Sleep apnea treatment less effective with higher BMIs

A sleep apnea treatment known as hypoglossal nerve stimulation is less effective in people with higher body mass indexes, according to a new study by researchers at the School of Medicine.

Life is more random than we realize

Chance and luck play a far bigger role in our lives than any of us know, argues the Brown School’s Mark Rank in his book “The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World around Us.”

WashU Expert: Tremor a reminder of earthquake threat

Although earthquakes may seem uncommon in the New York area, they are not unheard of — and there are similarities to earthquakes experienced in St. Louis, according to seismologist Doug Wiens in Arts & Sciences.

Research Wire

Matthew Bersi, at the McKelvey School of Engineering, will use pioneering optics-based mechanical testing and imaging techniques to study the aorta with a five-year $575,000 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation.

Notables

Three WashU students have received the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious award that honors students who conduct research in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. The winners, all juniors, are Makenna Fluegel, Aidan Li and Sean Wang.