Washington University Record, February 7, 2003
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Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 2-7-2003 Washington University Record, February 7, 2003 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, February 7, 2003" (2003). Washington University Record. Book 957. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/957 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Medical News: Antibodies OVATIONS! Broadway composer Washington People: Delise LePool critical in fighting West Nile Stephen Schwartz at Edison Theatre welcomes all to the admissions office 8 Feb. 7, 2003 Volume 27 No. 19 ^fehington University in St. Louis Pediatric anesthesia Drugs used in surgery may cause long-term problems BY JIM DRYDEN from the anesthesia, the researchers divided them into A team of researchers from three groups: One group was the School of Medicine and sacrificed the next day and their the University of Virginia brains examined, a second . Health System has found that group grew to be about a month drugs commonly used to anes- old and a third group grew into thetize children can cause brain adulthood. The latter two damage and long-term learning groups were tested for effects of and memory disturbances in anesthesia on learning and Ron K. Cytron, Ph.D. (left), associate professor of computer science and engineering, chats with fresh- infant rats. memory. men Katie Kross and Lauren Zwick (far right) during a recent floor gathering at Center Court in Wohl The researchers reported Members of the research Student Center. Cytron, a faculty associate for Liggett Residence Hall, regularly meets with the stu- their findings in the Feb. 1 issue team also recorded electrical dents from his floor for meals and informal discussion. of the Journal of Neuroscience. activity in the hippocampus, a "We frequently perform sur- brain structure known to be gical procedures on children, important in learning and Faculty spark interaction outside classroom including premature memory. infants, and those pro- "These infant rats BY NEIL SCHOENHERR student housing." cedures have become were anesthetized during Getting involved The faculty associate's in- increasingly more com- the brain growth spurt The University encourages stu- volvement is intended to accom- plex and take longer to period called synaptoge- dents and faculty to interact For more information about the plish several goals, among them: perform," said the nesis, which lasts for the outside the classroom. However, Faculty Associates Program, • Provide undergraduate resi- study's lead author, first few weeks of life in that hasn't always been the case. visit reslife.wustl.edu or call dents with role models or men- Vesna Jevtovic- rats, but in humans it As recently as 10 years ago, Jill Stratton at 935-7576. tors and more contact with fac- Todorovic, M.D., associ extends from the third the number of faculty members ulty members; ate professor of anes- trimester of pregnancy Olney crossing over to the South 40 to • Encourage residents' use thesiology at the until about age 3," said meet with students after class year students in a Residential of faculty as sources of infor- University of Virginia senior investigator John was minimal. College during the academic mation, referral or informal Health System. "That means W. Olney, M.D., the John P. But thanks to programs such year. The goal is to strengthen advising; many pediatric patients are Feighner Professor of Neuro- as the expanding Faculty the bonds between faculty and • Increase student and faculty being exposed to anesthetic psychopharmacology. "During Associates Program, that has students and to narrow the gap understanding of each other's drugs more frequently and for this period, nerve cells in the begun to change — to the great between the academic and resi- lives at the University; and longer periods of time. Our brain make connections with satisfaction of both faculty and dential aspects of the University. • Meet the needs of faculty results would suggest that might one another and form large net- students. "I am very proud of the will- who want more informal contact be problematic." works. But if something inter- The Faculty Associates ingness of our faculty to inter- with undergraduates. Previously, Jevtovic- feres with that process, the cells Program, sponsored by the act with students in the resi- The faculty members involved Todorovic was at the School of are programmed to kill them- Office of Residential Life, is dence halls," said Edward S. in the Faculty Associates Medicine, where the rest of the selves." designed to provide opportuni- Macias, Ph.D., executive vice Program are volunteers. They research team is located. The In this study, the team found ties for significant faculty-stu- chancellor and dean of Arts & do, however, receive credit on investigators anesthetized 7-day- moderately severe cell death had dent interaction outside the Sciences. "I think this adds their meal card and a small old rats with a combination of occurred in several brain re- classroom setting. important enrichment to the expense budget for programs. three drugs — midazolam, gions in every brain examined. Associates are faculty mem- lives of both groups. Faculty Faculty members benefit nitrous oxide and isoflurane — This included brain regions bers who agree to work with involvement is essential to our from the personal interaction commonly used in pediatric involved in learning and memo- resident advisers (RAs) and a concept of a vibrant living and with students, and they also surgery. ry, such as the hippocampus. community of about 50 first- learning environment in our See Faculty, Page 6 As the animals recovered See Pediatric, Page 6 Student Life celebrates Career opportunities 125 years of publishing Engineers work to expose BY NEIL SCHOENHERR young people to the field Student Life, the University's independent student news- BY TONY FITZPATRICK paper, celebrated its 125th anniversary last month. Founded in January 1878, it is one of the country's oldest National Engineers Week is Feb. 16-23, but don't college newspapers and is the oldest continually run expect to see a living, breathing team of women newspaper in St. Louis. engineers on Gilmore Girls or Dawson's Creek Student Life has documented some of the country's that week. greatest crises, including World War I, the Great Just as girls growing up before Title IX knew Depression, World War II and the social unrest of the little of opportunities in sports, today's pre-teen and Vietnam Era. More recently, the paper produced award- teenage girls have little inkling that women can winning coverage of the presidential debates held at the become engineers, says Ruth Okamoto, D.Sc, assis- University in 1992 and 2000. tant professor of mechanical engineering. In 1999, Student Life became independent from the To help remedy this situation, Okamoto and her University and is now published by Washington sister (and fellow) engineers at the University University Student Media Inc. Its board of directors launched an innovative program in the fall of 2001 includes former Student Life staff members such as aimed at exposing young people, especially girls, to Pulitzer Prize-winner Ken Cooper, The Boston Globe's different facets of engineering on the University national editor, and Jeff Lean, investigative editor at The Bernell Dorrough (right), editor in chief of Student Life, campus. Washington Post. and sophomore Brett Friedman put the finishing touches The program is a success, was repeated last fall Former Student Life staff members also include on a recent issue at the paper's office in the Women's Building. and will be ongoing. It's particularly good at getting Michael Isikoff, the Newsweek correspondent who broke lots of hands-on experience in engineering projects the Monica Lewinsky story; cartoonist Mike Peters, win- nalism program here, but even so, I feel prepared to enter for both girls and boys. ner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning and the work force and seek a career in the newspaper busi- "The program was aimed at middle-school girls, creator of "Mother Goose 8c Grimm"; and many other ness thanks to my work with Student Life. who were given preference in the registration prominent journalists and leaders in other professions. "Second, the paper provides great news, sports and process, but we also had some boys," Okamoto said. "Student Life serves two very important roles on this entertainment coverage for the campus, as well as a "In fall 2001, we had 19 students — one session of campus," said Bernell Dorrough, editor in chief. "First, it forum for discussing ideas and presenting views." 10 and one of nine — from city and county schools. teaches students about journalism. We don't have a jour- See Student Life, Page 5 See Engineers, Page 6 2 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Gaddis papers acquired by University University Libraries has Rush for Second Place also was acquired the literary archive Accessing the published in 2002. of National Book Award- Gaddis archive Both books were edited by winning novelist William Joseph Tabbi, associate profes- sor of American literature at the Gaddis (1922-1998). The William Gaddis archive is in the Gaddis' papers will become University of Illinois at Chicago. Department of Special Collections at Tabbi said, "What Balzac was part of the University's Modern Olin Library. The department is open Literature Collection, which to post-revolutionary France, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday- Dickens to Victorian England includes the papers of more Friday. than 125 prominent 20th-centu- and Musil to Habsburg Austria, ry writers.