Digest — U.Va. News Daily

Basketball band scores victory in U-Hall debut
The new Virginia Basketball Band was a hit in its Jan. 20 public debut at the men’s basketball game against Clemson. Cavalier fans warmly welcomed the ensemble, a subset of U.Va.’s new marching band, which will take the field this fall. “I’ve been real impressed with the students’ attitude and energy,” said band director William Pease (at right ). “They have exceeded all my expectations.”
The band will play at men’s and women’s basketball home games. (Jan. 22)

Study: Drug wards off diabetes after islet cell transplantation
A study by U.Va. Health System researchers shows that a new anti-inflammatory compound, lisofylline, protects insulin-producing islet cells that have been transplanted into diabetic mice by warding off the return of diabetes. Though such transplants are a promising treatment for Type I diabetes, without drugs to suppress the immune system, the human body would reject the transplanted cells, causing insulin deficiency, excess glucose in the blood and recurrence of diabetes. (Jan. 21)

Wearable technologies for aged independence
With the aging process comes the risk of disease, as well as mental and physical impairment. Researchers at the Virginia Embedded Systems Laboratory at U.Va.’s School of Engineering and Applied Science are working to create new medical devices to monitor the elderly, allowing them to function independently for as long as possible. (Jan. 9-11)