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U in the News

Programming and prejudice

Software may appear to operate without bias because it strictly uses computer code to reach conclusions. That’s why many companies use algorithms to help weed out job applicants when hiring for a new position. But a team of computer scientists from the University of Utah, University of Arizona and Haverford College in Pennsylvania have discovered […]

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Viruses Thrive In Big Families, In Sickness and In Health

The BIG LoVE (Utah Better Identification of Germs-Longitudinal Viral Epidemiology) study, led by scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine, finds that each bundle of joy puts the entire household at increased risk for infection with viruses that cause colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses. People living in childless households were infected with […]

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4 million years at Africa’s salad bar

As grasses grew more common in Africa, most major mammal groups tried grazing on them at times during the past 4 million years, but some of the animals went extinct or switched back to browsing on trees and shrubs, according to a study led by the University of Utah. “It’s as if in a city, […]

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Refining retirement

Kiplinger recently named Salt Lake City among the top 10 places to retire in 2015. While Kiplinger lauded Salt Lake’s low cost of living, stunning scenery, vibrant city life and light-rail system, there is yet another reason Salt Lake is an excellent place for those 50 and over: The University of Utah’s Osher Lifelong Learning […]

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U law professor’s research an emerging voice in “conflict mineral” debate

On June 1, companies across the U.S. will provide reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission documenting whether the products they manufacture contain minerals mined in Congo —an area known to force people to mine for minerals amid armed conflict and human rights abuses. It’s only the second time in history companies will file the […]

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Genetic Tug of War in the Brain Influences Behavior

Not every mom and dad agree on how their offspring should behave. But in genetics as in life, parenting is about knowing when your voice needs to be heard, and the best ways of doing so. Typically, compromise reigns, and one copy of each gene is inherited from each parent so that the two contribute […]

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Drought’s lasting impact on forests

In the virtual worlds of climate modeling, forests and other vegetation are assumed to bounce back quickly from extreme drought. But that assumption is far off the mark, according to a new study of drought impacts at forest sites worldwide. Living trees took an average of two to four years to recover and resume normal […]

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Urban design matters when it comes to street life

For the first time, researchers in a mid-size city have shown that pedestrian activity increases when streets have classic urban design qualities and elements such as windows overlooking the sidewalks, small and uniform building setbacks, courtyards, outdoor dining and buildings with identifying elements. In the study, published in the Journal of Urban Design, researchers at […]

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Health Care Providers A Major Contributor to Problem of Antibiotic Overuse

A new study, led by the Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System and the University of Utah and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that differences in the routines of individual providers drives variation in antibiotic prescribing more than differences in patient characteristics, standards of practice at different hospitals, or clinical settings (emergency department, primary care, urgent care). The findings are an important step toward understanding the problem of antibiotic overuse, a major public health concern given the rise in antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”.

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Arts seeing dramatic rise at the University of Utah

University of Utah athletics have earned a reputation for big and dedicated audiences, but the U has a new bragging right emerging. For the fourth consecutive year, the number of student tickets issued to arts events on campus considerably increased, again setting a new record for audiences in the arts. During the 2014-15 academic year, […]

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