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Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:

International Coverage

Lubricants may not harm fertility
Reuters

In a study that tracked couples trying to conceive, researchers found no differences in the success rates of those who used over-the-counter lubricant products and those who didn't. … "There are some recommendations that couples trying to conceive should not use lubricants, for fears that it will be toxic to sperm and make it harder for them to get pregnant," said Dr. Anne Steiner at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who led the new study.

National Coverage

Does a Long-Ago Head Injury Pose Risks for the Everyday Athlete?
The New York Times

…But it is also likely that any such effects will vary widely from person to person. “We know right now that some athletes are more affected by a single concussion than others,” says Kevin M. Guskiewicz, chairman of exercise and sports science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and winner of a MacArthur “genius grant” last year for his work studying sports-related concussions. “And we don’t know why.

Study: Many teens ignoring North Carolina cellphone ban
McClatchy Newspapers

North Carolina adopted a cellphone ban for teen drivers in 2006, but a recently published study has found that many teens ignore the law and more are engaging in the highly hazardous practice of texting and driving. The results of the study by the Highway Safety Research Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill appear in the current issue of Accident Analysis and Prevention. It is based on the observation of 5,000 teen drivers leaving high school parking lots.

Regional Coverage

Symposium to tackle violence against vulnerable Alaskans
Alaska Dispatch

On Wednesday July 11, a panel of national experts will speak at an Anchorage symposium about the prevention of violence against children and other vulnerable Alaskans. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Injury Prevention Research Center has paired up with The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Alaska Children's Trust to organize the event. According to a press release, four experts will "present national research on current best practices, effective tools, data, and the need for violence prevention."

Preventing Concussions in Sports
WTAP-TV (NBC/Parkersburg, W.Va)

Kevin M. Guskiewiez, PhD, ATC spoke with parents, coaches and doctors about the importance of recognizing, learning from and managing concusisons in sports. Recently, attention has been focused onhead injuries in organized sports. It is estimated that there are nearly 5 million sports related concussions in the United States each year.

LEEF: Burst the higher-education bubble
The Washington Times

…The housecleaning in higher education also will sweep out lots of courses that exist only because professors like to teach them. Such courses typically focus on narrow, trendy or highly political subjects that interest the professor. For example, students at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, can take “The Psychology of Clothes: Motivations for Dressing Up and Dressing Down.” In the new era of value consciousness, such boutique courses will be culled out.

State and Local Coverage

The grill: It’s not just for meat (Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

Grilling may mean burgers and hot dogs to most of you. But try giving grilled vegetables equal billing. They add color, variety and nutrition to any summertime meal. Many different kinds of vegetables can be cooked on a grill. Examples include sweet potatoes, beets, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, carrots, squash, okra, eggplant, corn and white potatoes. (Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a registered dietitian and a clinical associate professor in the department of health policy and administration in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill.)

Roses and Raspberries
The Chapel Hill News

Roses to Morris Gelblum, a UNC graduate who has found a novel way to beat the recession, and to help other young adults do it, too. Gelblum founded a company called Sweeps, based on a premise whose great charm is its simplicity.

UNC Study Finds Connections In Autism, Schizophrenia, And Bipolar Disorder
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)

A recent study by a UNC professor shows evidence that individuals might be more prone to autism spectrum disorders if they have family members suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. UNC Genetics Professor Patrick Sullivan led the study. He says for the past 30 years, geneticists have assumed that schizophrenia and autism are distinct conditions.
UNC Release: http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2012/july/autism-schizophrenia-and-bipolar-disorder-may-share-common-underlying-factors

Accomplished UNC student from Cary dies in rock climbing accident
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

Many people have climbed mountains. Or played Bach on piano. Or earned a black belt in Taekwondo, edited 200 Wikipedia articles, become an Eagle Scout, studied five years of Latin, scored a near perfect SAT in one try or been admitted to an honors math program at a top-tier college. Few have done them all. Eric Metcalf did each before he turned 20.

A little too much team spirit at UNC (Editorial)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

To echo UNC-Chapel Hill’s noted son Andy Griffith, may he rest in peace: What it was, was fraud to help the football – academic fraud, a blight whose full extent has yet to be determined but that already has tarnished the university’s reputation.

Issues and Trends

UNC board puts final touches on budget
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

In a conference call Tuesday, the UNC Board of Governors put the final touches on the university system’s $2.5 billion budget. The board met Tuesday to vote on how the system would allocate state funding for salaries, operations and capital improvements.

Fraking can be safe, UK report argues
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

Agreeing with North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a new report out of the United Kingdom says gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing can be done safely given the proper regulations. The key is seeing to it that “operational best practices are implemented and enforced,” particularly in making sure gas wells are constructed to prevent fracturing fluids from contaminating groundwater, the UK’s Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering said.

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