UCSD News

A Sampling of Clips for
November 7^th, 2007

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

Sleepless? Maybe It's your Statin
MSNBC, Nov. 7 - A popular drug used to keep cholesterol in check might be interfering with a good night's sleep, researchers said on Wednesday. "The findings are significant because sleep problems can affect the quality of life and may have adverse health consequences, such as promoting weight gain and insulin resistance," Dr. Beatrice Golomb, of the UCSD School of Medicine, said in a statement. More

Giggling Robot Becomes One of the Kids
ABC News, Nov. 7 – In experiment led by Javier Movellan at UCSD is the first long-term study of interaction between toddlers and robots. Related Stories The researchers stationed a 2-foot-tall robot called QRIO (pronounced "curio"), and developed by Sony, in a classroom of a dozen toddlers aged between 18 months and two years. More

Similar story on
NPR

Tiny Fish Reveals Cancer Secrets
ABC News, Nov. 6 -- Scientists at UCSD have found a way to watch in real time as human cancer cells produce tumors that spread throughout the body of a living organism. It's as though the body has suddenly become transparent, letting researchers watch the entire drama of how cancer spreads. The spread, or metastasis, is what usually kills cancer victims. More

Toll from Calif. Wildfires Rises to 8
FOX News, Nov. 7 -- A woman who was badly burned in a fire near the U.S.-Mexico border has died from her injuries, making her the eighth person to be killed directly by the wildfires that ravaged Southern California. Maria Beltran, 27, of Vista, died Tuesday at the UCSD Regional Burn Center. More

The Neurological Roots of Aggression
MIT Technology Review, Nov. 7 -- In a study presented this week at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego, researchers used functional magnetic brain imaging to study brain activity in a small group of adolescent boys deemed "reactively aggressive"--meaning they consistently overreact to perceived threats. "These kids tend to overreact: they punch someone or kick a door, but afterwards, they regret it," says Guido Frank, a scientist and physician at UCSD, who led the study. "In the moment, they can't control themselves." More

Causes of Death Are Linked to a Person’s Weight
The New York Times, Nov. 7 -- About two years ago, a group of federal researchers reported that overweight people have a lower death rate than people who are normal weight, underweight or obese. Now, investigating further, they found out which diseases are more likely to lead to death in each weight group. (Quotes Dr. Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, a professor of family and preventive medicine at UCSD) More

Apprehensions of Border-crossers Drop
Los Angeles Times, Nov. 7 -- A large increase in Border Patrol agents, additional fencing and expanded prosecution of illegal border-crossers contributed to a 20% drop in apprehension of undocumented migrants this year at the U.S.-Mexico frontier, immigration officials announced Tuesday. (Quotes Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UCSD) More

Rescued Firefighter Released from Burn Unit
10News, Nov. 6 -- A California firefighter who was rescued last month by a pilot after being burned in the Harris Fire was released from the burn unit Monday. The UCSD Regional Burn Center said Andrew Pikop, 23, was released from the burn unit Monday. More

Burn Patients Face Long, Difficult Recovery
KPBS, Nov 7 -- Life is getting back to normal for most of us in San Diego County. But that’s not the case for people who were severely burned in last month’s wildfires. For them, recovery will be long, difficult, and painful. When the wildfires first broke out a few weeks ago, staff at UCSD Regional Burn Center had a feeling they’d be busy soon. They were right. More

During Charitable Season,
Fundraisers Try to Get Anonymous Donors to Attach Names
San Diego Union-Tribune, Nov. 7 -- Fundraising professionals say honoring the wishes of donors who want to remain anonymous is no laughing matter. It's a matter of trust, said Rebecca Newman, associate vice chancellor of development at UCSD. Institutions work hard to assure donors they will respect their wishes and be good stewards of their money, she said. More