MIND&BODY
HUMOR
IN THIS ISSUE
When Your Jaw Has a Graduate Student Falls News Briefs » PAGE 3 Soundtrack of its Own Asleep in Lecture Journal Club » PAGE 5 Does your jaw pop and click? Student is distraught Puzzles » PAGE 7 » PAGE 3
Synapse » PAGE 11
The UCSF Student Newspaper
Thursday, May 8, 2014
synapse.ucsf.edu
Volume 58, Number 30
NEWS
Paying it Forward: Family House Role: Family House Volunteer Featuring: A group of UCSF Pharmacy students, organized by Shawn Wen Sun Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, 2016
1. Why did you get involved and/or why would you recommend this to others? We are a group of pharmacy students promoting and exploring pediatric pharmacy. Since the Koret Family House primarily helps the families of pediatric patients, we felt that volunteering with them would be a great opportunity for our members to think outside the medical mindset by contributing to a basic and vital support system for young patient's and their families. Activities such as these give us a great break from the classroom and a chance to develop a new appreciation for patients we will be caring for in the future. We HIGHLY recommend volunteering here! 2. What does the role entail? Volunteers are essential in helping ensure a safe and welcoming home away from home for all the families staying at Family House. What's the training like? Training is easy and is a part or the orientation process. Each training session is tailored for a specific project and the number of participants. 3. What's the time commitment/schedule? Weekly volunteers are required to volunteer at least three hours, once a week for three months. Groups can come work on a “done-in-a- day” project during a morning (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) or afternoon (1-4 p.m.) Monday through Friday. The types of projects include, but are not limited to: sorting donations, painting a bedroom, doorway or communal
T
(2) Within a month you will get an email when/where their next "pop-up" dinner is going to be and you need to quickly go online and fill out a questionnaire with your party size, any dietary restrictions and preferred choice of dates. You can also find out about cancelled reservations and other opportunities if you follow their Twitter: @lazybearsf. (3) Now you need to patiently wait for a confirmation email telling you that you've been selected from the lottery to dine at Lazy Bear. If you don't get an email, you go hungry and wait until the next Lazy Bear pop-up. (4) If you are one of the lucky few that receives a confirmation, go to Eventbrite to purchase a non-refundable deposit ticket (one
hese are difficult times to be an academic biomedical researcher. Budget cuts and misguided policy decisions have lead to a hypercompetitive funding environment. The Budget Control Act of 2011, which put a hard cap on discretionary spending between 2011 and 2021, and the accompanying five percent across-the-board budget cuts (i.e. the sequester) reduced the National Institute of Health (NIH) budget by $1.55 billion in FY13. One year later, the impact of these cuts on research institutions and principle investigators is coming to light. As a result of these cuts there are an estimated 1000 fewer NIH funded principal investigators compared to 2012, according to Science (March 7, 2014). On top of this, the success rate for awarded NIH grants is at an all time low of 17 percent overall, and 13 percent for first time PIs, according to the NIH Datebook. Coupled with an estimated three-fold increase in the number of investigators exiting the NIH system, according to Grantome, this suggests that a long-anticipated contraction in the number of NIH-supported labs is occurring. Not surprisingly, these cuts are affecting trainee funding as well, with K99 and F32 awards at all time lows of 22 percent and 24 percent respectively. However, the impact these cuts are having on trainee research and career development has not been examined. To find out how the current budgetary constraints and the sequester are impacting the training environment, productivity and career goals of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at UCSF, the Science Policy Group at UCSF surveyed UCSF trainees. The survey was administered and responses were collected in October 2013. A total of 229 trainees responded—40 postdoctoral scholars and 89 graduate students, corresponding to approximately 10 percent and 15 percent of the respective populations. A summary of the poll results is described below. Full poll results and analysis are available online at facebook.com/UcsfSciencePolicyGroup.
LAZY BEAR » PAGE 8
SURVEY » PAGE 2
Photo by Nicole Croom/MS2 Family House volunteers: (left to right) Elaine Mac (P1), Leanne Thai (P1), Shawn Sun (P2), Malini Madhusudhan (P1), Jessica Lu (P2), Riti Gupta (P1), Victoria Su (P1), Katherine Tran (P1).
space, disinfecting, organizing and restocking of communal spaces, etc. 4. How would someone else get involved if they're interested? For a weekly volunteer position, fill out the volunteer application on the website www. familyhouseinc.org. If you would like to volunteer as a group, please email, Volunteer Coordinator Karen Banks at kbanks@familyhouseinc.org. 5. Anything else you'd want to add? It's because of organizations like the Ko-
ret Family House that UCSF is able to deliver high quality care to its patients. The Koret Family House plays a vital role in helping families through challenging times. As volunteers, it's a humbling opportunity to help support the mission of the organization, as well as the care for these families. “Volunteers make it possible to serve our families the way we do," said Greg Mora, Director of Volunteer Programs at Family House. "It is the Family House community that helps each family persevere during their time in crisis. Volunteers are an essential part of that thriving community.”
Lazy Bear: Fine Dining, Pop-Up Style
W
hen I saw the confirmation e-mail in my inbox from Lazy Bear, my heart felt like I just won the Yerba Buena Dream House raffle! I couldn’t believe that I got a pair of coveted seats on my first attempt through their convoluted reservation system. Most people try for at least three months before scoring a spot. I'm thinking that perhaps the alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon during April's blood moon eclipse might have had something to do with my good fortune. Lazy Bear is an acclaimed underground pop-up restaurant in the Mission and an ana-
Survey: Funding Cuts Lowered Productivity and Morale of UCSF Trainees By Bradley Webb and Jason Porter Contributing Writers
FOOD
By Sam Lee Staff Writer
NEWS
gram of Chef David Barzelay's last name. It is the fanciest and most expensive meal I have had in San Francisco, but considering the value of the experience I think it’s something worth checking out even on a student budget! I only had to live off of instant ramen for about two weeks to help pay for my meal. So how did I find this place you ask? Well, Lazy Bear got on my radar when I did a Yelp search for restaurants in the Mission and the solid 5-star rating with around 100 reviews caught my eye. Curious, I decided to see what the hype was all about and began my adventure through their reservation system. Here’s the process: (1) You sign up for the Lazy Bear email list by going to the website: www.lazybearsf.com/.
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EVENTS MISSION BAY EVENTS FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS AT MISSION BAY
Thursday, May 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4th Street & Nelson Rising Lane, Mission Bay Join the food truck lunch party every Thursday at Mission Bay and explore the tasty culinary options to break up your routine. Each week will feature two different vendors, so there will always be something new. Grab some friends, get some food and take your lunch experience up a notch.
UCSF MISSION BAY BLOOD DRIVE
Thursday, May 8, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4th Street & Gene Friend Way Schedule your life-saving appointment by visiting the Blood Centers of the Pacific website, clicking on "Donate Blood", and enter sponsor code: UCSFmission. Please be sure to eat a good meal before donating, drink plenty of water, and bring identification.
OUT IN SCIENCE PANEL
Thursday, May 8, 4-6 p.m., Gladstone Institute, Mahley Auditorium Join a panel discussion on unique challenges for LGBTQ+ identified folks working in research and academia science. Sponsors: Gladstone Institute, LGBT Resource Center, Queer Graduate Student Association.
OUTDOOR MOVIE AT MISSION BAY FEATURING GRAVITY
Thursday, May 8, 8–10 p.m., Koret Quad, Mission Bay Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket and enjoy a FREE screening of the Academy Award-winning film Gravity on Koret Quad.
SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER
Friday, May 9, noon-1 p.m., Graduate Division, CC-310, Mission Bay Synapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. RSVP to Steven Chin, synapse@ucsf.edu.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Friday, May 9, 1-2:30 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.
MISSION BAY RIPS
Friday, May 9, 4-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission Bay Research In Progress Seminar is a seminar series at which one student and one postdoc present their current research. Talks are 15 minutes in length and are preceded by a 20-minute social. Snacks and beverages are provided.
GSA MEETING: GRADUATE, NURSING & PT
Monday, May 12, 5:30 p.m., Genentech Hall, N-114, Mission Bay Meet your executive board members at the monthly GSA meeting and be a part of the discussion on topics relating to student priorities. Visit the GSA website for more details and to RSVP. http://bit.ly/GSAwebsite.
MISSION BAY FARMERS’ MARKET
Wednesday, May 14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Gene Friend Way Plaza, Mission Bay Shop healthy, shop fresh, shop Californiagrown at the UCSF Farmers' Market, every Wednesday (rain or shine). Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association.
FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Thursday, May 14, 3-4 p.m., Student Resource Center, Mission Bay Come meet members of the First Generation To College and SACNAS to learn about support serves available while enjoying some ice cream.
SACNAS MONTHLY SEMINAR
Wednesday, May 14, 6-7 p.m., Byers Hall, 215, Mission Bay Food, friends and science! Join SACNAS for its next monthly seminar meeting. This month we will hear from Melissa Sandoval, a second-year BMS student, studying heart development. If you are interested in joining us, please do! For more info, contact us at sacnasatucsf@gmail.com.
GAME NIGHT AT MISSION BAY
Wednesday, May 14, 6-9 p.m., Genentech Hall Atrium, Mission Bay Bring your favorite board games to share. Enjoy free beverages, pizza and raffle prizes provided by GSA.
PARNASSUS EVENTS ANNUAL LIVINGGREEN FAIR
Thursday, May 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Millberry Union Event and Meeting Center, Parnassus The UCSF community is invited to attend the Annual LivingGreen Fair and to celebrate Bike to Work Day. Bring used sneakers and receive a one-day pass to UCSF Fitness & Recreation Center. Test drive an electric Nissan Leaf or take a look at a Scoot Network electric scooter! Make sure to B.Y.O.C (Bring Your Own Cup) to try different beverages.
2ND ANNUAL RECYCLED/ RECLAIMED ART SHOW AND SALE
PARNASSUS FARMERS’ MARKET
Wednesday, May 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., ACC, 400 Parnassus Ave. Shop the Farmers’ Markets on Wednesdays to pick up locally grown produce and more. Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.
SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER
Wednesday, May 14, noon-1 p.m., Millberry Union 123W, Parnassus Synapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. Email synapse@ucsf.edu to RSVP.
UCSF RUN CLUB
Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 1 Zoo Road, SF Campus Life Services invites you to come and enjoy UCSF Family day at the San Francisco Zoo. Discounted admission ticket includes: attractions, lunch, and musical entertainment! Cost: $12 for Adults and $8 for Children (4-14yrs), http://clsonlinestore. ucsf.edu/.
Wednesday, May 14, noon-2 p.m., Toland Hall, Parnassus View a screening of the film Toxic Not Seat and participate in a discussion about flameretardants, fire fighters and health. Sponsors: LivingGreen at UCSF
Wednesday, May 14, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Millberry Union Central Desk, Parnassus Please drop by and join UCSF Fit & Rec for a run. Each Wednesday night, the Run Club runs various distances (from 3-6 miles) at 9 to 11 minutes per mile.
IMN MIDWEEK MEDITATION HOUR
Wednesday, May 14, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Library, CL 211, Parnassus The Integrative Medicine Network invites everyone in the UCSF community to experience a weekly guided meditation. All are welcome, whether you are looking to combat day-to-day stress using meditation or you'd like to uncover subtle layers of your self by diving deep. No experience in meditation is necessary. Both regular meditators as well as amateurs are welcome!
ENGLISH CORNER
Wednesday, May 14, 6-8:30 p.m., Clinical Sciences, 130, Parnassus English Corner is an informal conversational English class given as a free community service and provided on a voluntary basis by both people born and raised in the United States as well as many people who have, at one time in their lives, experienced life as a new immigrant to the United States.
OFF-CAMPUS
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Thursday, May 8, 6-10 p.m., Cal Academy, Golden Gate Park, SF NightLife kicks off its summer music and art series with a salute to our senses. For the audibly-enticed, Dam-Funk, LA’s
Friday, May 9, 7-10:30 p.m., Nursing, 517, Parnassus Join the Campus Evangelistic Fellowship for its weekly meeting, with Bible study, hymn singing and fellowship.
Sunday, May 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Pier 15, SF The Exploratorium is a twenty-first-century learning laboratory, an eye-opening, alwayschanging, playful place to explore and tinker featuring hundreds of science, art, and human perception exhibits. http://bit.ly/1dJtq8w.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFF THE GRID: UPPER HAIGHT
CAMPUS EVANGELISTIC FELLOWSHIP
EXPLORATORIUM FREE DAY
SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: TOXIC HOT SEAT
Thursday, May 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Millberry Union Event and Meeting Center, Parnassus The Visual Arts Club at UCSF and Campus Life Services Arts & Events are excited to be partnering with The LivingGreen Fair to present the 2nd Annual Recycled/Reclaimed Art Show and Sale! The Visual Arts Club at UCSF helps create a culture of engagement, pride, and high spirits within the UCSF community. All materials used for this show are 99 percent recycled or reclaimed.
Friday, May 9, 1:30-2 p.m., Medical Sciences, 178, Parnassus The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.
“Ambassador of Boogie Funk,” will christen the NightLife LIVE outdoor stage for an unforgettable show guaranteed to bring out the boogie in us all. A pioneer of the electro-funk renaissance, his soulful sounds recall funk-laden styles of the early 80’s. http://bit.ly/NightLifeTickets, http://bit.ly/ CLSDiscounts.
Thursday, May 8, 5-9 p.m., Stanyan and Waller Streets, SF Off the Grid is a roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul.
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: NIGHTLIFE LIVE PERCEPTION
CASH IN ON YOUR ARAG LEGAL PLAN BENEFITS!!! WILLS, TRUSTS & MORE...
UCSF FAMILY DAY AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO: TICKETS ON SALE MAY 5
UCSF LIBRARY AND AFFILIATES BOOK DRIVE
Please drop off books May 8–June 20 at the following locations: •• UCSF Library at Parnassus (3rd floor in front of the Services Desk) •• Mission Bay FAMRI Library (Rutter Community Center, Room 150) •• Barnett-Briggs Library at San Francisco General Hospital •• Fishbon Library, Mount Zion, Room A116 Details at library.ucsf.edu/content/donateused-books-support-family-literacy-1.
UCSA UC REGENTS LOBBY DAYS
Tuesday, May 13, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sacramento Join the UC Regents during their lobby days in Sacramento. The UC Student Association (UCSA) is organizing a delegation of students from the UCs to lobby with the Regents during their legislative lobby days May 13-15. Reasonable costs will be reimbursed. Contact Christoph Hanssmann, GSA External Affairs Co-Chair, if you are interested in learning more. christoph.hanssmann@ucsf.edu.
ARE YOU A FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE STUDENT (FG2C)?
Register with the First Generation Support Services Office, for access to all of the First Generation Support Services and to help the office advocate for you. Register at bit.ly/ firstgenregister.
FREE SYNAPSE CLASSIFIEDS
UCSF students and staff can now post online classified ads for free on the Synapse website. All you need is an @ucsf.edu email account. Try it out! synapse.ucsf.edu/classifieds.
J.P. Harbour, Esq. P: 415-728-7205 legalharbour@gmail.com Olivera Jovanovic, Esq. P: 510-386-2817 jovanovic.esq@gmail.com
U.C.S.F. ARAG Plan Members are entitled to a comprehensive Trust & Estate Plan (including an Advance Health Care Directive) at a ZERO out of pocket cost! Consultations provided at any U.C.S.F. campus or 1795 Union St., 3rd Fl., S.F.
synapse.ucsf.edu | May 8, 2014 | 3
SURVEY
» FROM HOME PAGE
As a result of the five percent NIH budget cuts, postdoc and graduate students at UCSF have experienced negative short- and long-term impacts on their training environment, research productivity and morale. A significant number of trainees, two-thirds of postdocs and one-third of graduate students, reported an overall decrease in productivity. A major reason cited by trainees (51 percent of postdocs and 17 percent of graduate students) for their dwindling productivity is the increased amount of time spent writing their own fellowship and scholarship applications as well as writing increasing numbers of grants for their PIs. Further, decreased funding to individual PIs has caused a decrease in the number of laboratory personnel, further impacting the quality of the training environment. Aside from the impact on productivity, a more detrimental impact on morale is being felt. For today’s young scientists, the fact that these uncertain budgetary issues are likely to
continue has sent a message of hostility towards science and is helping to reinforce the idea that, as one UCSF postdoc put it, “scientific excellence is no longer a priority for the country.” The most startling result of this survey is that more than 70 percent of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are having second thoughts about continuing on with a career in academic science research. On top of this, one-fifth of all respondents expressed an interest in leaving the U.S. to pursue a career overseas where the political climate is perceived to be less hostile towards science. These trainees represent the next generation of U.S. scientists, and their loss will undoubtedly impact the U.S. economy and our role as a global leader in innovation. What has the Science Policy Group done with this information? After conducting and analyzing the poll results, we shared our findings with the UCSF leadership to educate them about our concerns. We also shared the results with our members of Congress in December 2013. In January 2014, a bipartisan agreement was signed that restored some
of the cuts for FY14 and FY15. However, the amount of money the NIH received was still roughly $715 million short of the amount budgeted for FY13 before the sequestration was imposed. Adjusting for inflation, the money allocated for FY14 was the lowest level since FY01. Further, the budget cuts caused by the Budget Control Act of 2011 will be reinstated in FY16 if a long-term agreement cannot be reached. To advocate for increased funding, we are sending members of the Science Policy Group to Washington in May to partake in the Coalition of Life Sciences Capital Hill Day where they will petition congress with our concerns. We are winding down our activities for the school year but will be starting up again for the 2014 fall semester. We invite the UCSF community to come out and participate. You can learn more about the Science Policy Group at UCSF and our events on Facebook.
Bradley Webb and Jason Porter are members of the Science Advocacy Subgroup, Science Policy Group at UCSF.
MIND&BODY
Let’s Get Physical...Therapy! When Your Jaw Has Its Own Soundtrack By Ilka Felsen and Akshay Govind Staff Writers
H
ey Ilka! My jaw pops and clicks when I open it all the way. Sometimes it feels a little stuck, and I have to shift it when I eat. It doesn’t hurt, but what’s the deal? Basics about the TMJ The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the articulation between your mandible (lower jaw) and your temporal bones. You actually have two temporomandibular joints—one on each side—and each TMJ is cushioned with an articular disk. If you put your finger right in front of your ear, you’ll feel the heads of your mandible (called the condyles) come forward when you open wide and return backward when you close your mouth.
Synapse
In typical anatomical arrangement, the articular disk sits between the condyle and the temporal bone and moves forward and backward with the condyle. The joint is further stabilized by the delicate balance of several muscles that span from the mandible to the cranium. The most common reason for people to have a pop in their TMJ is that the articular disk is anteriorly displaced. Thus, when the condyle moves forward during opening, it butts up against the disk, causing a catch, and then pops over the disk, creating a sound. When the condyle is in its forward position (during maximal opening), the disk is said to have been “reduced” into its typical position between the condyle and the temporal bone. When the jaw is closed, the disk slips forward again into its anterior position, often creating a second click (called a “reciprocal click”) on closing. Radiographic studies have
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The UCSF Student Newspaper synapse.ucsf.edu STAFF
Yi Lu | EDITOR Jenny Qi | EXECUTIVE EDITOR Angela Castanieto | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Akshay Govind | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steven Chin | MANAGING EDITOR
About
Synapse is the UCSF student-run weekly newspaper, which runs on Thursdays during the academic year and monthly during the summer. Synapse seeks to serve as a forum for the campus community. Articles and columns represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Board of Publications or the University of California.
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Announcements and letters should be submitted six days before publication. All submissions can be either emailed or mailed. All material is subject to editing. Letters to the Editor must be signed by the author.
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Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Synapse. Synapse and its editorial board reserve the right to decline advertisements promoting false or misleading claims, known health risks, or content deemed by the editors to be antithetical to the interests of UCSF students or the UCSF community. Synapse does not accept advertisements from tobacco or alcohol manufacturers, or sexually oriented personal ads. Synapse reserves the right to run any ad with a disclaimer.
shown that although disk displacement is significantly more common in those with TMJ pain, greater than one-third of asymptomatic, healthy adults have displaced disks. Basically, if you don’t have pain or limitation in your jaw opening, popping and clicking can be totally normal! Contrary to what used to be popular belief, most dental malocclusions (“bad bites”) do not cause jaw popping or dysfunction, although there are special cases that can contribute. When noises are a concern Luckily, painless jaw popping is not a sure indicator of future TMJ pathology. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) come in three flavors: jaw muscle disorders, disk derangements (the scary kind, when the disk cannot reduce or is too deformed to provide adequate cushioning) and bony dysfunction (i.e. arthritis). You should mention your joint sounds to your dentist or physician at your next exam so your baseline function can be documented. This allows for accurate comparison if the popping ever becomes painful, if you are unable to open your jaw all the way, or if the distinct pop ever changes to a grating or crackling sound (known as crepitus). Simple self-treatment strategies The following are a few self-management interventions you can implement: 1. Wiggle exercise. Every 10 minutes, wiggle your jaw side to side a few times and then let your jaw rest. This keeps your jaw muscles from tensing up and loading the TMJ. 2. Avoid: gritting, clenching, grinding, nail biting and chewing gum for long periods of time. Just don’t do it. 3. Allow your jaw to rest. To find the resting position of your jaw, swallow, let your tongue stay at the roof of your palate, and relax your jaw muscles. Your teeth should be 2 to 5 millimeters apart, and should not touch unless you are eating. 4. Work on your neck posture. Your neck position affects the position of facial musculature, so sitting upright with your neck in neutral flexion and extension will position your TMJ in better alignment.
Ilka Felsen is a second-year physical therapy student. Akshay Govind is a third-year resident in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
NEWS BRIEFS FDA Launches Center of Excellence in Drug Development, Regulation at UCSF
The Food and Drug Administration has selected UCSF as the site of a new regulatory science center on the West Coast. The center, which will be a joint effort between scientists in the UCSF School of Pharmacy and Stanford University, aims to spur innovative approaches in drug development that will support the FDA’s ability to evaluate and approve safe and effective new medications. Launched with an initial $3.3 million FDA grant, the UCSF-Stanford Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (UCSF-Stanford CERSI) will bring together a world-class team of scientists from the two academic institutions with partners at the FDA to conduct collaborative research, as well as a range of education and scientific exchange programs. These programs will focus on three priority areas: improving preclinical safety and efficacy tests; improving clinical trials and evaluation; and harnessing diverse data sets through information sciences to accelerate and improve new drug development. “New tools, methods and approaches are under development that are necessary in a globalized regulatory environment and for translating new discoveries into innovative medical treatments,” said FDA’s Acting Chief Scientist Stephen M. Ostroff, M.D.
Signs of Brain Aging Are Reversed in Mice Young blood really does rejuvenate the brain, at least in mice, raising hopes that molecules in the blood may be identified to do the same for humans, according to a study stemming from the ongoing research of a young UCSF scientist, Saul Villeda, PhD. The research, on which Villeda collaborated with scientists at Stanford University, identified anatomical, molecular and biochemical evidence of cognitive improvements and other forms of rejuvenation in old mice when they were connected to the circulatory system of young ones. Results were published online in Nature Medicine on May 4. Anatomically, it was clear that these mice formed more structural and functional connections between neurons, or nerve cells, while they also turned on more genes associated with the formation of new nerve connections. The researchers found that a protein called Creb became more activated in the brain region known as the hippocampus, and that this increased activity was associated with the anatomical and cognitive improvements the team observed.
Acupuncture Helps Pediatric Patients Manage Pain and Nausea The pink plastic box that Cynthia Kim, MD, EdD, opens at the bedside of a young patient at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco looks like it might contain art supplies. But inside is everything she needs to provide an ancient form of pain relief. Kim is one of three physicians within the UCSF Department of Pediatrics trained to perform acupuncture on hospitalized patients, making UCSF one of a very few academic medical centers to offer this complementary treatment to both inpatients and outpatients. Kim, a hospitalist specializing in pain management and palliative care, grew up in Korea where traditional Chinese medicine was the first-line treatment for family ailments. Her pediatrics training in the United States schooled her in western medicine, but Kim now offers young patients the best of both worlds.
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UCSF JOURNAL CLUB Recent research by UCSF scientists By Taylor LaFlam Staff Writer
BIOCHEMISTRY: A pause sequence enriched at translation start sites drives transcription dynamics in vivo. Larson, M.H., et al. (Weissman). Science. 2014 May 1. Epub ahead of print. In high school biology class, RNA transcription is usually depicted as a smooth process of polymerase binding followed by steady transcription of the whole gene. In fact, transcription proceeds fitfully, with a number of pauses playing regulatory roles. Thus far, only a small number of pause sites have been identified, and even these are largely products of in vitro studies. In this publication, Larson and colleagues report the results of in vivo study of transcription in E. coli in which they captured and sequenced RNA in the midst of being transcribed. They identified a 16-nucleotide-long sequence found at thousands of pause sites as well as translation start sites. They further used in vitro studies to find that interaction between this sequence and the RNA polymerase interfered with the addition of another nucleotide, resulting in pausing. CHEMICAL BIOLOGY: A crosslinker based on a tethered electrophile for mapping kinase-substrate networks. Riel-Mehan, M.M. and Shokat, Chem Biol. 2014 Apr 15. Epub ahead of print. The kinases are an abundant family of enzymes that transfer phospate groups from molecules such as ATP. Although many kinase-substrate pairs have been delineated, there are still many sites of phosphorylation for which the responsible kinase is unknown. Moreover, it remains easier to determine the targets of a given kinase than the reverse. In this article, Riel-Mehan and Shokat first evaluated a dialdehyde-based tagging probe designed to mimic a particular substrate and then become crosslinked to the enzyme attempting to phosphorylate it. Although this probe worked to some degree, it did not crosslink efficiently enough to permit unbiased kinase identification. They then developed and characterized an alternative ATP-biotin-based probe that proved more efficient and therefore more promising as a means for better characterizing these kinasesubstrate pairs. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY: Identification of Hipk2 as an essential regulator of white fat development. Sjöland, J. et al. (Balmain). PNAS. 2014 Apr 30. Epub ahead of print. A reductionist approach has been responsible for much of the immense gains in biological understanding in the past two centuries. With greater observational and informatics capabilities, however, an alternative system-based approach has also become increasingly pragmatic. This trend is well demonstrated by this paper, in which the authors wedded both approaches to come to a better understanding of the transcription factor Hipk2. They began by examining gene expression in the skin and mammary gland of a set of geneticially heterogenous mice, identifying genes whose expression correlated well with that of Hipk2. They noted many of these coexpressed genes were already known to be important in adipocytes—fat cells. They further found that genetic deletion of Hipk2 led to less white fat. These mice also have increased insulin sensitivity and reduced weight gain when fed a high fat diet, suggesting that Hipk2 may be a useful therapeutic target. NEUROSCIENCE: Astrocyte-encoded positional cues maintain sensorimotor circuit integrity. Molofsky, A.V., et al. (Rowitch). Nature. 2014 Apr 28. Epub ahead of print.
THE STRENGTH TO HEAL
starts with our scholarship.
Capt. Ana Morgan, M.D., HPSP Medical Recipient Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas
You can begin training for the career you’ve always dreamed of with financial assistance from the U.S. Army. Through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)*, you could be eligible to receive a full tuition scholarship for an accredited medical program. The HPSP provides reimbursement for books, laboratory equipment and academic fees. You’ll also receive a sign-on bonus of $20,000 and a monthly stipend of $2,157. During breaks, you’ll have the opportunity to train alongside other members of our health care organization. To learn more, call (650)347-3967 or visit San Mateo Medical Recruiting Center 400 S. El Camino Real, STE 450 San Mateo, CA 94402 Email: usarmy.knox.usarec.list.9e3j@mail.mil www.goarmy.com/amedd.html
*Certain requirements and eligibility criteria apply. ©2013. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved. Information subject to change.
A functional nervous system requires the precise and coordinated projection of axons thousands of times longer than the cell body from which they emanate. Yet while neurons get all the fame, the true stars may be the astrocytes—critical support cells that outnumber neurons. Astrocytes have already been known to play important roles in synapse formation and to develop in a regionally restricted fashion, but the functional differences between these different regions of astrocytes remained unclear. In this paper, Molofsky and colleagues results primarily concerned the ventral spinal cord. They found that loss of semaphorin 3a in astrocytes led to loss of correct orientation and death of alpha motor neurons. They also demonstrated a role for these astrocytes in supporting normal axon development of a subset of sensory neurons.
Taylor LaFlam is a fifth-year MSTP student.
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6 | May 8, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
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CA Health and Safety Code Section 125325: “Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into a donor contract is advised.”
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synapse.ucsf.edu | May 8, 2014 | 7
PUZZLES
Lazy Bear
The Weekly Crossword
by Margie E. Burke
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ACROSS 1 Balance sheet 13 14 15 item 16 17 18 6 Blueprint 10 Liveliness 19 20 21 22 13 Take to task 24 25 26 27 23 14 Wavy silk pattern 28 29 30 31 32 15 George's bill 33 34 35 36 16 Promotional ploy 17 Nostalgic 37 38 39 40 number 41 42 43 18 Eccentric 19 As a proxy 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 21 Bewildered 53 54 55 51 52 23 Trawler need 24 Head lock? 56 57 58 59 27 Twine fiber 60 61 62 63 64 28 Metric weight 30 Street lingo 65 66 67 32 Cave in 68 69 70 33 Imitate 35 Hallway Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate 37 Roll-book 64 Butler in 1939 9 Must-haves 37 Earmark notation 40 Regatta entrant 65 Ingested 10 Cabana's locale 38 Baby's berth 41 Table silver 66 Reason out 11 Industrious 39 Trampled (on) 43 Place to be 67 Speck in the sea 41 2005 Nickelback effort 68 Thus far 12 Hawker pampered love song 44 Moreover 69 Carry on 14 Runway walker 42 Stud site 45 Usurer's 70 Over yonder 20 Bag of tricks 46 Eleanor, to 22 Like modern offerings Teddy 47 Frying medium 48 cameras Fit to be tilled Week of 5/5/14 - 5/11/14 51 Violinist's supply DOWN 25 Wisconsin tribe 49 Painting aid 53 Carpentry tool 1 Thespian's job 26 Nose-in-the-air 50 Computer key 55 Fish delicacy 2 Fight souvenir 52 Gunpowder type 56 Like citrus fruit 3 Sonora snooze 29 Bone near the component 58 Scrutinize 4 Blue-pencil 54 On the level ear 60 Washed out 5 Position 31 To the extreme 57 Sonata finale 61 Subject for 6 Neighbor of Ger. 34 Mass seating? 59 Big blowout 7 Pot cover 36 Gavel action 62 Snub-nosed dog debate 8 Opera feature 63 Bar supply
Edited by Margie E. Burke
Difficulty : Easy
HOW TO SOLVE:
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate
HUMOR/FAKE NEWS
Graduate Student Distraught After Falling Asleep in Lecture Solution to Sudoku By Staff Humorist
Smith raduate student Paul reached a new low in his academic career yes terday whenhefell asleep during a lecture attended. thata fifth ofhis class “I can’t believe I did this. I’ll bet I’m the one inthe history ofthisschool to fall first asleep during a three-hour Friday lecture! I’m so ashamed,” said Smith, who was once a man but has recently fallen into vilof goodrepute lainy. Classmates of Smith reported this unthinkable act is in line with a recent trend
G
of unforgivable behavior by Smith. Sources claim that just in the past week, Smith paid
his water bill a day late and failed to wait for the walk sign at the crosswalk of an intersection. Locals are considering organizing an intervention to curb Smith’s recent explosion of reprehensible conduct. “I’ll bet the professor was crushed to see my head slowly nodding forward after listening to two hours of his stately monotone," said Smith. "I hope he can find it in his heart to forgive my egregious offense.” The professor stated via email that his tangent on leech tail morphology was critical to understanding biology and success in academia, but that he would forgive Smith’s lapse nonetheless.
» FROM HOME PAGE
Photo by Sam Lee/MEPN1
Chef David Barzelay of Lazy Bear greets diners and describes the evening's menu.
per party) for $95, plus the Eventbrite fee. Lazy Bear regularly holds its venue at the San Francisco Institute of Possibility on Cesar Chavez and Mission. The meal takes about four hours and seating is done in a communal fashion for 40 diners across two rows of tables. The seating arrangement mostly helps the staff serve food at the same time. Part of the value of Lazy Bear is the fact that they don’t yet have a liquor license so they have a BYOB policy and they offer free wine and champagne glasses and plenty of wine bottle openers to pour your own drinks. They charge no corkage fees so my date and I brought two bottles of wine to maximize our value. We also had no problem storing our dessert wine in their fridge so we didn’t have to drink tepid wine towards the end of the night. The menu here changes on a regular basis and they just recently started moving towards a new tradition of monthly menus. Although our menu only listed 9 courses we got a total of 13 courses of artfully created snacks, dishes and desserts. The first of several snacks and the one consistent item that is served on every occasion was the whipped scrambled egg with bacon layered with hot sauce and maple syrup at the bottom of a shot glass. Delicious!
The other highlights of the night were: spot prawns grilled with spring ramps with a Louisiana dipping sauce, Marin farms lamb in a roasted lamb bone sauce with toasted farro and sheep’s milk yogurt with rosemary, and their Earl Grey ice cream dish. The service was excellent and most of the servers and staff are volunteers who do this for the experience. Chef David came out to describe most of the dishes and I really loved the seasoning of humor and the relaxed vibe that truly added to the overall experience. Diners were encouraged to go into the kitchen to take pictures and ask questions. Now that you’re probably salivating and ready to join the mailing list, there are some major changes coming soon. In June, their operations will transition over to a new brick and mortar location at the shuttered HiLo BBQ on 19th and Mission. Chef David bought out the location and will gain their liquor license in the process. Overall, I enjoyed the idea of “fine dining” in a relaxed, communal, and interactive setting. And if you happen to check out Lazy Bear while it’s still a pop-up, may the odds be ever in your favor.
Sam Lee is a first-year student in the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing.
8 | May 8, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Solutions
Solution to Sudoku
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for your convenience we accept: All major Credit Cards • Recharge for catering Bear Hugs • UCSF Resident Meal Card
breakfast, lunch, or dinner…
Parnassus: Millberry Union I Level, Parnassus, 415.661.0199 Open Daily 7:00 am-10:00 pm Mission Bay: 550-B Gene Friend Way, Mission Bay, 415.865.0423 Mon-Fri 7:00 am-9:30 pm / Sat-Sun 8:00 am-9:00 pm
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Get a gourmet taste of Italy. panini, insalate, zuppa, hot pasta, gelato, dolci We offer student discounts. Millberry Union, Plaza Level 415.681.9925
Mon-Thu, 6:30 am-6:00 pm Fri, 6:30 am-4:00 pm Closed Sat & Sun
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF