College Clips

By Amy Oslica

Published Sept. 18, 2007

University of Iowa professor pioneered

club-foot cure method

The International Clubfoot Symposium 2007, which began Sept. 12, had experts consider ways to make treatment for the defect more available in Third World countries.

Clubfoot is a misshapen foot twisted out of position, according to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary.

University of Iowa professor Ignacio Ponseti found a way to manipulate feet into their correct shape and alignment by using plaster casts.

"It took time for the profession to change," Ponseti said.

Health providers were trained at the Ponseti Clubfoot Treatment Center. Twelve clinics were set up with all the necessary tools to use Ponseti's method.

Ponseti treated Allison Muack, a 5-year-old from Boise, Idaho. Before coming into contact with Ponseti, the family feared Allison would face amputation. On Sept. 14, Allison ran in the Ponseti Clubfoot Races with only a small brace on her right leg.

"I knew the time would come when the method would be recognized," Ponseti said. "I'm mostly happy to see the babies and their mothers, who are elated to see the results."

— The Daily Iowan

(University of Iowa)

Popcorn fumes linked to lung damage

A Denver man ate several bags of extra-butter-flavored popcorn each day. He suffered from the first consumer case of "popcorn lung."

The main component in butter-flavored popcorn, diacetyl, might cause deadly lung disease.

"We cannot be sure that this patient's exposure to butter-flavored microwave popcorn from daily heavy preparation has caused his lung disease," Cecile Rose, chief occupational and environmental medicine physician at National Jewish Medical and Research Center, stated in a letter. "However, we have no other plausible explanation."

According to an online poll, about 23,000 Americans plan to change their relationship with popcorn, and 35,000 are convinced that popcorn could be linked to lung disease.

Major popcorn packaging companies have removed diacetyl from their flavorings.

— The GW Hatchet

(The George Washington University)

Tufts U. junior battles bears,

split trails during hike

Tufts University junior Chris Martin hiked the Appalachian Trail alone this summer.

On the first day of his trip, Martin got lost on a part of the trail that split.

Because he was burning so many calories, Martin was forced to eat foods that were high in fat and sugar.

"When I stopped at the Delaware Water Gap one night, I ate 1 1/2 large pizzas, a loaf of banana bread, three ears of corn, a peanut butter fudge pie and a pitcher of Coke," he said.

Martin also encountered 13 black bears, five rattlesnakes and three moose.

Although Martin said he felt very proud when he reached the summit, he also said he valued the journey over the destination.

"I can't summarize this trip by one climb," Martin said. "There were a lot of really incredible moments."

— The Tufts Daily

(Tufts University)