In the News
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April 17, 2019
David Sandberg, professor of pediatrics, says the risks of avoiding surgery on intersex children — those with atypical genitalia — are not clear: “Being different in some way doesn’t necessarily hurt you, but it is not an advantage. And so one has to know something about the factors that make a child more vulnerable for being rejected or neglected by peers.”
CNN -
April 16, 2019
Amal Hassan Fadlalla, associate professor of anthropology, women’s studies and Afroamerican and African studies, was interviewed about last week’s military takeover in Sudan against authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir, after months of popular protests with citizens demanding a democratic transition.
BBC -
April 16, 2019
“Some Middle Eastern powers — the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia — cautiously welcomed the initial takeover. … They have an interest in the continuation of military rule in Sudan at the expense of Sudan’s Islamist movement. … The reaction from the African Union could not be more different … (as it) called for dialogue between Sudan’s new leader and the opposition,” co-wrote Mai Hassan, assistant professor of political science.
The Washington Post -
April 16, 2019
Stephen Goutman, associate professor of neurology, discussed the findings of his research that looked at the connections between the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and organic toxins, like pesticides and industrial chemicals — toxins that are long-lasting and common in Michigan.
Michigan Radio -
April 15, 2019
Research by Lona Mody, professor of internal medicine and epidemiology, and colleagues found that privacy curtains used in patients’ hospital rooms are often rife with drug-resistant microbes: “Health care textiles often fly under our radar. Curtains are touched often before the patient is examined. The patients themselves touch the curtain when they go in and out.”
The Guardian (U.K.) -
April 15, 2019
“You don’t necessarily think of another human listening to what you’re telling your smart speaker in the intimacy of your home. I think we’ve been conditioned to the [assumption] that these machines are just doing magic machine learning. But the fact is there is still manual processing involved,” said Florian Schaub, professor of information, and electrical engineering and computer science, commenting on Amazon employees who listen to voice recordings captured in private homes and offices to help improve the Alexa digital assistant powering its line of Echo speakers.
Bloomberg -
April 15, 2019
Infection rates are rising for women under age 40 throughout the United States who haven’t received the HPV vaccine — putting those women at a higher risk for a variety of cancers, 90 percent of which are otherwise preventable, according to a study by Andrew Brouwer, research investigator in epidemiology at the School of Public Health.
UPI -
April 14, 2019
“There’s so much more that can be done. It would be hard for us to be doing less,” said Briana Mezuk, associate professor of epidemiology, on the rising suicide rate of senior citizens in long-term care settings, which could be a critical place to intervene to avert suicide — and to help people find meaning, purpose and quality of life.
PBS NewsHour -
April 14, 2019
Walter Lasecki, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and of information, discussed his work on a project that combines human and artificial intelligence in autonomous vehicles to make self-driving cars safer.
Michigan Radio -
April 14, 2019
Despite efforts to purge his influence, Thai politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has emerged as the major opponent of the military in Thailand: “Thanathorn is young, rich, handsome, well-spoken, a skilled debater and absolutely clear in his pro-democratic political convictions. It appears Thailand’s conservative forces are unwilling to let such a threat go unchecked,” co-wrote Allen Hicken, professor of political science.
The Washington Post
