Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 4-3-2008 Washington University Record, April 3, 2008 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, April 3, 2008" (2008). Washington University Record. Book 1139. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/1139 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: 15 grants to Tag team poetry: Salamun Washington People: Teefey fund patient-oriented research and Henry to give readings focuses on ultrasound, nature 8 ^)fehingtDnUniversity in Stlouis April 3, 2008 record.wustl.edu MSNBC's Chris Matthews to deliver University's Commencement address Chris Matthews — host of — challenges that our new gradu- "Hardball with Chris ates will be working to overcome Matthews" on MSNBC and and address." of "The Chris Matthews Show," a Matthews, the host of "Hard- syndicated weekly news program ball" since 1997, is no stranger to produced by NBC News, and reg- the Washington University cam- ular commentator on NBC's pus. He covered the 2004 presi- "Today" show — has been select- dential debates at WUSTL and ed to give the 2008 was the keynote speaker Commencement address, for Founders Day that according to Chancellor same year. Mark S. Wrighton. A television news an- The University's 147th chor with remarkable Commencement will depth of experience, begin at 8:30 a.m. May 16 Matthews has distin- in Brookings Quadrangle guished himself as a on the Danforth Campus. broadcast journalist, "It is a privilege to newspaper bureau chief, Matthews have Chris Matthews de- presidential speechwriter liver the Commencement and best-selling author. address to our graduates this Matthews worked for 15 years Truman Scholar Junior Kelley Greenman (right) is all smiles upon learning from Chancellor spring," Wrighton said. "Chris as a print journalist, 13 of them Mark S. Wrighton that she has just been awarded a 2008 Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Truman Matthews continues to be an im- as Washington Bureau Chief for Scholars are selected based on academic performance, leadership and dedication to public serv- portant figure in the national The San Francisco Examiner ice. Greenman, who is from Marathon, Fla., is one of 65 scholars selected from among 595 candi- news media with respect to the (1987-2000) and two years as a dates nominated by 283 colleges and universities. Joy Kiefer, Ph.D. (center), assistant dean in Arts American political process. He is national columnist for The San & Sciences, nominated and supported Greenman throughout the arduous application process. familiar with both Washington Francisco Chronicle (2000-02). "I couldn't be more excited and grateful to receive this honor," said Greenman, an environmental University and the pressing chal- His column was syndicated to 200 studies in Arts & Sciences major. Her award will provide up to $30,000 for graduate study. lenges that face our society today See Matthews, Page 6 Clinical depression raises risk 19 graduate, professional programs in U.S. News' top 10 Therapy is tied for No. 2, and the of death for heart attack patients Social work, occupational therapy rise to No. 1 Program in Audiology and Com- Nineteen WUSTL schools, aca- social work in the nation," said munication Sciences is No. 5. By JIM DRYDEN try. "Previously we thought the Idemici areas and departments Edward F. Lawlor, Ph.D., dean "In the Program in Occupa- impact of depression was at the graduate and professional and the William E. Gordon Pro- tional Therapy, our goal is to fos- Depressed heart attack strongest for the first three to levels currently hold top 10 rank- fessor. "I am so grateful for the ter excellence in teaching, re- patients have a higher risk six months following a heart ings in U.S. News & World hard work of our faculty, staff search, scholarship and service, for sudden death in the attack and then gradually Report's rankings of graduate and and students that has helped us and we are proud to be recog- months following a heart dropped off within a couple of professional programs, which maintain our leading reputation nized for those traits by U.S. News attack. Now a team led by years. Instead, we found that were released March 28. in the field." as we share the top spot in the na- School of Medicine researchers the effect lasts for at least five The George Warren Brown The School of Medicine ranks tion," said Carolyn Baum, Ph.D., has found that the risk contin- years." School of Social Work earned a No. 3 among research-oriented the Elias Michael Executive Direc- ues for many years. Carney, with colleagues No. 1 ranking among master's of medical schools after holding the tor of the Program in Occupa- "There's a two- to four-fold from Duke University Medical social work programs, topping its No. 4 spot the past two years. tional Therapy at the School of increase in a person's risk of Center, Harvard University, Yale No. 2 ranking from 2004, when Many individual programs at the Medicine. "It's very rewarding to dying following a heart attack University, the National Heart, U.S. News last ranked social work School of Medicine are very high- receive this recognition for our if they also happen to be de- Lung, and Blood Institute of programs. ly ranked by U.S. News as well: talented students, faculty and pressed," said Robert M. Car- the National Institutes of "We are delighted that the The Program in Occupational staff." ney, Ph.D., lead author of the Health (NIH) and the Mayo Brown School continues to be Therapy is tied for the No. 1 rat- "Our highly creative academic study and professor of psychia- See Depression, Page 6 ranked with the best schools of ing, the Program in Physical See Rankings, Page 6 WUSTL researcher finds evidence of earliest transport use of donkeys BY NEIL SCHOENHERR Timing, Process and Indicators" in the March 10 on- line edition of the Proceedings of the National Acad- An international group of researchers, led by Fiona emy of Sciences. Marshall, Ph.D., professor of anthropology in Arts Domestication of the donkey from the African & Sciences, has found evidence for the earliest trans- wild ass was a pivotal point in human history. It port use of the donkey and the early phases of don- transformed ancient transport systems in Africa and key domestication, suggesting the process of domes- Asia and the organization of early cities and pastoral tication may have been slower and less linear than societies. previously thought. The research team examined the 5,000-year-old The findings are based on a study of 10 donkey Abydos skeletons along with 53 modern donkey and skeletons from three graves dedicated to donkeys in African wild ass skeletons. Analysis showed that the the funerary complex of one of the first pharaohs at Abydos metacarpals were similar in overall propor- Abydos, Egypt. The team, led by Marshall and Stine tions to those of wild ass, but individual measure- Rossel of the University of Copenhagen, found that ments varied. Mid-shaft metacarpal breadths, or donkeys around 5,000 years ago were in an early lengths, resembled those of wild ass, but mid-shaft phase of domestication. They looked like wild ani- depths and distal breadths were intermediate be- mals but displayed joint wear that showed that they tween those of wild ass and domestic donkey. were used as domestic animals. Despite this, all the Abydos skeletons exhibited a "Genetic research has suggested African origins range of wear and other pathologies on their bones for the donkey," Marshall said. "But coming up with consistent with load carrying. Morphological simi- an exact time and location for domestication is diffi- larities to the wild ass show that, despite their use as cult because signs of early domestication can be hard beasts of burden, donkeys were still undergoing con- to see. Our findings show that traces of human man- siderable phenotypic change during the early dynas- agement can indicate domestication before skeletal tic period in Egypt. This pattern is consistent with or even genetic changes." recent studies of other domestic animals that suggest The previously unpublished research was present- that the process of domestication is slower and more ed in "Domestication of the Donkey: New Data on complicated than had been previously thought. Researchers examined ancient donkey skeletons at Abydos, Egypt. 2 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Schweich to serve as Ambassador-in-Residence BY JESSICA MARTIN school's third Ambassador-in-Resi- dence. This program, administered Thomas A. Schweich, J.D., the by the Whitney R. Harris World State Department's coordinator Law Institute, brings foreign serv- for counternarcotics and Justice ice professionals to the law school Reform in Afghanistan, will join to share their experiences and the School of Law as Ambassador- knowledge with the law school and in-Residence. University community. Ambas- Schweich also serves as the sadors-in-Residence meet with stu- principal deputy assistant secre- dents to discuss their experiences tary (PDAS) for the Bureau of In- in the U.S. foreign service. Leila ternational Narcotics and Law En- Sadat, J.D., the Henry H. Ober- forcement Affairs (INL). schelp Professor of Law, directs the As the PDAS, he helps manage Harris Center. an annual budget of $2.5 billion Schweich, who graduated from and more than 4,000 people Yale University and Harvard Law around the world.