Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1998)
The Battalion TIERS Monday • March 2, A&M vet school tests heart device in calves By Jill Reed Science writer Researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine began tests last month on a new type of heart pump that could assist heart- failure patients while they wait for organ do nations. The new heart pump, known as a ventric ular assist device (VAD), was designed by NASA in collaboration with Dr. Michael De- Bakey, a pioneering heart surgeon at the Bay lor College of Medicine, and Dr. George Noon, a surgeon at Methodist Hospital in Houston. The DeBakey VAD pumps blood from the left ventricle, assisting the body’s natural heart. Micromed Technology Inc., the company that is developing the heart pump, asked sci entists at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine to perform some of the pre-clinicaJ trials that are necessary before the heart pumps can be used in humans. Dr. Theresa Possum, a veterinary surgeon in the College ofVeterinary Medicine Depart ment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, is coordinating the facilities, animals and sur gical and technical support personnel need ed for the project. Debbi Whitlock, the registered veterinary technician working for Possum, said the pump is not meant to replace the heart, only support it. “The patient may, in the beginning, need a heart transplant, but then after having the de vice for a while, the patient might not actual ly need the transplant,” Whitlock said. Whitlock said there are between 25 and 50 thousand people with heart failure in need of an assist device or transplant each year in the United States, but there are only about 2,000 heart transplants performed each year. Heart transplants and the other available treatments are all very expensive, but the De Bakey VAD, should cost considerably less than the assist devices currently available. The new device is also smaller, quieter and more energy efficient than existing heart de vices. Whitlock said the DeBakey VAD is an axi al-flow pump with only one movable part and is made of titanium so it will be more com patible with human tissue. Possum and Noon will implant the De Bakey VAD into human-sized calves to test the performance of the pump and its long-term effects on the body. Whitlock will care for the calves 24 hours a day with help from veterinary student work ers from the College ofVeterinary Medicine. The study will last up to 24 months, and A&M researchers will monitor each calf for up to six months, Whitlock said. “Micromed could potentially have their FDA approval before we finish our study, and they could be using these devices in hu mans as early as the second half of this year,” Whitlock said. Pradhan Continued from Page 1 “The case was set for our grand jury a month ago and our office never said other wise,” Turner said. At the Feb. 26 hearing, the grand jury issued indictments on two counts of abuse of offi cial capacity. Officials accuse Pradhan of misusing between $1,500 and $20,000 of the University’s money for two private busi nesses, Technology Transfer Institute and Reliable Com puter Technology. The National Science Foun dation (NSF), which has awarded grants to Pradhan while at A&M, presented evi dence concerning their inves tigation to the grand jury yes terday, Turner said. Turner said a bond hearing date has not been set yet. Pradhan said he established the businesses to receive grants for Texas A&M. “It is part of University busi ness to bring in money to Texas A&M,” Pradhan said. “That is what everybody understood. They are wanting to indict me to get rid of me and to protect somebody in the chain of command. Neither I nor my staff did anything wrong.” Pradhan came to A&M in 1991 and said he was given a contract which guaranteed vii tually unlimited discretion over the spending of a University endowed fund for the comput er science department. A separate A&M audit accus es Pradhan of improper^ di verting more than SIOO.OOO of University funds into his private bank account. A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen denied Pradhan's re quest for postponement for review by the Tenure Media tion Committee. The committee is sched uled to meet tomorrow to be gin reviewing Pradhan’s case, said tenure mediation com mittee co-chair Guy Battle. “We are required to proceed since the delay has not been granted (by Bowen)/' Battle said. "Our job is to facilitate the dia logue between the two parties." Pradhan, a native of India, filed a race-biased notice against Texas A&M University in August. I le said Richard Wysk, a former A&M professor, warned him of racist practices among faculty' and administration. “The day he was leaving, Wysk told me that 1 would not be accepted here because I was not a white person," Pradhan said. T might should have taken his advice but l want to try' to stay here at Texas A&M. I am still hoping that I can work here and im prove the campus.” ISA Continued from Page 1 \&M administrators and student leaders vvilla the Most Outstanding International Student Awanlaj Outstanding International Alumni Award will bepre 1 he celebration will conclude Friday with aninte ,i i talent show and dress parade followed by a party I Isai saiil tin- talent show will consist of each inter club performing a traditional dance or song fromtl try. 1 he fashion parade will represent eachcounti tional costumes or outfits. Tsai said the week is a \n.i\ for internationalsd thank the University and community for theopp come and study at A&M. "Most Aggies are aware of other cultures," she saicj week is a i ham e n > share with everyone the abiiirj about and understand other cultures.” 1 ickets are SB for the buffet, $4 for the talent sht loibnth. I n.i\ t>r |hiu based at the MSCBosJ at the door. All other International Week activities a Library Continued from Page 1 Hji some Texas A&M students, like Garrett, itwai time to visit the facility, which opened to the public her 1997. “Its phenomenal,” Garrett said. “I really like all and the Air Force One exhibit." Beyond the photos and multimedia presentad itors said the experience challenged their percepi mer president. "It's hard because l‘m a Democrat," said jenr sophomore recreation, parks and tourism science? it gives me a greater respect for George Bush. He nicer ixrrson. COSGA delegate Andrew Stober, a Northeastern University in Boston, said the lib expectations. Stober compared the facility to a Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boso: The Bush Ubrarv is fantastic." he said. "Itsince big it is, and how welcoming everyone's been." Class of Merchandise on sale this week in the MSC: * AWESOME NEW SWEATSHIRTS * Pullout t-shirts * Window stickers Get 'em while they last!!! http://classOO.tamu.edu TAMU SCUBA CLUB meeting at Paradise Scuba March 4th @ 7:00pm Free Discover Scuba..- Call for Reservations Free Pizza from Double Dave's Guest Speaker on Nitrox Diving Door Prizes Class Specials Everyone Welcome! Scuba Trips Kroger Shopping Center on Texas Ave. 696-DIVE (Paradise ft^^cuba s., cffucly /T&r’ozicl in ZTT&xico n wr^%) . nT&xico CZfl-y «~> umm&r’ session £2 July 7 - /luaust IS. 1£>9£ SRA.Nl 301: Hisraimic Cugttjre anid GiviurzAmoM (3 Hours) Hrer&^iutsito: SPAIV 202, 203, 222 c>r equivalent, or approval of instructor SRANI 303: GoiviROsnriON amd Gomversatiom (3 hours) Prerequisite.- SPAJV202, 203, 222 or equivalent, or approval of instructor M¥r*fir>-«Tna.t:lc*n C*-.*-, . Professor Santiago Vaquera 201-C Academic Building Phone (409)845-2176 Office Hours: 1 :30-2:30 MW vaquera (Sjtanm.gdu Study Abroad Program Office 161 Bizzell Hall West Phone (409) 845-0544 pa Tiffany Inbody, Editor in Chief Helen Clancy, Copy Chief Brad Graeber, Visual Arts Editor James Francis, Aggielife Editor Jeremy Furtick, Sports Editor Mandy Cater, Opinion Editor Ryan Rogers, Photo Editor Chris Huffines, Radio Producer Sarah Goldston, Radio Producer Dusty Moer, Web Editor Robert Smith, City Editor Aaron Meier, Night News Editor News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-mail: batt@unix.tamu.edu; Website: http://battalion.tamu.edu Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified adver tising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. Mail subscriptions are $60 per school year, $30 for the fall or spring semester and $17.50 for the summer. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 845-2611. The Battalion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building,Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Last chance to PREPARE FOR THE April GRE : rfesM SjiMcrig) &nv lom Oassl Sin.Mcz8ri 6-9pm Class 2 Thu Mac 12li 6-^yn M2 &LM3121S? &ZB: 1pm Class3 Sin, Mcx 22x1 6-^xn Class 4 Thu.Mci26ti 6-9pm M2 &L.Ma28ft] ftTTvlpm Class 5 Sm, Ma 29ti 6-^xti Class 6 Thu, Apt 2t! 6-9pm Our FAST TRACK course starts on March 7th. Designed for motivated students, it teaches our highest return TECHNIQUES in the SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE, If you thought you didn't have time to prepare, think again. Want $$$ for grad school? Acing the GRE can make you eligible for more and better scholarships Our only job is to help YOU get those scores. THE PRINCETON REVIEW (409) 696-9099 (800) 2REVIEW GREAT SUMMER JOBS!!! Camp Counselor Positions available in Western Massachusetts On Campus Interviews - Monday, March 2nd 10am - 4pm - Career Services John J. Koldus Building Counselor positions for talented and energetic students offering top salaries are open NOW for male and female applicants who would like to be a part of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac for boys or Camp Danbee for girls. Excellent Salary, Room, Board & Travel are included along with the opportunity to work with great kids this summer. Specialists needed in: Team Sports: Roller Hockey Baseball Soccer Basketball Tennis & Golf Gymnastics Figure Skating Archery & Riflery Cycling Nature/Pioneering Photography Radio Station Rocketry Woodworking Arts & Crafts Ropes & Climbing Swim Instruction Water Skiing Sailing Windsurfing Kayaking Canoeing Yearbook/Newspaper Positions run June 20th - August 19th, 1998 NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!!! Call 1-800-753-9118 (men) or 1-800-392-3752 (women) for more information. Check out our web site: www.campmkn.com OPEN FORUM TO EXPLAIN Texas A&M University University Apartments RENT INCREASE FOR 1998-1999 WHEN: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, -\998 6:30 P.M WHERE: UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS COUNCIL ROOM ALL TENANTS IN UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND FOR INFORMATION. CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF RESIDENCE LIFE 862-3158 OR SEND AN E MAIL MESSAGE TO <HOUSING©TAMU.EDU> Additional information about the Department of Residence Life is available^ the World Wide Web at the following address: reslrfe tamu.edu Memorial Student Center ♦ELS4 Executive lecture .Series Maximizing Your Potential The MSC Executive Lecture Series Presents: Bobby Duncan '79 "Entrepreneurship and You!" Monday, March 2nd MSC Visual Arts Galler] 7:30 p.m.
