Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:
International Coverage
Onset of puberty in girls has fallen by five years since 1920
The Observer (United Kingdom)
…The discovery was hugely controversial. Many doctors refused to accept the fact that more and more girls had begun to mature sexually before they had reached the age of 10. "The Lolita syndrome [the prurient fascination with the sexuality of young girls] created a lot of emotional interest," recalls Herman-Giddens, now at the University of North Carolina. "As a feminist, I wish it didn't."
Like girls, U.S. boys may be hitting puberty earlier
Reuters (Wire Service)
…"They need to talk to their boys earlier than they would have thought about puberty and sexual development and all of those related issues," said Marcia Herman-Giddens at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Recent studies from the United States and elsewhere have shown that girls are maturing at a younger age, with many starting to develop breasts as early as age 7 or 8.
Business plans set their sights on India
Financial Times (United Kingdom)
…Representing students from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in India, Cranfield School of Management in the UK, Thunderbird School of Global Management and the University of North Carolina in the US, the team’s research found that some of the reasons children in India avoid wearing glasses include peer ridicule and for girls the fear that it might hamper their marriage opportunities.
National Coverage
Boys Now Enter Puberty Younger, Study Suggests, but It’s Unclear Why
The New York Times
A large study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that boys are entering puberty earlier now than several decades ago — or at least earlier than the time frame doctors have historically used as a benchmark. …The study’s lead author, Marcia E. Herman-Giddens, a child and maternal health specialist at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, said she originally proposed an additional measure used in Europe: identifying through urinalysis, or by asking, if boys had begun to ejaculate.
Related Link:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/10/20/study-shows
-that-early-puberty-is-now-affecting-boys-just-like-girls/
Earlier Puberty Seen In Boys, Just Like In Girls
The Associated Press
…Boys are more likely than girls to have an underlying physical cause for early puberty. But it's likely that most, if not all, of the boys in the study were free of any conditions that might explain the results, said lead author Marcia Herman-Giddens, a researcher at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Related Links:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/20/early-puberty-boys-pediatrics/1642583/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444592704578066833550285830.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/20/boys-puberty_n_1987979.html
Community Colleges Cannot Be Overlooked in America’s Quest for New Scientists (Blog)
The New York Times
…The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill runs the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program, which enables community college students to transfer into and graduate from U.N.C. And the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor has organized a program in which new transfer students are eligible to have a transfer mentor to help smooth their transition into the university.
Diversity or Discretion?
Inside Higher Ed
…In an amicus brief in support of racial preferences, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said it had modeled the effects of a top 10 percent plan in North Carolina. The brief conceded that racial and ethnic diversity would actually increase modestly – from 15 percent to 16 percent "non-white and underrepresented students" – but claimed the plan would have a devastating effect on the academic readiness of students.
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/5478/70/
When the Web's Chaos Takes an Ugly Turn
The New York Times
… Zeynep Tufekci, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, described the site as “the secret backbone of the Internet,” which is why it is even more crucial that it be accountable for the environment it is fostering, she said. “Reddit is not just a cog in the machine,” she said. “It may not be the most visible site, but is a powerful platform.”
For Hispanics, A Question Of Turnout
National Public Radio
The presidential campaigns are trying to rally support from a voting bloc that could make a major difference in several battleground states. …"Out of 6.2 million voters, that's not very many," University of North Carolina professor Ferrel Guillory says of the state's Latinos. "But if the race is going to come down like it did last time, that may matter. Now, if Obama can get 60 or 70 percent of them, that's a little extra boost."
The Pickiest Business Schools on Earth
Bloomberg Businessweek
…At the other end of the selectivity spectrum, five top-30 schools accepted more than 40 percent of their applicant pools: Michigan State (41 percent), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (43 percent), Minnesota (43 percent), Brigham Young (45 percent), and Southern Methodist (51 percent).
Diabetes Study Ends Early With a Surprising Result
The New York Times
…Some, like Dr. John Buse, director of the University of North Carolina’s diabetes center, said the study confirmed what they would have expected. Dr. Buse, a former president of the American Diabetes Association, said treatments including smoking cessation, statins to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure medications are so powerful that they could swamp the modest effects of weight loss or exercise on cardiovascular risk.
Doctors dispute 'inaccurate' abortion claim from Rep. Joe Walsh
The Los Angeles Times
…Dr. David Grimes, a clinical professor in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill who has provided abortions for four decades and formerly led a department that studied abortion safety at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described some potentially life-threatening circumstances. In his practice, he said, he’s often cared for women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer or leukemia whose oncologists refuse to administer treatment until the pregnancy is over.
Related Link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-walsh-
duckworth-abortion-20121020,0,6787151.story
Doctors say abortions do sometimes save women's lives
USA Today
..Conditions that might lead to ending a pregnancy to save a woman's life include severe infections, heart failure and severe cases of preeclampsia, a condition in which a woman develops very high blood pressure and is at risk for stroke, says Erika Levi, a obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "There are certain cases where ending the pregnancy is the only option, cases where it would be putting the mother's life at risk to continue the pregnancy," she says.
Virtual Liver may be cure for drug failures in clinical trials
The Economist
…And safety data from trials are not always the whole story. "Current statistics imply that the main reason why drugs fail is lack of efficacy but this is misleading because drugs are often given in ineffective doses because of safety concerns " says Paul Watkins, director of the Hamner-University of North Carolina Institute for Drug Safety Sciences.
The 10 Most Popular College Presidents According To Glassdoor Ratings
The Huffington Post
When Teresa Sullivan was forced out of her post as the University of Virginia's president in June, faculty and students revolted, leading to her reinstatement. Shortly after University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp announced in September he'd be stepping down from his post, fans and faculty pleaded for him to stay too.
Regional Coverage
Health insurance choices become complicated amid rising costs
The Tampa Bay Times (Florida)
…Jonathan Oberlander, a health policy professor at the University of North Carolina, said the plans may reflect the best attempt by smaller employers to provide some level of coverage. But, he said, they are also a way for large companies to pass on more costs to employees. Calling these plans consumer-driven "sort of connotes that it's good for consumers," he said. "But it's just less coverage."
With breast cancer breakthrough, one step closer to a cure
The Miami Herald (Florida)
…Charles Perou, the lead author of last month’s study, has long been supported by Komen grants for his breast cancer research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For this project, researchers examined the genetic profiles of 825 tissue samples from breast cancer patients.
UNC Release:
http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2012/september/unc-lineberger
-scientists-lead-cancer-genome-analysis-of-breast-cancer
State and Local Coverage
Friday remembered for what he built (Editorial)
The Chapel Hill Herald
C.D. Spangler Jr., who was president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1986 to 1997, talked at the memorial service for William Friday about Friday’s dedication to the state’s higher education system.
A giant of a man remembered fondly (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill Herald
Bill Friday: What a wonderful, wonderful man. I first met him in 1955 at Camp New Hope. Later I told him in jest that he was not the most impressive person that I met then; that it was a banjo player. He laughed and said he remembered that same guy. He was such a humble man, yet passionate about higher education. (P.H. Craig writes occasional columns for the Chapel Hill Herald.)
Related Links:
http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/20565782/article-Passing
-of-the-torch-at-UNC?instance=search_results
http://www.claytonnewsstar.com/2012/10/20/2424488/column-where
-will-we-find-our.html#storylink=misearch
Though he never ran for office, Friday was a master politician (Commentary)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Before Bill Friday became a Tar Heel legend, he worked for another Tar Heel icon, Frank Porter Graham, the president of the consolidated University of North Carolina. Friday was a young aide to Graham in the late 1940’s, doing everything for the president, including chauffeuring him to Raleigh to lobby the legislature, because Graham never learned to drive.
Related Link:
http://www.reflector.com/opinion/fitzsimon/fitzsimon-honor-friday-bold-ideas-1283823
Service and courage (Letter to the Editor)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Last week, the world of higher education lost a faithful friend and esteemed leader when William “Bill” Friday, former president of the University of North Carolina system, passed away. Those who knew President Friday have lost a wise mentor and a reliable voice of counsel; the students and educators of the UNC system have lost an innovative leader and courageous visionary; and the people of this state have lost a steadfast brother and constant advocate for North Carolinians. (Nathan O. Hatch, President, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem)
Related Links:
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/20/2423034/douglas-johnston-the-friday-ideal.html
http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/20563322/article-
Letters–Oct–22?instance=search_results
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/20/2423036/carolina-russell-hosting-jfk-me.html
Think before you self-publish
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
…First example, Missy Julian Fox’s “Goodnight Carolina” (McDonald and Associates). While I’ve seen Margaret Wise Brown’s classic “Goodnight Moon” in versions that have failed from Seattle to Boston, this writer sets a tone by following the pattern of the original, maintaining rhythms and rhymes that scans beautifully and an organization that makes sense. Not to mention, she wrote for an appreciative audience — the many UNC fans. Brilliantly, she joined forces with illustrator Elaine O’Neil, a quilt artist known for her playful Chapel Hill scenes.
UNC School of Medicine professors elected to institute
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Two professors in the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have been elected to the Institute of Medicine, according to a news release. Dr. Myron S. Cohen, J. Herbert Bate Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Epidemiology and associate vice chancellor for global health, was announced as a new member. In addition, Terry R. Magnuson, a professor, the chair of the department of genetics, and vice dean for research in the School of Medicine, is also a new member.
UNC Release:
http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2012/october/myron-cohen-and
-terry-magnuson-elected-to-institute-of-medicine
Leader of Wilkes County Project Lazarus receives health leaders award
The Winston-Salem Journal
Fred Brason II, president of Wilkes County's Project Lazarus, a program that seeks to fight the abuse of opioid-based pain medications, is one of 10 recipients for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders Award for 2012, the foundation announced today. Nabarun Dasgupta, an epidemiologist at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina and a co-founder of Project Lazarus, nominated Brason for the award.
UNC study gives high marks to Blue Ribbon mentor program
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
…The University of North Carolina’s School of Education shares that enthusiasm about the program, which started 16 years ago. The college recently published the results of an 18-month evaluation of the program.
Related Link:
http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/20563328/article-A
-mentoring-program-hits-its-stride
Challenger tries to make pay-for-play an issue in state treasurer's race
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
…(Janet) Cowell said she and Attorney General Roy Cooper created an impartial panel to avoid improprieties when selecting law firms for securities litigation. The five-member panel, which included law professors James Cox of Duke University and Tom Hazen of UNC-Chapel Hill, selected six firms to handle pension fund litigation from among 40 that applied.
Durham school zones: Cross at your own risk
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
…The UNC Highway Safety Research Center collected data on drivers complying with the pedestrian yield law in 12 areas in Raleigh and Durham. A crosswalk near DSA, at Gregson Street near Lamond Avenue, had the lowest yield rate with only 1 percent of drivers yielding, compared to 11 percent to 24 percent in other areas.
Nurse practitioners in the picture (Letter to the Editor)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Your Oct. 8 article “Recent medical school graduates train for underserved areas” reported on the UNC-Chapel Hill Family Medicine program which partners with the Prospect Hill Community Health Center to train and retain physicians to work in medically underserved rural areas. As a family nurse practitioner providing care in rural North Carolina, I strongly support any initiative that will improve access to quality care in our state. (Leslie M. Sharpe, RN, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pittsboro Family Medicine, Chair, N.P. Council, N.C. Nurses Association. Cary)
A Tar Heel teachable moment
The Chapel Hill News
The ability of University of North Carolina football to dominate the scene was fully evident last week, and even though they loomed over the other players present, the Tar Heels showed a lot of patience, if not outright caring. Nine UNC players, most of them standouts on the 2012 team, met Monday afternoon with Culbreth Middle School's varsity players and coaches to offer some advice on how to achieve success.
Secretary of the Navy to speak on leadership Nov. 1
The Chapel Hill Herald
Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus will present “Leadership in Service,” the 2012 Deil S. Wright Lecture, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Nov. 1. The free public lecture will begin at 3 p.m. at the Paul Green Theatre, 260 Country Club Road.
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/5627/70/
Barringer sworn in (Under the Dome)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Tamara Barringer was sworn in last week as the newest member of the state Senate, replacing Sen. Richard Stevens, a Republican from Cary, who retired from District 17. …Barringer was a tax and estate planning attorney for more than 20 years, and is now an adjunct professor of business law and ethics at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill nonprofit Extraordinary Ventures provides jobs for adults with autism
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
…Helping those with autism spectrum disorders find jobs can be a challenge, but it’s an important one to solve, said Kara Hume, a research scientist from UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute who has been studying Extraordinary Ventures’ model. “We do know that there is a high rate of depression and anxiety among those with autism,” Hume said. Work could alleviate those feelings, and creating jobs catered to autism is a positive step, she said.
UNC’s Campus Y planting seeds for sustainable future
The Chapel Hill News
Campus Y, the social justice center of the UNC campus, has begun raising money for a $10 million to $15 million endowment. The endowment, which would be the Y’s largest in decades, would provide seed capital for its new Social Innovation Incubator, and create a new faculty position and social entrepreneur resident position.
Related Link:
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/10/20/73442/garden-project-an-ongoing-education.html
Old grave makers tell Carolina stories
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
For more than 30 years, UNC Chapel Hill folklorist Daniel Patterson spent spring breaks and vacations roaming old cemeteries in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. Dodging poison ivy and black widow spiders, he photographed weathered gravestones when the light was just right, so he could read the carvings; often he sat for hours, watching until that moment arrived.
The who, what and why on our UNC football reporting (Commentary)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Some UNC-Chapel Hill supporters have questioned our coverage of off-the-field issues involving football players. Here are some of their questions and my answers.
More plagiarism questions haunt UNC-CH
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
As the spring 2011 semester wound to a close, UNC-Chapel Hill football player Erik Highsmith had nothing to show for the blog students were supposed to contribute to for a communications class, his instructor said.