Medicine & Health

October Medical Science & Health Tip Sheet

New lens replacement material may aid cataract patientsA gel-like material eventually could replace diseased and aging lenses in the eyes of patients with cataracts. The material also might eventually mean the end of bifocals and contact lenses for millions of people who suffer from presbyopia — literally “old vision” — a condition that makes it difficult for people over 40 to read without magnification. Researchers from the Veterans Affairs (VSA) Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine reported on the gel in New York at the 226th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. The technology could represent a totally different approach to the treatment of cataracts and presbyopia.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services announced today that Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will anchor a multi-institutional Midwest Regional Center for Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (MRCE). The center will be funded by a five-year, $35 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

David GutmannJust as films or plays feature both stars and a supporting cast, in the brain the cells called neurons have “starring roles.” But a team of epilepsy researchers led by David H. Gutmann, M.D., Ph.D., the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, has found that a type of supporting cell in the brain is responsible for some epileptic seizures. Studying mice that develop a genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), which affects about 50,000 Americans and causes debilitating epileptic seizures in half of them, Gutmann’s team found that cells called astrocytes played a critical role in the development of seizures. The researchers found that mice that lack a particular gene developed seizures, and they say that gene, combined with the knowledge that the “supporting” astrocyte cells are responsible for the seizures, provides new targets for treating epilepsy.

A new technique in development will produce quick and efficient radiation dosing.Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a technique that makes radiation oncologists significantly faster at calculating radiation dosages for patients undergoing cancer treatment. The technique also provides a more carefully controlled dosage of radiation to cancerous cells that is less likely to damage nearby healthy tissues. The research team — led by Victor Wickerhauser, Ph.D., professor of mathematics in Arts & Sciences and Joseph O. Deasy, Ph.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology at the School of Medicine — has turned to a mathematical tool called wavelet analysis to calculate radiation dose distributions. The tool has helped speed up the dose calculations by a factor of two or more compared to the standard dose calculation technique.

Richard CholeInfection of the tonsils, or tonsillitis, is one of the most common infectious diseases of childhood. More than 400,000 tonsillectomies are performed annually in the U.S., making it one of the most common surgical procedures involving children. Prior to surgery, pediatricians prescribe antibiotics, and children get better, but infections can return in a pattern that repeats itself until the doctor — or the frustrated parents — finally decide that the tonsils must come out. Now researchers, led by Richard A. Chole, M.D., Ph.D., Lindburg Professor and head of the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, have discovered that bacteria often form biofilms in the wet and warm folds of the tonsils, and that these may serve as reservoirs of repeated infection. Recent evidence has linked biofilms to a variety of persistent infections.

MatavaChildren who participate in sports or are physically active in hot weather can be at risk for heat-related illnesses. Each year in the United States, there are a number of tragic stories about young athletes who lose their lives after playing or practicing in the heat. The problems can occur when athletes of any age work hard in extreme heat and humidity, but the risks can be even greater in children because children tend to sweat less than adults, making it harder for their bodies to cool off. Matthew Matava, M.D., assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and head team physician for the St. Louis Rams, says parents and coaches need to make sure kids take things slowly and gradually get used to playing and practicing in the heat and humidity. They also need to make it easy for children to get a drink during practice, with more frequent drink breaks as the temperature and humidity levels rise.

September Medical Science & Health Tip Sheet

WrightIt’s common knowledge that minor aches and pains can be treated by applying cold or heat, but knowing how and when to use these treatments can be tricky, according to Rick W. Wright, M.D., instructor of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine physician at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Wright, who serves as a team physician for the several St. Louis area professional sports teams, offers some advice on proper use of hot and cold therapies in an article published recently in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The human brainThe failing memories of older adults, including their tendency to remember things that never happened, are not an inevitable consequence of aging, according to Washington University research presented Aug. 8 at the American Psychological Association meeting in Toronto. The study offers evidence that false memories and other cognitive declines often associated with normal aging can be more directly linked to measurable declines in executive control functions in frontal brain lobes.