International Herald Tribune
Hungarian start-ups compete against giants
10/11/2010
Michael Simon is very much a Midwestern American, with degrees from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Yet he has carved out a most unusual niche in the software industry as the purveyor of blockbuster Hungarian start-ups, including LogMeIn, software that allows one computing device to take control of another one. The company expects to post revenue as high as $94.5 million this year, while boasting gross margins of more than 90 percent. See also New York Times
Chronicle of Higher Education
Son of homophobic professor comes out, hoping to help others
10/112010
Isaac Katz, the 22-year-old son of a WUSTL physics professor Jonathan I. Katz whose anti-gay commentaries were cited when he was booted off a science team investigating the BP oil spill, has come out as gay in an essay submitted the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The younger Mr. Katz said his essay was not meant to embarrass his father, As of Monday night, Professor Katz’ essay titled “In Defense of Homophobia” remained on his university website. Link to Article See also The Advocate
eVolo Architecture Design Journal
Skyscraper, or sustainable underground society?
10/11/2010
Can a building still be called a skyscraper if it, in fact, never has contact with the sky above sea level? Matthew Fromboluti of Washington University in St. Louis thinks so, and has designed a skyscraper that would fit into a 900-foot deep and nearly 300-acre wide crater left by the former Lavender Pit Mine in the desert outside Bisbee, Arizona. The “Above Below” structure would hold living and working areas, and green space for farming and recreation. Link to Article
Bloomberg Businessweek
Danish study suggests jaundice-autism link
10/11/2010
Newborn babies who have jaundice may be at higher risk of developing autism later on, new research suggests, but other experts say far more research needs to be done. Another study suggests the brothers and sisters of children with autism may be more prone to subtle neurological delays or other problems than had been previously suspected, but, “for whatever reason, they never actually develop the disorder,” says study author Dr. John N. Constantino of Washington University School of Medicine. Link to Article
Discover
Invasive shrub increases risk of human disease (via ticks, deer and bacteria) | Not Exactly Rocket Science
10/11/2010
There are many ways of fighting disease, but Brian Allan from Washington University has suggested a most unusual one –- a spot of weeding. Allan’s research shows that getting rid of a plant called the Amur honeysuckle might be one of the best ways of controlling an emerging human disease called ehrlichiosis. The plant doesn’t cause the disease. Allan has found that it attracts white-tailed deer. Where the deer go, so do their parasites, and these include the lone star tick, the animal that spreads ehrlichiosis. Link to Article See also St. Louis Beacon, Science Codex
thedenverchannel.com
Treating prostate cancer without side effects
10/11/2010
New research is providing new options with less-invasive techniques and better outcomes for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Researchers are testing new treatments, like Dutasteride. It’s approved to treat enlarged prostates, but doctors say it has other uses.” What we’ve learned is that men who take Dutasteride have a 25 to 40 percent lower chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer than those who don’t,” says Gerald Andriole, M.D., urologist at Washington University School of Medicine. Link to Article
San Francisco Business Times
Nixon still popular among voters, poll shows
10/11/2010
Not all Democrats are sliding in popularity. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon enjoys a 55 percent voter approval rating, according to a new Rasmussen poll out this week. Randall Calvert, a professor of public affairs and political science at Washington University, called it a little ray of sunshine for Democrats, although since Nixon is halfway through his first term and not running in next month’s election, he benefits from a lack of attack ads directly targeting him. Link to Article
FOX2now.com (St. Louis)
The Grove comes of age, with a huge sign; Washington University and businesses have cut crime
10/11/2010
A huge sign of “changing times” rolls into South St. Louis’s Grove neighborhood this week with the erection of a giant, neon sign promoting “The Grove” district. It’s the signature of Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation‘s $30 million dollar investment in The Grove; complete with a streetscape overhaul, including expanded café sidewalks, street lighting and artwork. “This is something the Midwest – St. Louis – has never seen,” said Brooks Goedeker of the WUMCRC. Link to Article / Online Video
News in higher education
New York Times
Room for debate: Have college freshmen changed?
10/11/2010
Many campuses have orientation programs to help new students make the transition. Even so, college administrators are struggling to keep up with what their students need. Are social, academic and financial pressures on freshmen becoming more intense? Have freshmen changed? Does the fact that many students are used to “helicopter” parents monitoring and guiding all of their activities affect the transition to college? A panel of university administrators and psychologists offer opinions. Link to Article
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