Comments by UC Davis community members and references to the campus regularly appear in a wide variety of media outlets around the country. Among the recent citings in prominent venues:

Molecular and cellular biology professor Ray Rodriguez commented on nutritional genetics in the April 11 Los Angeles Times. The field, also known as nutrigenomics, studies how nutrition interacts with genes to affect health. Scientists don't know enough about human genetics yet to recommend particular diets based on DNA tests, said Rodriguez, director of the Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics. But, he said, "Most experts predict that by 2010 we will have enough information to make geno-based diet recommendations."…

The medical center's Bill Lloyd appeared on CNN: Live Saturday on April 9 to address public concerns about the recent banning of Bextra, an arthritis fighting drug. Lloyd warned patients taking the medication "not to abruptly stop the drug, but instead abruptly get in touch with your doctor so you can discuss what to do about Bextra and what alternatives there are." Lloyd went on to say that some patients can get the same results with "more simple and far safer drugs."…

A study by the medical center's Joy Melnikow was cited by Reuters News Service on April 12 and United Press International on April 11. The study, which originally appeared in the journal Cancer, showed that few women who could benefit from an anti-cancer drug actually take the medication. Melnikow estimated that two million women could experience a net benefit from tamoxifen, a drug that reduces breast cancer risk. However, "women in our study were very concerned about potential harmful effects when they considered taking tamoxifen to reduce their risk for a disease they might or might not get," she said.

Law professor Bill Hing was quoted in the April 13 San Jose Mercury News about a national immigration hotline's skyrocketing popularity. Department of Homeland Security officials have applauded the increased use of the hotline, which accepts tips turning in illegal immigrants. However, Hing and other immigrant advocates worry that the tip line promotes racial stereotyping. "It promotes hysteria," Hing said. "It's not a healthy society when you encourage this kind of vigilante mentality."…

In more immigrant news, a quote from Chicana/o studies professor Adela de la Torre appeared in an April 12 Ventura County Star article about controversial "minutemen" who are attempting to enforce immigration laws. De la Torre said that those who agree and disagree with the minutemen have formed a standoff, and that they must engage in dialogue for the issue to be solved. "What you are seeing is a shouting match," she said. "It's one perspective dominating the policy and one political perspective. My objection is that they are the judge and the jury."…

Robin Thorp, a professor emeritus of entomology, also contributed to a Ventura County Star piece, commenting on vernal pools in an April 11 story. The seasonal bodies of water are routinely destroyed for development despite being depended upon by numerous species for food and habitat. Thorp said that some types of native bees completely rely on plants that grow in vernal pools. "Some (bees) are so specialized that they visit only one particular type of flower," she said…

Evolution and ecology professor Arthur Shapiro's comments about a massive butterfly migration appeared in several publications over the past two weeks, including Environment News Service and the San Jose Mercury News on April 11 and the April 13 editions of Discovery online and the Contra Costa Times. Shapiro said high winter rainfall in Southern California led to a painted lady butterfly population boom. More than a billion of the insects have been reportedly traveling north through central California. "This may be the biggest migration of modern times," Shapiro said…

A study by political science assistant professor James Fowler was mentioned in the April 13 Washington Times and April 11 Washington Post. In his study, Fowler looked at 280,000 pieces of legislation proposed in Congress between 1973 and 2004 and ranked the "best connected" people in the House and Senate. "My method of determining these rankings is a very good predictor of legislative performance," Fowler said. "Specifically, higher-ranked individuals tend to be much more successful at getting their own amendments passed on the floor." The results? Fowler found that the best-connected senator is John McCain, R-Arizona, and the best-connected representative is H. James Saxton, R-New Jersey.