Dr. William Sacks (center) discusses Parkinson's disease with host Patty Satalia. Ray Reed (left) is using Sacks' therapy for Parkinson's. Take Note--Penn State Public Broadcasting

Frequent spasms caused a muscle in Martie Boone's neck to enlarge 16 times its normal size. Spasmodic torticollis, a movement disorder, left her unable to drive or work.

Then one of her doctors saw a Penn State Public Broadcasting (PSPB) program on torticollis and arranged for her to participate in a research study featured on the show. The injections of botulinum toxin she received in her neck muscles stopped the contractions.

"The WPSX program turned my life around," Boone said. "It's a miracle. I'm 56, and I feel great. I've been given my life back."

PSPB public affairs programming--from the "Creating Health" obesity series disseminated across the state by Cooperative Extension educators to weekly shows featuring timely topics--aims to make a difference in people's lives.

In another recent program, viewers learned about an alternative treatment for Parkinson's disease, which afflicts more than 1 million Americans. On the show was Dr. William Sacks, a retired neurochemist who discovered the therapy while conducting research at the Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research. He and colleagues found a deficiency of an enzyme complex at a crossroads in brain metabolism that can result in nervous system disturbances.

"Using acetazolamide and vitamin B1 (thiamine) can strengthen brain metabolism and ease Parkinson's symptoms," Sacks said.

Two people are now using Sacks' A+T Therapy after seeing the show, and Sacks also has sent information to Michael J. Fox, Janet Reno and Mohammad Ali--who are all suffering
from the disease.

For Pennsylvania educators, deciding which educational program to enroll in for professional development just became easier. Penn State programs for educators delivered through Penn State World Campus now carry the Pennsylvania State Education Association's (PSEA) Seal of Recognition.

PSEA President James R. Weaver said, "The Seal of Recognition is a sign to teachers in Pennsylvania and across the country that Penn State World Campus is a source of high-quality online graduate and professional development courses."

The association has endorsed the master of education programs in adult education and in curriculum and instruction, as well as certificate programs in educational technology integration, children's literature, family literacy, addiction studies, and distance education.

Twenty-four managers, engineers, vice presidents and analysts from such companies as Weyerhauser, JP Morgan Chase, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boeing, AT&T and Dow Corning, as well as the U.S. Navy, are the first to earn an online Intercollege MBA (iMBA) from Penn State.

For NATO Air Exercise Branch Chief Randy Ferguson, 39, who lives in London, "the online environment was perfect--even better than I expected. We have had excellent communication between students and professors." He added, "I gained more than I expected from the program that will help me in the military."

According to iMBA Chair Dr. John Fizel, the class included students from 15 states and Europe. The average age of the students was 33 years, and the average amount of work experience was seven years. Thirteen percent of the students were female and 13 percent were minorities. Only 33 percent majored in business as undergraduates.

For information about the iMBA, visit http://worldcampus.psu.edu/imba.

World Campus graduate Michael Archer moves in a new direction. Rich Johnston--Penn State Outreach Marketing Communications

Earning a Penn State master's degree in adult education has led to a new career for Michael Archer: director of the School of Clinical Lab Science at Mount Nittany Medical Center. He recently shared his experiences with Penn State Outreach.

Q: Why go back to school?
Archer: I've been working as a clinical laboratory scientist for 10 years in hospital laboratories. I decided for a change of pace I would like to teach the profession to others. I wanted to pursue a career as an educator. There's a national shortage of health-care workers, so I figured being an educator was an important, worthwhile endeavor.

Q: How was the program?
Archer: Instructors were really helpful, and the World Campus support group was incredible.

Q: What's next?
Archer: I am teaching my profession to others--starting my own program from the ground up at the medical center.