A Sampling of Clips for June 24^th, 2008

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

Doctors Say Medication Is Overused in Dementia
The New York Times, June 24 -- The use of antipsychotic drugs to tamp down the agitation, combative behavior and outbursts of dementia patients has soared, especially in the elderly. Sales of newer antipsychotics like Risperdal, Seroquel and Zyprexa totaled $13.1 billion in 2007, up from $4 billion in 2000, according to IMS Health, a health care information company. (Quotes Dillip V. Jeste, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at UCSD) More

Faster Optical Switching
MIT Technology Review, June 24 -- Computers get faster and communication signals get faster, but the interface between them--where the electrons in the computer circuits are converted into photons for the fiber-optic cable--remains clunky and slow. New transistors that rely on virtual particles called excitons could change that, UCSD researchers show. More

Science News: Smoking
Voice of America, June 24 -- Two American researchers led the study on smoking. They are Nicholas Christakis of Harvard University and James Fowler of UCSD. They examined the smoking and social customs of twelve thousand people over a thirty-two year period. More

Running on Empty?
San Diego Union-Tribune, June 25 -- Occasionally, almost everyone's had to skip a meal due to hectic schedules or certain religious practices. Going without food for a half a day usually results in nothing more than hunger pangs and maybe a little headache, all of which disappear when we chow down at the next meal. (Quotes Cheryl Rock, a nutrition researcher and professor at UCSD) More

UCSD Professor, Surgeon Pioneers Innovative Techniques
The San Diego Daily Transcript, June 24 -- Admittedly, San Diego is a beautiful place to live. But that isn't why Dr. Mark A. Talamini left a distinguished career at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for new appointments as professor and chairman of the department of surgery at the UCSD School of Medicine three years ago. More

UCSD Medical Center: Using Technology to Improve Patient Care
The San Diego Daily Transcript, June 24 -- Bar-coding is familiar to everyone who shops, with electronic scanners reading product information and price after a quick swipe of a tag through a scanner. This technology is now being used at the UCSD Medical Center to assure a higher level of patient safety and service. More