A Sampling of Clips for
September 25 - 27, 2004
*
UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing
the University
Communications Office
The Genesis
Project
New York Times, Sept. 26-Searching
for the origins of life in the dust of a comet might sound like
a bit of cosmically cockeyed indirection, something straight
out of a New Age sci-fi novel. The Stardust mission, however,
is typical of a number of projects to divine life's origins,
all part of a $75-million-a-year scientific enterprise now being
financed by NASA. It is known as astrobiology. (Quote by Jeffrey
Bada, a geochemist at the Scripps Institution
of Oceanography.)
* No link available online.
King/Drew
Trauma Unit a 'Jewel' With Big Flaws
Los Angeles Times, Sept. 25-Politicians
and others fighting to save the endangered trauma center at
Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center have called it "a
model for the country" and "the crown jewel"
of the hospital. The reality, however, is more complicated,
according to confidential reports obtained this week by The
Times. (Quote by Judy de los Santos, an administrative
assistant at the University of California, San Diego.)
* No link available online.
My Congressman
Stands for Money, Not for Me
Los Angeles Times, Opinion, Sept.
26-It is news to no one who pays the slightest attention to
American politics that Congress is no longer responsive to the
people. (Article written by Chalmers Johnson, a retired professor
of international relations at UC San Diego.)
* No link available online.
Scientists
Find New Signs of Life at North and South Poles
The Star, Malaysia, Sept. 26-Colonies
of micro-organisms found thriving under rocks at the North and
South Poles are evidence that life can exist in harsh areas
on Earth which may mimic conditions on Mars, scientists from
the British Antarctic Survey and the Scripps Institution
of Oceanography announced Wednesday.
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/9/26/features
/8980789&sec=features
Redefining
Higher Education
San Diego Daily Transcript, Sept.
24-Marye Anne Fox's vision for the University
of California, San Diego could probably be summed up
in a question she asks herself: "What does it mean to be
an educated person in an era of globalization?" Accepting
her appointment as the university's first permanent female chancellor
last April, Fox announced plans to focus heavily
on blurring lines between academic disciplines and increasing
study abroad opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/enews/articles/2004/09_27_redefining.asp
UC Regents
Vote to Raise Required GPA
San Diego Daily Transcript, Sept.
23-University of California regents voted to tighten admission
requirements despite impassioned arguments from students that
the move would hurt enrollment of blacks and Hispanics. UC's
governing Board of Regents on Thursday voted 14-6 to raise the
minimum required grade-point average from 2.8 to 3.0.
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/enews/articles/2004/09_27_ucregents.asp
Pills at Will
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 27-Since
the early 1990s, doctors have increasingly relieved the chronic
pain of some patients by prescribing drugs that, while highly
effective, are potentially addictive. Medical schools across
the country are just beginning to recognize the importance of
educating doctors about pain management. Dr. Mark Wallace's
UCSD course on managing and minimizing pain
is so popular that students must enter a lottery to get into
the class.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20040927-9999-lz1n27report.html
Crick's
Other Goal: Unlocking Riddle of the Mind
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-As
a young scientist in 1940s England, Francis Crick decided to
devote his life to unraveling two mysteries: the foundation
for all living things and how the brain gives rise to the mind.
By 1953, Crick had solved the first mystery with their model
of DNA, igniting a revolution in biology and earning a permanent
place in the annals of science. The riddle of the mind, however,
remains intractable as ever. (Mentions research by UCSD.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20040926-9999-1m26aware.html
Samalam
Named SDSC Director
San Diego Daily Transcript, Sept.
23-Vijay Samalam has been appointed as executive
director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University
of California, San Diego, officials announced Wednesday.
In this role, he will report to SDSC director, Francine
Berman.
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/enews/articles/2004/09_27_samalam.asp
The Body's
Barricade
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-When
it's healthy, your skin is the first line of defense against
an assortment of invaders. (Quote by Lawrence Eichenfield
M.D., a pediatric dermatology specialist at the University
of California, San Diego School of Medicine.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_lz1x26skin.html
A Delicate
Subject
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-Children's
skin issues can yield a world of concern for parents. (Quote
by Tia Hubbard M.D., a pediatrician at UC
San Diego.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_mz1x26child.html
Eczema Research
Still in Early Stage
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-Eczema,
a painful and often lifelong skin disease tied to the industrialized
world, is slowly giving up its secrets. Richard Gallo
M.D. of UC San Diego said the latest research
is adding to the knowledge of the ailment and how to treat it.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_mz1x26eczema.html
Male or
Female, Skin is No Match for Time, Elements
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-Women
like to say they have it harder. But when it comes to skin,
men and women pretty much age the same, with wrinkles, sagging,
bruising and, importantly, sun damage. (Quote by Joe
Ramsdell M.D., a geriatrics professor at UC
San Diego.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_mz1x26elemen.html
Skin Growths,
Marks Nothing to Ignore
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-All
three are skin conditions, but dermatologists say warts, moles
and birthmarks are unrelated. And they agree all three should
not be taken lightly. (Quote by Richard Gallo
M.D., chief of the division of dermatology at the University
of California, San Diego School of Medicine.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_mz1x26growth.html
Smoke Signals:
Face Reveals Tobacco Use
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-Can
you tell a smoker just by looking at the skin on his or her
face? The answer is yes, says a report from the U.S. Office
of the Surgeon General. (Quote by David Burns
M.D., associate professor of medicine at University
of California, San Diego.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20040926-9999
-mz1x26smoke.html
Wounds Need
to Be Covered, Experts Say
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 26-An
advancement in wound dressing employs antimicrobial silver,
which manufacturers say heals and controls infection. New technology
aside, following sound medical advice is important to treating
minor injuries. (Quote by Gerit Mulder M.D.,
director of the Wound Treatment and Research Center at the University
of California, San Diego.) http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040926/news_mz1x26wounds.html
Chamber
Endorses Stem Cell Research
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 25-The
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce yesterday announced its
endorsement of Proposition 71, which calls for a $3 billion
bond issue to support stem cell research in California. There
was discussion about institutions such as the Burnham Institute,
the University of California, San Diego and
the Scripps Research Institute that are conducting research
projects in this area and how Proposition 71 could help them.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20040925-9999-1b25stem.html
UCSD Researchers Develop
Treatment to Ease Sleep Apnea
North County Times, Sept. 27-According
to a study by researchers at UCSD School of
Medicine, each year potentially 980 lives could be saved and
$11.1 billion in automobile-accident costs could be avoided
if drivers who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea were successfully
treated with continuous positive airway pressure.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/09/26/special_reports/science
_technology/16_14_299_25_04.txt
Data Boss
Keeps his Eye on the Bottom Line
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 27-The
troubled San Diego Data Processing Corp. has hired a new chief
executive officer, and he promises to put a cork in the agency's
lavish spending of public money. (Quote by Ian Trowbridge,
a retired professor at the University of California,
San Diego.)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20040927-9999-1m27dpc.html
