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'round and about

SIGNED TREASURES

“Authors and Actors: Signed Books From the Collection of Lawrence Grobel,” an exhibit of first editions signed and inscribed by prominent writers and performers, is on view in the rotunda of Powell Library through Dec. 23. Grobel, a lecturer in the English department, has been a freelance writer for more than 30 years for magazines and newspapers. The exhibit features about 50 of Grobel’s favorites, including “Catch-22,” signed by author Joseph Heller; “Silence of the Lambs,” signed by Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, who starred in the film version; and “Schindler’s Ark,” the basis for the film “Schindler’s List,” signed by author Thomas Keneally and Liam Neeson, who portrayed Oskar Schindler.

NEWS FLASH

UCLA chemists report the discovery of a remarkable new nanoscale phenomenon: An ordinary camera flash causes the instantaneous welding together of nanofibers made of polyaniline, a unique synthetic polymer that can be made in either a conducting or an insulating form. The discovery, which the chemists call “flash welding,” is published in this month’s issue of the journal Nature Materials. Many applications potentially could result from this research in such areas as chemical sensors and nanodevices.

RESEARCH CENTER OPENS

The new Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at UCLA was dedicated Nov. 2 during a two-day event that brought together a host of distinguished researchers for a series of scientific presentations on diabetes, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s and other medical topics. The Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at UCLA is named in recognition of a $5.9-million grant from the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation of Petaluma, Calif. The foundation supports medical research in California, particularly within UC.

UNEQUAL MEDICINE

A new UCLA study shows that African-American HIV patients seen by African-American doctors received better care than African-American patients seeing white doctors. Published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the study found that African-American patients treated by white doctors receive their HIV medications nearly four months later than African-American patients being treated by African-American doctors. The researchers, including the study’s lead investigator, William King, visiting associate physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases and the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education, concluded that policy changes boosting the number of African-American physicians are “imperative.”

A GREETING WITH MEANING

This year, Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA is offering five designs in its 2004 holiday card collection. Also on sale are boxes of tribute cards, suitable for year-round greetings. The holiday cards are $20 per box. Tax-deductible tribute cards are $50 per box. Cards are available at the UCLA Store, the Health Sciences Student Store and the medical center gift shop. To order online, visit www.mattel.ucla.edu by the Dec. 1 deadline. Proceeds will support services for patients at the Mattel hospital.