, Chicago, IL 60654.
Chicago Ghost Tours App – A free app for enjoying audio and photo tours of Chicago’s Haunted Archer Avenue is available, courtesy of Edward Shanahan, a fellow ChicagoNOW blogger (check out his blog, Chicago Paranormal & Spiritual). He is also a psychic and paranormal host who has worked on making his app a great addition to fans of Haunted Archer. The app includes 16 locations and 6 cemeteries. Free download! Shanahan also has a free online magazine.
Mind Trap Escape Rooms – Solve the clues to get out within 60 minutes! 299 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery, IL 60538. (630) 216-9609.
Chicago Hauntings Bus Tours – One of the longest-running ghost tours in Chicago, each 2.5 hour tour is led by founder, paranormal investigator, and author Ursula Bielski and her partner, author David Cowan. Routine stops include locations of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Death Alley, gangland sites, murder sites, and more. Departs at the Congress Hotel. For schedules, all tours, and background information, please see ChicagoHauntings.com.
Please check websites for updates, cancellations, and ticket pricing information before attending.
Please join The Chicago Creepout for current updates on Facebook HERE!
Horror movie fanatic. Sculptor of oddities. Owner of Chicago Creepster Yahoo!, festival volunteer, writer, artist, social media freelance. Officially a biomechanical Frankenlady. Doing what I can to support our spooky community.
Teenagers are confronting a particularly complicated dating environment – even beyond the usual angst and hormonal changes – as they face today’s #MeToo sensitivities and a renewed debate about traditional masculinity and its ramifications.
The American Psychological Association released its first-ever guidelines in August 2019 for psychologists working with boys and men. The guidelines noted that guys, too, can be hurt by conforming to an ideology that labels them weak when they seek help.
The boys and men are at risk of being labeled with outward-facing issues, such as substance abuse problems, rather than with internalized issues such as depression.
Yet it’s still a problem that boys and men who conform to a hyper-masculine ethic defined by “anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure, risk, and violence,” the report said.
Fredric Rabinowitz, one of the guidelines’ lead writers and a psychology professor at the University of Redlands in California, told The New York Times that the guidelines aim to help men and boys lead happier, healthier lives.
“We see that men have higher suicide rates, men have more cardiovascular disease and men are lonelier as they get older,” he said in the article. “We’re trying to help men by expanding their emotional repertoire, not trying to take away the strengths that men have.”
The guidelines also cite research showing men die at a younger age than women, partly because of poorer diets and more risky behaviors like smoking, and they commit a majority of the country’s violent crimes, despite their socioeconomic advantages.
That’s why
LoveIsRespect.org, a non-profit that has designated February as “Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month,” is running the #1Thing (One Thing or Hashtag One Thing) campaign to meet teens where they are.
“By learning one thing about teen-dating violence and sharing that with a friend, every teen can make a difference,” the organization.
One key to preventing dating violence is to educate young people about relationships, said Alexandra H. Solomon, Ph.D., @AHSolomon, dralexandrasolomon.com/ who
who has just published her second book, “Taking
Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the
Relationship You Want (New Harbinger Publications, 2020),” urging women to find their unique sexual selves.
“We know that girls who grow up watching violence in their homes – for example, if the father abuses the mother – [those girls] are at greater risk,” Solomon said. “Boys who witness violence are more likely to perpetrate violence.”
“This speaks to the importance of doing our own healing work,” she said. “We are not responsible for the traumas we encounter, but we are responsible for our healing. Witnessing abuse can leave us feeling that there are only two roles one can play in a relationship – perpetrator or victim, hurting or being hurt.”
“Breaking the generational patterns is really important,” Solomon said. “The media and our culture perpetuate the idea that ‘might is right.’ It’s part of systemic sexism and racism and leaves people feeling they can’t ask for help.”
Watch for red flags, including:
• A person who can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
“No is a complete sentence,” Solomon said.
“You should be concerned if someone says, ‘We have to fool around. You’ve been teasing me all night. If you don’t put out, I’m going to tell our friends,’” Solomon said.
• A person who is unkind, who see situations as win-lose and/or who have a sense of entitlement.
“Part of the problem is that we socialize girls to put everyone else’s comfort ahead of their own sense of safety and dignity,” Solomon said. “Instead, we must reinforce our girls’ ability to say ‘no’ early and often.”
“I want girls to recognize when their boundaries are being disrespected,” Solomon said. “I want her to be able to say, ‘I’m uncomfortable. I’m going to head out.’”
It’s also important to teach boys that “no” means no.
“They must learn how to read feedback: To ask instead of insist. To read the look on the other person’s face, to be led by empathy,” Solomon said.
“Boys are at risk of feeling they have to be successful with girls to feel worthwhile as guys. They are at risk of basing their self-worth on getting a girl to have sex with them, and to have a girlfriend. It can be an effort to stabilize a shaky sense of self worth.”
Doctors from the University of Chicago Department of Medicine – University of Chicago Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition.
One of my biggest regrets was allowing my brother to agree not to have an autopsy done on my mother. At the time, I was a bit emotional after my mother had passed away so I told my brother to answer the University of Chicago doctor phone call. Little did I know the doctor had called to convince my brother to refuse an autopsy on my mother. He went into a long story on how the autopsy would involve a lot of cutting that would leave my mother’s body in such a way that an open casket funeral would not be possible.
The doctor did a great job of getting my brother to think of how gruesome an autopsy would be, but more importantly, the doctor did a great job of covering the University of Chicago mistakes.
My mother had cancer that did not spread to her brain. At some point she became unresponsive. The doctors at the University of Chicago kept telling us she had an infection. They also kept saying she should be back talking after they treat the infection. Several days passed with the doctors supposedly trying to learn about and treat the infection.
Keep in mind, the doctors kept telling me they believe they could treat my mother. I mean the doctors were pretty nice to me over the phone until I told them of an incident of the staff at the University of Chicago dropping my mother’s head on a concrete like surface either before or after one of her CT or MRI scans. After I informed a doctor of the incident, from that point on, the doctors at the University of Chicago gave me legal answers and talked very slowly. They made sure they were careful with their words.
As her son, I only wanted my mother to be okay. I asked the doctors to do a head scan to check her head because my mother was in a lot of pain before she became unresponsive. She would call me in tears talking about how much her head hurt, how the room was spinning and how they dropped her head. She was in pain and in need of help before she became unresponsive. So, I told her to tell the doctors and nurses of the head dropping incident, which she did.
The doctors at the University of Chicago knew of the incident, but likely did not think I knew about it. It has been over five months since my mother passed away and the University of Chicago won’t give me her medical records, copies of her head scan, doctor notes and the dates of her head scans. I have asked them several times to tell me if a head scan was done on my mother after she became unresponsive, but they won’t answer that question or any question about my mother’s head. I have been denied access to my mother’s medical records.
You can check out Tron’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/tron-griffin
*This post is from the personal experience of the blogger and his family.
Tron Griffin grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He writes about issues facing Chicagoans. You can check out Tron’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/tron-griffin
If you’re newly available and starting to date after 40, you don’t have to feel like Rip Van Winkle.
Nothing feels the same, especially for people coming out of a long marriage.
But a Chicago-area therapist says take a deep breath and prepare to learn about dating apps, online privacy and keeping your cool when a date reminds you of your ex.
It will be worth it.
A key part of learning to use dating apps is to figure out what works best for you and to avoid getting overwhelmed, says Alexandra H. Solomon, Ph.D., @AHSolomon dralexandrasolomon.com/ whose “Marriage 101” class at Northwestern University has been featured on NBC’s “Today Show” and who has just published her second book, “Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationship You Want (New Harbinger Publications, 2020),” urging women to find their unique sexual selves.
“What works for you may be different than what works for your best friend or sister,” said Solomon, a licensed clinical psychologist who practices at The Family Institute at Northwestern University and who teaches in the university’s School of Education and Social Policy.
Beware being overwhelmed with potential dates.
“You can stand in line at Trader Joe’s and swipe on 20 people – the issue is the volume of the possibilities of people,” Solomon said.
It’s a quantity versus quality issue.
And get clear on why you’re re-entering the dating scene.
“People may find it’s helpful to go slow to avoid burnout and cynicism,” said Solomon, 46, who’s been married for 21 years. “Keep in mind this is a learning and growing process.”
Questions you should ask yourself include: Am I ready to date? Am I choosing to date because I’m excited about the possibilities of love? Or because I’m afraid of being alone or seeing my ex find someone else first?
The healthy answer is telling yourself, “I have a lot to offer a partner. I’m excited to love again,’” said Solomon, whose first book is “Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want” (New Harbinger, 2017).
So after you’ve laid the groundwork, practical issues matter.
Use a free Google phone number to make dating connections.
Alexandra Solomon Photo by Marita Poll
Never get picked up or dropped off for a date at your home. Meet at a restaurant or other public place.
And finally, sit with your feelings when you get home from a first date – BEFORE you discuss it with anyone else, even your best friend, your mom or your sister.
“Whether you’re 25 or 55, you should take time to check in with yourself and see how you feel before a whole squad of people start to weigh in,” she said. “Internalizing other people’s strong opinions about your love life is a boundary violation, and it makes it harder for you to figure out how you feel. You need to figure out for yourself, ‘How do I feel about this connection?’”
The issue gets more complicated when children are involved. There are no hard and fast rules.
“It’s important for kids to be brought in once there’s a sense of clarity – that this is exclusive, that we’re building a relationship,” Solomon said. Some joint parenting agreements specify a timeframe in which the children can be introduced to a new partner.
If becoming a step-parent seems daunting, stay open-minded.
“Sometimes, our lives unfold in a way we can’t foresee,” Solomon said. “Sometimes becoming a step-parent becomes one of the most beautiful aspects of a person’s life.”
Finally, do your own healing work to deal with loving after loss.
“Understand and sit with the emotions – anger, sadness, shame, disappointment — and process those feelings, ideally with a therapist,” she said. “That way, you can trust yourself to choose a new partner for who that new partner is, versus in reaction to your loss.”
As National Engineers Week draws to a close, two young women engineers say they’re excited to work on advancements in heart technologies.
Beatrice E. Ncho
Shelly Singh-Gryzbon
.
Beatrice E. Ncho, a fourth-year chemical engineering PhD candidate at Georgia Tech, focuses on engineering prototypes of transcatheter aortic valves that have a reduced risk of thrombosis (from a fluid mechanics standpoint).
She is starting her fourth year working in Dr. Ajit Yoganathan’s Cardiovascular Fluids Mechanics Laboratory.
Yoganathan has led the testing of every prosthetic heart valve design on the U.S. market for safety and effectiveness.
His lab has served as a valve approval site for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for four decades, according to a Georgia Tech research story (https://rh.gatech.edu/features/king-hearts).
Ncho, 25, has helped in testing and developing new heart valve devices.
“The heart valves in our bodies work — open and close — to allow blood flow in the right direction. When these valves don’t work properly, our blood flow is compromised,” Ncho said. “The solution to this problem is generally a replacement or repair of our heart valves with an engineered device. Sometimes, this engineered device has complications, and the patient is at risk of further problems.
“My work is to look at existing devices and test them to understand reasons for certain failures (for example thrombosis/ “blood clots” on an engineered heart valve), and then develop and test new devices that will reduce the risk of such failure,” she said.
Ncho credits her engineering training for enabling her to think critically, be analytical and seek creative solutions.
Ncho, who grew up in Bamenda, Cameroon, in West Africa, credits her family for encouraging her and her five sisters to aim for the highest in their chosen profession.
“Growing up, my father was a businessman with an entrepreneurial spirit, and my mother a middle and high school history teacher. They constantly instilled in my siblings and me the values of hard work, a great education and a valuable profession – one that contributes to the world around us,” she said.
“In an African society that mostly valued and prioritized the education and success of the male child, my parents taught us we were equally as good and all we needed to do was be hard working for whatever we wanted,” Ncho said. “My father encouraged us to pursue medicine related professions (i.e pharmacy and medicine), but I always wanted to be an engineer.
“I thought it was an exciting profession — one where you think of an idea and bring it to reality. I told my father that my compromise with him was I will pursue a profession that allows me to be an engineer that addressed medicine related problems.”
Ncho now encourages girls and young women to pursue engineering.
“My main advice for people I mentor is to have a vision and a why — a reason,” she said. “You may not have everything figured out, but have a rough idea of where you’re headed. Be also open to detours and changes along the way. The journey will be challenging, but never forget your reason for doing it because it will encourage you to stay the course.”
Ncho stays motivated by making “Determination, Discipline and Dedication” a personal motto, and remembering that whatever she does “is in service of others and bigger than me.”
She chose chemical engineering because of its near-limitless career possibilities, including work with oil and gasoline, energy, plastics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medical devices.
Ncho earned her bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) from Texas Tech University in 2016, and her master’s in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2018. She is expected to graduate with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, and a minor in Biomedical Engineering, in December 2020.
She intends to join the medical device industry after graduation, working as a Research and Development engineer who uses engineering fundamentals to continue to provide solutions to medical-device issues.
Shelly Singh-Gryzbon, PhD, a former post-doctoral fellow in Yoganathan’s lab, focuses on developing models of heart valves on the computer.
These models can be used to understand how heart diseases develop or progress; to help design treatments or devices for the heart diseases, or to perform virtual surgery to help doctors decide the best procedure/device to use on a patient.
“As an engineer, you learn how to take highly complex, real-life situations and understand them using fundamental laws of physics,” said Singh-Gryzbon, 32, who is now a lecturer in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.
Singh-Gryzbon grew up in Arima — a small town in Trinidad – and she credits her parents and teachers at her semi-private all-girls school for encouraging her to pursue her dreams and her favorite subjects, which were always math and science.
“The school and the teachers played a huge role in my upbringing, and truly pride themselves on developing strong, independent and confident women,” she said. “My mom and dad never restricted us from any activities because we were girls.”
Singh-Gryzbon earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical and process engineering from The University of the West Indies; her master’s in chemical engineering from Imperial College London, and her PhD in chemical engineering from Imperial College London.
She said she now hopes to use her training and experience to spread awareness of the role engineers can play in medicine and medical technology in Trinidad and Tobago, and set up a program that fosters collaboration and communication across the medical, engineering and natural science disciplines.
ChicagoBears (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The rumors are swirling and social media is buzzing. Could the Chicago Bears actually land Derek Carr?
Thursday was an eventful day at the office for Chicago Bears fans; and by eventful day at the office, I mean, an active day on social media.
It all started when Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr riled us up by posting a photo on his instagram without a caption. The photo simply showed he and Bears pass rusher Khalil Mack hugging it out after last year’s game in London.
Carr and Mack are, of course, good friends and former teammates.
Then, fans noticed Carr’s previous post was of the quarterback appearing to thank Raiders fans or, if you go out on a limb, say ‘goodbye.’
If you combine those two posts with one of Carr’s brothers tweeting this expression, also with zero caption, fans are going to start to wonder what’s going on.
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To top it all off, NFL Insider Benjamin Allbright gave us this nugget.
Bears are quietly looking at QB options.
Trubisky will still get the shot to be the guy, but much like Titans/Mariota last year, the leash is short.
They’d prefer vet ready-to-play, options. If Raiders were to move on from Carr ($21.5m cap hit vs $7.9 dead) theyd be interested.
Queue The Office gif titled, ‘Oh my God! It’s happening!’
It is no secret that the Raiders have been linked to free agent quarterback Tom Brady. But, beyond any speculation in regards to Brady, many have long considered Raiders head coach Jon Gruden to have the desire to go out and get his own quarterback.
After all, Gruden signed a 10-year deal to coach the Raiders. He still has eight of those left. Despite what Gruden might tell the public, many have believed Gruden has had his issues with Carr and would eventually like to cut ties with Carr and go get ‘his guy,’ whomever that may be.
So, with all of the rumors floating around and the social media flares we have seen, we have to wonder: Is Ryan Pace about to pull off another big trade?
My question is: Why wouldn’t he? This is a no-brainer, and for three key reasons.
The ChicagoBears might have to get creative to address the offensive line.
Entering the 2020 season, the Chicago Bears offensive line must improve their level of play from the 2019 campaign, and Greg Van Roten could go a long way in making that happen.
According to Football Outsiders, in 2019 the group ranked 29th in run blocking (28th in 2018). As for pass blocking, they ranked 20th in 2019 versus 7th in 2018, though that’s a bit deceiving, as their numbers were not nearly as bad as some might think.
Regardless, the Bears are expected to address the position this offseason. However, there isn’t a whole lot of flexibility to do so. Cody Whitehair, Bobby Massie, Charles Leno, James Daniels are all locks for next year, for different reasons. The one position that can be addressed is offensive guard — particularly right guard — the position previously held by Kyle Long and currently filled by Rashaad Coward.
Additionally, the reality is, if they want to make a change that will impact things in 2020, then they will have to go the route of free agency. Hoping to draft an offensive lineman who will make an immediate impact is not a guaranteed strategy.
So if they do address in free agency, they may have to get creative as they’ll have other needs to fill and limited salary cap space. That would seem to take them out of the Brandon Scherff sweepstakes who is in line to get a contract in the neighborhood of 4 years and just under $50 million according to Spotrac.
However, a quality player that can make an impact but at a fraction of the cost is Van Roten. The Carolina Panther has been a solid contributor for the team that has helped Christian McCaffrey run wild.
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Van Roten is only 29-years-old and earned a salary of only $805,000 last season. According to the Washington Post, he has only been called for one holding and two false start penalties in his career. He has also yielded only four sacks, all of which came in 2018.
If the Bears want to upgrade their interior offensive line and don’t want to break the bank to do so, then Greg Van Roten must be at the top of their list of candidates.
If the NFL changes its playoff format, it will only increase the pressure on the ChicagoBears.
In 2019 the Chicago Bears finished 8-8, which was good for the eighth-ranked team in the conference standings. Despite such a mediocre season, the team was still playing for a possible playoff berth until their Week 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers. According to a recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL is considering expanding the number of playoff teams, which if true, will only increase the pressure on the Bears.
Currently, only the top-six teams make the playoffs in each conference. Even if the new rule would have been in place last year, the team still would have fallen short of the playoffs behind the Los Angeles Rams. However, the scrutiny on the team, as well as the disappointment for not making the playoffs, would have been more intense.
Sure, there is another way of looking at this. You could see the playoff expansion as increasing the chances the Bears will make the playoffs each year. However, for a franchise that has only made the playoffs once in the last nine years, increasing the chances of making the playoffs, only increases the pressure.
Since Ryan Pace took over as general manager in 2015, the team has appeared in and lost one playoff game. Of course, when he took over, the roster was admittedly in disarray. He took substantial steps to overhaul the roster and has had much success on the defensive side of the ball. The offensive overhaul, however, has not gone as well, primarily due to poor quarterback play.
That quarterback will now be entering his fourth season (third as a starter) in an absolute make or break season. By trading up to select Mitchell Trubisky in the 2017 NFL Draft over both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, Pace has invited additional scrutiny on his tenure.
If Trubisky finishes his rookie contract (excluding the fifth-year option) without a playoff win, and only one appearance, it can only be seen as a monumental failure. This would be especially true considering that the financial flexibility afforded to the team by having a QB on a rookie deal would be gone, and so difficult roster decisions would have to be made.
In other words, adding another playoff spot would only raise expectations even more. There are only 16 teams in the conference and the new rule would grant nearly half of them a playoff berth. If they can’t consistently be in the top half of the conference, then Pace isn’t the guy for the job.
The ChicagoBlackhawks are likely going to be sellers at the trade deadline. They might be in the market to trade Erik Gustaffson for some assets.
The Chicago Blackhawks probably made a mistake when they didn’t trade Erik Gustaffson at the end of the 2018-19 season. He had 60 points in a season that saw everything go right for him offensively. He was never very good defensively which gave all the signs that the Hawks should take advantage of his trade value is high. They didn’t and he is now having a far inferior season.
He has six goals and 20 assists for 26 points so far this season. That isn’t terrible production from a third pair defenseman but it isn’t what it was last season. He would still make a fine addition to a blue line on a Stanley Cup contender. He would need a coach to put him in a position to succeed but there are plenty out there that are capable of doing that.
Trading Gustaffson is something the Blackhawks absolutely need to do. He is on an expiring contract right now and you can’t expect to fix any of our problems defensively by giving him a big contract. He would have been fine on the Blackhawks about five years ago but right now he is not a fit at all. This team is not good defensively at all and need to do things to improve that fact.
The Blackhawks could probably get a decent return for him at this point too. It is, as mentioned before, not going to be the return they could have gotten last summer but it is still going to be good. These are the three packages that would make a lot of sense:
