UO E-clips, March 11

Mind of a genius (Oregon Daily Emerald): He's a doctor of physics and a recipient of the National Science Foundation's prestigious CAREER award, so University professor Raghuveer "Raghu" Parthasarathy knows a thing or two about single-celled organisms. He said if he were to be one, he'd be tuberculosis. "It's very hard to kill it," Parthasarathy said. "And it's very popular." With his research team of seven University students - four graduates and three undergraduates - Parthasarathy has built artificial material using biological molecules that mimic the structures of the tuberculosis molecule membranes.

Certain oral contraceptives may pose health risks, study says (Science Daily): The widely used synthetic progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) decreased endothelial function in premenopausal women in a study done at the University of Oregon. The finding, researchers said, raises concerns about long-term effects of MPA and possibly other synthetic hormones on vascular health in young women. The vascular endothelium lines the inside of blood vessels. In recent years, it has been found to be a dynamic organ that serves an important role in the prevention of atherosclerosis.

The First 'R': Jefferson Elementary among the state schools that will demonstrate renewed emphasis on reading (Medford Mail Tribune): With his index finger, first-grader J.J. Ferantes traces the text of a storybook and reads aloud during an intensive small-group reading exercise. "People lock their boats," J.J. reads. "They hop from their boats. They have fun on the docks." "You substituted the word 'their' for 'the' two times," says Carrie McCoy, a reading specialist at Jefferson Elementary School. "The story says 'the boat.'" McCoy writes "the," "their," "they," "them" and "then" on the chalkboard and asks J.J. and three of his classmates to read them. … Pupils who are struggling go to see McCoy each school day for an additional 30 minutes of intensive reading instruction in small groups of five or fewer students. Some also receive yet another 30 minutes of reading instruction on a computer. A study of Oregon and Texas first-graders published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities this month indicates that such targeted instruction dramatically enhances students' literacy skills. The study examined 21 students in the Bethel and Tigard-Tualatin school districts and 33 students in Texas who were considered "at risk" because of a lack of early literacy skills, whether from a lack of exposure to reading, because English is not their first language or other reasons. The study was conducted by the University of Oregon in Eugene and the University of Texas in Austin.