December 2004
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WUSM professor bridges neuroscience and biomedical engineering research
Dec. 3,
2004 --
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| Angelaki |
Along the path toward breakthrough discoveries involving spatial orientation in the brain, Dora Angelaki, Alumni Endowed Professor of Neurobiology and professor of biomedical engineering, has made great strides bringing together biomedical engineers and neuroscience researchers.
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Though not perfect, blood test for prostate cancer is still recommended
Nov. 29,
2004 -- The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a common way to detect prostate cancer in its earliest stages. The exact number of a dangerously high PSA count is constantly under debate and varies among men in different age groups. Despite its imperfections, WUSM urologic surgeon Arnold Bullock still recommends the test be taken annually by men over 50.
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Americans getting taller and heavier
Nov. 10,
2004 --
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| Super-sizing has consequences. |
The average American is an inch taller and 25 pounds heavier than the 1960 average. Samuel Klein, director of the WUSM Center for Human Nutrition, says he doesn't expect the growing trend to stop here. Read more about obesity and nutrition in this Associated Press story by Laura Meckler.
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Women in their 40s should get a mammogram every year
Nov. 9,
2004 -- Getting an annual mammogram is recommended for healthy women beginning at age 40, and it could be even more important for women between 40 and 50. In the following Post-Dispatch article, Barbara Monsees, professor of radiology and head of the breast imaging section at Siteman Cancer Center, notes that breast cancer can be more aggressive among patients in that age group.
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Hot liquids, not fire, cause highest number of pediatric burns
Nov. 8,
2004 --
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| Boiling water is a serious burn threat. |
If burns were a disease, the number of burn victims treated at St. Louis Children's Hospital each year would constitute an epidemic. The leading cause of childhood burns is hot liquids, not fire. Many other household dangers contribute as well. Read more about causes and prevention of burns in this Post-Dispatch article by WUSM physician Robert P. Foglia.
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Dancing helps kids with cerebral palsy get stronger
Oct. 28,
2004 -- Inspired by her disabled daughter, Kim Gibson began teaching a dance class for children with cerebral palsy about three years ago. Jan Brunstrum, WUSM pediatric neurologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, encouraged the decision. Read more about the joy these children receive from the class in this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Robert Kelly.
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Children have Halloween limits
Oct. 27,
2004 --
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| Defining the line between fun and frightened |
In American culture, Halloween is an intriguing mix of ghastly imagery and holiday fun, and at the forefront of all the excitement are children. But how much is too much when it comes to Halloween fun? In the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, Dennis O'Brien, research associate in psychiatry, provides insight into the psyche of children on Halloween.
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Rising costs of health care pose huge challenges
Oct. 21,
2004 -- National experts addressed the most pressing political issues in health care at the Oct. 7 "Health Care Challenges Facing the Nation" conference at the Washington University Medical Center. Prominent among the bevy of hot topics were discussions about limiting access to health care to help alleviate rapidly escalating health care costs. Read more in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Rachel Melcer.
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Even preschoolers get depressed, research shows
Oct. 18,
2004 --
While it seems to be a subject many adults can't fathom, research by School of Medicine psychiatrist Joan Luby shows that children under the age of six can and do display signs of depression. Read more in the following Knight Ridder story written by Eric Adler and published in the Fort Wayne News Sentinel.
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Invasive treatments provide better results for older heart patients
Oct. 1,
2004 -- A recent study led by Richard Bach, a WUSM cardiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, showed that invasive measures, when used on patients over the age of 65 with severe heart disease, provided better results than conservative approaches. Bach hopes his research leads to revised methods for treating older patients with heart disease. This article was written by Elizabeth Querna and published by U.S. News & World Report.
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Chronic otitis link to digestive enzyme confirmed by study
Sept. 21,
2004 --
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| The digestive enzyme pepsin is found in the ears of many children with otitis. |
A new study led by WUSM's Judith E.C. Lieu has confirmed that pepsin, a digestive enzyme usually found in the stomach, is also present in middle-ear fluid of children with chronic otitis. While this points to a link between gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and otitis, children with otitis did not show an increased rate of GERD. Read the full story from Yahoo! News.
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Tiny tools could lead to early detection, better therapies for cancer patients
Sept. 20,
2004 -- The National Cancer Institute recently announced a five-year plan to develop nanotechnology for fighting cancer. This development and implementation of tiny, molecule-sized tools could lead to earlier detection and more precise therapies for cancer patients, according to WUSM's Samuel Wickline. Read the full story published by the Hindustan Times.
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Hepatitis vaccine's link to MS may just be 'a statistical fluke'
Sept. 17,
2004 -- A new study hints at a potential link between the popular hepatitis B vaccine and multiple sclerosis, but WUSM neurologist Anne Cross wrote a commentary on the study, published in Neurology, warning people that the results were not definitive and actually contradict other studies. Read more about the study and Cross' comments in the following story from Forbes.
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Pioneering studies on metabolism, diabetes receive landmark designation
Sept. 16,
2004 --
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| Carl and Gerty Cori |
Former WUSM scientists Carl and Gerty Cori won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1947. Their work will be honored again at 4 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Moore Auditorium when the American Chemical Society designates their research site as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. The ceremony will be followed with a lecture by former colleague and Nobel Laureate Arthur Kornberg. Get more details in this story from Medical News Today.
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Retired physician shares his vitality with community in need of it
Sept. 15,
2004 --
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| St. Louis Jewish Light |
| Flance |
For retired physician I. Jerome Flance, more than 60 years of helping people as a doctor and teacher wasn't quite enough. So six years ago, at age 87, he accepted the appointment of special associate for community redevelopment and began what is planned to be a 10-year project to revitalize the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood. Read more in the following article published by the St. Louis Jewish Light Simcha magazine.
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Osteoporosis cases increase among younger adults
Sept. 14,
2004 --
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| St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
Osteoporosis is the cause of more than 1 million bone fractures each year — injuries which can be devastating to the elderly. The condition, however, seems to be spreading among the young, even those in prime physical shape. Kathryn Diemer, director of the Bone Health Program, talks about the increase of cases in younger adults in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, which focuses on a 34-year-old marathon runner.
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Allergy season hits late year
Sept. 13,
2004 --
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| The season for sneezin' is here. |
Ragweed pollen counts appear to have peaked in early September this year, nearly a month later than usual. H. James Wedner, chief of the division of allergy and immunology, comments on what this means for allergy sufferers in this article by Tina Hesman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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Heavy backpacks cause thousands of injuries to children each year
Sept. 8,
2004 --
Backpacks are intended for convenience, but they can also be a source of pain for children who lug them around. Thousands of kids report injuries due to backpacks each year. Overloaded packs and improper usage are often the culprits in these injuries. Matthew Dobbs, a WUSM pediatrician at St. Louis Children's Hospital, outlines the risks of wearing a backpack and preventative measures that can be taken in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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Drug attacks only destructive T cells tagged with 'suicide' gene
Sept. 7,
2004 -- WUSM researchers are developing a new therapy to counteract the life-threatening effects of attacking T cells in bone marrow transplant recipients who develop graft-versus-host disease. The drug only interacts with harmful T cells, which have had "suicide" genes inserted into their DNA. Read more about the process in this St. Louis Business Journal article by John Terry.
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WUSM faculty continue to advance cancer-detecting technology
Sept. 2,
2004 -- WUSM researchers have been leaders in the development of cancer-detecting technology for decades. School of Medicine scientists developed the PET scan more than 20 years ago, so it's no surprise to see WUSM faculty advancing the technology today. Read more about the development of a new hybrid PET and CAT scan in this St. Louis Business Journal article by Patrick L. Thimangu.
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