uncnews.unc.edu

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

International Coverage

Treated bed nets cut infant malaria deaths
United Press International
A U.S. study has found the use of insecticide-treated bed nets can substantially reduce the number of malaria-caused infant deaths. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said such treated bed nets were given to nearly 18,000 mothers at prenatal clinics in Democratic Republic of Congo. ..."This is an extremely cost-effective intervention," said Dr. Sylvia Becker-Dreps, an assistant professor of family medicine and the study's lead author.
UNC Release:
http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/newsroom/news/2009/September/bednets

Control alcohol abuse to curb HIV/ Aids spread (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Daily Monitor (Kampala, Uganda)
Perhaps one of the challenges that has bedevilled Uganda’s fight against HIV/Aids is the disregard for long-term causes of the disease, such as alcoholism, idleness and the influx of pornography. ...This is confirmed in a study by Bowle’s centre for alcohol studies, University of North Carolina where more than half of the students reported engaging in sexual intercourse within the past year. Of these, 20 per cent used alcohol the last time they had sex.

Rhododendrons can be landslide hazards
United Press International
The U.S. Forest Service says it's determined an expansion of rhododendron plants along Southern Appalachian slopes might increase the risk of landslides. ...The study also included T.C. Hales and Larry Band of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

News, noise and volatility
Investor’s Chronicle (London)
Because financial markets are volatile, correlations between things tend to be low, so strong relationships are hard to find…William Johnson at the University of North Carolina has found that the volatility of newly issued shares has been rising since the 1970s, as has the volume of news about such shares. And researchers at the University of North Carolina have found that it's only moderately good news that reduces volatility; bad news and really good news increases it.

State and Local Coverage

Despite budget cuts, students at Duke, UNC notice little difference
Triangle Business Journal
...At UNC, fewer journals and magazines are being stocked in libraries, some classes are larger, some courses are being offered less frequently, professors are more likely to post materials on the Web than to distribute printouts, and some labs are closing at midnight instead of staying open 24 hours. Bruce Carney, UNC’s interim provost, agrees that there are some areas where spending could be more effective. Still, he laments that the cuts were made.

UNC series offers artists another chance to preview their unfinished works with audiences
The Associated Press
The University of North Carolina is offering artists another chance to show their works to an audience before the play is finished. The first offering from the Process Series is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Gerrard Hall in Chapel Hill. Carina Cortese will perform her one-woman play, "Afterimages of the Disappeared," about the deaths of nine members of her mother's family during the Dirty War in Argentina. She will tell the story of the family's deadly struggle against the Argentine military dictatorship from 1976 through 1983.
Related Links:
http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1672579.html
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2777/66/

Allan Gurganus joins others at Literary Fest
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Hillsborough writer Allan Gurganus makes three appearances at the free North Carolina Literary Festival that begins Thursday and continues through Sept. 13 at UNC in Chapel Hill. ...Gurganus will, no doubt, talk about Cheever when he and Elizabeth Spencer appear at the North Carolina Literary Festival's "Influences and Inspirations" session at 12:20 p.m. Sunday in Hamilton Hall. The free festival begins Thursday and continues through Sept. 13 at UNC Chapel Hill.
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2816/73/

‘Opus’ to open season
The Chapel Hill Herald
PlayMakers Repertory Company will open its 34th main-stage season Sept. 23-Oct. 11 with the regional premiere of the play by Michael Hollinger. PlayMakers is the professional theater company in residence at UNC. All performances of "Opus" will be in the Paul Green Theatre at UNC's Center for Dramatic Art on Country Club Road.
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2822/66/

Doctor takes aim at health-care claims
The News and Observer (Raleigh)
Dr. Stephen Barrett has spent a lot of years debunking what he considers medical shams, shills and idiotic schemes. Then he started hearing some of the arguments against health-care reform -- euthanasia for older Americans, doctor rationing. ...Now he has put together a health reform truth squad, a group of fellow retirees that includes a past admissions officer at Harvard University, a UNC-Chapel Hill academic, a doctor, two dentists, an economist and a one-time New York City insurance fraud investigator. ...John Hammond, a professor emeritus of pathology and lab medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill, says the group decided recently to go public with its findings as the debate grew more rancorous and certain assertions began to be repeated.

UNC chefs take silver medal (Blog)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Last month I wrote about Shawn Dolan, the new executive chef at UNC Hospitals. He's doing some interesting things with food service at the hospitals. He also recently took part in a national healthcare food management competition with his boss, Angelo Mojica. Well, the duo took a silver medal in the competition for their entry, which they had 75 minutes to prepare.

Rants, rationales and torture reports (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Former Vice President Dick Cheney reported last weekend that Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to launch a preliminary investigation of several interrogation cases "offends the hell out of me." Cheney said he "knew about the waterboarding." Harsh techniques were carried out "at the direction of the president" and with "legal authority." All this represents (somewhat ironically) the "outrageous politicization" of the Justice Department. (Gene R. Nichol is a professor of law and director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill.)

Issues and Trends

UNC celebrates with banner night
The News and Observer (Raleigh)
The 2009 national championship banner will be unveiled tonight during North Carolina's sold-out Professional Alumni Game at the Smith Center, right beside the one earned by the 2005 squad.
Related Links:
http://www.wchl1360.com/detailswide.html?id=11688

Price fields questions about health care
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Opponents and proponents of President Barack Obama’s health care plan peppered U.S. Rep. David Price (D-NC 4) with questions Wednesday night at a health care forum on the UNC campus. The forum, held in Wilson Library, was sponsored by the UNC Young Democrats but was open to the public. It was generally a young audience, but people of all ages and opinions attended and asked questions.

UNC's political move (Letter to the Editor)
The News and Observer (Raleigh)
The recent decision to force UNC students (myself included) to purchase health insurance is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the university administrators to force the proposed Obama/Democratic health-care policies on students without giving them a say in the matter. (Susan Orlowska, Chapel Hill)
Related Link:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/campusnotes/is-unc-channeling-obama-with-insurance-mandate