A Minnesota study recently found that college students' binge drinking may increase their risk of heart disease. The study, conducted on a group of students attending the College of St. Benedict, in St. Joseph, Minn., measured the levels of C-reactive protein in students' blood. C-reactive protein can be a sign of inflammation that has been linked to heart disease. Researchers concluded that students who were heavy drinkers (those who had five or more drinks at least two days per week) had higher levels of this protein in their blood. Many factors other than binge drinking, such as weight and genetics, have been shown to affect C-reactive protein levels, causing some experts to question the study's results, according to The California Aggie.
New Hampshire home foreclosures are increasing drastically as more homeowners find themselves unable to pay their loans, the Manchester Union-Leader reported Sunday. When the housing market was particularly strong two years ago, lending companies often lowered their standards and authorized loans for many individuals who would not have previously qualified for loans because of low credit scores. Many homeowners entered into adjustable rate loans or sub-prime loans, including interest-only loans, at extremely low rates. Once the housing market constricted and interest rates increased, these homeowners could no longer afford to make their payments, leading to foreclosures. Some are striving to retain their houses by filing truth-in-lending lawsuits or filing for bankruptcy.
The geography department hosted a public lecture entitled "Abrupt Climate Change in a Warming World" on Monday afternoon. Pat Bartlein, a professor of geography at the University of Oregon, presented the speech in Fairchild Hall. Bartlein is internationally recognized for his work involving climate modeling and paleoclimatology. He has also worked on creating climate histories of North and South America. He was a member of the Climates of the Holocene Mapping Project and the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project. The Dickey Center also supported the event.
