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.