Duke in the News: Oct. 16, 2007

Q&A: DEEP IN THE SEA, IMAGINING THE CRADLE OF LIFE ON EARTH New York Times, Oct. 16 -- Cindy Lee Van Dover is a pioneer: a deep sea submarine pilot and the first woman to direct the Duke University Marine Laboratory. ... Full story

CITY HONORS 7 DUKE CHAMPIONSHIP-LEVEL TEAMS (Durham) Herald-Sun, Oct. 16 -- Durham city officials hosted a ceremony Monday celebrating seven Duke sports teams. ... Full story --Also, Duke Chronicle: City Council Honors Duke Athletes ... Full story

BLOOD TESTS TO PREDICT ALZHEIMER'S ABC World News with Charles Gibson, Oct. 15 -- Dr. Jim Burke, associate professor of neurology at Duke University Medical Center, discusses the potential benefit of a new type of blood test shown to be 90 percent accurate in predicting one's risk of developing Alzheimer's. (video) ... Watch

CANCER DEATHS DROP OFF RAPIDLY USA Today, Oct. 15 -- Dr. H. Kim Lyerly, director of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, says a report on declining cancer deaths is exciting, but more needs to be done to see the kind of dramatic reductions achieved in other areas such as heart disease. ... Full story

AMERICA'S OWN UNLAWFUL COMBATANTS? Los Angeles Times, Oct. 15 -- Scott Silliman, a retired Air Force lawyer and now a professor at Duke, says we may be seeing some instances where private guards in Iraq are using offensive force, "which in my judgment would be unlawful." ... Full story --Also, New York Times news blog: As the World Turns for Blackwater ... Full story

EDITORIAL: EQUAL TREATMENT (Raleigh) News & Observer, Oct. 14 -- The newspaper says it is important not to ignore two Duke studies, providing the latest evidence that doctors tend to be more aggressive in their care for white men in a range of ailments, from cancer to HIV. ... Full story

IT'S A BOXER REBELLION OVER OPA-LOCKA'S SAGGY PANTS BAN Miami Herald, Oct. 15 -- Mark Anthony Neal, a Duke professor of African-American studies, discusses the generation gap revealed in one city's attempt to cover up youths' exposed undies. ... Full story

LETTER: THE 'CALIFORNIA EFFECT' Financial Times, Oct. 13 -- Duke political science professor Tim Buthe, currently on leave, explains how always-on running lights came to be placed on most new cars sold in the United States. ... Full story

TEACH FOR AMERICA TOUCHES LOCAL SCHOOLS (Raleigh) News & Observer, Oct. 15 -- Last year, more than 18,000 college graduates competed for spots in Teach for America, including 10 percent of the graduating class at Duke. ... Full story

ON THE AIR Duke geneticist Randy Jirtle was a contributor to tonight's PBS NOVA program on epigenetics titled "Ghost in Your Genes." On the program's website he will also answer questions about how our lifestyles, via epigenetics, can impact the health of our children, and more. ... Details Jirtle will also be a guest Wednesday on North Carolina Public Radio's "The State of Things," talking about the potential human health implications of new Duke findings showing that the negative effects of a common chemical can be blocked if pregnant mothers take nutrient supplements. ... Details/listen