E Science News
New report examines university management of intellectual property
10/04/2010
A report released today by the National Research Council says the current system that gives universities control over intellectual property associated with the results of federally funded research at their institutions needs improvement. WUSTL Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, chaired the committee that wrote the report and said, “The public investment in research universities has led to a great deal of new knowledge that can benefit society, and the movement of research results to those who can commercialize them creates jobs and strengthens the economy, contributes to the advance of human health and adds to the nation’s security.” Link to Article See also R&D
DailyIndia.com
Siblings of autistic children ‘have more frequent language delays’
10/03/2010
A new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has revealed that siblings of autistic children have more frequent language delays. ‘Researchers presume one child is affected and the other is not, but our findings suggest that although one child may have autism while the other does not, it’s very possible both children are affected to some degree by genes that contribute to autism,’ said Dr. John N. Constantino, MD, leading author of the study. See also NPR, American Journal of Psychiatry, The Autism News
ABC News
Junk food makes up nearly half of kids’ calories
10/02/2010
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that nearly 40 percent of ages 2 to 18 were empty calories, the unhealthiest kind of calories. But the picture is complex, said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Many kids – and their parents – simply do not know what they ought to be eating. Link to Article
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
Experts hope new study ends debate about mammograms
10/02/2010
Experts at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine hope a new study in the journal Cancer ends the debate about how often women should get a mammogram. The study found a 26 percent reduction in death rates for women who were screened. “It validates what we’ve been saying,” says Kate Appleton, MD, radiologist at the Joanne Knight Breast Health Center at Siteman. “Screening women with mammography starting at 40 saves lives and this large study should put an end to any debate with the age for screening.” Link to Article
Sacramento Bee
Greed can force investors to miss big picture
10/04/2010
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found flashing a dollar-sign cue sparked immediate activation in a brain region that coordinates the interaction of cognitive control and motivational functions. This causes our brains to think for the short term – to make money now, not 10 years from now. That emotional state leads to too many poor decisions that only set back our finances and can delay goals. Link to Article See also Enquirer-Herald, newsobserver, Belleville News-Democrat
St. Louis Public Radio
Wash U instructor discusses multimedia installation at COCA
10/02/2010
A discussion with the creators of “Currents,” the new multi-media installation in the atrium at COCA included Ben Kaplan, Instructor of Interactive Design, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University. The program was aired Friday, Oct. 1, 2010 on St. Louis Public Radio’s “Cityscape.” Link to Article Listen to program
Webster Kirkwood Times
A passion for lights
10/1/2010
Randy Burkett, whose lighting company illuminated the St. Louis Gateway Arch, knows a lot about the art and science of lighting. He teaches a graduate course on the subject at Washington University. A favorite exercise of his is to have students compare subdued lighting found at an elegant, romantic restaurant with that of the brightly lit spaces of a White Castle fast-food restaurant
News in higher education
Baltimore Sun
Rutgers death adds to campuses’ concerns over social media
9/30/2010
The suicide of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi and the arrest of two students charged with invading his privacy have shaken students, faculty and administrators at colleges in Maryland and across the country. On campuses where students routinely hear, and ignore, warnings against “over-sharing” online, faculty and administrators are looking for new ways to get that message across.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
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University Business
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