Link confirmed between cocaine and behavior problems

Children born to mothers who use cocaine during pregnancy run a higher risk of developing long-term behavior problems, said Virginia Delaney-Black, MD, associate professor of pediatrics.

She published a study of 102 first-graders whose teachers rated them on various behavior problems including distractibility, hyperactivity and disorganization. The study, published in the October, 1998 issue of Pediatrics, goes beyond previous studies which identified a link between cocaine exposure and newborn problems, including low birthweight, prematurity, irritability and trembling.

For the first time, researchers tracked children into their school years to study the long-term effects of cocaine exposure. "Clearly, children exposed to cocaine were at risk for behavioral problems," said Dr. Delaney-Black. She cautions, however, that other factors could contribute to that risk. "Other maternal and environmental factors play a significant role in determining child behavior, but this certainly warrants a closer look. It is important to recognize that these results do substantiate previous teacher reports of problem behavior."

Orthopaedic trauma team welcomed

Stephen DeSilva, MD, professor and chair of orthopaedic surgery, welcomed four new faculty members to the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Improving orthopaedic trauma care for adult and pediatric patients are Drs. Berton Moed, Kathryn Cramer, David Karges and J. Tracy Watson.

Since they’ve arrived at WSU/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Receiving Hospital has already experienced a significant increase in the number of injured patients transferred from other local hospitals. "With the additional resources this team now has through the DMC and the School of Medicine, I anticipate further significant advances in our ability to care for the most complex bone and joint injuries," said Dr. DeSilva.

Dr. Goodman organizes evolution conference

Scientific leaders from around the world took part in a conference to explore changes in the understanding of evolution and to discuss the impact of recent genetic research on current views of evolution. The conference, "Humankind’s Evolutionary Roots: Our Place in Nature," was organized by Morris Goodman, PhD, professor of anatomy and cell biology, who is recognized as the world’s leading authority on molecular relationships among primates.

The October lectures, held at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, hosted more than 15 speakers who comprise the pioneers in this area of research. Featured topics were exploring the evolution of life, a molecular perspective of humans and primates, and predicting the evolution of a human virus.

Nobel laureate visits School of Medicine

The department of biochemistry and molecular biology welcomed Professor Paul Boyer to the School of Medicine on September 30. Professor Boyer shared a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1997 for his pioneering work on enzymes that participate in the synthesis of the compound ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a carrier of energy in all living things.

Professor Boyer has described the enzyme responsible, ATP synthase, as "one of the most beautiful as well as one of the most unusual and important" enzymes. It is unusual both for its structural complexity and for its reaction mechanism. Its importance in metabolism is demonstrated by the estimate that an active individual will synthesize more than his or her own body weight of ATP per day.

Professor Boyer’s visit commenced with a meeting and lunch with graduate students and post-doctoral candidates, followed by a three-hour informal meeting with faculty members. He then presented a lecture entitled "ATP Synthase: A Long Research Journey."

Bone marrow drive coming soon

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to participate in a bone marrow collection drive which will be held on March 1 in Scott Hall. Volunteers from ethnic minorities are especially critical, since a shortage of donors has made it difficult to find matches for many patients. Latino and African-American volunteers are in high demand, but people of all ethnicities can be tested. No appointments are necessary.

The bone marrow drive is being sponsored by the American Medical Student Association and the Asian/Pacific American Medical Student Association. For more information, contact Ann Forrest, Year II student.

AIDS quilt displayed

A portion of the Names Project Quilt, a visible symbol of the devastation caused by the AIDS epidemic, was on display at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in December. Although the School displayed only a 12-foot panel, there are 41,000 panels in all, and more than 12,542,000 people have visited the quilt since the project began in 1987.

"Here at the medical school and the medical center, we are all pretty well-educated about AIDS, but this project restores a little humanity," said Julie Bourbonnais, Year II student. She brought the quilt to WSU and also organized a week-long series of lectures about AIDS and AIDS-related topics.

Julie Bourbonnais displays a portion of the Names Project Quilt which is a tribute to those who have died of AIDS

Voluntary faculty honored

Receptions to honor voluntary faculty members are continuing as WSU School of Medicine administrators travel throughout the metropolitan Detroit area to thank clinical faculty for their teaching service to WSU medical students. The receptions began last year and the latest hospital staffs to be honored include those at: Huron Valley-Sinai, St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland, and Beaumont Hospitals.

Enjoying the voluntary faculty reception at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital are (from left): Drs. Nancy Lockhart, James Learner, Robert Sokol, M.O. Bayram, Kiran Balchandani and Jay Kozlowski.

Dr. Moseley receives service award

James Moseley, EdD, associate professor of community medicine, was presented with the Wayne State University Alumni Association Faculty Service Award.

Dr. Moseley has been a member of the Advisory Council of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and worked with the Detroit Police Academy and Women-In-Transition, Inc., among other non-profit groups. He has developed a master’s program in public health, a medical teaching certificate program, and an institute for retiree learning.

"During more than two decades at Wayne State University, Dr. Moseley has established an enviable record of community service in the fields of aging, adult learning and educational theory and technology," said Marguerite Rigby, assistant vice president for alumni relations. "He is an outstanding example of a faculty member who has demonstrated the highest standards of service to his community, his university and his profession."