September 2004
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Occupational therapy instructor puts her wheelchair to test in triathlon
Sept. 1,
2004 --
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| Morgan |
Occupational Therapy Instructor Kerri Morgan and Shae Communications CEO Kevin Brown set a precedent Sept. 4 when the two compete in the Lake St. Louis Triathlon. The athletes will be the first-ever to compete in the event's newly created wheelchair division. Columnist Kathleen Nelson tells the full story in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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Researcher-turned-clown finds fulfillment in creating laughter
Aug. 31,
2004 -- A Christian, a clown and a scientist — It may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's actually an accurate description of the life of WUSM professor Dana Abendschein. The following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Harry Jackson Jr. tells the story of how an overachieving researcher found fulfillment in a clown suit.
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Blues team doctor: 'Youth hockey is actually pretty safe'
Aug. 30,
2004 --
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| Protective gear helps prevent injuries. |
Most scouts wouldn't consider it an asset, but sometimes being small and slow is a good thing. Children's general lack of size and speed significantly reduces the chance of injury for young athletes who play contact sports like hockey. Proper use of safety equipment and stretching before playing can further reduce risk. Rick Wright, M.D., WUSM orthopaedic surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and team physician for the St. Louis Blues, tells more about safety on and off the ice in this release from Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
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Breast cancer patients can now receive radiation therapy in less time
Aug. 27,
2004 -- In just five days, breast cancer patients can now receive the same level of radiation therapy that used to take up to seven weeks. Read more about the convenient new procedure, breast brachytherapy, in the following Barnes-Jewish Hospital release.
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Shape-changing proteins play key role in evolution
Aug. 23,
2004 --
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| True-Krob |
Shape-changing proteins called prions can help guide the evolution of an organism, according to a study by Heather True-Krob, assistant professor of cell biology and physiology. Read more about the study, which was recently published in the journal Nature, in this release from Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.
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Cervical cancer patients could benefit from better Medicaid, insurance coverage
Aug. 20,
2004 -- Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect early. It's also one of the easiest to treat, if caught early. WUSM researchers even developed a method for gauging the effectiveness of treatment to determine the best therapy for each patient, but many insurance companies and Medicaid won't pay for the process - a routine PET scan. Kay Quinn provides more details in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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PET scans help determine presence of Alzheimer's disease
Aug. 17,
2004 -- A test being developed by WUSM researchers could more definitively tell doctors whether or not a patient has Alzheimer's disease. Read more about the procedure in this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article written by Kay Quinn.
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Cord blood donations can save children's lives
Aug. 16,
2004 -- Blood from umbilical cords can treat a wide range of life-threatening illnesses in children, from leukemia to sickle cell disease. Cynthia L. Price, a WUSM pediatric research coordinator at St. Louis Children's Hospital, describes the benefits of donating cord blood in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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Peanut butter treatment nourishes starving children
Aug. 12,
2004 --
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| Manary |
Mark Manary, a WUSM pediatrician at St. Louis Children's Hospital, is saving the lives of children in Malawi with peanut butter. His revolutionary new method for treating starving children in malnourished regions could become a worldwide standard of care. Tina Hesman tells the story of Manary's work in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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New implant could benefit large number of pediatric heart patients
Aug. 6,
2004 -- David Balzer, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and director of the St. Louis Children's Hospital Cardiac Catheterization Lab, is conducting rare and important trials of a new implant device that can help young heart patients avoid open-heart surgery and actually be back home the next day. This story was released by St. Louis Children's Hospital.
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Promising breast cancer drug enters final phase of trials
Aug. 5,
2004 --
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| Ellis utilizes genetic analysis to guide cancer therapy. |
A new breast cancer drug that has shown promise fighting a particularly tough type of tumor may become a viable option for cancer patients. Matthew Ellis, a WUSTL physician at the Siteman Cancer Center, has studied the medication, Lapatinib, since it first showed promise against breast cancer tumors. He is now conducting the final phase of trials for the drug. KSDK reporter Kay Quinn provides more details in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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Aggressive artery-opening procedures save lives in older heart patients
Aug. 4,
2004 -- Aggressive heart treatments such as angioplasty and stenting reduce the chance of death or a second heart attack by more than 50 percent, according to study author Richard G. Bach, associate professor of medicine. This story was written by Ed Edelson and published by HealthDay.
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Less invasive cancer surgery could become standard practice
Aug. 2,
2004 -- A recent study by James Fleshman, a colon and rectal surgery specialist at the School of Medicine, showed that minimally invasive colon cancer surgery allows patients to heal faster and experience less pain. KSDK reporter Kay Quinn tells more about the procedure in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
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Sweat does more than just cool bodies
July 30,
2004 --
Everyone sweats, but it's unlikely many people ever consider the social and economic impact of our bodies' built-in air conditioning system. With summer's hottest days likely still to come, Michael Heffernan, assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine, helps St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Jeff Daniels take a closer look at this hot topic.
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Athletics help children with cerebral palsy become independent, active adults
July 28,
2004 --
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| Jan Brunstrom demonstrates martial arts moves with cerebral palsy patient Emma Price. |
A comprehensive care plan involving sports, physical fitness and strength training is key to helping children with cerebral palsy grow into active adults, according to WUSTL pediatric neurologist Jan Brunstrom. Not only are athletic activities fun for children, but they can also reduce the need for traditional therapy.
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Alcohol causes fetal brain cells to 'commit mass suicide'
July 26,
2004 --
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| Olney |
In pregnant women, blood-alcohol levels well below legal limits for intoxication can still be toxic to the developing brain cells of a fetus, according to the research of WUSTL neuropsychopharmacologist John W. Olney. This story was written by Richard Lovett and published by Psychology Today.
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Fewer calories lead to longer lives
July 21,
2004 -- Scientists have known for years that eating less tends to make animals live longer, but no one is quite sure why. Several School of Medicine researchers studying the effects of caloric restriction on humans may help provide an answer to that question. This story was written by Tina Hesman and published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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Medical mission takes WUSTL doctor to Honduras
July 21,
2004 --
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| Castro |
Mario Castro, M.D., M.P.H., School of Medicine faculty member and pulmonary specialist, recently visited Honduras to provide specialty care for those suffering from asthma and other pulmonary diseases. This story was written by Katie Ide and published by St. Louis Review.
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PET scans after therapy improve cervical cancer survival predictions
July 19,
2004 -- Radiologists at the School of Medicine have shown that post-treatment positron emission tomography (PET) scans can be used to predict cervical cancer patients' chances of survival.
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Natural mechanism in brain cells may resist stroke damage
July 15,
2004 -- Brain cells may possess a natural ability to resist damage from strokes and other neurological disorders, according to the results of a recent study performed by School of Medicine researchers.
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