Newsroom Stories

WU researchers have identified a protein sensor that detects norovirus (shown here), a highly contagious stomach bug.There’s no cure for the so-called stomach flu, a group of highly contagious viruses that can hit with a vengeance, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Doctors’ standard advice: drink lots of fluids and let the virus run its course. Symptoms typically last only a couple of days, but they can be miserable ones. Now, scientists at the School of Medicine report they have identified the primary immune sensor that detects the presence of stomach viruses in the body.

The deadline to register for media credentials for the 2008 vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis is Aug. 15. On-site credentialing will not be available. Please go to the Commission on Presidential Debates Web site — debates.org — to register for credentials. Media can also go to debates.org for Washington University’s rate […]

Photo by Mary Butkus / WUSTL PhotoStudy finds that the larger the bill, the smaller the tip percentage.As Americans are stuggling to make ends meet with rising gas and food costs, they are grappling more than ever with what’s appropriate when it comes to rewarding service providers with tips, gifts and other token gratuities, suggests Leonard Green, Ph.D., a psychology professor in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis who studies tipping behavior. Video available.

Parent/child interaction with a toy is key to inciting learning.Many parents around the country will purchase toys for their children this coming holiday season. While choosing toys that will further a child’s education development is important, it’s also a great idea for parents to remember to play with their children and engage with them in their new gifts. R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D., associate professor of education in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, offers advice to parents worried about making the right toy choice for their children. Video available.

It’s possible to keep your diet intact during the holidays.The holiday season, with all its sweet temptations, will be here before you know it. However, all those holiday parties and office gatherings laden with scrumptious food and drink don’t have to mean the end of your weight loss plan. It’s still possible to enjoy the bounty and not feel deprived of your favorite holiday dishes, says Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Video available.

For college students, the winter break can be a welcome time off. Classes are over, finals are finished and it’s a time to spend with family and friends. But, says a practicing psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis, the break between semesters can also be a very stressful time for students.

Taking classes with a friend can help adult students stay focused on their schoolwork.So it will soon be 2009 — the year you decided is the one to start or finish that degree you’ve always intended to earn. But if it’s been awhile since you’ve stepped foot inside a classroom — or at least one that wasn’t your kids’ — here are some suggestions to help you follow through on your New Year’s resolution.

It’s easy being green: Idling computers and bottled water, when used wisely, can make minimal impacts on the Earth.Want to begin to be more environmentally friendly in 2009 but can’t afford a hybrid car? Don’t worry — there are plenty of ways to lessen your impact on the environment that don’t come with such a daunting price tag, says Matt Malten, assistant vice chancellor for campus sustainability at Washington University in St. Louis. And they likely will even save you some money without cramping your carbon-creating lifestyle — much.

SmithThe 2008 Iowa Caucuses may be the last time the conservative Midwestern state exerts such a huge influence on the presidential nomination process, predicts WUSTL expert Steven S. Smith.

Every moment we live, cells in our bodies are dying. One type of cell death activates an immune response while another type doesn’t. Now researchers at the School of Medicine and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis have figured out how some dying cells signal the immune system. They say the finding eventually could have important implications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer.