USC Media and Public Relations

NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV featured research by Sally Ward of the Keck School of USC finding that frequent snoring in children may be linked to obesity. “When you have arousals from sleep it activates what we call the fight-or-flight reflex and that turns on your sympathetic nervous system,” Ward said. “Through that repetitive activation, we believe that impacts glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.”

Chicago Tribune highlighted research by Pia Pannaraj of the Keck School of USC finding that school-based vaccination programs result in fewer sick children and higher attendance. Studying 4,500 children at eight Los Angeles-based elementary schools, Pannaraj found that schools without vaccination programs had rates of infection no different than the general population. “Increasing rates at elementary schools is ideal because these kids are pretty good at spreading it,” Pannaraj said.

United Press International featured research by USC Dornsife College doctoral student Justin Hall and Michael Habib of the Keck School of USC suggesting that the dinosaur Microraptor gui had four wings. Habib and Hall proposed that the dinosaur could have kept the limbs under its body most of the time, until needed for banking in a turn. “In terms of aerodynamics, the hind wings would have increased its rate of turn by 33 to 50 percent, compared to using only the front wings,” Habib said. “No one’s going to argue that this was the fastest animal in the ecosystem,” Hall told National Geographic. He noted that a 33-percent increase in turning speed could mean the difference between “life and death.”

Los Angeles Times featured new security measures announced by USC in the wake of a shooting last week, and noted that student reaction to the measures was largely positive. Los Angeles Wave quoted USC President C. L. Max Nikias: “The safety of USC students, faculty and staff on campus is a top priority for me and for my leadership team.” The story was also covered by another Los Angeles Times article, United Press International, The Huffington Post, KPCC-FM, CBS News Los Angeles affiliate KCBS-TV, NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV, Xinhua News Agency (China), ITV (U.K.), LAist, Global Grind and Latino California.

Relaxnews highlighted research by Eric Rice and Hailey Winetrobe of the USC School of Social Work finding that 15 percent of teens have admitted to sexting, and that teens with smart phones are 1.5 times more likely to be sexually active. “We’ve never had to deal with these kinds of consequences. But they are real even if they start off digital,” Rice said. International Business Times also covered the research. “We — parents, health educators, physicians — must recognize that cell phones are yet another new way for adolescents to meet sex partners,” Winetrobe said.

Los Angeles Times quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the USC Price School about the political terrain in the 2012 campaign.

Bloomberg Businessweek quoted Kevin Starr of the USC Dornsife College about Proposition 13’s impact on California’s political system.

The Huffington Post quoted Edward Kleinbard of the USC Gould School about the impact on the Romney campaign of the candidate’s refusal to release all his tax returns.

NPR News interviewed Thomas Hollihan of the USC Annenberg School about etiquette in voting.

KQED-FM’s “The California Report” interviewed Michael Cousineau of the Keck School of USC about candidate Mitt Romney’s preference for state control and what that could have meant for California Medicaid had he won the election.

KPCC-FM interviewed Jennifer Floto of the USC Annenberg School about ads for Rep. Mary Bono Mack’s campaign.

The Desert Sun quoted Ann Crigler of the USC Dornsife College about political character attacks as a sign of a tight race.

ProPublica quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about confusion surrounding the wording of Proposition 40.

The Wrap quoted Martin Kaplan of the USC Annenberg School about the importance of “An Inconvenient Truth” to the field of science-based documentaries.

The Week cited John Matsusaka of USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute about marijuana legalization measures in the 2012 election.

Forbes cited USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute about the past decade’s measures regarding same-sex marriage.

NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV cited the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll regarding support for Proposition 34, which would have ended the death penalty in California. L.A. Weekly also cited the poll.

The Dallas Morning News mentioned that Pete Delgado is CEO of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

Science Codex highlighted techniques to minimize neurosurgical risk, published in an issue of “Neurosurgical Focus” that was co-edited by Gabriel Zada of the Keck School of USC.

KPCC-FM mentioned a Los Angeles City Council meeting on the public hearing window for the USC master plan.

Los Angeles Review of Books mentioned that the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities meets monthly at USC.