October 13, 2022

UC DAVIS MEDICAL STUDENTS OFFER FIRST AID AT UNITED FARM WORKERS MARCH IN SACRAMENTO

asked if UC Davis was doing anything to support the marchers. Abbasi reached out to the marchers, asking if there was any way for medical students to help their cause.

Abbasi was then put in contact with Andres Chavez, who is the organizer and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Cesar Chavez Foundation and also the grandson of Cesar Chavez. Chavez and other marchers who she spoke to told Abbasi that they were in need of first aid and foot care.

Once she got in contact with marchers, Abbasi explained how she and her classmate Alejandro Alvarez took action.

“I emailed my classmates asking if anyone wanted to help and just had a ton of students saying yes,” Abbasi said. “I think that at the end, over 30 students came out to help because everyone was just very passionate and wanted to do something that impacted our community members.”

Abbasi and her peers tended to footbaths and epsom salt baths, gave massages and performed blister care. Doctors, some of whom were affiliated with UC Davis, also came to aid marchers and provided care for the more serious blisters, according to Abbasi.

Abbasi said that marchers expressed their gratitude for the coalition of students who came together to help.

JOANNE SU / AGGIE

BY CHRIS PONCE city@theaggie.org

On Sept. 28, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2183 into law — a bill that has long been lobbied for by the United Farm Workers (UFW). According to the UFW,

the bill aims to help protect union elections from intimidation and prevent voter suppression. In August, UFW representatives marched from Delano, CA to the steps of the capitol in Sacramento — the same route Cesar Chavez traveled during his march with UFW in 1966 — to raise awareness

about the bill and apply pressure on Gavin Newsom to sign it. UFW explained why they held the march in a statement on their website.

“California farm workers are staging a sacrificial 24-day, 335-mile peregrinacion (pilgrimage or march) from Delano to Sacramento during the

UNITRANS INTRODUCES SIX ELECTRIC BUSES

The shift is part of a multi-year plan that involves a commitment by Unitrans to buy only electric vehicles going forward

heat of summer to convince Governor Gavin Newsom to sign their bill giving farm workers protection from intimidation in elections to choose a union,” the statement reads.

Second-year medical student Ferheen Abbasi first heard about the UFW’s trek when one of her friends

“They were so incredibly overjoyed to see us just wanting to do something to help them and support them,” Abbasi said. “One of the marchers said how happy she was to see medical students wanting to help, and also [to see] so many people of color, but also not [just] people of color, everyone. We had my white classmates and again other people of color wanting to be allies to this, and that is what she was so moved by.”

EDWARDS FAMILY ATHLETICS CENTER DEDICATION CEREMONY TAKES PLACE ON SEPT. 24

BY JADE BELL campus@theaggie.org

On Sept. 21, Unitrans officially launched six electric buses, which, according to a recent press release, are a part of the university’s goal to improve

sustainability on campus.

Jeff Flynn, the general manager of Unitrans, explained the importance of the addition of these electric buses.

“The University of California as a system and the city of Davis have really strong environmental goals and net-carbon-neutrality goals,” Flynn said. “Being a part of that mission, we thought it was important to buy electric buses and commit ourselves to only buying electric vehicles going forward.”

Before these buses began running regular routes, extensive testing operations took place. According to Flynn, all 100-plus Unitrans drivers completed training on them, and Unitrans worked with other transit services that use the same buses to learn from their experience.

However, Flynn added that they’re still “learning as [they’re] going.”

The addition of the six electric buses is a part of the first phase of a longer project, and more electric buses will be added soon. Phase two of the electricbus launch will then begin in 2025 and 2026.

“We have six, and they’re in service,” Flynn said. “We’ll have four more arriving in spring and four more the spring after that. So, that’s 14 buses in the next year and a half. And that’s called phase one. And then, [phase two] will be for another 10 to 15 electric buses.”

Job Tam, a Unitrans bus driver and a fourth-year international relations major, said that he is excited about the potential of these buses to help reduce fossil fuel emissions in Davis.

“I think it’s great to have electric buses,” Tam said via Instagram Direct Message. “The buses drive very comfortably and smoothly on the road. It feels the same as the natural gas buses, but quieter and with regenerative braking.”

Fourth-year political science and public service minor Olya Egorov, the president of the Zero Waste and Sustainability Club at UC Davis, expressed what they see as the wider implications of this change.

“[We’re] proud to see [UC Davis] add electric buses to their transportation system, bringing our community one step closer to achieving its Carbon Neutrality Initiative,” Egorov said via email. “We also believe UC Davis is taking a clear stance [to] encourage and help campuses across the country begin implementing carbon-neutral strategies.”

Siena Reale, a first-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, said that the buses are “a great step in the right direction.”

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org

Located next to the UC Davis Health Stadium and stretching for more than 50,000 square feet, the new Edwards Family Athletics Center is a multi-disciplinary space for Aggie student-athletes, according to a recent press release.

On Sept. 24, there was a dedication ceremony for the center, which, according to the release, had more than 300 people in attendance. During the ceremony, the facility was open to the public for an open house and a selfguided tour, with student-athletes and coaches present to speak about the new establishment.

There was also an extended celebration on the Bob Biggs Practice Field, which included games, food trucks and a beer garden.

At the ceremony, Chancellor Gary May said that the opening of the center “marks a wonderful new chapter in a long history of excellence for UC Davis Athletics,” according to the press release.

Bruce and Diane Edwards made the lead gift for the project, according to the release. Bruce, an alumnus from 1960, played football and ran track and field at UC Davis.

“The memories I have playing sports are the most vivid of my time in college,” Bruce said in a statement on the facility website. “The new performance center will only provide more experiences and a better atmosphere for Aggie studentathletes to excel in their own life. I am so happy to be able to give back to make this a reality.”

Others also contributed financially to the project, and according to the Edwards Family Athletics Center website, approximately $52 million was secured for the construction of the center as of Sept. 1, 2021.

The Paul and Nancy Sallaberry Sports Performance Center is the largest space in the facility, which, according to the center website, allows athletes to have strength and conditioning training in larger numbers and at more convenient times than they could at the Toomey Field weight room.

Meanwhile, the Klein Family Educational and Professional Success Center within the facility was created to provide a quiet space for studentathletes to study or take a break. The Muir Family Sports Medicine Center is a space for athletic trainers, doctors and unit leadership to provide sports medicine needs to UC Davis students, faculty, staff and the Davis community, and houses a number of team meeting rooms.

To minimize cross-campus trips for athletes, the Bob Biggs Practice Field was established adjacent to the facility, according to the website.

“The hope is that it’s a home and it’s a resource for all of our teams,” Assistant Athletics Director for Development Rob Norris said. “There are spaces for everyone in that facility, and I hope that when our donors come back and look at it, they recognize that what they’ve done is provide a transformational facility for UC Davis Athletics and that it puts a smile on their face.”

The new facility serves as a space for academic work, strength and conditioning training and sports medicine for student-athletes

The Edwards Family Athletics Center, made possible by a generous do nation from Diane and Bruce Edwards, is in full swing since it’s grand opening on Sept. 24, 2022. (Claire Diepenbrock / Aggie)

KAITLYN PANG / AGGIE

FACES OF FALL

First-year graduate student in ecology

What is your Davis-specific hot take?

“I like biking, but I miss hills.”

What are you most excited for this upcoming year?

“I’m excited to continue making friends and getting to know my cohort.”

What do you want to do with your degree after you graduate?

“Hopefully applied conservation research and hopefully related to fish.”

Third-year ecological management and restoration major

What is your Davis-specific hot take?

“The bus fee should be free for grad students.”

What is your go to Peet’s or CoHo order on campus?

“The Black Tie.”

What is your favorite TV show right now? “I’m a big fan of Star Trek, especially Star Trek Voyager. It has a lot of fun philosophical takes.”

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

“I’m always trying to learn new things.”

Katherine Tut

Third-year biochemistry major

What is your go to Peet’s or CoHo order on campus?

“Maybe a matcha latte with a brownie.”

Who is your favorite music artist at the moment?

“I like listening to J Park. He’s a K/R-and-B artist.”

What are you most excited for this upcoming year?

“I think making more memories with my friends because I have just one more year of college left.”

Theo Thanh

Second-year philosophy major with a pre-law emphasis

What is your Davis-specific hot take?

“I think we should change our mascot to cows.”

What are you most excited for this upcoming year?

“I joined the bowling club. I tried out for the team because bowling has been a new hobby. I picked it up over the summer and I was just glad that there was a club.”

What is your favorite season in Davis and why?

“The fall because it doesn’t get too cold — winter is a little bit too cold — and during spring and summer my allergies really pick up but in fall it’s just perfect.”

Dania Akheel

Third-year animal biology major

What is your favorite season in Davis and why?

“I think fall time. I like seeing the colors change, I like when it’s cold going to class and putting on a sweater.”

What do you want to do with your degree?

“I want to go to vet school.” What is your favorite animal? “This is kind of basic but cats.”

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

“I am always willing to listen to other people.”

Perla Guzman

Second-year cinema and digital media major

What is your favorite DC meal?

“I like the falafel burger a lot.”

What movie are you watching in class right now?

“I’m watching ‘Comradeship.’ It’s a German film.”

What is your favorite season in Davis and why?

“I like spring because I’m from San Diego so I’ve never really seen the leaves change. When last year [it happened] I was shocked.”

What do you want to do with your degree?

“I hope to get into the film industry in like post-production or inproduction. I’m also interested in design, so maybe like set design or costume design.”

or CoHo order?

What

“Well, actually I’ve never [been to] Peet’s Coffee. I’m an international student and I came here a few weeks ago.”

What music are you listening to right now?

“I listen to Japanese pop music because I’m from Japan […] I’m not familiar with Western pop music.”

What do you want to do with your degree?

“I will stay here for one year, and I will go back to my home. After that, I want to work at […] investment firms that are unique to Japan.”

Second-year biomedical engineering major

What is your go-to Peet’s or CoHo order?

“Can’t go wrong with an iced vanilla latte. Classic.”

What is your Davis-specific hot take?

“A lot of people find the squirrels pretty cute. I think they’re kind of annoying, you know. I’m going down the road and they just cut me off and I gotta break, and if I don’t, I run them over, and then I’m the bad guy. They’re annoying little creatures.”

What music are you listening to right now?

“I was listening to Franciso Tárrega, he’s a classical guitar player. I was listening to his ‘Capricho Arabe.’”

Angela Sahagun

Third-year animal science major

What is your go-to Peet’s or CoHo order?

“I order a caramel macchiato with soy milk with extra caramel drizzle

[at Peet’s], and at the CoHo, I get an energy drink because I can’t stay up.”

What is your Davis-specific hot take?

“Everything is so far, but yet other people find it so close, that there’s so much to do in downtown Davis. In reality, you can’t really do much. You just go to the stores, and everything is overpriced.”

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

“That I’m a family person. I prioritize my family first.”

SENATE DISCUSSES PARKING INCREASES AND BYLAWS, PASSES SB #5

SB #5 officially made the cow the mascot of ASUCD

BY SYDNEY AMESTOY campus@theaggie.org

The meeting was called to order at 6:11 p.m. by Vice President JT Eden, who then read the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement and called roll.

The first item on the agenda was the confirmation of members of the elections committee for the upcoming quarter. Four members were chosen from the various commissions in ASUCD. Members were assigned a number from one up to the number of commission members who applied, and then chosen randomly, except the Internal Affairs Commission (IAC), which only had one applicant.

Continuing the process of creating an elections committee, a committee chairperson was then confirmed.

Pendar Salemi was recommended by members of the senate for the role and was questioned by Senator Stephen Fujimoto and Senator Celeste Palmer about her plans for the position.

“I’m a transfer, so I’m not sure how it was before last year, but I had the understanding that not many members of the student body have a good understanding of the election cycle, when it’s going on [and] what’s going on,” Salemi said. “So making sure the elections committee is involved in activities beyond just the election cycle period.”

The senate could not unanimously vote on Salemi’s confirmation since some senators will be running for positions in future elections that Salemi would be proceeding over. However, the vote came to ten yeses, zero nays and two abstainments, so Salemi was confirmed as the new elections committee chairperson.

Kayle Lunde, nominated to be an elections committee member, was then confirmed by the senate with the same ten yeses, zero nays and two abstainments as the previous confirmation.

Kelly Goedde-Matthews

Seth Whitaker

Tsubasa Honjo

Third-year engineering and political science double major

Hamza Masood

UC DAVIS MEN’S SOCCER TEAM GETS FIRST HOME CONFERENCE GAME WIN AGAINST UC IRVINE

contest but had trouble finishing — which has been a trend this season. This was evident in the eighth minute of the first half when fourth-year midfielder Andy Velasquez’s first shot of the game went wide near the left post. Again, in the 23rd minute, Velasquez perfectly crossed the ball into the small box to third-year striker Ethan Hoard, who headed the ball right to the goalkeeper in what appeared to be a sure goal. In 11 games played, Hoard is in second with 32 shots in the Big West; however, in 682 minutes played, Hoard has scored just one goal.

In what appeared to be a goalscoring play in the 32nd minute, Anteaters’ second-year midfielder Francesco Montanile capitalized on a mistake from the Aggies’ defense and dribbled the ball into the box, where he shot — but Aggie goalkeeper Charles Janssen got a hand on it, forcing the ball to bounce off the left post.

Late in the first half, both offenses appeared stalled, but in the 45th minute, UC Davis had, and wasted, their best scoring opportunity of the half. The play came from a corner kick, as first-year midfielder Jason Hsu was left unmarked. He headed the ball, but with very little force, and the ball bounced right into the hands of UC Irvine’s goalkeeper. The first half ended 0-0 with the Aggies taking four shots compared to the Anteaters’ three.

The second half started with UC Davis aggressively pushing the ball down the field. Lillington took a shot in the 51st minute off of a pass from third-year midfielder Ryan Dieter, but the ball flew over the crossbar.

BY MARLON ROLON sports@theaggie.org

First-year midfielder Zack Lillington came off the bench to score the game-winner in the 81st minute, helping UC Davis get their first Big West Conference win of the season on Oct. 5 at Aggie Soccer Field.

This game was special for the UC

Davis home crowd, as Robert Mejia, who played the striker position for the Aggies from 2017-2021, returned as a grad student — this time playing for UC Irvine. Mejia helped UC Davis win the Big West Championship and reach the NCAA tournament in 2019.

Seeing him play for a Big West rival was a sight most Davis fans never thought they would see; however, that

did not stop them from cheering on the former Aggie. Mejia was integral to many special moments for the team in recent years — last season he scored the game-winner against Sacramento State, helping UC Davis clinch a spot in the Big West Tournament. In the first round of the tournament, Mejia scored two goals against CSU Bakersfield and helped the Aggies advance to the semi-

MLB PLAYOFF PREVIEW

BY PATRICK FIGUEROA sports@theaggie.org

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams played their final games of the 2022 regular season. The conclusion of the regular season signals the beginning of the playoffs, which began on Friday, Oct. 7 with the Wild Card round.

The Wild Card round is much different than it was in previous years’ playoff format. In previous years, five teams competed in the playoffs, including the Wild Card round, from each of MLB’s respective leagues, the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The three division winners did not participate in the Wild Card round, leaving two teams in each league to play one another. The losers of these games were eliminated, while the winners moved on to the divisional round of the playoffs.

This year, MLB expanded the playoffs to include an additional sixth team from each league, which means that only the top two division winners from each league get a bye in the Wild Card round. This means that the third division winner — the team with the worst record of the three — has to play during Wild Card weekend. Four

teams from each league will be playing in a best-of-three series, and winners will move on to the divisional round.

After a 162-game season, the best teams will have a chance to compete for a World Series title. Here is a breakdown of the 12 qualifying teams’ seasons so far.

National League Playoff Picture: #1 Los Angeles Dodgers (111-51)

The Dodgers had an incredible regular season with the best record in MLB, even breaking their franchise record for wins in a single season. They have an excellent lineup as well as a great pitching rotation. Their lineup features all-star players like first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Mookie Betts, shortstop Trea Turner and catcher Will Smith. Their pitching rotation had the lowest earned run average (ERA) in MLB with standout Cy Young candidate Julio Urias and all-star Clayton Kershaw. The one potential concern the Dodgers have going into the postseason is that their bullpen lacks a true closer as Craig Kimbrel was relieved of closing duties earlier this season.

#2 Atlanta Braves (101-61)

The Braves are the NL East champions for the fifth season in a

row. Like the Dodgers, their team has a great lineup and pitching rotation. One of the reasons the Braves had a successful season was because of the production from their rookies, outfielder Michael Harris and pitcher Spencer Strider, both of whom are top candidates to win the NL Rookie of the Year award.

#3 St. Louis Cardinals (93-69)

The veteran-led Cardinals had some of the best moments of this season. During what is likely going to be the final season for franchise legends first baseman Albert Pujols, catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright, they all set MLB records on the way out. Pujols is the fourth player in MLB history to hit over 700 career home runs. Molina and Wainwright set the record for the most starts as a battery, or starting pitcher and catcher duo, in MLB history. With these baseball legends and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt likely to win the NL MVP award, the Cardinals are a fan favorite.

#4 New York Mets (101-61)

Despite winning the most games in franchise history since 1988, the Mets still finished in second place in the NL East. Mets fans should still be

finals, where they lost 1-0 against UC Santa Barbara in double overtime.

Mejia embraced the cheers from the Davis crowd, but his presence on the pitch wasn’t enough to match the UC Davis defense, who locked out the Anteaters’ offense for the entire 90 minutes of play.

The Aggies created scoring opportunities for the majority of the

Three minutes later, the Aggies wasted another opportunity; this time Hoard won the ball through his physicality and dribbled past a defender, only to have his shot blocked by the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation.

excited because they have two of the best pitchers in MLB, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, set to play in the NL Wild Card series. They also have first baseman Pete Alonso, who finished tied for first in most runs batted in (RBI) this season, and the electric Edwin Díaz coming out of their bullpen.

#5 San Diego Padres (89-73)

The Padres are back in the playoffs for the second time since 2006. The season was a roller coaster for the team, as they acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto at the trade deadline but also lost shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. due to a performance-enhancing drug violation. Luckily for the Padres, third baseman Manny Machado and their pitching rotation featuring Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell helped keep the season afloat.

#6 Philadelphia Phillies (87-75)

The longest active playoff drought in the NL is over. With a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Oct. 3, the Phillies are set to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Leading the way are star pitchers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. However, the most notable player for the Astros is likely 2021 MVP outfielder Bryce Harper,

who will be making his playoff debut as a Philly since signing his $330 million contract with the team in 2019.

American League Playoff Picture #1 Houston Astros (106-56)

Looking to return to the AL Championship Series for the sixth time in a row, the Astros had the best record in the AL. One of the most impressive performances during the season was from 39-year-old pitcher Justin Verlander. Verlander is currently the favorite to win the AL Cy Young award, but what makes this feat even more impressive is that he hadn’t pitched since 2020 due to Tommy John surgery. Fans also can’t forget about how impressive second baseman Jose Altuve and designated hitter (DH) Yordan Alvarez have been this season.

#2 New York Yankees (99-63)

The Yankees had a very successful season, but the true standout on this team was outfielder Aaron Judge. Judge broke the AL single-season home run record with 62 home runs during the season. This came after an off-season in which Judge declined a $230 million contract. Backing up Judge, the Yankees also have key players in outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Nestor Cortes.

#3 Cleveland Guardians (92-70)

The Guardians are the youngest team in MLB, but they did not let inexperience prevent them from winning the AL Central. With 17 players making their MLB debuts, standouts include outfielder Steven Kwan and outfielder Oscar Gonzalez. They also have superstar talent in third baseman Jose Ramirez, pitcher Shane Bieber and closer Emmanuel Clase.

#4 Toronto Blue Jays (92-70)

After missing the 2021 playoffs by one game, the Blue Jays will now have the opportunity to get some postseason action. The Blue Jays have a lineup that can be quite dangerous if they get hot, with hitters in their lineup including 2021 AL MVP runner-up first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and outfielder George Springer. Pitchers Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman will be taking the mound for Wild Card weekend.

Zack Lillington secures the Aggies’ win with last-minute goal

Twelve teams with their own stories and accomplishments will compete for a World Series in a new playoff format

The UC Davis soccer team defends the goal with a header against UC Irvine’s attempt to score. (Kazim Jafri / Aggie)

MIRANDA LEE / AGGIE

BASEBALL

ARTS & CULTURE

THE U.S. MOVIE RATING SYSTEM IS BEHIND THE TIMES

AGGIE

BY CLARA FISCHER arts@theaggie.org

One of the defining moments of the transition from teenage-dom to adulthood is your first time seeing a movie that is out of your age-approved guidelines — the great leap from PG to PG-13 and the even bigger jump from PG-13 to R. However, I’ve always harbored a certain suspicion about these seemingly arbitrary ratings.

As it turns out, these moral guidelines of Hollywood are determined “via a board comprised of an independent group of parents” that are meant to represent how the average U.S. parent would judge a film. Upon trying to find further information on the exact logistics of this board, I was effectively led in circles on the Motion Picture Association’s website, which did not serve to cease my musings.

My curiosity was spiked even further when I went to see “Don’t Worry Darling” this past week. I absolutely cannot handle horror, and so I was a little nervous to dive into an R-rated thriller right away. When reading the rating beforehand, I was a bit soothed by what I saw — yes, it was rated R, but it appeared that the actual violence and gore was going to be marginal compared to the level of suggestive content and foul language — all of the categories were rated “moderate,” suggesting that there wouldn’t be anything too frightening beyond the boundaries of a slightly revealing nightgown.

What I actually found, however, was that I had to peek from behind my hands for the majority of the movie because of the violent imagery that is occurring on the screen. Without getting into too much detail about this specific movie, there are multiple instances of upsetting physical violence, suicide attempts, electroshock therapy and more that I personally wouldn’t deem suitable for all audiences.

What really took me by surprise, though, was the sheer imbalance between sexual and violent content where both of them were deemed “moderate” by the parental board. Sure, there’s one sex scene and a few steamy kisses, but the amount of genuinely graphic imagery far outweights these scenes, and doesn’t seem equivalent enough to put them on the same playing field.

“Don’t Worry Darling” is only one of the examples of this somewhat common phenomenon. Having a biased ranking system like this impacts how U.S. society consumes media; it’s become commonplace for all movies that want a shot at commercial success to volunteer themselves for review. By representing such an immense and diverse group of people, those determining these rankings are placing themselves in a position of almost unchecked power.

Movies have the power to hugely impact the economy, social norms and almost everything else that makes our society what it is. Having a system that is dictated by what appears to be almost puritan ideals demeaning sexpositivity and promoting conservative values does not accurately represent the diverse zeitgeist of the U.S. in a satisfactory manner (even though the country still does see many of these values influencing other aspects of the culture.)

There has been plenty of discussion about the potentially harmful effects of purity culture, including in conversations around sexual assualt and the patriarchy. While the issue of a movie-rating system may not top the list in order of importance for promoting these things, revisiting the way we consume our entertainment could be a critical step forward.

BY SONORA SLATER arts@theaggie.org

Movie: “10 Things I Hate About You” dir. by Gil Junger (1999)

Julia Stiles. Heath Ledger. Need I say more?

No. But I will — this 90’s romcom is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and pairs witty dialogue (“I know you can be underwhelmed, and you can be overwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?”) with an impeccable soundtrack, fiery feminism, and not one, but two solid love stories. In the film, Stiles plays Kat Stratford, the older sister of socialite Bianca. Bianca is desperate to date high school hottie Joey, but house rules dictate that she can’t date until Kat does — a rule contingent on their father’s knowledge that Kat has absolutely no desire to date in high school. But when new student Cameron becomes instantly enamored by Bianca, he sets in motion a complex plan for infamous bad-boy Patrick to persuade Kat to date, and in doing so free Bianca from her father’s rule. The ensuing 97-minute film hits every beat, perfectly juggling humor, romance, sisterly bonding and dramatic, unrealistic, romanticized high school life. This may be an unscientific statement, but I stand by the fact that you won’t ever find a more rewatchable movie.

Book: “Lovely War” by Julie Berry (2019)

Were you a Percy Jackson kid? Are you always trying to convince yourself to read more historical fiction but not actually doing it because you know it’s going to be depressing and you’re not mentally stable enough for it? Are you wondering how those two questions go together? If you answered yes to one or all of those, this book is for you. “Lovely War” is set in 1917 during World War I, and follows pianist Hazel, soldier James, musician Aubrey and singer Colette as their fates intertwine. Together they navigate tragedy, uncertainty and, of course, love — with one essential twist: the story is narrated by Greek goddess Aphrodite, who is telling their stories 30 years later at the height of World War II. She traces the threads of these four characters’ lives throughout the story while the world goes to war again, and in doing so seeks not to shy away from the horrors of war, but rather convince rapt listeners that even as they watch “destruction rain down” and “plague sweep through,” she will continue to “[hold] humankind together with love.”

TV Show: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997)

Finding a needle in a haystack.

Turning in an essay before the day it’s due. Summing up Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a single paragraph. These all have one thing in common: they are impossible tasks. And yet, I must try.

The cult classic show follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a long line of young women who are chosen by fate and known as “Vampire Slayers.” By day, Buffy is a normal high school girl who loves fashion and hates homework, but when the sun sets, she gains the heroic weight of protecting the world against vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. Stemming from a deceptively simple premise, BTVS’ seven seasons rely heavily on creative metaphors to make it stand out; every monster Buffy vanquishes is made to represent a true adolescent fear, adding an element of reality and relatability to an otherwise campy mythological drama. The show also wasn’t afraid to take risks, from season four’s episode titled “Hush,” which is almost entirely free of dialogue, to season six’s “Once More With Feeling,” an hour of television that will make you reconsider the reasonable hatred of (spoiler) TV-musical episodes that “Riverdale” instilled in you. Buffy has stood the test of time, representing feminism better than even today’s media, and overflowing with witty dialogue that makes the show, as top Google reviewer Dave Millet put it, “one that I will be more than happy to revisit until my last breath on this earth.”

Album: “emails i can’t send” by Sabrina Carpenter (2022)

Have you ever typed out the perfect response that’s simultaneously witty, funny, intelligent and brutally honest to someone that expresses every pent-up emotion you’ve had over the past three months? And then slowly deleted it, knowing you could never actually go through with it?

Sabrina Carpenter has done just that — except she pressed send. In the singer/ songwriter’s fifth studio album, “emails i can’t send,” Carpenter documents two years of her life over the span of 13 songs, several of which began as email drafts she wrote processing emotions that she never planned to share. This resulted in an album that’s just as vulnerable and relatable as you might expect, with tracks she wrote both in the height of love and the depths of heartbreak. Carpenter has been in the public spotlight since she released her debut single at age 14, but this is by far her best work, and, as the kids say, it truly has no skips.

AN ODE TO REWATCHING ‘GILMORE GIRLS’ IN THE FALL

In addition to baking pumpkin bread and going apple picking, watching “Gilmore Girls” should be added to your fall itinerary

BY SOPHIE DEWEES arts@theaggie.org

It’s the time of year for crunchy leaves, steaming cups of apple cider, pumpkin patch visits and, for me, rewatching “Gilmore Girls.”

The series — for those who may not have seen it — revolves around a coffee-fueled mother and daughter duo of the same name who share a unique bond due to their 16-year age difference. They always have impossibly snappy comebacks on hand, run almost solely on caffeine and junk food and seem to have seen every film and musical ever produced. While some have critiqued the two as being a bit high-maintenance and self-centered, they are nevertheless loveable and endlessly entertaining.

The mother, Lorelei, has a complicated relationship with her parents and their conversations are hilarious and brilliantly written. The characters will also often discuss what might otherwise be a dull conversation topic, such as the size of candy bars given out around the neighborhood for Halloween, but the clever writing

makes these seemingly mundane topics interesting. And, I might add, part of the brilliance of this show is that they have conversations made to mimic real life.

While watching “Gilmore Girls,” I am often struck by the realistic nature of the series. Despite the manufactured elements of the show, such as backgrounds in California that look vaguely like they might be on the East Coast or the Burbank Hills in the background, the relationships and dialogue feel like they could have actually been snippets from a real conversation.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched “Gilmore Girls,” but each year when fall rolls around, I cannot help but feel inspired to start it again. Although the series was filmed on a Hollywood set, the story takes place in an idyllic small town in Connecticut that is regularly lined with seasonal decor to transport viewers. There are annual town events that are dedicated to one season or

another, but although the seasons change throughout the series, the entirety of the show has an autumnal feel to it. This is partially due to the red and orange trees in the opening credits and the warm tones of many of the scenes. The characters also regularly engage in classic fall activities such as sipping coffee from oversized mugs and enjoying crisp New England weather in funky, early 2000s clothing.

There’s something so comforting about settling in to watch an episode that’s reliably fun and silly, while at the same time offering interesting dialogue and complicated characters and familial relationships. So next time you’re scrolling through Netflix looking for something to watch while snacking on pumpkin-spiced Trader Joe’s treats, I recommend rewatching (or watching for the first time) this witty and highly entertaining series that is sure to put you in the fall spirit.

Originally implemented as a precautionary measure for children, it may be more harmful than it appears at first glance

JOANNE

IS IT POSSIBLE TO DISENTANGLE THE ART FROM THE ARTIST?

Content warning: This article contains discussions of antisemitism, transphobia and threats of violence that readers may find disturbing.

Artists are in a unique position because viewers and listeners can create a connection with them separate from who the artists are as a person.

We can love Taylor Swift or feel deeply connected to Phoebe Bridgers after listening to “Smoke Signals” without knowing anything about them.

So when we hear about artists we have come to feel close to making transphobic, antisemitic, racist or otherwise harmful comments, we can’t help but feel a bit betrayed. And this begs the question: Can we still love their work?

In the most recent case of artistic controversy, Kanye West, now known as “Ye,” made antisemitic comments

on Twitter this past Sunday. In one of his tweets, Ye said he would go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,” referencing Def. Con, the U.S. defense ready condition in which the Air Force is ready to mobilize in 15 minutes.

This statement is both an abuse of a public platform and a threat against the Jewish population in the U.S.

After hearing all of this, it’s hard to still tell your friends to listen to “Donda.”

And yet in other cases, it can be diminishing of other artists’ work to completely write off a series that was created by a problematic person. Joss Whedon, for example, was accused on multiple occasions of being verbally abusive to actors and writers for various projects such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” That said, the 90s series is well-loved and showcases not just Whedon’s work but that of many actors, writers and editors. Should we feel obligated to no longer watch the show because of its creator?

Other examples include J.K. Rowling, author of the “Harry Potter” series, who tweeted the first of many transphobic comments in 2020. Rowling responded to an op-ed that included the phrase “people who menstruate” in the title, writing, “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

This statement was the first of a series of comments from Rowling about gender that received backlash from many. While these comments are extremely harmful to the LGBTQ+ community and people who are transgender and nonbinary, it’s hard to discard your nostalgia for the “Harry Potter” series or tell your 10-year-old

cousin not to read the books. “Harry Potter” film star Daniel Radcliffe made a statement to a similar effect in response to Rowling’s tweets: “To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. […] And in my opinion, nobody can touch that.”

It’s important to remember that liking an artist’s work doesn’t require listening to their opinions or agreeing with their beliefs. That said, it can be hard to fully separate the art from the artist when those who have created work near and dear to our hearts have made blatantly violent or harmful comments. In some cases, it can feel necessary to cease listening to or appreciating their work because consuming these creators’ content makes them money, gives them more influence and can indirectly encourage their behavior.

While the solution isn’t clear, it’s important to carefully decide what media you want to consume. Even in the case of creators that don’t seem to be problematic, it’s best not to put them on a pedestal, as there is no way to truly know any celebrity. And although we can’t always change our opinions on art that has a nostalgic place in our hearts, we can decide who we support, whether that be through streams or book purchases.

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

HUMOR

A VISITOR’S GUIDE TO UC DAVIS’S NINE CIRCLES OF HELL

Oh my God, not this again

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL almarshall@theaggie.org

BTS sucks. (BTS stands for Back To School, but by the time the author finished writing the previous sentence they were sniped by a K-pop stan through the window of their apartment. The author has been replaced and their body has been thrown into whatever lake the rowing team practices in.)

(Also, here’s a shout-out to my roommate who genuinely got BTS and The Beatles confused. Highlight of my day. French people...)

Anyway, back to the article. Here is a refresher on the epic hell that is the first few weeks of school.

First Circle: Limbo The virtuous and relatively innocent, those who just want to go to class. They will be trapped in the middle of the road, unable to move

forward or backward because of freshmen who bike as though they’ve never learned to walk, as well as the people on electronic skateboards (who we will see in the seventh circle of hell).

Second Circle: Lust This is a PSA. You do not have a crush on your TA. You have authority issues, extreme boredom and a touch of hysterical delusion caused by waking up before noon.

Third Circle: Gluttony Forgetting to buy groceries and eating Chipotle for the fourth time this week. Saying “We ball” does not make guac free.

Fourth Circle: Greed

Fending off people with a mechanical pencil like a caged animal so you can get the last copy of your chemistry textbook from the student store.

Fifth Circle: Anger What you will feel toward Canvas, printers, your bike lock, your laundry machines, any teacher that tries to get you to sign up for a different website that you will need for the class but never use again, squirrels, people with scooters, pens, paper, notebooks, Gary May, roommates, parents, yourself, your immune system, education as a concept and any email ever.

Sixth Circle: Heresy God, if you’re out there, get me off the waitlist.

Seventh Circle: Violence Me, pushing someone off of their battery-powered skateboard with a look in my eyes like a cat pushing a vase off a table.

Eighth Circle: Fraud Spending hours trying to locate PDF versions of $1000 textbooks only for your teacher to upload them in the

most unreadable format you have ever seen. The page numbers go backward and the chapter titles are blacked out. The contrast is so bad you will need night vision goggles. Honestly, it might be an elaborate ploy to get you to buy the book.

WATCH OUT FOR SQUIRRELS!

BY PRISCILA JIMÉNEZ CORRALES

Ninth Circle: Treachery According to Dante, it was a frozen wasteland filled with the worst humanity has to offer. So… Sci Lab?

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

While it’s hard to stop loving our favorite creators when they make harmful comments, we can decide to no longer support them

Getting AB 2183 passed was no easy feat for UFW. The bill was signed just two days before its deadline, and activists’ concerns about the bill’s future were further increased due to Governor Newsom vetoing an earlier version of the bill last year. Organizers expressed concerns about the possibility of another veto, and Abbasi said that she was not sure that Newsom would budge.

“He has friends in these businesses that use — I’m going to be explicit — who exploit these farmworkers,”

SENATE

A new chairperson of the Student Health and Wellness committee was also confirmed, per Senator Martinez Hernandez’s nomination.

The time designated for public comments and a break was cut short due to the lack of public comments.

Elected officers then gave reports on their schedules and the meetings that they have attended in the past week.

SB #6, which seeks to amend the ASUCD bylaws by making it faster for non-controversial bills to be placed on the consent calendar, was unanimously sent to the IAC for further deliberation.

SB #7, which seeks to change bylaws and allow verbal elected officer reports to be struck down in favor of a written report within 24 hours if a meeting is at risk of going over five hours, was then discussed. It was also passed on to the IAC.

Constitutional amendments were also deliberated on and unanimously sent to the IAC. These include CA #77, which seeks to move the elections of an ASUCD transfer student representative and international student representative from fall quarter to spring quarter and CA #78,

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The Anteaters’ offense disappeared at this point in the game. In the 78th minute, the Aggies would once again threaten the opposing defense with an aerial attack — the ball ricocheted off Lillington’s head and found Hoard, who was in scoring position inside the small box but kicked the ball with too much force over the crossbar. Hoard’s frustration over the missed opportunity was evident; he leads the Big West with seven shots hitting the goal post.

However, UC Davis’ luck changed in the 81st minute. Dieter crossed the ball from the left side to Lillington, who headed the ball to the right post.

The ball bounced off the post back to Lillington, who brilliantly kicked the ball into the net — giving the Aggies a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Lillington’s second goal of the season, and the first-year is now tied with first-year striker Casen Goodman as the leading scorer of the

Abbasi said. “It is in their best interest to not pass this because they lose money, right? There’s a lot of capitalism involved, and honestly, I would even argue racism.”

Abbasi also expressed her concern about the lack of attention given to the UFW’s efforts. She talked about how vital it is for all people, but specifically medical students, who will be future doctors, to be aware of ongoing social struggles.

“These are our community members,” Abbasi said. “These are the

people, for me, as a future physician — these are going to be my future patients. If I don’t know what they are going through now as a medical student, how can I best treat them in the future as a doctor? So I need to make sure that I am fully aware of what is happening in my own community before I become a doctor. I want to make sure I get to know them and their stories and that I am as inclusive as possible to whatever they are struggling with.”

“I was very inspired by the way UC Davis is taking a lot of initiatives in sustainability and reducing carbon emissions on campus,” Reale said.

“I think [that’s] one of the things that made me decide to come to this campus.”

Natalie Gutierrez, a fourth-year landscape architecture major, shared mixed feelings on the change, citing concerns regarding the potential waste of discarded older technology.

“It is exciting to see the shift

MLBPOSTSEASON

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#5 Seattle Mariners (90-72)

which proposes moving the external affairs vice president election from fall quarter to spring quarter.

The senate then moved to deliberate on SB #5, legislation proposed last week. The bill, authored by Senator Gaius Illupeju, calls for a cow to become the official ASUCD mascot and for an official design to be created at a later date.

“We held elections in spring, and that ballot sought to change Gunrock to a cow, but due to disinterest it was not passed,” Illupeju said. “This bill makes the cow our ASUCD mascot, as well as dealing with the guidelines of when this mascot can be used.”

After further discussion on language within the bill, Senator Zeph Schnelbach proposed a motion to pass the bill. After passing unanimously, the ASUCD mascot is officially a cow.

The senate then moved to open forum, during which speakers on the list can bring up topics not on the agenda for discussion.

Senator Vaneza Gonzaga brought up a recent change announced by Transportation Services (TAPS). According to Senator Gonzaga, residents of on-campus apartments such as the Green at West Village and

residence halls will now be charged the non-affiliated rate of $15 for daily oncampus parking.

“I came here on Monday for my shift at the CoHo, and I had to pay $15 for parking, and before I had to pay that $15, I had no clue I was getting unsubsidized,” Schnelbach said.

“We can move to request that TAPS shows up to present,” Fujimoto said. “We can ask them to present why these changes are happening, and ask them questions respectfully.”

Eden suggested another potential response to the change.

“President Gawde is currently talking with TAPS about moving the A lots to C plus lots, and finding a way to add student workers to those A lots,” Eden said. “In those meetings, you can also request President Gawde to speak with TAPS about the subsidized parking before we make any actions against them.”

As discussion wrapped up in the open forum, senators moved to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was officially adjourned with no exception at 7:39 p.m., almost two hours ahead of schedule.

The Mariners snapped their 20-year-long playoff drought, the longest active streak in MLB, on Friday, Sept. 30. With a spectacular call from play-by-play commentator Dave Sims, Cal Raleigh hit a walkoff home run to secure a 2-1 victory over the Oakland A’s and clinch a playoff spot. Now the Mariners have the opportunity to make a playoff run with a stellar pitching staff and star outfielder Julio Rodriguez, who is one of the youngest players to have over 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in the same season.

#6 Tampa Bay Rays (86-76)

The Rays continue to make the postseason despite having one of the

TREE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“In this project, we joined forces with world experts to better understand how growth and wood formation is regulated in trees and how the ubiquitin system involved in those complexities from genes function in challenging environments.” Shabek said. “We used model trees, poplars, that can grow relatively faster and therefore can be studied in several months at multiple levels.”

to electric buses with Unitrans as they take the steps towards net-zero emissions,” Gutierrez said via email.

“However, it is important to note that as technology advances, the demand to update it can cause large quantities of waste being discarded and transported elsewhere, contributing to multiple environmental hazards, which can adversely affect others. As we make the switch to reduce our carbon footprint, let’s ensure that our actions are sustainable all the way through.”

team with two goals apiece. Five of the nine goals scored for the Aggies have been by first-years. UC Davis currently ranks ninth out of 10 teams in the Big West with the least amount of goals scored (eight).

After the goal, UC Irvine became desperate, looking to tie up the game with furious attacks. In the 85th minute, the Anteaters crossed the ball into the goalkeeper’s area, rolling past the Aggies’ defense. Montanile made contact but the ball bounced off firstyear defender Luke Goodman and goalkeeper Janssen.

The final whistle blew and UC Davis claimed their first win in conference play. The Aggies’ record has improved to 2-6-3 overall and 1-1-1 in the conference. UC Davis also broke a five-year winless drought against UC Irvine, beating the Anteaters for the first time since 2017. With the win, UC Davis moved up to fifth place in the Big West standings.

Lillington finished the game with two shots and a goal, while Dieter finished with one assist and Hoard finished with three shots, two of which were on target.

Despite the win, the Aggies’ offense is still struggling to put the ball in the back of the net and the team’s defense ranks fifth in goals allowed (15) in 11 games played. Defense keeps the Aggies in the game, but defense alone cannot win them games.

Though they are experiencing some growing pains, the Aggies are keeping up with the rest of the Big West. With six games left in the season, UC Davis can still secure a spot in the Big West tournament.

On Oct. 8, UC Davis traveled to Northridge where they beat the Matadors 1-0. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, they returned home to face CSU Bakersfield, and on Saturday, Oct. 15, they’ll host Cal State Fullerton at Aggie Soccer Field.

The main focus of this project is to understand the key component of this unique “waste disposal” system and how it regulates protein levels in the trees. Their final goal is to create

lowest payrolls in MLB. Even with key players like second baseman Brandon Lowe and shortstop Wander Franco missing most of the season, the Rays found ways to win games. Now, they have most of their injured players back from the injured list, including pitchers Shane McClanahan and Tyler Glasnow. Back at full strength, the Rays have a better opportunity to make it to the World Series like they did in 2020.

With the playing field set, October baseball is here. This is the opportunity for players to rise in big moments and become playoff legends. However, the most important thing to baseball fans is who will be holding that trophy at the end of the postseason.

a model that can infer the different processes for bioenergy applications and optimal biomass yield.

“Trees are critical foundations of life, as a source of food and oxygen with vast ecological and environmental values,” Shabek said. “As such, better understanding the molecular biology and biochemistry of tree growth are of utmost importance, especially on the verge of major global climate change. The long-term goals are to develop models that could predict processes for better biomass yield and bioenergy applications.”

T h e a gg i e

SCIENCE AND TECH RESEARCHERS BELIEVE DROUGHTRESISTANT TREES MIGHT OFFER A RELIABLE BIOENERGY SOURCE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

UC Davis collaborative study looks to poplars to understand trees’ growth-regulation process

BY YASH RATHI science@theaggie.org

The UC Davis College of Biological Sciences has started a new project that studies the function of the genes that regulate growth and wood formation in poplar trees. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding the $2.5 million, three-year-long project that is to be led by Nitzan Shabek, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Biology, along with Andrew Groover of the USDA Pacific Southwest Research Station and Justin Walley of Iowa State University. The project is one of 37 being funded by the DOE in an effort to forward bioenergy technology.

Poplar trees have become of particular interest for bioenergy production because of their potential to be a solid biofuel source, as liquid fuel can be derived from poplars just two to five years after planting.

Their wood and growth formation are controlled by a set of complex proteins produced by various genes. The protein regulation inside a tree is balanced because of the ratio of proteins produced by gene regulation to the amount of protein that is removed by the cells through a “waste disposal” system called the “ubiquitin-proteasome system.” This regulation process specifically supports the trees during drought periods when the growth rate of the trees is highly affected. Their mortality rate increases, and this regulation helps the plant to grow and survive despite harsh conditions.

Shabek believes that this nuanced regulation system may be the key to

using drought-resistant trees as a source of bioenergy.

“It is remarkable that plants amazingly adapted the ubiquitin system to tightly regulate networks of genes to cope with the ever-changing environment,” Shabek said. “We study this system at the molecular levels in the lab [by] integrating plant biology with advanced biochemistry and structural biology methods.”

Walley’s team is conducting work on biological regulatory pathways using the multi-omics approach, which studies multiple datasets of genes. Groover’s team has conducted detailed research that focused on the regulation of the diameter of water-conducting cells in poplar trees.

According to the paper, the team looked at growth and behavior of poplar stems in response to hormone treatment. They found that hormones directly regulate the trees’ stem growth and ability to bend due to gravity. Studying these hormone interactions and underlying mechanisms can help pave the way to optimize usage of poplar trees as a reliable bioenergy source.

“We manipulated hormone levels and response in poplar stems,” the paper reads. “Our main finding included hormone treatment that influences stem growth and xylem formation during secondary growth. It also affects tension wood formation in response to gravibending, the bending of woods due to gravity.”

Shabek said that his decision to use poplar trees for the study was in part because of their quick growth rate.

DIVING DEEPER INTO SKIN: UC DAVIS HEALTH RESEARCHERS EXPLORE DIFFERENCES IN SKIN COMPOSITION ACROSS THE BODY

Skin forms differently at certain body sites, which are predisposed to specific dermatologic diseases

BY BRANDON NGUYEN science@theaggie.org

The skin is an organ that functions beyond cosmetic fashion and biological protection. Its composition and layers differ in different areas of the body for specialized functions, which can in turn predispose individuals to locationspecific diseases.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, about 84.5 million Americans are affected by skin diseases due to aging, trauma and environmental causes.

Two recent studies conducted by UC Davis Health researchers uncovered secrets of the skin that revealed both how and why the organ forms uniquely throughout the body. Dr. Emanual Maverakis, a professor of dermatology and molecular medical microbiology at UC Davis Health and senior author on both studies, provided insight into the initial inspiration to research the skin.

“This will be the first of many studies, and I’m very interested in knowing how the different areas of the skin are designed differently because, if you think about your face, [the skin] has to be thin and flexible for you to be able to communicate visually with people — make a facial expression, smile, frown, get upset and so forth,” Maverakis said. “But on your palms and soles, it has to be very thick and rigid to overcome frictional forces of walking.”

Through research and clinical work, Maverakis noted that dermatologists like himself have noticed how some diseases only occur on certain body sites.

“For me, that means that not only is the skin structurally different, but it probably has a different immune system,” Maverakis said. “That’s where our future research is going to focus more on: characterizing how the skin differs immunologically at each body site.”

According to Maverakis, his first study focused on how the skin’s immune system is different on different parts of the body — specifically on just the top layer of the skin, the epidermis. While the superficial layers protect the body from pathogens, they must also communicate with the deeper layers to recruit immune cells in cases of infection.

In addition, the epidermis has a fatty lipid matrix composed of fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides that help shape the structure of different

areas of the skin depending on what genes are expressed. While these lipids act like glue for the skin, cells called keratinocytes serve as the bricks to stabilize the skin composition.

Using single-cell sequencing, Maverakis and his team characterized how these lipids and keratinocytes varied depending on their location on the body, matching gene expression with compositional differences in the skin.

For Dr. Stephanie Le, a dermatologist at UC Davis Health and the lead author of the first study, these findings were major steps toward more precise

dermatological care.

“A lot of our medications, like special topical medications, are made ‘one-size-fits-all,’ [but] the rest of our body skin on our body sites are different,” Le said. “So I think that really led us to wonder how this can be tailored specifically to patients. Precision medicine is definitely something all of medicine is moving toward, and I think that this is just one step toward it, opening up potential for noninvasive testing that can be done by primary care providers and easily analyzed for a quicker and more accurate diagnosis.”

Dr. Alexander Merleev, a postdoctoral researcher on Maverakis’ team and the lead author of the second study, highlighted how understanding lipid alterations could also aid in dermatologic diagnoses.

“Lipids stuck to a piece of tape [that was previously] applied to the skin were sufficient to diagnose a patient with a particular skin disease after sending the sample to a lab,” Merleev said. “These discoveries will lead to [noninvasive] tests for common dermatologic disease.”

Echoing Le’s sentiments, Maverakis also emphasized how medications for

the skin will change based on the studies’ discoveries and the trend toward precision medicine in general.

“Our goal is always to make medicine more specific,” Maverakis said. “For example, now we know how the lipids differ across the body. If you’re going to use a moisturizer, you could design it to repair the lipid defects at that particular body surface. So what you put on your foot — if you have dry heels, let’s say — should be totally different than the one you apply to your face because the lipids are very different from your foot and in your face.”

MIRANDA LEE / AGGIE

“Key” to understanding regulation of growth in poplar trees even in droughts. (Dr. Nitzan Shabe / Courtesy)