Latest News from: Washington University in St. Louis

Filters close
12-May-2008 8:00 AM EDT
Girls, Young Women Can Cut Risk of Early Breast Cancer Through Regular Exercise
Washington University in St. Louis

Mothers, here's another reason to encourage your daughters to be physically active: Girls and young women who exercise regularly between the ages of 12 and 35 have a substantially lower risk of breast cancer before menopause compared to those who are less active, new research shows.

Released: 13-May-2008 1:00 AM EDT
Is It Ever Okay for Employers to Monitor Workers?
Washington University in St. Louis

There is an appropriate time and place for employers to monitor employees, according to a business professor at the Olin Business School. If done wrong, firms can lose their worker's trust and willingness to go above and beyond.

Released: 9-May-2008 12:00 PM EDT
Suspected Cause of Type 1 Diabetes Caught "Red-handed"
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists working with diabetic mice have examined in unprecedented detail the immune cells long thought to be responsible for type 1 diabetes. They caught the immune cells, known as dendritic cells, "red-handed": they were carrying insulin and fragments of insulin-producing cells.

5-May-2008 1:00 PM EDT
Platypus Genome Explains Animal's Peculiar Features; Holds Clues to Evolution of Mammals
Washington University in St. Louis

The duck-billed platypus: part bird, part reptile, part mammal -- and the genome to prove it. An international consortium of scientists has decoded the genome of the platypus, showing that the animal's peculiar mix of features is reflected in its DNA. An analysis of the genome, published today in the journal Nature, can help scientists piece together a more complete picture of the evolution of all mammals, including humans.

Released: 6-May-2008 5:15 PM EDT
Researchers Find Way to Make Tumor Cells Easier to Destroy
Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis radiation oncology researchers found that tumors have a built-in mechanism that protects them from heat (hyperthermia) damage and most likely decreases the benefit of hyperthermia and radiation as a combined therapy. By interfering with that protection, the researchers have shown that tumor cells grown in culture can be made more sensitive to hyperthermia-enhanced radiation therapy.

Released: 1-May-2008 4:50 PM EDT
Research Reveals Surprising Lifetime Risk of Economic Insecurity
Washington University in St. Louis

Recent economic events have shaken the confidence of many Americans with respect to their ability to achieve the "American dream." "With rising numbers of home foreclosures, job cuts, and loss of savings, more Americans are encountering severe periods of economic risk and insecurity in their lives," says Mark R. Rank, Ph.D., poverty expert and professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis.

Released: 23-Apr-2008 1:20 PM EDT
Environment Key Early, but Genes Have More Influence on Alcoholism
Washington University in St. Louis

The influence of genetics increases as young women transition from their first drink to alcohol dependence. A team of researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine found that although environment is most influential in determining when drinking begins, genes play a larger role in advancing to problem drinking and alcohol dependence.

16-Apr-2008 6:00 PM EDT
Many African-Americans Have a Gene That Prolongs Life After Heart Failure
Washington University in St. Louis

About 40 percent of African-Americans have a genetic variant that can protect them after heart failure and prolong their lives, according to research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and collaborating institutions. The new study offers a reason why beta blockers don't appear to benefit some African-Americans.

Released: 18-Apr-2008 1:00 AM EDT
Control the Urge to Splurge - Try Dividing Things Up
Washington University in St. Louis

Dividing items into small portions helps control consumption. Whether it's food or money, people tend to go through things more slowly when the lump sum is partitioned into small portions, according to new research from a WUSTL marketing professor.

Released: 17-Apr-2008 4:05 PM EDT
Readily Available Treatment Could Help Prevent Heart Disease in Kidney Patients
Washington University in St. Louis

The estimated 19 million Americans living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face a high risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have demonstrated that drugs that reduce phosphate levels could help protect CKD patients from cardiovascular disease.

Released: 17-Apr-2008 11:20 AM EDT
Washington University and AstraZeneca Announce Alzheimer's Collaboration
Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have announced a research collaboration that aims to develop new and improved ways to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease. The major focus of the alliance will be biomarkers, characteristic changes in the brain and spinal fluid that physicians can use to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and track its response to treatment.

Released: 11-Apr-2008 1:00 AM EDT
Free Trade Is Not to Blame for the Recession, Expert Says
Washington University in St. Louis

Even though the benefits of free trade outweigh the harm, the subject has not garnered a lot of attention during this year's election cycle. A professor of business discusses why it is important for Congress to liberalize trade, and the dangers of embracing stricter policies.

8-Apr-2008 4:30 PM EDT
Researchers Close in on Origins of Alzheimer's Plaques
Washington University in St. Louis

The ability of brain cells to communicate and to take in substances from their surface is essential to the production of a key ingredient in Alzheimer's brain plaques, neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have learned.

Released: 7-Apr-2008 5:10 PM EDT
Surgeons Announce Advance in Atrial Fibrillation Surgery
Washington University in St. Louis

Heart surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report that by adding a simple 10-20 second step to an operative procedure they achieved a significant improvement in the outcome for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Released: 4-Apr-2008 1:00 PM EDT
Helping Young Women with Breast Cancer
Washington University in St. Louis

To help address the special needs of breast cancer patients under age 40, Jennifer Ivanovich directs the Young Women's Breast Cancer Program (YWBCP) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The program offers support and education and now conducts research into the genetics of breast cancer.

2-Apr-2008 12:00 PM EDT
Researchers Uncover New Genetic Links to Psoriasis
Washington University in St. Louis

In the first comprehensive study of the genetic basis of psoriasis, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered seven new sites of common DNA variation that increase the risk of the troublesome skin condition. They also found that variations in one genetic region link psoriasis and a related joint disorder, psoriatic arthritis, to four autoimmune diseases: type 1 diabetes, Grave's disease, celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Released: 2-Apr-2008 4:45 PM EDT
Nano-sized Technology Has Super-sized Effect on Tumors
Washington University in St. Louis

Anyone facing chemotherapy would welcome an advance promising to dramatically reduce their dose of these often harsh drugs. Using nanotechnology, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have taken a step closer to that goal.

Released: 1-Apr-2008 1:00 AM EDT
Recession’s Root Cause Is Consumer Debt, Professor Says
Washington University in St. Louis

While consumer spending once helped keep the economy healthy, rising consumer debt is the reason it's getting sick. The root cause of the current economic slowdown in the U.S. goes back several decades, according to an economics professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

Released: 31-Mar-2008 1:00 AM EDT
Hatred of Hillary Is Likely the Result of Gender Stereotypes
Washington University in St. Louis

Whether or not Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination for president, the question of how much being a woman helped or hurt her campaign will linger for a long time. A WUSTL professor discusses the unique challenges Clinton faces and why people seem to react so strongly to her.

Released: 21-Mar-2008 12:25 PM EDT
Study Hints at Insights to Come from Human-only Genes
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists estimate that there may be as few as 50 to 100 genes in human DNA that have no counterparts in other species. Little is known about the contributions these genes likely make to our species. Now scientists have produced the first analysis of a gene found only in humans and close primate relatives.

Released: 20-Mar-2008 4:15 PM EDT
Deadly Genetic Disease Prevented Before Birth in Zebrafish
Washington University in St. Louis

By injecting a customized "genetic patch" into early stage fish embryos, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis were able to correct a genetic mutation so the embryos developed normally.

Released: 7-Mar-2008 9:00 AM EST
Contemplative Brain Network Less Complex in Children
Washington University in St. Louis

A brain network linked to introspective tasks such as forming the self-image is less intricate and well-connected in children, scientists have learned. They also showed that the network establishes firmer connections between various brain regions as an individual matures.

Released: 7-Mar-2008 8:50 AM EST
Fugitive Cancer Cells Can be Blocked by Stopping Blood Cells That Aid Them
Washington University in St. Louis

Cancer cells get a helping hand from platelets, specialized blood cells involved in clotting. Platelets shelter and feed tumor cells that stray into the bloodstream, making it easier for cancer to spread, or metastasize. Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that inactivating platelets could slow down or prevent metastasis.

Released: 6-Mar-2008 12:05 PM EST
Scientists Successfully Treat New Mouse Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Washington University in St. Louis

Researchers trying to improve cancer immune therapy have made an unexpected find: They've produced the most accurate mouse model to date of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a cluster of conditions that afflict approximately 1.4 million Americans with abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.

Released: 3-Mar-2008 4:55 PM EST
Depression Raises Risk of Death for Heart Attack Patients Years After Attack
Washington University in St. Louis

Depressed heart attack patients have a higher risk for sudden death in the months following a heart attack. Now a team led by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that the risk continues for many years.

29-Feb-2008 8:40 AM EST
Mouse Model Tightly Matches Pediatric Tumor Syndrome, Will Speed Drug Hunt
Washington University in St. Louis

Frustrated by the slow pace of new drug development for a condition that causes pediatric brain tumors, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis decided to try to fine-tune the animal models used to test new drugs.

Released: 27-Feb-2008 8:00 AM EST
New Radiology Center Puts Research Scanners in Hospital
Washington University in St. Louis

Patient care often keeps scanners and the doctors who run them tied up, only leaving room for research in the off hours. To change this, Washington University School of Medicine created a multimillion-dollar imaging facility in the heart of a major hospital that is dedicated to scientific research.

Released: 25-Feb-2008 2:25 PM EST
Scientists Unveil Draft Sequence of Corn Genome
Washington University in St. Louis

A team of scientists led by Washington University in St. Louis has begun to unlock the genetic secrets of corn, a crop vital to U.S. agriculture. The researchers have completed a working draft of the corn genome, an accomplishment that should accelerate efforts to develop better crop varieties to meet society's growing demands for food, livestock feed and fuel.

Released: 20-Feb-2008 12:40 PM EST
Gene Newly Linked to Inherited ALS May Also Play Role in Common Dementia
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have linked a mutation in a gene known as TDP-43 to an inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative condition often called Lou Gehrig's disease.

12-Feb-2008 4:00 PM EST
Gene Chips Used to Distinguish Ventilator-associated Pneumonia from Underlying Critical Illness
Washington University in St. Louis

Critically ill patients who need a ventilator to breathe face a high risk of pneumonia. The lung infection, however, is exceedingly difficult to diagnose because a patient's underlying condition often skews laboratory test results and masks pneumonia's symptoms "“ a reality that can delay appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Released: 6-Feb-2008 12:00 AM EST
Expert Available to Discuss Economic Stimulus Package
Washington University in St. Louis

Former dean of the business school at Washington University in St. Louis comments on the wisdom behind the Congressional stimulus package. Stuart Greenbaum is skeptical that a stimulus package will be effective and proposes several other strategies that could improve the economy.

Released: 4-Feb-2008 7:00 PM EST
Chemical Chaperone Could Open Door to Treatment of Neurological Disorder
Washington University in St. Louis

To overcome the genetic defect in Niemann-Pick disease, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest that chemical compounds could "chaperone" mutant proteins to treat the rare, deadly disease. They believe this approach also could be useful for more common diseases "” such as cystic fibrosis "” that stem from a similar type of defect.

Released: 30-Jan-2008 12:00 AM EST
How Appearance and Money Influence Who Gets Elected
Washington University in St. Louis

If politics were like high school, Republicans would be the football stars and Democrats would be chess club captains. Those stereotypes are the easiest way to summarize part of the conclusions made by a marketing professor at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.

   
Released: 29-Jan-2008 12:00 PM EST
Kidney's Ability to Clean Itself May Prevent Disease
Washington University in St. Louis

The kidney actively cleans its most selective filter to keep it from clogging with blood proteins, scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have revealed. Breakdown of this self-cleaning feature apparently makes kidneys more vulnerable to dysfunction and disease.

Released: 24-Jan-2008 12:00 AM EST
Why Price Promotions Aren't the Best Marketing Strategy
Washington University in St. Louis

Price promotions may not be the best way to increase sales of frequently purchased consumer good. Managers can become overly focused on losing market share and get caught up in a mindless cycle of discounting, without regard to the long-term implications of their actions, research finds.

Released: 23-Jan-2008 4:00 PM EST
Less Education May Delay Recognition of Alzheimer's
Washington University in St. Louis

A review of epidemiological data has found evidence that people who spend fewer years in school may experience a slight but statistically significant delay in the realization that they're having cognitive problems that could be Alzheimer's disease.

Released: 22-Jan-2008 7:00 PM EST
SCOTUS Expert - "LG Had a Right to Sue a Downstream Purchaser"
Washington University in St. Louis

The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing Quanta v. LG, a case that could determine the future direction of patent law. "This case is key to ensuring that patent law develops in a way that best promotes innovation and competition," says F. Scott Kieff, J.D., professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. Kieff and colleagues have filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court in support of LG.

Released: 18-Jan-2008 12:00 AM EST
Government Bailout of Subprime Mess Rewards Bad Behavior
Washington University in St. Louis

As the number of foreclosures on homes purchased with a subprime mortgage continues to grow, politicians are focused on a way to slow, or even reverse, the trend. However, bailing out the credit industry isn't necessarily the way to go, says a finance professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

16-Jan-2008 5:15 PM EST
Brain Protein Reduces Alzheimer's Plaques in Mice
Washington University in St. Louis

Increasing levels of a protein that helps the brain use cholesterol may slow the development of Alzheimer's disease changes in the brain, according to researchers studying a mouse model of the disease at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Released: 11-Jan-2008 1:00 PM EST
Obese Children Show Early Signs of Heart Disease
Washington University in St. Louis

Children who are obese or who are at risk for obesity show early signs of heart disease similar to obese adults with heart disease, a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found.

Released: 11-Jan-2008 1:00 PM EST
Eat Less Or Exercise More? Either Way Leads to More Youthful Hearts
Washington University in St. Louis

Overweight people who lose a moderate amount of weight get an immediate benefit in the form of better heart health, according to a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. And the heart improvements happen whether that weight is shed by eating less or exercising more.

Released: 9-Jan-2008 3:00 PM EST
Blocking Parasites' Communication Reduces Infection
Washington University in St. Louis

One of the most common human parasites, Toxoplasma gondii, uses a hormone lifted from the plant world to decide when to increase its numbers and when to remain dormant, researchers have found. Scientists report in Nature that blocking production of the molecule prevented fatal infections in mice.

Released: 8-Jan-2008 8:00 AM EST
Cell Movement Study to Aid Immune, Cancer Research
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists have used yeast cells to better understand a collection of proteins associated with the formation of actin networks, which are essential to cell movement. The cell's ability to move is important to topics ranging from the body's immune defenses to metastasizing cancer cells.

Released: 8-Jan-2008 6:00 AM EST
12 Simple Ways to Live a Greener Lifestyle in 2008
Washington University in St. Louis

Want to begin to be more environmentally friendly in 2008 but can't afford a hybrid car? Don't worry "” there are plenty of ways to lessen your impact on the environment that don't come with such a daunting price tag, says a Washington University in St. Louis sustainability expert.

Released: 8-Jan-2008 6:00 AM EST
Going Back to School? Dean Offers Tips for Success
Washington University in St. Louis

So you've decided to start or finish that degree you've always intended to earn. But if it's been awhile since you've stepped foot inside a classroom "” or at least one that wasn't your kids' "” here are some suggestions to help you follow through.

Released: 3-Jan-2008 3:10 PM EST
Iowa's Special Role in Primaries May End in 2008, Expert Suggests
Washington University in St. Louis

Today's Iowa Caucuses may be the last in which the largely rural, sparsely populated and predominately white conservative Midwestern state exerts such a huge influence on the presidential nomination process, predicts Steven S. Smith, a political expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

Released: 27-Dec-2007 8:00 PM EST
Bhutto’s Death Dims Hope for Fresh Break in Pakistan, Says Expert
Washington University in St. Louis

Today's assassination of Benazir Bhutto is not only a great loss to Pakistan, but also a great loss to the world, says a sociocultural anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis who lived in Pakistan for six months and whose research focuses on Islamic movements in that country and in Afghanistan.

Released: 27-Dec-2007 4:00 PM EST
Government Should Pay for Religious Schools, Regulate Teaching, Professor Says
Washington University in St. Louis

Arguing that democratic principles do not support a strict separation of church and state in educational policy, a new book contends that government has both the responsibility to pay for religious schools and the right to regulate what's taught within them.

17-Dec-2007 4:35 PM EST
Bacteria in Urinary Tract Infections Invade Bladder Cells
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found definitive proof that some of the bacteria that plague women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) are entrenched inside human bladder cells.

Released: 14-Dec-2007 1:00 AM EST
Clustering High Tech Firms Advances Economic Development
Washington University in St. Louis

It is a common economic development strategy to locate similar firms close to each other. A business professor at Washington University in St. Louis shows the tactic is most effective when companies are within 500 meters of each other. After that, the benefits of proximity quickly lose its power.



close
0.26974