Carnivorous plants have provided an avenue into horticulture for many young men. Brandon Huber, a senior in horticulture at Temple Ambler, said, "You certainly don't want to be known as a gardener growing flowers.” Huber's early fascination with carnivorous plants launched him directly into a plant career. He has won 150 ribbons for his carnivorous plants at the Philadelphia Flower Show since 2006.
A healthy vaginal microbiome maintains a level of acidity that keeps troublemaking microbes at bay. When the community becomes unbalanced, vaginosis can result, with devastating consequences. In a study of urban women in Philadelphia, vaginosis in the first trimester more than doubled the risk of spontaneous pregnancy loss. Vaginosis “doesn’t get the attention it deserves, because it’s not a sexy STD,” says Deborah Nelson a professor of public health at Temple, who led the study.
Changes in Pell eligibility guidelines over the last year come as Congress struggles to rein in ballooning costs and deficits in the program for low-income students. One change reduces lifetime available aid from 18 semesters to 12. "This means eligible students have less time to complete their degree while benefiting from a Pell grant," said Craig Fennell, director of student financial services at Temple. Temple will look this semester at how many students are losing aid or are in danger of it because of the changes.
Let the neighbors help raise your kids. Let seniors take part. Invest the way a farmer plants. These are some of the wisdoms offered in Jared Diamond's new book. It joins a series of general-audience readings of history and society in which Diamond rethinks what it means to be human. Some non-fans get irritated by his approach. Marilyn Silberfein, emeritus professor of geography and urban studies at Temple said, "More academics should write, as he does, for the larger public. It's edifying and stimulating to write across broad areas.
In an opinion piece, Amy Sinden, a professor at Temple’s Beasley School of Law, said the president can't rely on GOP cooperation, so he must make use of executive orders to make progress on environment, health and safety. “So what might the president accomplish on his own? Plenty. If, that is, he's willing to use every bit of executive power he can marshal, by directing the regulatory agencies of his administration to move with dispatch to regulate and enforce in a number of vital areas,” Sinden said.
Temple senior Khalif Wyatt has come a long way since his first year at Temple. Coach Fran Dunphy now gives Wyatt a lot of freedom and confidence which he’s earned. "I can't take away his creativity because he's as creative as anybody out there," Dunphy said. "I want him to be creative, but I always want him to have earned that right. He's done that."
If you're trying to lose weight, is it better to drink water, or zero-calorie soda? Temple researchers are conducting what they say is the first head-to-head comparison of the two. "From a calorie point of view, (there is) absolutely no difference," said Gary Foster, director of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education. The question is: "What's the collateral effect? If diet beverages have a sweet taste, maybe they get you to crave sweet foods, and that could derail you from you weight-control efforts," Foster said.
General George Meade was accomplished, but his name and personal history often get lost among other, more famous Civil War generals such as Robert E. Lee or William Sherman. A local group is seeking to change that. As part of that effort, The General Meade Society of Philadelphia celebrates Meade every year on Dec. 31, his birthday and wedding anniversary. "He was the victor of Gettysburg and he saved the nation there," said Andrew Waskie, a professor of history at Temple.
Sales of repossessed properties in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metro area jumped by 91 percent from July 1 to Sept. 30, compared to the prior three-month span.
Pennsylvania is among states requiring judicial approval for foreclosures, which results in more delays in the system, said Forrest Huffman, a Fox School of Business professor of real estate and finance. "The foreclosure process itself tends to make the transition longer," he said.
