A Report on Discoveries and Achievements at the University of California
Volume 9, Number 5, March 2000

The following is a glimpse of some recent achievements by the faculty, students and staff of the University of California.

In The News

Bionic Chip . . . Researchers at UC Berkeley have invented the world's first "bionic chip" - part living tissue, part machine - where a biological cell is part of the electronic circuitry. The bionic chip gives scientists something they have long sought an "open sesame" tool to get safely inside fragile, living cells. Such chips and the elaborate bionic circuitry they might make possible may open the door to bionic neural, brain and other body implants to correct health problems.

On the Horizon . . . The National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure, which unites 46 universities and research institutions, has initiated work on the most powerful computer available to the U.S. academic community. Located at UC San Diego, the new system, officially named Blue Horizon, allows researchers to better understand the workings of the human nervous system, design the next generation of drugs against HIV and other diseases, and tackle the complex issues of climate and the environment.

More Genome Progress . . . UC Santa Barbara'sAlec Wodtke and Norbert Reich are developing a new technology that may help speed work on the Human Genome Project. Their technology, "rapid evaporative cooling mass spectrometry," may allow future researchers to sequence DNA at extraordinarily high speeds. The two have been awarded a $258,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to further their research.

Futuristic Classroom . . . UC Davis, in partnership with Sacramento High School, will take part in a groundbreaking experiment to study the use of technology in the classroom. Davis researchers will be involved in evaluating the effectiveness of a "classroom of the future" featuring such amenities as video conferencing technology and laptop computers for all students that will link to the teacher for real-time monitoring of student work. The classroom will open to students this fall.
 

Health and Nutrition

Teen Drinking . . . A UC San Diego study has found that heavy drinking during the teen years of 15-16 can cause damage to thinking abilities, especially memory functions, when certain brain developments are at a critical stage. Researchers suspect, however, that some of the damage may be reversible if drinking is curtailed, since adolescent brains are still developing.

Estrogen and Alzheimer's . . . Estrogen appears to have no effect on the course of Alzheimer's disease in women, UC Irvine College of Medicine researchers have found. The researchers report that women who were given estrogen for a year didn't show any improvement in the disease, a finding that counters previous findings. The study doesn't rule out the possibility that estrogen may play an important role in preventing the disorder, however.

Sleep Study . . . Although it is known that the brain doesn't work as well the day after a sleepless night, new research from UC San Diego's Christian Gillin indicates that certain parts of the brain can partially compensate. The study was conceived, in part, because of increasing reports that Americans are working longer hours in tougher jobs, but getting decreasing amounts of sleep.

More Oxygen, Less Infection . . . The rate of infection from surgical wounds can be cut in half simply by giving patients more oxygen during and after anesthesia, says a study led by UC San Francisco scientist Daniel Sessler. The safe, inexpensive practice can save lives, time and money, the study reports, since wound infection rates range from 9 to 27 percent and often extend hospital stays a week or more.
 

Developments and Discoveries

Lou Gehrig Virus . . . Research at UC Irvine has helped in the discovery of a virus in the spinal cords of victims of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating nervous-system disorder more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The finding provides the best evidence to date of a possible viral cause of ALS and could eventually result in treatments for the disorder, which currently has no known cause or cure.

A Powerful Look Back . . . Scientists have received the first space images and spectra from one of the world's most powerful X-ray telescopes, the new X-ray Multi Mirror-Newton Observatory, designed and constructed with assistance from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and UC Santa Barbara. The XMM-Newton, a European Space Agency satellite, fixes its sights into deep space, halfway back in time to the origin of the universe and gathers information on objects previously beyond the reach of researchers.

Imitation and Learning . . . UCLA researchers have identified the parts of the brain that perform the process of imitation. They found that two areas of the brain are activated both when people observe a simple physical activity and when they perform the same task, providing tantalizing insights not only into how we learn to do simple physical tasks, but how humans gain social understanding by observing others.

Fingerprinting DNA . . . Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a desktop-sized instrument that identifies the DNA "fingerprints" of biological agents and other bacteria within minutes. The ultrasensitive flow cytometer measures the size of stained DNA fragments in a sample to obtain a fingerprint of bacteria faster and more accurately than the current method.

Preventing Shock Shutdown . . . Researchers at UC San Diego have succeeded in blocking the fundamental mechanism that causes major organ shutdown following shock. The researchers prevented shock and organ failure in laboratory rats with the drug that blocks digestive enzymes in the intestines. The development of this inhibitor drug, which the researchers will soon begin testing on humans, could lead to new life-saving treatments for trauma and shock victims.

Cancer Recurrence . . . UC San Francisco scientists have found a strong genetic link between early stage, non-invasive breast cancer cells and recurrences of the disease after the initial tumors have been removed. The finding provides evidence that second tumors are caused by residual cells left over from the primary lesion and are not new, separate lesions. This underscores the importance of surgeons making wide surgical margins to remove all of the tumor cells.
 

The Cutting Edge

Limb Regeneration . . . Susan V. Bryant, David M. Gardiner and Stéphane Roy of UC Irvine have developed an effective method for studying the function of specific genes that trigger new limb growth in salamanders. They hope to discover whether what occurs naturally in the amphibian can one day be replicated in humans and help treat ailments such as spinal cord injury, deep wounds and burns.

Computerized Explosion . . . Using the IBM Blue Pacific supercomputer, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have completed the first 3-D simulation of a nuclear weapon "primary" explosion. Demonstrating the ability to computationally visualize and analyze what happens to each of the components in a modern nuclear weapon is a vital step in simulating an entire nuclear weapon's explosion in 3-D. Even with the supercomputer, calculations ran for more than 20 days. A desktop would have taken 30 years to accomplish the same task.
 

Hot New Burn Device . . . A hand-held, non-invasive burn detector has been developed at UC Irvine's College of Medicine.  Researchers Joie Jones and Bruce Achauer created the device, which uses ultrasound to determine if a burn has damaged underlying blood vessels, thus enabling doctors to quickly determine whether surgery is necessary to repair the damage.

Screening the Air . . . Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a portable, inexpensive, ultrasensitive air particulate monitor that instantly and continuously identifies virtually all known constituent elements in the periodic table and their relative concentrations. The device can be used indoors or outdoors and with a minor modification, can also identify elements in solution.

Bat Evolution Probed . . . Scientists at UC Riverside and Queen's University have used a relatively new discipline, molecular systematics, to uncover genetic evidence that has implications for the origin of flight in bats and their unique ability to use sonar for navigation. Conventional scientific view has held that the evolution of flight in bats can be traced to flying lemurs, but the new study found bats are more closely related to carnivores like cats and dogs.

Transcribing DNA Code . . . Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have used electron microscopy and single particle image analysis to produce the first 3-D images of the protein complex that initiates the transcription of DNA's genetic code for the subsequent production of new proteins. The research was conducted with UC Berkeley scientists.

Beryllium Disease Detector . . . A two-pronged research effort at Los Alamos National Laboratory will make it easier to identify people sensitive to beryllium metal and help prevent workers from developing chronic beryllium disease. The research team has devised a new, more accurate blood test to identify workers who are sensitized to beryllium and have pinpointed genetic markers that indicate increased risk for a small number of workers who are more likely to develop the disease.

Impurities and Atoms . . . UC Berkeley scientists for the first time have obtained pictures of the electron clouds around impurity atoms in a copper oxide superconductor. Impurities play a key role in superconductors, raising or lowering the temperature at which they become superconducting. Scientists hope that understanding how the electrons move around the atoms will give hints as to how to build better high-temperature superconductors.
 

Planet and Environment

Planting by the Stars . . . For centuries, Andean farmers in Peru and Bolivia have monitored the brightness of Pleiades stars to determine when to plant potato crops for optimal rainfall. Now, UC Davis researcher Benjamin Orlove and colleagues have validated the farmers' weather forecasting methods. The scientists can demonstrate that atmospheric fluctuations, in particular El Niño, explain the variability in star brightness.

Tracking Elephant Seals . . . How elephant seals spent their months at sea, a question once shrouded in mystery, is becoming clearer thanks to satellite tracking and the data recorders attached to the 27 adult males and 20 adult females by UC Santa Cruz scientists Burney Le Boeuf and Daniel Costa. They report that male and female elephant seals travel to different areas and feed on different kinds of prey. Male elephant seals show remarkable consistency in their migrations, while females follow more variable routes.

Prosperity and the Environment . . . While the booming global economy promises greater prosperity, it poses a real threat to our nation's native plants and animals as well as to its productive croplands, says UC Berkeley ecologist Carla D'Antonio. Harmful imported insect pests and plant pathogens already cost the country $136 billion annually in lost and damaged products and the expense of controlling them, but with a predicted exponential rise in international trade, D'Antonio predicts at least a 50 percent rise in this cost in the next 20 years.

"Moto-Duck" Hunting Flap . . . "Moto-duck," an effective new mechanical decoy, is causing a flap among California duck hunters and environmentalists, prompting a team of UC Davis researchers to study its impact. The hunting aid is a motorized revolving disk that produces a strobe effect that may mimic the flashing wings of landing ducks. Placed among more traditional decoys, it is said by some to lure ducks in droves, significantly increasing numbers of ducks bagged and potentially altering bird behavior.
 

Insights on Society

Hollywood Profits . . . Conventional film industry wisdom may indicate that when it comes to making movies, only the biggest stars generate the biggest bucks. But a study from the Anderson School at UCLA says it isn't true. It showed that although stars do very well for themselves and their agents, they don't do much for the studio's profits.

Ancient Bones Dated . . . A new radiocarbon dating by UC Riverside's R. Ervin Taylor of the bones of "Kennewick Man," a skeleton found on the muddy banks of the Columbia River in 1996, confirm that he has been there for approximately 9,000 years. UCR and two other laboratories retested the bone fragments to again confirm that the bones have been buried since before Columbus arrived in the New World. The tests have become crucial evidence in a controversy between Native Americans who want to rebury the bones and scientists who want to study them.

A Good Commute . . . Can commuting be a good thing? Some people say their commute offers benefits such as the ability to transition between home and work and the opportunity for quiet time alone. In a study by UC Davis, fewer than 2 percent of the sample wanted a commute of under five minutes; the average time desired was 16 minutes. The implication, says study author Patricia Mokhtarian, is that most people have an optimum commute time that is greater than zero and, while they may want to reduce a commute that is longer than they desire, few would eliminate it entirely.

Police Conduct Review . . . A study conducted by the Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies at UC Riverside demonstrates dramatic differences between people of different racial and ethnic groups in attitudes toward police. For instance, 57 percent of African-American respondents said police use of excessive force is a serious problem in their community. That figure dropped to 40 percent of Latino respondents and 20 percent of white respondents.

Asian Teachers . . . Only 2 percent of K-12 teachers are Asian and UC Santa Cruz researcher June Gordon and a team of undergraduates have identified the major factors that contribute to that scarcity. They report parental pressure is a major factor in the decision not to go into teaching, but other considerations include feelings of personal inadequacy when measured against traditional Chinese expectations of what it takes to be a teacher and a fear of working outside one's "comfort zone."

Impact of Valence . . . Negative images of African-Americans in local television news have become so pervasive that occasional positive portrayals actually can harden ingrained anti-black sentiment, says a study by the UCLA Center for Communications and Community. The study examined the impact of "valence" in crime news reports on whites' attitudes about crime and race. Valence is the attractiveness or repulsiveness of an object, person or situation as determined by experience or perception.

Temps for Hire . . . UC Santa Cruz economist Manuel Pastor reports one of the biggest changes ushered in by the "new economy" is the rise in temporary employment. He says an estimated 40 percent of Silicon Valley employees are temporary, contract or subcontract employees.
 

Looking to the Future

Promising Peek . . . The PEEM2 microscope, a new X-ray spectromicroscopy facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has produced the first images of the domain structure of an antiferromagnetic thin film - a type of material vital to advanced magnetic devices such as the read heads of computer hard-disk drives. The images, along with other findings, hold promise for the eventual fabrication of improved magnetic devices.

New Growth Treatment . . . Based on research conducted at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA and elsewhere, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first long-acting dosage form of recombinant growth hormone for pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD). In clinical trials, Nutropin Depot was shown to significantly increase growth rates in children with GHD. The new formulation requires one or two doses a month, compared with current therapies that require multiple doses per week, oftentimes daily.

Polymer "Muscles". . . UC Riverside researchers Mike Marsella and Rodney Reid have designed and synthesized an electrically conducting polymer which, in theory, should expand and contract like a muscle does when electrically stimulated. Their work could lead to advances in an array of applications in molecular electronics and nanotechnology, including lighter, more flexible robots.

Money-Saving Hood . . . An advanced, energy-efficient laboratory fume hood technology developed by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory uses only 30 percent of the airflow of standard laboratory fume hood installations. Developers estimate that in California alone, the technology could save 360 gigawatt-hours of energy per year, for an annual cost-savings of $30 million.
 

Kudos

Advancing Science . . . UC Davis geology professor Geerat Vermeij, recognized internationally for advancing the understanding of evolutionary biology, is one of 14 individuals honored this year by the National Academy of Sciences for their outstanding contributions to science. Vermeij will receive the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal and a prize of $5,000 for "extracting major generalizations about biological evolution from the fossil record, by feeling details of shell anatomy that other scientists only see." Vermeij has been blind since age 3.

International Volunteer Award . . . Two volunteers at UC San Diego's International Center have been selected by the U.S. State Department to receive the Millennium International Volunteer Award for outstanding achievements in international volunteerism. They are Alma Coles, representing UC San Diego's Friends of the International Center, and Emily Stowell, representing Amity Institute.

Impact Leader . . . In the field of astrophysics, UC Santa Cruz leads the pack in terms of the impact of its researchers on the field, according to an independent national science group. The Philadelphia-based Institute for Scientific Information ranked UCSC number one in astrophysics among the top 100 federally funded U.S. universities. The ranking reflected universities whose research papers attracted the most attention from other scholars in each of 24 fields between 1994 and 1998.
 

Investing in Education

Samuelis Give $5.7 Million . . . Henry and Susan Samueli have donated $5.7 million to UC Irvine's College of Medicine to support research to bridge the gap between traditional and alternative medicine. Their gift is being used to create the Susan Samueli Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It was the second multimillion-dollar gift from the Samuelis to UCI in two months. In December, they gave $20 million to the engineering school, which has been renamed the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. A UC alumnus, he is co-founder of Irvine-based Broadcom Corp.

Center Dedicated . . . The Seymour Marine Discovery Center, a new public education center atUC Santa Cruz's Long Marine Laboratory, was formally dedicated in January in a ceremony that honored the donors. H. Boyd Seymour, Jr. and his family were guests of honor at the ceremony in recognition of their $2 million cornerstone gift. Private donations funded nearly all of the Seymour Center's $6.25 million cost.

Biomedical Research Support . . . The UC San Francisco School of Medicine has received a $3.8-million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support biomedical research. The school's plans for the grant include startup funds for new faculty and support for the study of genetic diseases.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Compiled by University Affairs. For more information, call (510) 987-9200 or look under "News & Facts" on the UC Office of the President Home Page: www.ucop.edu