UO E-clips, July 31

From anxiety to action (The Acorn, California): Parents who have children in high school are already concerned about college; sometimes spending time with other parents adds to the stress. Anxiety is contagious, and it doesn't help when other parents share stories about students with perfect grades and test scores being turned down by every college. … University of Oregon had a tremendous increase in out-of-state applications this year, and the school had to rent extra housing to accommodate incoming freshmen. When a school is overenrolled, it is usually more conservative in its admission offers the next year.

Nuclear power systems that are not "extra-large" (Clean Technica): One of Al Gore’s frequently used sound bites to explain his skepticism about the potential for nuclear power to address energy and climate change challenges is that the plants come in only one size - “extra large”. The last time I heard him say those words was during an interview by Katie Couric just a couple of weeks ago.…The system grew out of a DOE funded effort at the University of Oregon called MASLWR (Multi-Application Light Water Reactor) that was developed to enable smaller markets to gain access to the benefits of nuclear fission energy - zero emissions, independence from fossil fuels, greater reliability, and increased levels of technical employment.

Study examines high-deductible health plans, use of medical services; web exclusive looks at distribution of public health care spending (Medical News Today): "Does Enrollment in a CDHP Stimulate Cost-Effective Utilization?" Medical Care Research and Review: The study -- by Judith H. Hibbard, Jessica Greene and Martin Tusler of the University of Oregon -- finds that people who enroll in consumer-driven health plans generally reduce their use of medical services. The authors write that CDHP members with high deductibles -- who tend to have lower incomes and less education -- seek care less often than members with low deductibles because of cost concerns. The study suggests providing more information to high-deductible health plan members that encourages use of necessary medical services (Hibbard et al., Medical Care Research and Review, August 2008.

Brian Sell, Dathan Ritzenhein geared up for the marathon (Detroit Free Press): Brian Sell didn't want to do it at first, if you can imagine that -- three days amid the surf and sun of Malibu, Calif., filming a commercial for Home Depot. "He actually refused it," said Sarah Sell, his wife. "He thought I would be working. I said, 'Even if I am working, heck, we can figure something out. You should go and do this.' So he called back and reluctantly agreed."…He said he has been dressing in layers during his runs to help him get acclimated to running in the heat because of Eugene's low humidity. Ritzenhein said he was also going to spend time in a "climate room" at the University of Oregon where "they can simulate the exact same conditions that will be in Beijing down to the sunlight direction -- everything."