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VOL. 26. NO.12 APRIL 11, 2006

nEWS IN Brief

Now hear this

A rare frog that lives in rushing streams and waterfalls in east-central China is able to make itself heard above the roar of flowing water by communicating ultrasonically, scientists reported March 16 in the journal Nature. Attributes that enable the frog to hear ultrasounds are made possible by the presence of an ear canal, which most other frogs don't have. “Our research points out an elegant and novel solution to the problem of communication in high levels of background noise,” said Peter Narins, professor of physiological science and ecology and evolutionary biology. He co-authored the study. “In addition, we now add amphibians to the small group of vertebrates (bats, whales and some rodents) that use ultrasound for communication. This study may provide a clue for understanding why humans have ear canals: to improve sensitivity to high-frequency sounds.”

Lawsuit settled

UC will receive a $13.25-million settlement from Citigroup and its former Salomon Smith Barney subsidiary (now known as Citigroup Global Markets) in a lawsuit arising from the WorldCom Inc. securities fraud. UC accused Salomon Smith Barney, Citigroup Inc. and Arthur Andersen LLP of being involved in the staggering financial collapse of WorldCom. UC's complaint alleged that WorldCom, with the complicity of the defendants, engaged in a massive accounting fraud that inflated the price of its stock. UC's losses resulted from its purchase of 10.2 million shares of WorldCom and related securities between 1998 and early 2000.

Savings for taxpayers

A newly released UCLA study reports that California taxpayers save nearly $2.50 for every dollar invested in nonviolent drug offenders eligible for substance abuse treatment under the state's Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, or Proposition 36. California voters approved the initiative in 2000. Over a 30-month follow-up period, Proposition 36 saved state and local governments $173.3 million for offenders entering the program during its first year. For offenders who completed their required drug treatment, nearly $4 was saved for each dollar expended, according to researchers at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior in the David Geffen School of Medicine. The savings that accrued were largely due to reductions in jail and prison time.