I had never really appreciated the importance of eating. Usually, I grab a quick meal at the hospital cafeteria and inhale it while reading the newspaper or the Internet before getting on with my day.

Ironically enough, a few days ago during my lunch break, a CNN article titled “Doctors grow a new jaw in man’s back” caught my eye, and it immediately sounded to me like someone was trying to get a jump on life by learning to eat twice as fast. It was, in fact, a very serious undertaking.

The Aug. 28 edition of The Lancet medical journal published a report on how Dr. Wernke and a team of physicians undertook the challenge of replacing a man’s jaw with a new jaw grown on his own back. Significantly, this was the first time a whole bone was grown inside a person’s body and then transplanted elsewhere within his body.

This man had a large portion of his lower jaw and half his tongue removed because of oral cancer. When his jaw was initially removed, a titanium plate was placed as a bridge over the gap that was made, but it was not nearly as functional as a real jaw. He couldn’t eat anything but mush or soup after the operation, and he became “sick of living,” according to Wernke, the head surgeon on his jaw replacement team.

Because of his lengthy medical history, the patient did not have many plausible treatment options available to create a functional jaw. Previous chemotherapy and radiation therapy had made him weak and damaged the soft tissue around his face. Using artificial bones would pose too much of a risk because of his increased chance of infection due to his weakened immune system. Also, prior vascular and heart conditions had made it necessary for him to be placed on a powerful blood thinning agent, warfarin, which added additional risk to any operation. Therefore, taking a bone graft, which is another common procedure, was too risky because of potential bleeding problems and additional bone damage.

With all of the obstacles they faced, Wernke’s team of doctors had to think creatively about how to treat this man and improve the quality of his life. With the help of computer tomography scans and three-dimensional computer imaging, they developed a titanium mesh jaw scaffold that would fit into the gap in his jaw. In that scaffold they added a few pieces of bone mineral blocks, bone marrow stem cells and BMP7, a growth factor that induces bones to differentiate and grow. They took this mesh scaffold and surgically placed it into his right latissimus dorsi muscle, the muscle around the shoulder blade on the back. This was a prime location because it utilized the blood supply of the shoulder blade area, which is very heavily vascularized, to help the growth of the bone within the scaffold. The implant was not aesthetically evident nor was it a great physical burden in terms of pain or range of motion.

For seven weeks, the developing bone was left to grow and solidify into the titanium mesh plate. Following the growth period, the titanium bone mesh was taken out of his back along with a piece of his latissimus dorsi muscle and a few pieces of blood vessel. The previously placed titanium bridge was removed from his jaw, and this meshwork of titanium, bone, muscle and blood vessels were inserted into his jaw with titanium screws. Several skin grafts were subsequently performed, and the bone continued to mineralize after it was inserted into his face.

While it vastly improved his life, many scientists are unsure about how much of an advancement this was because it is unclear how much of the bone growth was a result of the stem cells. Until enough bone is mineralized to safely take a biopsy sample from his jaw, no one can be sure how effective the stem cells were. Additionally, questions about the nerve growth, such as if he could ever feel his jaw, were never addressed, and such questions will determine the long-term viability of his jaw. Optimistically, this is a step toward advancements such as growing organs or body parts within human bodies.

Of paramount importance, four weeks after the surgery, although still toothless, the patient ate his first solid meal in about a decade, a bratwurst sandwich. Barring any complications, the patient was promised the titanium plates removed and teeth implanted into the bone of his lower jaw in about a year. Now that’s something to chew on.

Life is a priceless commodity. Its worth is incapable of having a monetary value placed upon it. But imagine having years of your life taken away from you. Imagine being imprisoned for decades for a crime you did not commit. Try to fathom how much you’d lose.

Unfortunately, too many citizens across the nation are faced with the injustice of wrongful conviction and released with nothing more than a push out the door. While 18 states and the federal government have legislation providing compensation for those cleared of crimes they’d originally been convicted of, Virginia is not one of them. The General Assembly needs to address this issue when it reconvenes in January. Wrongfully convicted Virginians have been let down by the justice system, and they deserve a sensible, accessible protocol for compensating them.

Now that DNA testing has become a common and feasible mode of examining evidence, people convicted of some of the worst crimes imaginable — particularly rape and murder — can, with the presence of genetic material, prove with absolute certainty their innocence. This was the recent case with Wilton A. Dedge, a man in Florida who was released after a 22-year imprisonment for a rape he did not perpetrate. Florida did not compensate him and, as the Associated Press reported, didn’t have the courtesy to give him a bus ticket. Even released convicts are entitled to $100 from the state.

Though the wrongfully convicted might choose to file a lawsuit against the state, winning such cases is nearly impossible. As it stands, then, the only other option available for them in Virginia to receive compensation, according to Misty Thomas, director of the Innocence Project for the National Capital Region, is to have the General Assembly pass a bill specific to the individual, granting them damages as it sees fit. Needless to say, this is not an easy mode of redress to come by.

The laws in other jurisdictions that do provide for compensation once a person proves “actual innocence” vary. Many specify an amount per year of wrongful imprisonment, and some cap the maximum amount an individual can receive in total. It’s hard to say what would be the best option a statute in Virginia should employ. If legislators enact such a provision — and enact it they should — they would need to take into consideration lost wages and inflation before setting a definite amount on potential compensation. The necessity of a cap is debatable. Of course, in theory, states would go bankrupt without a limit, because no amount of money can truly make up for years lost behind bars. On the other hand, New York, West Virginia and D.C. don’t have a maximum, and they’re still alive and well.

The reasons for a compensation statute are painfully obvious. Not only will people lose valuable working years of their lives while in prison, but many upon their release will be without the skills necessary to obtain a job. On top of that, few employers are likely to hire someone they see as tainted by a lengthy imprisonment, proven innocence or not. Those freed may also be plagued by psychological problems that require costly therapy and even medication. They may have no home, no one willing to help them and no way to get transportation away from the place where they’ve been imprisoned. Shockingly, criminals released on parole may even receive more aid and rehabilitation.

The lack of a process for compensating the wrongfully convicted is an absolute injustice. Their lives are brought to a standstill and left in shambles at the hands of a system that is supposed to protect them. Being cleared of a crime you never committed is not a matter of of money, but compensation is the very least a state can do to begin to right past wrongs and rebuild the lives of those it destroyed.

Few sports are permitted this kind of honesty. In other sports, “every game counts” and “you can’t overlook anybody.” But things work a little differently in the world of cross country.

Maybe it’s because the sport has little fanfare. Maybe it’s because runners are just naturally different from other athletes. But don’t doubt that it’s the truth; because while the Virginia cross country team would love to run well this weekend when it hosts the Lou Onesty Invitational, this meet doesn’t really matter.

“It’s definitely not the meet we’re hyping up,” senior captain James Atchison said. “We’re looking more towards Great American [on Oct. 1] and Pre-Nationals [on Oct. 16]. But at the same time, we’re still looking to do well here.”

Hardly a ringing endorsement from Virginia’s team captain.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will be short a few of their top runners — because of illness, injury and quite possibly indifference. On the men’s side, potentially four of the team’s top eight runners could miss the meet. Kara Scanlin, a co-captain and top runner for the women’s team, will also miss the meet.

All is not lost, however, for the Cavaliers. Will Christian, the team’s top male runner and the meet’s defending champion, will be running, as will junior transfer Jeff Eggelston and up-and-coming sophomore Alex Tatu. And on the men’s side at least, there should be some healthy competition with powerhouses Ohio State and William & Mary scheduled to race.

“Even though a couple guys aren’t racing, it’s going to be strong team out there,” Atchison said.

Senior captain Cheryl Carr and sophomore Angie Saterstad will lead a women’s unit that enters the meet with as much potential as uncertainty.

“On the women’s side, it’s not quite so clear who’s going to be in the front, who’s going to be the number one runner, who’s going to be top five,” coach Jason Dunn said.

That fact remains, however, that this has the feel more of an exhibition meet than anything else.

“The one thing I will be looking for is … our willingness to compete,” Dunn said. “At this point of the season, I’m going to evaluate more on the process than the result. I look at how we handle ourselves, how we manage ourselves throughout a race, more so than where we finish. We know we’re going to get better physically and be prepared to run faster later in the season.”

The Onesty Invitational will be held at Panorama Farm, a privately-owned farm near Earlysville. Storms resulting from Hurricane Ivan could flood the entrance, making the property inaccessible by any means but swimming and possibly delaying or canceling the meet entirely.

You have to wonder, however, if anyone on the cross country team would really care.

Injuries. Coaches, players and fans alike cringe simply hearing the word. An injury can deflate a season, not only for a player, but for an entire team. Take the 2003 edition of the Virginia football team. Quarterback and returning ACC Player of the Year Matt Schaub was injured in the first game against Duke and subsequently was forced to miss the following contest against South Carolina. The Cavaliers were destroyed by the Gamecocks, dashing their dreams of a national championship.

The same cannot be said for this season’s women’s soccer squad, which has caught a strain of the injury bug themselves. Though a multitude of injuries have left the Cavaliers with a thin bench, the team nevertheless continues to play outstanding soccer. The No. 3 Cavaliers (6-0) remained undefeated with wins over South Carolina and nationally ranked UCLA last weekend. However, the team did not escape last weekend’s contests unscathed. Reserve midfielder Taylor Wood sustained a possibly season-ending knee injury during the UCLA match. Wood’s injury, along with the injuries to starters Kristen Weiss (day-to-day with a hamstring injury) and Ariel Thompson (day-to-day), has shortened what was already a thin bench.

Virginia began the season with 23 roster spots available, but three Cavaliers left for the season to play for the U-19 National Team. Junior Kara Frederick also has yet to play because of a leg injury she sustained while the team played over the summer in Brazil.

“We knew our situation would be like this when we lost three players to the Olympic team, but we have players that can step up,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said.

Swanson also said he recognizes that premier competitions against opponents such as UCLA can affect the health of his squad.

“It always takes a toll at the beginning of the year to play high-caliber teams,” Swanson said.

Though injuries have reduced the number of healthy players on the Cavaliers’ bench, the lack of able bodies has given some freshmen a chance to shine. In particular, forward Sarah Curtis has filled the void created by the injuries to Weiss and Thompson. Curtis has three goals on the season, including a tally against the Bruins on Friday.

“I’m not surprised by her impact,” Swanson said. “She is someone who because of our situation is getting to play more, and she’s made the most of it. I knew when we recruited her that she could make an impact. She can play different positions and brings a lot of athleticism to our team.”

While Swanson has used his freshmen extensively this season, he continues to preach to his team the importance of maintaining a similar playing style.

“You have to be careful of [taking a different approach due to injuries],” Swanson said. “With our schedule, you can’t have a different mentality each game. The approach has to be the same.”

Swanson said he hopes his Cavaliers can sustain their mental approach this weekend and squash their injury bug as his team travels to the William & Mary Tournament for games against in-state rivals George Mason tonight and tournament host William & Mary on Sunday.

“The [W&M tournament] will be a good test,” senior forward Lindsay Gusick said. “We are taking it one game at a time.”

While this weekend’s games will provide a test on the road, the Cavaliers will look to their freshman to provide a spark to a team in need of fewer injuries and improved depth.

With an 8-1 record, the Virginia volleyball team should be full of confidence as the start of the ACC season approaches. However, the Cavaliers say they are not fully satisfied with their performance. Virginia’s first ACC match will take place next Friday night at Wake Forest, but first the Cavaliers must play three quality opponents at the Inn Towner Invitational in Madison, Wis.

The Cavaliers want to use the games against the University of Wisconsin, University of Cincinnati and Marshall University to iron out flaws that have been exposed in the early season. Virginia’s defense is an area that coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said needs improvement.

“We’re going to work on defense more, work on blocking some more and keep trying to get there with our middles,” Shelton said. “Hopefully we will have an injured player or two back.”

Shelton is likely referring to junior outside hitter Kristin Chaney. Chaney, a team co-captain, has been sidelined with an ankle injury for the past week.

“We’re facing two really strong teams, Wisconsin and Cincinnati,” senior co-captain Alexis Geocaris said. “Marshall is the third team and they are doing really well so far. So it will definitely be a test to see where we are. We know we’re good but it will tell us whether or not we are a great team.”

The Cavaliers won on Tuesday night against Towson, but said they were disappointed with their play.

We were “complacent because we’ve had so much success,” Shelton said. “I think people were quick to point the finger and blame other people when things aren’t going right instead of looking in the mirror. But we’re getting there. We’re rolling with it. We’re young and have a tough weekend coming up.”

Geocaris thinks that a key for Virginia’s success is focus.

“We just need to stay on our toes and keep on top of what [our opponents] are doing,” she said.

The Cavaliers’ weekend starts tonight with a matchup against the University of Wisconsin Badgers (3-2). Wisconsin’s first victory of the year came against Georgia Tech, a team the Cavaliers will play twice this season.

Tomorrow morning the Cavaliers face off against the Cincinnati Bearcats (5-2), followed by an evening game with the Marshall Herd (4-3). The Herd lost to Wake Forest earlier in the season, so this game could provide Virginia with a glimpse of how they stack up against the Demon Deacons.

Freshman outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood has emerged as the main offensive weapon employed by the Cavaliers.

“We’ve got a lot of tough teams this weekend,” Kirkwood said. “We’ve got an opportunity to really show what we can do. I’m hoping that we come out 3-0.”

Virginia’s stellar 8-1 record has provided the Cavaliers with the chance to have a special season. The team is young, but looks to have all the tools necessary for success in the ACC. This weekend’s games could prove crucial to the team’s development and should provide insight into how well the Cavaliers are capable of playing throughout the rest of the season.

Four men’s tennis players and two members of the women’s team have been ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s preseason singles and doubles rankings.

A 2004 All-American, junior Doug Stewart begins the season at a career-high No. 5 in the country in singles. Also for the men, junior Ryan Rizza will begin play at No. 75. In doubles, the team of Rizza and junior Nick Maythaler follow up their NCAA qualifying 2003 season at No. 6. In addition, Stewart and his new partner, freshman Treat Huey, are No. 35 in the preseason rankings.

On the women’s side, junior Lauren Bruch and Douglas Wink, a transfer from Georgia, open the season at No. 50 and Virginia’s only ranked female competitors

In response to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a night of drinking with underage girls, Hokie tailback Mike Imoh avoided jail time by accepting a fine of $100 and 24 hours of community service. Imoh agreed to the same terms as quarterback Marcus Vick, younger brother of Atlanta Falcons’ Michael Vick.

The players, as well as receiver Brenden Hill, were arrested following a party at Vick’s apartment in which three 14 to 15-year-old girls were present. During the trial, one of the girls from the party testified that the players gave them vodka and asked them to strip off their clothes and kiss each other.

Because this was not Vick’s first violation, he was suspended from Tech for the entire season whereas Imoh and Hill each received three-game suspensions.

The Virginia men’s soccer team officially began its season with a 3-0 victory over Marshall, but if you ask the Cavalier players and coaches, the real season begins tonight with a trip to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face the Deamon Deacons of Wake Forest.

The game, which is set to start at 7 p.m. at Wake Forest’s Spry Soccer Stadium, will be the first ACC game for the Cavaliers. The 20th-ranked Cavaliers are coming off of their first loss of the season after being defeated by the then-No. 8 ranked St. Louis Billikens, a game in which Virginia surrendered its first goal of the season. Wake Forest, which is ranked No. 2 in the most recent Soccer America rankings, brings an undefeated record of 3-0-1 into the matchup. Tonight’s game marks the fourth game the two teams have played in less than 13 months.

Virginia has defeated Wake Forest in all four of those matchups, including three times last year alone. In each of those three contests, Virginia came into the game as a sizeable underdog, yet managed to come out with a victory. In the first of last year’s three games, the Cavaliers shocked the No. 2 ranked Demon Deacons. Virginia’s other two victories came in tournament play, one a victory in the semifinals of the ACC tournament and the other in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The situation coming into tonight’s game remains the same, as Virginia will once again be the underdog to a Wake team which plays very well at home. The Demon Deacons only lost one game at home last season and it was at the hands of Virginia in the NCAA tournament.

The Cavaliers are not nearly as desperate for a win as they were last year before the first matchup, when Virginia entered the game with a 1-3 record.

“Last year we definitely needed a win” senior defenseman Matt Oliver said. “But this year we are 3-1 and I think its more urgency than desperation.”

Virginia started this year strong, winning their first three games of the season, but the team struggled defensively against St. Louis contributing to the Cavaliers’ first loss of the season.

“We were a little out of shape,” sophomore forward Adam Cristman said. “We weren’t tight as a unit with our back line and overall our defending shape and posture needs improvement.”

In order for the Cavaliers to ensure a fifth consecutive victory over Wake, Virginia’s defense will likely have to regain the form it had during the first three games of the season when they recorded three consecutive shutouts. Shutting down the Wake attack won’t likely be an easy task for the Cavaliers. Wake has averaged two goals per game in their four games and will have the added incentive of trying to avenge their three losses to Virginia last year. The Cavaliers realize the game against Wake will be extremely competitive.

“Every game is a dog fight, they know us very well and we know them very well” Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. “It’s an ACC game — they are going to be as juiced up, probably more so than they ever have, because the last time we played them we beat them.”

As far as ACC openers go, the Cavaliers couldn’t be faced with a much tougher opponent. Virginia will likely have to be at its best if they want to defeat the Demon Deacons yet again and start the ACC season with a bang.

When the Virginia Cavaliers meet Akron University this Saturday, it will be a tale of two different teams going in two very different directions.

No. 12 Virginia (2-0) is poised to crack into the top 10 rankings for the first time in six years while the Zips (0-2) are still searching for their first win of the season.

Akron, which entered the season with high hopes of being the MAC sleeper team, has been brought back to reality, losing their two opening games in a fashion completely different from Virginia’s two wins. The Zips quarterback Charlie Frye, who was hyped as a preseason Heisman candidate, has been labeled by many as the next great quarterback to emerge from a conference rich in producing NFL starters. Frye has put up impressive numbers to date, throwing for 622 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. While Frye might have slipped under the radar the last time he faced Virginia, he has not gone unnoticed this time around.

“Well, it helps us in that for three weeks in a row now we’re dealing with a team with a spreadout offense,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “This is a big arm quarterback who can get the ball all over the field.”

When Akron visited Scott Stadium two years ago the team laid to waste a thin Virginia secondary. Frye had a field day throwing for 335 yards and one touchdown during the 48-29 Virginia win. The Cavalier front seven only recorded two sacks against an inferior Akron offensive line, giving Frye time to sit in the pocket and pick the secondary apart. Much has changed since then, not only in terms of personnel, but also in terms of Virginia’s defensive philosophy.

During that 2002-2003 season, only Groh’s second in Charlottesville, Virginia’s defense was far less aggressive than it is now but the unit didn’t have that luxury. With only one complete recruiting class under his belt, Groh had to modify his game plan to fit the players he had. This most likely left him unavailable to run the system he wanted to, both offensively and defensively. Now he has the players he needs to not only run his pro-style 4-3 defensive scheme, but to dominate opposing offenses with it as well.

The return of this aggressive style of play means that the front seven are as integral a part of the pass defense as the secondary. With the defensive line and linebackers able to put constant pressure on the quarterback, it allows the cornerbacks and safeties to play tighter one-on-one coverage, instead of having to play five to 10 yards off the line.

Virginia’s starting secondary, consisting of sophomore cornerbacks Tony Franklin and Marcus Hamilton and senior safeties Jermaine Hardy and Marquis Weeks lacks depth as well as experience. Weeks is a switchover from the Cavaliers’ loaded backfield and of the players backing up the starters, 13 of 14 are only freshman or sophomores. The lone upperclassman in the unit is junior CB David Hale. Yet while the secondary is young and inexperienced, the depth and talent up front takes pressure off of the unit. This not only allows for a slight margin of error but should also help foster the learning curve of the entire secondary.

While Frye should present a challenge for the entire Virginia defense Saturday, he is the only weapon in a punchless Akron offense, which lost all of its starting receivers from last season. Defensively, the Zips are even worse off, giving up an average of 208 yards rushing per game, which should bode well for the Virginia backfield and could lead to another 300-yard performance.

Although on paper Virginia seems to have the upper hand, the Cavaliers know they’ve come too far to overlook any of their opponents.

“I think it’s a team thing,” running back Wali Lundy said. “We’ve got to keep each other focused. You’ve got to have a team union and be like, ‘we’ve got to play hard every week’ if you want to accomplish something.”

The Cavaliers have already made a statement early this season but have much higher aspirations for the rest of the season — this weekend the Cavaliers hope to continue their ascent into college football’s elite.

Despite falling to No. 11 Richmond, the No. 10 Virginia field hockey team will probably hold onto a high ranking according to the STX/NFHCA poll. However, the Cavaliers’ 5-2 record is more deceiving than is appears and deserves to be taken with a grain of salt.

Virginia is scheduled to play four ranked teams this season, all currently ranked within the top 12. Despite the losses to No. 1 Michigan State Sept. 5 and Richmond Wednesday, Virginia has shown the ability to hang with the ranked opponents on their schedule. Based on the box score, it might have seemed like a nasty defeat to Michigan State, but the breakdown of the stats reveal otherwise.

Although the final score was 6-2 and Virginia was outshot, the Cavaliers dominated Michigan State on short corners and defensive saves. The statistics show that shots are important in establishing an offense and keeping the pressure off of the defense for the Cavaliers. By keeping the number of shots even with their opponents, Virginia’s chances of winning have improved. Against Richmond, Virginia was outshot 20 to five and lost. However, when Virginia played Boston College, the statistics were very close, especially in the shots category, where Virginia only managed one less than the Eagles. The Cavaliers were able to win that game 4-3.

“We can’t just keep having these losses by one goal — we have to get on the other side of the scoreboard,” senior goalkeeper Logan Carr said.

Defense was also a problem in the games against Michigan State and Richmond. More shots had to be defended by Carr, who won the goalkeeper battle after splitting time with sophomore Katherine Blair. Carr, who came through in the win against Boston College, kept her team in the game against Richmond. She had to defend 20 shots against the Spiders. The Cavaliers will look to keep Carr less busy this weekend as will as improving their discipline.

“We need to work on a lot of our individual defense, our ability to combine, in terms of our attack, and just being a lot more disciplined,” Virginia coach Jessica Wilk said.

This weekend, Virginia takes on No. 3 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the first of two matchups against the ACC rival. With a more balanced attack, Virginia will be in a better position to steal a win to pull even in their record so far against top-ranked teams this year.

“It’s going to be a battle,” Wilk said. “Carolina is ranked third in the country, it’s always tough down there, but I look forward to the challenge. That’s what sport is all about — you come away with a loss, you hopefully learn and grow and get better, and look forward to the next challenge.”

Maybe the lessons Virginia learned in the Richmond game will help them to defeat North Carolina and the other ranked opponents on their schedule.