uncnews.unc.edu

International Coverage

Genetic contribution to autism examined
United Press International
A joint study by two U.S. universities found further evidence of a genetic contribution to autism, researchers said Tuesday. The research found that some parents of autistic children evaluate facial expressions similar to their children, researchers from California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said in a news release. ..."It may lead us to finding genes that are responsible for the face-processing component in autism," added UNC psychiatrist Joe Piven.

National Coverage

Will Time Fix the Problem? Pt. 1 & Pt. 2
"Money for Breakfast" Fox Business
Ed Van Wesep, a University of North Carolina professor of finance, participated in a live television round table which featured recognizable university economists. Professor Van Wesep was featured discussing the government's actions following the recent developments in the economy's downturn. His appearance can be seen in part one and part two of the show's segments.
Note: This interview was broadcast live from the Carolina News Studio.

Regional Coverage

Are online campaign efforts effective?
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
..."Folks don't want to interact with every stranger, but to keep in contact with their tribes," said Paul Jones, a professor at the University of North Carolina. A Jones colleague in developing Internet technology acknowledges the tribal effects but thinks much more is going on because of the Internet's raw democratizing power, pervasiveness and ease of use. "I know I'm drawn to blogs and sites that share my point of view, but there's a lot of cross-talk at the fringes," said Kevin Gamiel, also of UNC. "There's definitely some cross-pollination going on."

Do you like your body? Women’s ideas on weight (Blog)
The Times-Union (Albany, N.Y.)
It isn’t only cellulite that many women battle. It’s body image. A study this year by SELF magazine, in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, uncovered some pretty startling things about how women feel about their bodies.

Study Finds Second-Hand Television Affects How Children Play
WDIV-TV (NBC/Detroit, Mich.)
The dangers of second-hand smoke are well-known. But what about the dangers of second-hand television? ...Jane Brown, a media researcher at the University of North Carolina, said that parents need to model good behavior, which includes keeping the television out of the bedroom.

Increasing Gas Prices Could Be A Good Thing
KFMB-TV (CBS/San Diego, Calif.)
Higher gas prices may actually lead to more Americans losing weight, less air pollution and less freeway traffic. In fact, economists predict a whole range of benefits from rising gas prices. But can $4 per gallon gas really be a good thing? ...According to a University of North Carolina study, the end result could be a 10 percent reduction in American obesity over the next seven years.

State and Local Coverage

How To Soothe A Crying Baby
WFMY-TV (CBS/Greensboro)
The Women's Hospital of Greensboro has become one of the first hospitals in the state to implement an evidence-based shaken baby prevention program. ..."In a baseline survey of parents of children younger than 2 years old in North Carolina, we found that more than 2,000 of these children are shaken, to a greater or lesser extent, by a caregiver each year and that serious injuries result for some," said Dr. Desmond Runyan, a professor of social medicine and pediatrics at UNC and a principal investigator for the project.

Word 2007 isn't widely used yet
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
...A: While this seems a simple request, Microsoft doesn't make it very easy to do, says Priscilla Alden of UNC-Chapel Hill's Information Technology Services. If you're using Windows XP, she suggests searching the Internet for "directory printer" to find free utilities that will print a list of files and properties.

Inaction -- the worst kind of poison (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill Herald
On Dec. 3, 1984, thousands of people in Bhopal, India, were gassed to death after a catastrophic chemical leak at a Union Carbide pesticide plant. About 8,000 died within 72 hours in what is now widely acknowledged as the world's worst-ever industrial disaster. (Sudipta Sinha is a graduate student at UNC and a member of Students for Bhopal, an international network of students and supporters working in solidarity with the survivors of the Bhopal disaster in their struggle for justice.)

Anti-science comment had no place in story (Letter to the Editor)
The Chapel Hill News
Reporter Matt Dees' article on Chancellor Thorp (News July 6) included these words: "inorganic photochemistry, whatever that is." The "whatever that is" was an insult to the new chancellor, and, in addition to being poor journalism, it was pure bad manners to disparage Thorp's academic interests. (Mary Whitton, Chapel Hill)

More Cylinders Found At Chemical Waste Site
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)
Earlier this summer, UNC officials found some unidentifiable cylinders that contained unknown compressed gasses at the UNC chemical waste site off of Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in Chapel Hill. According to Mary Beth Koza, Director of Environment and Health Safety at UNC, some additional cylinders were found at the UNC laboratory chemical waste site Monday.

Issues and Trends

Tougher approach on gangs gets OK
The Winston-Salem Journal
People involved in criminal gangs could face an array of new penalties under a sweeping bill passed yesterday by state legislators. ...Two recent high-profile killings of students have also added urgency to the issue, although neither killing has been confirmed to be gang-related. Eve Carson, the student body president at UNC Chapel Hill, was killed in March, and Abhijit Mahato, a graduate student at Duke University, was killed in January.
Related Link:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1142438.html