A Sampling of Clips for April 21 - 22, 2011

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

Researchers Seek Brains From Interesting People
BusinessWeek, April 22 -- Dr. Jacopo Annese wants Donald Trump's brain. That's the example he cited in describing who might be the ideal candidate for a 1,000-donor campaign being run by his UC San Diego brain bank. The center is seeking people who can supply detailed life histories before they die, and their brains afterward. More

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The Wall Street Journal
Bloomberg
Sydney Morning Herald
San Francisco Chronicle

Why Are We Still Asleep at the Wheel?
USA Today, Opinion, April 21 -- For at least the seventh time this year, an air traffic controller has been suspended for falling asleep on the job. How many of these potentially life-threatening errors will be sufficient for the FAA to recognize the cost of sleep deprivation? So far this year, similar incidents have been reported across the country, from airports in Seattle-Tacoma and Knoxville to Miami and Washington D.C. The fact is America has been taking sleep for granted far too long. (Written by Sara Mednick, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at UC San Diego, an expert in the field of sleep and memory and the author of “Take a Nap! Change Your Life”) More

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San Diego Union-Tribune
Atlanta Journal Constitution

The 2011 TIME 100: V.S. Ramachandran
TIME Magazine, April 21 -- Once described as the Marco Polo of neuroscience, UC San Diego researcher V.S. Ramachandran has mapped some of the most mysterious regions of the mind. More

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San Diego Union-Tribune

Why Looking at Overweight People Makes Us Want to Eat More, Not Less
TIME Magazine, April 20 -- Viewers of The Biggest Loser would probably agree that watching the weight-loss show fills them with inspiration. Seeing the obese contestants struggle should motivate us to eat better, exercise and lose weight too. Turns out, however, that premise is only half right — at least according to a new study that finds that people may actually eat more after seeing overweight people. (Mentions research by UC San Diego political scientist James Fowler) More

E.T., Call Us Back! Making the Case for Alien Life
TIME Magazine, April 22 -- There's no good evidence to date that life exists, or ever has existed, on worlds beyond the Earth — so it might seem odd that the field of science known as astrobiology is booming. (Mentions research by Jeffrey Bada, a marine chemist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography) More

Carbon in Love
NPR, April 21 -- In this episode, No. 4 of our carbon series, we get to the heart of the matter. If there's a growing concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere, (and there is) why does that make the planet warmer? (Features a UC San Diego slideshow on global warming) More

California Orders Audit of Montebello Finances
Los Angeles Times, April 21 -- The state controller took the rare step of launching an audit of the struggling city of Montebello, saying there is evidence the city produced false financial reports dating back several years. (Quotes UC San Diego political scientist Steve Erie) More

Gut Microbes: What's Your Type?
Chicago Tribune, April 20 -- Bioinformatics expert Peer Bork of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany says gut bacteria seem to cluster into just three distinct and stable combinations that show up across populations from a variety of backgrounds -- a discovery that could have implications for medicine in the future.  (Quotes Russell Doolittle, a molecular biologist and bioinformatics pioneer at UC San Diego) More

Researchers Prove They Can Hack Into Cars' Electronics
Contra Costa Times, April 21 -- With a modest amount of expertise, computer hackers could gain remote access to someone's car -- just as they do to people's personal computers -- and take over the vehicle's basic functions, including control of its engine, according to a report by computer scientists from UC San Diego and the University of Washington. More

Military Brings in Big Bucks for San Diego
NBC San Diego, April 20 -- According to an economic study released Wednesday by UC San Diego researchers, more than one out of every four jobs in this region is generated by the military-industrial complex.  More

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San Diego Union-Tribune
Navy Compass

Green Car or Gas Guzzler? How Do You Decide?
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 21 -- When it comes to green drives, it’s an evolution, not a revolution. The choices we make in our rides are broadening, but most people will continue to rely on internal-combustion engines to get around for a long time. Jim Ruby knows how to evaluate these different priorities. As fleet manager for UC San Diego, he has written policies that encourage officials there to choose green rides, those which reduce pollution and are fuel-efficient. More

Hearing on Local Biotech Industry Held in SD
10News, April 21 -- Members of Congress listened to feedback Thursday morning from top biotech leaders in San Diego County as part of a congressional hearing on job creation. The House Committee on Congressional Oversight Reform, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa, focused on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Speakers, which also included UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, gave suggestions on what needs to improve to allow it to grow. More

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San Diego Union-Tribune

Laws to Limit Teens From Indoor Tanning Ineffective, Study Says
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 21 -- Laws restricting indoor tanning by minors are ineffective in reducing such activity, an exhaustive study by San Diego State University researchers has found. (Quotes Dr. Greg Daniels, a medical oncologist at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center) More

Why are Global Efforts to Prevent Climate Change Stalling?
KPBS, April 20 -- Dr. David Victor will hold a free public discussion about whether the world has made progress in stopping global warming this Monday night, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center. Victor is the author of the new book "Global Warming Gridlock,” a professor in the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at UC San Diego and director of the school's new laboratory on International Law and Regulation. More

Student Greens Let the Sunshine in for Campus EV Charging
CarTalk, April 12 -- I walk into the Sustainability Resource Center on the sun-dappled campus of UC San Diego. It would be like any other student hangout if not for the Kyocera and Borrego solar panels powering the direct-current lighting system (one of two such installations in the U.S.), the reclaimed and bamboo flooring, the certified ceiling tiles and eco-friendly paint on the walls. It’s not surprising the center won LEED Gold status. More

Reaching Greener Heights
Vision Magazine, April 2011 -- UC San Diego has much to celebrate this year. As the campus commemorates its 50th anniversary, it is also chronicling significant achievements and commitments to sustainability and green living practices. More

Homemade High; The Legal Buzz
Being Abused is as Close as the Kitchen Spice Rack
San Diego 6, April 21-- It's a spice that you can easily buy at the store or find in your kitchen cupboard. But medical experts say teenagers are using this common spice to get high. We're talking about the spice nutmeg. (Quotes Dr. Richard Clark , director of toxicology at UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, who also oversees the Poison Control Center) More

UCSD Researcher Thomas Kipps Receives $750K Grant
North County Times,  April 20 -- Genetic researcher Thomas J. Kipps of UC San Diego School of Medicine has received a $750,000 grant to continue research on gene therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a now incurable disease. More

Organization to Test Meningitis Vaccine Safety on Pregnant Women at UCSD
San Diego Daily Transcript , April 20 -- A statewide pregnancy health organization based at UC San Diego is launching a new study to assess the safety of a meningitis vaccine during pregnancy. More

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