July 24, 2009 at 12:48 pm
The ability of Chinese scientists to reprogram skin cells of mice to a primordial, embryonic state that resulted in the birth of live offspring may bring scientists a step closer to creating medically useful stem cell lines for treating human disease. “The novelty resides in producing mice using induced pluripotent stem cells in the most stringent assay of pluripotency [a term for cells that give rise to all tissues in the body]” said Gustavo Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD., assistant professor of medicine.
Contact Gustavo Mostoslavsky, (617) 638-6532, gmostosl@bu.edu
July 24, 2009 at 11:45 am
President Obama has been hammering away his healthcare-reform message with the media -- Lehrer, Couric, Vieira, "Nightline," Washington Post, bloggers, prime-time press conference, etc. Is there a danger of overusing the presidential "bully pulpit?" College of Communication Professor John Carroll, a long-time media analyst, can talk about the dangers of media overexposure.
Contact John Carroll, 617-353-3493, carroll7@bu.edu
July 24, 2009 at 10:33 am
A New Jersey man is suing Denny's acccusing the restaurant chain of having a salty menu; noting that some meals at Denny's contain more than 5,000 milligrams of sodium (over 3,500 more than the suggested daily amount). Representation for Denny's, which has about 1,500 restaurants nationwide, called the lawsuit “frivolous and without merit.” Nutrition Professor Joan Salge Blake can weigh in on the lawsuit and can offer insight into the dangers of a sodium dense diet. Joan can be contacted at (978) 436-0341 or salgeblake@comcast.net.
July 24, 2009 at 10:23 am
The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates obesity rates have stablized to one in seven preschoolers from low-income families and the childhood obesity epidemic is leveling off among youngsters in this group. Caroline Apovian,MD, a BU associate professor of pediatrics and Boston Medical Center Director of Nutrition and Weight Management, can discuss the prevalence of obesity in preschoolers from low income families.
Contact Caroline Apovian (617) 414-1816, capovian@bu.edu
July 23, 2009 at 12:01 pm
With "new challenges" like computers, video games, and cellphones in addition to TV, kids are being impacted by advertising on all sorts of digital media. Under a new chairman, the FCC now wants an updated study on how ads and violent images affect children. College of Communication Professor T. Barton Carter, an FCC expert, says the biggest problem in regulating violent programming is defining it.
"The bottom line is that the definitional problem alone would almost certainly cause any law to fail Constitutional muster under the First Amendment."
Contact T. Barton Carter, 617-353-3482, comlaw@bu.edu
July 23, 2009 at 10:58 am
Despite plunging ad revenue, The New York Times Company reports a surprising 85-percent increase in 2Q profits. Professor Lou Ureneck, the Journalism Department chair and former Philadelphia Inquirer deputy editor, says the numbers bode well for an industry recovery.
"It's too early to end the alarm over newspaper earnings, but it seems to indicate that newspaper publishers have mostly gotten control of the downward spiraling plane through serious cost controls."
Contact Lou Ureneck, 617-353-4095, lureneck@bu.edu
July 22, 2009 at 11:35 am
In its effort to dump non-core assets, Yahoo reportedly is looking to sell off both its HotJobs (which competes with Careerbuilder and Monster.com) and Yahoo Small Business. School of Management finance Professor Israel Shaked, a M&A specialist, can discuss the Internet giant's ongoing strategy.
Contact Israel Shaked, 617-353-2665, shaked@bu.edu
July 22, 2009 at 11:24 am
Reflecting the down-advertising woes of the newspaper industry, the top business magazines --BusinessWeek, Fortune, and Forbes -- reportedly are facing a shakeout. At least one may not make it, experts say. Journalism Department chair Professor Lou Ureneck, who teaches business journalism, can survey the shaky media lanscape.
Contact Lou Ureneck, 617-353-4095, lureneck@bu.edu
July 21, 2009 at 3:40 pm
In an effort to get Congress to pass a healthcare reform bill by the August recess, President Obama has launched a media blitz to push his agenda, including a prime-time news conference tomorrow night. Political communications expert Professor Tobe Berkovitz, associate dean of the College of Communication, says Obama may have overused the microphone.
"Unfortunately for the White House spin machine, the voters are not in the same buying mood that permitted the fast tracking of many early Obama administration initiatives."
Contact Tobe Berkovitz, 617-353-3447, tobetv@bu.edu
