Inside Higher Ed
Yanked from the margins
02/18/2011
A new blue-ribbon commission has been assembled in a bid to put the humanities and social sciences on an equal footing on the public agenda with science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Gerald Early, professor of modern letters at Washington University in St. Louis, is among 41 cultural thought leaders invited to serve on the advisory group, which has been dubbed the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences. Link to Article
Scientific American
Mouse study reveals mechanism behind diabetes blood vessel damage
02/18/2011
Vascular complications arising from diabetes are the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and cardiovascular problems. Now, a new study co-authored by Clay Semenkovich of Washington University School of Medicine, has identified key interactions among two enzymes that may help connect the dots between insulin control and the integrity of blood vessels. The findings, shown in mice, could provide targets for drugs that would be designed to prevent and offset vascular damage. Link to Article
Scientific American
Cancer- and diabetes-free population offers longevity clues
02/18/2011
Despite the extreme rarity of Laron syndrome, findings from a new study have important implications for the general population,” says Luigi Fontana who studies nutrition and aging at Washington University School of Medicine. “Put together all the pieces of the puzzle and you see that yes, IGF1 is an important determinant of cancer.” According to Fontana, greater protein intake and higher IGF1 levels contribute to the increasing cancer incidence in recent generations; a similar trend is seen in immigrant populations that move from Eastern to Western diets. Link to Article
President Obama announces more key administration posts
2/17/11
President Barack Obama has announced his intent to nominate Washington University graduate Thomas Countryman as the administration’s Assistant Secretary for International Security and Non-Proliferation, Department of State. Mr. Countryman holds a B.A. summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis. Link to Article
CBS MoneyWatch
63 colleges with the best financial aid
02/18/2011
What schools provide the best financial aid for college? The most generous schools meet the full financial need of their students, but just a fraction of colleges can make that promise. Washington University in St. Louis is one of only 63 schools out of 1,700 colleges and universities that claim they meet their students’ full financial need, according to a survey by U.S. News and World Report. Link to Article
Technomadia
Adventures in Room 404
02/18/2011
In “Room 404,“ a new podcast concept, a notable geek presents five bits of technology that used to be awesome, but which have since become lost to history and mostly forgotten. In this 30-minute podcast, former Washington University employee Chris Dunphy, now with Technomadia, pines for the glory days of Washington University’s wuarchive.wustl.edu. In the early 90′s, Wuarchive was rumored to generate 10% of the traffic on the entire Internet. Launched in 1988, the service was retired in 2010. Link to Article
Halal Media
Washington U in St Louis bringing Halal to campus
02/18/2011
The dining services at the Washington University in St Louis is now working with the university’s Muslim Students Association (MSA) to bring Halal meals on campus. “Discussions have been happening for the past five years,” said freshman Nabeel Moon, MSA’s treasurer. According to Nadeem Siddiqui, resident district manager for WUSTL’s Dining Services, the changes would not be expensive or demanding but several measures must be instituted in order to conform to the prescribed Halal standards. Link to Article
Broadway World (Chicago)
Photo Flash: The storytelling ability of a boy at the Phoenix Theatre
2/17/11
The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces the Midwest Premiere of The Storytelling Ability of a Boy, by Carter W. Lewis, opening March 3 in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theatre and playing through March 27. Carter W. Lewis is a free lance playwright, currently serving as Playwright-in-Residence at Washington University. He is the winner of
several national playwriting awards. Link to Article
Medscape Medical News
Cognitive status of MS patients may fluctuate with outdoor temperature
2/18/2011
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may find it harder to think clearly and remember things on warmer days of the year, according to a new study. But many questions remain. Anne Cross, MD, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the study, pointed out that what’s not clear from the study is whether the outside temperature
related to the subjects’ core body temperatures. Link to Article
Bio-Medicine
Parents often wait too long to treat children’s asthma
02/17/2011
Parents of young children with asthma often recognize signs that their child is about to have an asthma attack but delay home treatment until the attack occurs, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis The study stems from comments received by two lay asthma coaches employed by Washington University School of Medicine. The coaches are trained to help educate families dealing with asthma by offering information and social support. They also have asthma themselves or a family member who has it. Link to Article
STLtoday.com
HOUSE CALL: Bruises can be painful, ugly, but easily treated
02/16/2011
Over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen will help with pain control. Gentle massage of the area and application of a heating pad may help relieve some of the pain, but this should not be done for at least three days after the initial injury. Unexplained bruising, or bruising with very minimal trauma may be a sign of something more serious and should be evaluated by a physician, writes Washington University emergency physician Mark Levine. Link to Article
St. Louis American
NSBE kicks off national convention
2/17/2011
Black engineers – thousands of them – are coming to St. Louis. The National Society of Black Engineers will host its 37th Annual Convention in St. Louis March 23-27 at the America’s Center. The annual convention attracts more than 8,000 black engineers and 250 corporate and government entities. James E. McLeod, a dean at Washington University, was among about 250 engineers, corporate leaders and educators who attended a recent convention kick-off event for the St. Louis community at Washington University. Link to Article
News in Higher Education
New York Times
THE CHOICE: ‘Some college needed to step up and say, enough’
2/17/2011
Those wondering when a prominent college might take the bold step of actually cutting tuition would do well to cast a glance toward Tennessee, where Sewanee, a liberal arts institution, has announced it is doing just that. .Bucking a trend, Sewanee of Tennessee cuts tuition, saying it can’t afford not to. Link to Article
Washington Post
Cafeteria trays vanishing from colleges in effort to save food
2/18/2011
As food service workers watched thousands of pounds of food go to waste, Virginia Tech University decided to make a move increasingly common at higher-education institutions nationwide: It got rid of cafeteria trays. The change was immediate. The plates were coming back basically cleaned. Link to Article
The Guardian (UK)
Allow extremist speech in universities, report advises
2/18/2011
University vice-chancellors should reject demands to ban controversial speakers and “engage, not marginalise” extreme political views on campus, a report from a working group on academic freedom says. Universities need to ensure meetings of student societies are open to all, the report says, adding: “Unless views can be expressed they cannot also be challenged.” Link to Article
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