uncnews.unc.edu

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

International Coverage

Yoga has small benefit for chronic back pain: study
Reuters (Wire Service)
...The report follows another recent study from Washington State that found modest and similar benefits from yoga and stretching classes in people with chronic back pain. "It gives us more confidence that the benefits seen with this class-based intervention seem to apply when it's done in different areas by different teachers," said Dr. Timothy Carey, from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who has researched back pain but wasn't involved in either report.

National Coverage

Chronic health problems plague immigrants decades after move
The Los Angeles Times
Is migrating to the United States hazardous to your health? If you’re Latino and have lived in the states more than 20 years, you might want to listen up: Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that the longer immigrants have lived in the U.S., the worse their health gets.
Related Link:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diabetes/articles/2011/10/31/
life-in-us-not-always-a-plus-for-immigrants-health

Patterns: Study Suggests Obesity Hinders Flu Vaccine
The New York Times
A new study suggests that overweight people benefit less from the flu vaccine than those of normal weight, and the heavier they are, the lower their immune response to the shot over time. ...“We have stronger flu vaccines for elderly populations, because their immune response is not as robust,” said the senior author, Melinda A. Beck, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina. “Maybe we need stronger vaccines for obese people as well.”
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/4859/71/

It can be hard to stay in shape after marriage, but couples can team up to do so
The Washington Post
Many brides go on crash diets and intense gym regimens in pursuit of a pre-wedding slimdown, but how many maintain their conditioning after the big day? Caroline Tiger states in the October issue of Fitness that “the average married woman piles on about nine pounds over five years compared to the single woman,” citing a study from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A helpful health guide for every parent
USA Today
...About 20% of all children are obese, and to-go food is fueling that epidemic, says a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers from the University of North Carolina surveyed nearly 30,000 children ages 2 through 18 over the course of almost 30 years and found that nearly one-third of food eaten is cooked outside the home — in supermarkets, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

Even As They Proliferate, Online M.B.A.s Remain Controversial
U.S. News & World Report
...Some of the highest ranked U.S. News's Best Business Schools have online M.B.A.s, including Indiana University—Bloomington's Kelley School of Business, Pennsylvania State University—University Park's Smeal College of Business, and University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School.

What you need to know about electronic college applications
"Today" MSNBC
...With 456 members, the Common Application is the dominant electronic site for submitting applications to colleges. The benefit is that students can fill out one application and submit it to all participating schools. Several state schools also participate, including the University of Michigan, UMASS Amherst, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Delaware.

Regional Coverage

Required goggles in field hockey can pose safety risk
The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.)
...Opponents of eyewear cite a 2007 study by the Catastrophic Sports Injury Research Center at the University of North Carolina, which tracked major injuries in high school sports from 1982 to 2007. During that time there were only two catastrophic eye injuries in high school and college field hockey combined.

State and Local Coverage

2 N.C. colleges awarded EPA sustainable technologies grant (Blog)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Two North Carolina colleges are among 45 schools nationwide to receive $15,000 grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help design sustainable technologies. Student teams from Appalachian State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are recipients of the People, Prosperity and the Planet Phase I grants, which challenge students, working together on interdisciplinary teams, to design and build sustainable technologies that improve quality of life, promote economic development and protect the environment.

Duke researchers find doctors can learn empathy
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Doctors care. Most care deeply about their patients. ...Many medical schools, including those at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill, now do teach physicians how to communicate with patients and how to lend an empathic ear.

UNC Rheumatology wins $3M grant
The Triangle Business Journal
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded a $3.25 million grant to the UNC Rheumatology/Thurston Arthritis Research Center. The funds will be used to finish a long-running osteoarthritis project in Johnston County. “The most exciting part of this new contract with the CDC is that we will be conducting follow-up on people in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project who have been with the study for up to 20 years,” says Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of UNC Rheumatology/Thurston Arthritis Research Center.

Issues and Trends

Chapel Hill reduces Halloween revelers to 27,000
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Early rain, cold weather and the town's crowd-control efforts cut the estimated number of Franklin Street revelers to 27,000 this Halloween, police reported. This was the fourth year the town closed roads leading downtown under "Homegrown Halloween," a program designed to keep the celebration local after mounting concern about arrests and injuries.
Related Link:
http://triangle.news14.com/content/648912/ghosts--ghouls-invade-franklin-street-for-annual-celebration

Board Of Governors To Consider Lifting Cap On Tuition Increases
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)
In the face of budget cuts and increasing concerns over the financial health of the University, UNC administration officials discussed last week the possibility of lifting an established 6.5 percent cap on tuition increases. Though the Board of Governors has not yet officially taken action to raise tuition or remove the cap, a letter has been sent to system schools authorizing the consideration of potential cuts.