UCSD News

A Sampling of Clips for
February 6^th, 2007

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

A Small Part of the Brain, and Its Profound Effects
The New York Times, Feb. 6 -- The recent news about smoking was sensational: some people with damage to a prune-size slab of brain tissue called the insula were able to give up cigarettes instantly. Suppose scientists could figure out how to tweak the insula without damaging it. They might be able to create that famed and elusive free lunch — an effortless way to kick the cigarette habit. (Quotes UCSD psychiatrist Dr. Martin Paulus) More

Adolescents at Risk from Poor Diet, Inactivity
CNN, Feb. 5 -- Most adolescents do not get enough exercise each day or maintain a healthy diet, according to UCSD and Spanish researchers who analyzed the diet and exercise behaviors of 878, adolescents, 11 to 15 years old, and found that nearly 80 percent had multiple physical activity and dietary risk behaviors. More

Cardiff Neuroscientist Dies in Plane Crash
Fox6 News, Feb. 5 -- Dr. Leon J. Thal, a Cardiff neuroscientist and international pioneer in Alzheimer's disease, died Saturday after his small plane crashed in the mountains southwest of Borrego Springs. Thal was chairman of the neurosciences department at UCSD. More

Similar story in
North County Times
10 News
NBC San Diego
KUSI

Spanking Mad
Salon, Feb. 5 -- It may not have happened often, but in moments of frustration, exhaustion and anger, I have hit. Maybe because it happens rarely, or maybe because I follow the slap with 45 minutes of apologies, I bristled when California Assemblywoman Sally Lieber announced Jan. 17 that she planned to introduce a bill making spanking a crime. (Quotes Gail Heyman, a child psychologist and associate professor at UCSD) More

Warming to the Idea of Climate Change Consensus
Houston Chronicle, Opinion, Feb. 5 -- With the release of the new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last week, the fourth since the organization's founding in 1988, many will be looking for what's new. How have estimates of sea-level rise changed? How soon will we achieve a doubling of carbon dioxide levels? (Written by Naomi Oreskes, a professor of science history at UCSD) More

Preventive Measures
San Diego Union-Tribune, Feb. 4 -- A dozen racially based gangs lure Oceanside youth with promises of family, friendship, protection and purpose. Simultaneously, a slew of gang prevention and intervention programs try to immunize youth against gang involvement, though they sometimes have as little as an hour a week to do it. (Quotes Dr. Saul Levine, director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UCSD) More

Finding a Doctor: Word-of-mouth, Internet Helpful
North County Times, Feb. 3 -- We all have our own methods of choosing a doctor. Some people select a doctor in their HMO directory who's close to home or work. Others like to do more extensive research. They'll ask friends about their doctors. They may ask someone they know who works at a hospital for advice. Or they'll go online and look up the doctor's education and credentials. (Quotes Dr. Joseph Scherger, a clinical professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the UCSD School of Medicine) More

Power Struggle Emerges Early in Constitutional Changes
Voice of San Diego, Feb. 6 -- The political struggle over the future structure of San Diego's city government sprouted in earnest Monday, two days after a group of academics, politicos and City Council representatives met in private to lay the groundwork for a potential 2008 ballot push. The Saturday meeting was called by civic booster George Mitrovich and real estate magnate Malin Burnham and also included UCSD professor Steve Erie. More

Region’s Economy Will Mirror the Housing Market in 2007
San Diego Business Journal, Feb. 5 -- San Diego’s healthy economy could be in for a hard landing this year if housing sales worsen, said experts at a recent panel presentation. “There’s no doubt that housing has been the story in the latest decline,” said James Hamilton, a UCSD economics professor, speaking at the panel discussion Jan. 26 held at UCSD. More