A Sampling of Clips for 
December 24 - 26, 2002

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

Vital signs: Relationships
New York Times, Dec. 24, Pg. 6 – A UCSD study led by psychologist Heike Mahler found that women who had heart bypass surgery fared better if their husbands were shown a video before the operation that presented an optimistic view of the recovery.
* No link available online.

Diamonds a window to prehistoric times
San Diego Union Tribune, Dec. 24 – A team of scientists from UCSD, UCLA and the University of Maryland has discovered that diamonds can be natural time capsules, preserving inside them chemical remnants of Earth’s early atmosphere. (Quotes Mark Thiemens, Dean of UCSD’s division of physical sciences and co-author of a study that appeared last week in the journal Science).
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20021224-9999_1m24diamonds.html

Alvarado tops special-payments list
San Diego Union Tribune, Dec. 26 -- Regulators have found that special payments, known as outliers, make up a higher percentage of total Medicare payments at Tenet Healthcare's Alvarado Hospital Medical Center than at any other San Diego County hospital. Alvarado's special payments represented 9.8% of the hospital's total Medicare inpatient payments, compared to Scripps Memorial Hospital-La Jolla at 8.8% and UCSD Medical Center at 8.3%. The nationwide average is 3.5%, while the statewide average is 5.4%. (Quotes Robert Hogan, director of finance at the UCSD Medical Center). http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/thu/business/news_1b26outliers.html

Mayor accused of cronyism
San Diego Union Tribune, Dec. 24 – San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy says he doled out coveted City Council committee chairmanships based on talent and experience, but some say his choices appear to be more politically motivated. (Quotes UCSD political scientist Steven Erie).
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20021224-9999_1m24plums.html