Medicine & Health

E. Coli (yellow) attaches to a host cell using sticky fibersNew insights into the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections appear to open up an opportunity for disabling a wide range of infectious bacteria. Researchers at the School of Medicine recently revealed how a protein known as PapD helps E. coli assemble sticky fibers called pili that allow the bacterium to latch onto and infect host cells. Scientists are using what they’ve learned to begin designing pilicides, new treatments that stop pili formation and disrupt the infection process.

Artist’s renderingBarnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine are pleased to announce a partnership that will bring a new cancer center to the campus of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.

It’s not uncommon for a child with Down Syndrome to receive regular care from as many as six or seven specialists. The new Down Syndrome Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital allows families to coordinate all these doctor visits into one trip.

On the heels of President Bush’s call for medical liability reform during a recent visit to Collinsville, Ill., Washington University hosted a conference on the same topic, “Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform: Finding Truth and Common Ground.” Medical and legal experts gathered to discuss the hard road that must be paved toward a solution for this growing national concern. The consensus of the conference seemed to be that cooperation is the key.

Some instant teas may contain excess fluoride.Instant tea, one of the most popular drinks in the U. S., may be a source of harmful levels of fluoride, researchers at the School of Medicine report. The researchers found that some regular strength preparations contain as much as 6.5 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride, well over the 4 ppm maximum allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency and 2.4 ppm permitted in bottled water and beverages by the Food and Drug Administration.

Brain cells in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease have surprised scientists with their ability to recuperate after the disorder’s characteristic brain plaques are removed.

The George Warren Brown School of Social Work’s spring lecture series addresses a broad spectrum of issues from elder care to the future of social policy. The series will kick off Feb. 7 with a lecture by Melvin Oliver, Ph.D., titled “Can We Preserve the Progressive Soul of Asset-Based Social Policy?” Oliver is a professor of sociology and dean of social sciences in the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. All lectures will be held at noon in Brown Hall, Room 124.

Listed below are this month’s featured news stories. • Light meter in eyes (week of Oct. 6) • Clinically depressed children (week of Oct. 13) • Ear infections linked to GERD (week of Oct. 20) • Halloween safety (week of Oct. 27)

Listed below are this month’s featured news stories. • Siteman Cancer Center (week of Jan. 5) • Scientists grow norovirus (week of Jan. 12) • Protein linked to depression (week of Jan. 19) • Human head hair isn’t fur (week of Jan. 26)

Listed below are this month’s featured news stories. • DHEA reduces fat in elderly (week of Dec. 1) • Chicken genome (week of Dec. 8) • Schizophrenia risk factors (week of Dec. 15) • Homeless population has changed (week of Dec. 22) • SIDS risk (week of Dec. 29)