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volume 132, number 13
wednesday, january 30, 2013
Increase in UC Davis international transfer applications Trend seen as part of diversity initiative By MEREDITH STURMER Aggie News Writer
UC Davis experienced a 23 percent increase in applications from international transfer students for Fall 2013, the largest percentage increase of all University of California schools. According to the UC Office of the President, UC Davis received a total of 69,642 applications, an 11.4 percent increase from 2012. Of these applications, 8,789 were from international students. Additionally, 6,747 were international students applying as first-years, a 65 percent increase from 2012. The University received 2,042 applications from international students applying as transfers, a 23 percent increase and the largest increase of any UC. UC Riverside saw the second-largest increase in international transfer student applications at 21.9 percent. “For the last three years, UC Davis has put forth a significant effort in the area of outreach and recruitment to create a more global campus community,” said Walter Robinson, director of UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions. “The benefits of outreach and recruitment efforts are starting to show. We’re starting to receive applications of highly qualified students who come from globally diverse communities.” According to Robinson, this all ties into Chancellor Linda Katehi’s 2020 Initiative. “The general direction is one of growth,” Robinson said. “Of students from across the nation, the globe and from all regions of California.” According to the “2020 Initiative: Work Plan” from Nov. 30, 2011, one of the three main goals is to create a more diverse scholarly community. UC Davis seeks to accomplish this by increasing the proportion of national and
See RECORD, page 2
Irisa Tam / Aggie
Student government officials host first Lunch with ASUCD Program aims to bridge gap between students, senators
By KELLEY DRECHSLER Aggie News Writer
The Lunch with ASUCD series commenced last Thursday at the Memorial Union (MU) Coffee House. This lunch series opens a gateway for the student body to access their student government officials in an informal setting. Passed unanimously on Oct. 11, Senate Bill 7 allocates $245 to fund lunch at the ASUCD Coffee House, with seven students at each meeting. “The goal of the program is, in essence, to create an avenue of communication in
which students could more easily access student government officials,” said Roman Rivilis, author of the bill and a second-year political science major. The idea for the lunch series branched out from the Meals with Mrak program, in which students could enjoy informal breakfasts with the University administration. Organized by former Student Assistant to the Chancellor Nick Sidney, the Meals with Mrak program received positive feedback from students, inspiring ASUCD to develop a similar program. “Both [programs] promote outreach and provide a relaxed setting where students
can interact with, and better humanize campus administrators,” Former Senator Justin Goss said in an email interview. Goss and Rivilis first brought the idea for Lunch with ASUCD under consideration in the summer of 2012. They envisioned a program that would allow students to interact with senators over lunch, but they also wanted to avoid high costs for the meals. By using the CoHo instead of the Dining Commons, ASUCD could keep all the costs in-house, Goss said. “I think the MU is a more convenient meeting place for many students,” he
Chief of Police to oversee Davis Fire Department
Arrest made in sexual assault and robbery case
By JOE STEPTOE Aggie News Writer
See FIRE, page 5
Today’s weather Sunny High 64 Low 36
courtesy
City of Davis Chief of Police Landy Black will be temporarily supervising the City of Davis Fire Department while the city assesses shared management of the UC Davis Fire Department and the City of Davis Fire Department. Forecast Looks like sunny skys for the rest of the week. Perfect weather to stay inside and study, right? Written by Amanda Nguyen Weather courtesy of www.weather.com
Thursday
Friday
Sunny
Sunny
High 65 Low 36
High 66 Low 39
See LUNCH, page 5
News iN Brief
Appointment allows scope for shared management model Davis Chief of Police Landy Black has been tasked with temporarily supervising the Davis Fire Department while the city explores a range of options to foment more cooperation and efficiency between the UC Davis Fire Department and the Davis Fire Department. The appointment, which was made on Jan. 8 by City Manager Steve Pinkerton, follows the departure of Interim Fire Chief Scott Kenley. Kenley left the post because he had reached the maximum number of hours permitted to work for the city as determined by state regulation. “It makes a lot of sense to merge the public safety departments on a temporary basis during this period of transition and Chief Black was the logical choice to oversee this process,” Pinkerton said. The appointment is expected to last between six and nine months, during which time the city will comprehensively assess the prospect of shared management to oversee both fire departments. “We don’t have any prior expectations.
added. Although ASUCD senators hold public office hours, there is no consistent rate of students who come. Many students either do not know these office hours exist or do not typically visit the third floor of the MU, where most of the office hours are held. “[Lunch with ASUCD] aims to bridge that gap by offering a source of outreach to students who want to effectively communicate with a group of ASUCD officials in an informal setting, without the hassle of figuring out office hours,” Rivilis said.
On Monday at 2:20 p.m., the Davis Police was notified of a possible sighting of the suspect in the sexual assault and robbery case that occurred on Saturday at the Davis Community Church. The Davis Police arrested 25-yearold transient Christopher Turk at a shopping center in West Davis. The police found physical evidence that connected Turk to the case. Turk is currently being held at the Yolo County Jail for sexual assault, robbery, burglary, false imprisonment and sexual battery, according to a Davis Police press release. — Claire Tan
Fun fact: the phrase “rule of thumb” is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn’t beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb. Amanda Nguyen
page two
2 wednesday, january 30, 2013
daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org
WEDNESDAY Breakthrough Collaborative’s Summer Job Information Session Noon to 1 p.m. 229 South Hall Join Breakthrough Collaborative and find out how to be a competitive applicant for paid summer jobs teaching underserved middle school students. For more information, go to their website at breakthroughcollaborative. org. Applications are due on Feb. 25.
UC Davis Energy Institute Special Seminar 4 to 5 p.m. 1605 Tilia St., Ste. 100 Join Dr. Malay Karmarkar of the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute as he discusses “Gasification of Biomass in Fluidized Beds — Thermodynamic Modeling and Experimental Analysis of Single and Multi-bed Reactors.” There is no cost and all are welcome to attend.
Drawing on Migrations Exhibition Opening 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby, Mondavi Center Come down for an exhibition of largescale works on paper and small objects on display by Chau Huynh, Lisa Rybovich Crallé, Alan Hopkins and Meredith Tromble.
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous 7 to 8:30 p.m. Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Road Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Free yourself from excess weight and/or obsessional thoughts about food and body image. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a 12-step fellowship based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings are open and free to the public. Visit www.foodaddicts.org for other meeting locations.
Cultural Programmer Information Session 7 to 8 p.m. Regan Main Visit an informational meeting about opportunities to be a cultural programmer for the 2013-14 school year. Primary responsibilities include providing culturally based programming, support and mentorship for new students living in the Living Learning Community.
THURSDAY
7 to 8:30 p.m. Cal Aggie Christian Association Come join Sikh Cultural Association for its second Kirtan Night of the quarter as we sing glorious praises of the Timeless Being in a congregation. There will be food for everyone afterward. We welcome everyone and please bring your friends.
Technocultural Studies Club Introductory Workshop 6 to 7 p.m. TCS Mac Lab, Art Annex Join us for a workshop focusing on music composition for those who have little to no experience with music theory or music software. For further information, contact Steven Gordon at swgordon@ucdavis. edu.
American Red Cross Club General Meeting 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. 146 Olson The ARCC is an on-campus organization dedicated to emergency preparedness and community service. Join them for their second general meeting.
FRIDAY Woodland Animal Shelter Adoption Sale Noon to 4 p.m. Woodland Animal Shelter Celebrate My Furry Valentine with discounted adoption rates for all dogs and cats from the Woodland Animal Shelter. Help save a life for the same price as buying a coffee — all adoptions are $5. For more information or to see pictures of the adoptable animals, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/YCAS. Shelter.
The Art of Athletes 5 to 7 p.m. Basement Gallery, Art Building Join us for the fourth annual art show featuring the work of current intercollegiate student-athletes enrolled in all four undergraduate colleges at UC Davis. Exhibition is free and open to the public.
SATURDAY The Art of Athletes Noon to 6 p.m. Basement Gallery, Art Building Join us for the fourth annual art show featuring the work of current intercollegiate student-athletes enrolled in all four undergraduate colleges at UC Davis. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Panel Discussion 2 to 4 p.m. Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby, Mondavi Center Come down for a panel discussion moderated by David Kyle, associate professor of sociology at UC Davis and faculty director of the UC Global Health Institute. Guest panelists from various expertises will participate.
Biomedical Engineering Departmental Seminar Series: Dr. Brian Munsky 4:10 to 5 p.m. 1005 GBSF Join Dr. Brian Munsky for his discussion on “Integrating Single-Cell Experiments and Stochastic Analyses to Predict Gene Expression Dynamics.”
Kirtan Night
SUNDAY The Art of Athletes 1 to 5 p.m. Basement Gallery, Art Building Join us for the fourth annual art show featuring the work of current intercollegiate student-athletes enrolled in all four undergraduate colleges at UC Davis. The exhibition is free and open to the public. To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, email dailycal@theaggie. org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.
The california Aggie
what will happen to them. He uses this knowledge to help — like saving a kid falling from a tree. He also cultivates absurdly specific skills, Sean such as ice-sculpting. He becomes omniscient. Lenehan That my own experience Memory did not contain supernatural elements is somewhat less important than I anticipated — the lesson is the same: It is a sad truth that we watched Groundhog Day must repeat ourselves to five times this past weeklearn and live better. When end. Like most exercises, experiencing déjà vu, it’s likeit was an act of repetition. ly you have been there beGroundhog Day tells the fore, in one way or another. story of Phil Connors, a Sometimes we can’t sarcastic TV weatherman know when we’re wrong eiwho is mysteriously made ther — the universe isn’t alto relive the same Feb. 2, ways going to tell us right again and again. He wakes away. Living the adage, that morning at 6 a.m. in a “learn from past mistakes” wintery Punxsutawney, Pa., is somehow insufficient. no matter what. As many have pointed Watching it on repeat out, this embodies the conwas my entirely naïve atcept of “eternal return,” tempt to empathize with given voice by Friedrich the character. Nietzsche. Eternal return Although I could not suggests that the universe live with no tomorrow, I (and all human beings), thought maybe I could with infinite time, will ingain a sliver of wisdom that evitably repeat. comes from eternity. Nietzsche’s remedy to Initial encounters with this existential problem is Bill Murray’s Phil, and called “amor fati,” or lovthe small-town residents ing fate. By affirming every of Punxsutawney, inmoment in his life, good duced alarmingly loud and bad, Phil conquers the laughter — more than acrimony he exudes on his one housemate threw a first Groundhog Day. This concerned look my diawareness allows him to rection. It connect with was then, those around ... he dismisses others with him and live mid-guffaw, I a glib irony, his insurance happily. knew I Nietzsche against unhappiness needed (Mr. “God to watch is dead”), is again. not the only Somewhere between the one with ties to the film. second and third time, my Proponents of Buddhism, discreet snickers deflated Judaism and Christianity to a tired recitation of the preach Groundhog Day, lines in my head. I felt rewith its themes of enlightluctant to go on, but a rom- enment and salvation. com this profound was This recurrence, this surely worth the time. selfish paralysis, is not a By end of the fifth time, problem bound by culture. the movie’s repetition Nor is it bound by time or — my own repetition — space. Those laws don’t apseemed much more intenply in the film, do they? tional. I was smiling, not So how do we embrace just because of Phil’s crack- our lives today? What can ling dry wit, but because a we take seriously when we sort of cosmic truth had re- are constantly inundatvealed itself. ed with messages from our The character of Phil arphone, Twitter, Facebook, rives at the same truth Instagram, email, our TVs from an analogous path. and our game consoles? It At the beginning of the can be hard to tell how the film he dismisses others present moment is more with a glib irony, his insursignificant than the one just ance against unhappiness. past, or the one coming. As he realizes he is relivThese are questions ing Groundhog Day, he reworth repeating. With the sponds with utter bemuseanswers we may be able to ment. This is followed by live more deliberate, meana series of gleeful romps ingful lives in the present. — bank robbing, joyridThis Saturday happens ing, womanizing — there to be Groundhog Day. If are no consequences. But you keep your TV on, you life has no meaning either, are almost certain to meet and he settles into a suicid- Phil Connors. He’ll give al malaise. you a philosophy lesson Only by dedicating his dressed up as a Bill Murray time to self-improvement comedy. and establishing substanIf you are smart enough, tial relationships to others you may only have to does he gain freedom. watch it once. Accepting that he cannot leave, he learns everything SEAN LENEHAN has programmed his alarm in his small world. He knows clock to play Sonny and Cher. He can be reached at splenehan@ucdavis.edu. everyone, and he knows
Déjà Vu
I
terrible experience a couple months back when he put me on Prozac, an antidepressant. Leo They made me extremeOcampo ly restless and emotionSome shake al and had me feeling a low like no other. I flushed them down the toilet and in my drug-induced rage I swore I’d never return to that fucking doctor ever again. But my doctor’s actually a really sweet guy who he other night we just wants to help othwere getting faded ers, so he had no problem on the roof when my prescribing something friend started talking about else when I finally did rehow he had broken his leg. turn to his office a couple He went into excruciatdays ago. ing detail about the pain Ativan (mainly known as he felt and the sight of his Lorazepam) was not at all twisted leg. what I expected. It is essenWhile I’m sure he didn’t tially an all-around relaxant mean to, his story got me and it is normally used to stressed and disturbed treat anxiety, insomnia and and sent me into a mild even acute seizures. panic. I backed away from I was expecting it to him and from the sight of have a heavy, druggy efhis cast and tried to focus fect, and I thought it on something else, but it would leave me numb was too late. and distant. But really I I couldn’t stop imagindidn’t feel anything at all. ing the pain he felt and I Before I took the halfcouldn’t shake the image milligram pill, I was exof his leg bent at the shin. tremely nervous and senIt somehow immediatesitive and felt sick to my ly sobered me up, but then stomach. But after about I just got lightheaded and 20 minutes I felt fine and my body started shiverperfectly normal. ing and felt like it wanted I didn’t feel “floaty” or to shrivel into itself. I felt out of it or forcedly haplike I was about to pass out py. I just felt like all the or throw up or start crynerves in my head that ing, and I were prevididn’t want ously tan... I never want to end up addicted gled and to move or talk or to the stuff and thinking that I heated have anynow need it every day just to survive were one near calm and me. smoothed I’ve had out. an anxiety problem for a I was able to return to my while now, but it has alfriend with the broken leg ways been an anxiety that and was no longer as bothhits me at random times ered by the gory stories. and that usually is triggered As a student, I am weary inside my own head. This of taking pills since I have was the first time someto be constantly reading body else had directly or writing and cannot afcaused my brain to slightly ford to have my brain in a short-circuit. drunken fog. I’d been avoiding drugs Unfortunately, anxito treat my anxiety, and I ety can be very debilitating thought I was doing just and trying to study while fine without them. But this in a panic is just as futile as recent experience made me trying to read in the dark. realize that this might not The simple thought of be something I’d be able to taking pills for my anxiget through on my own. ety used to make me even Maybe my head had more anxious, but I am been through too much and now a little more trustneeded a little chemical asing in them and feel comsistance before it could go forted in knowing I could back to its healthy self. I was treat my nerves without fed up with my condition, getting hazy or slow. and I was ready to believe As awful and as scary as that the prescriptions that anxiety can be, it still somemy doctor had given me how tricks you into thinkwere not just drugs, but that ing you don’t need help. they were actual medicine Many are embarrassed intended to heal. to seek help for their anxOne reason I’d been un- iety because it does not sure about taking drugs is seem as much of a health because there’s always a concern as a broken leg. risk of dependency when However, your brain not used appropriately, should be your priority, and I never want to end and this first-hand expeup addicted to the stuff rience was with just one and thinking that I need it of the many options out every day just to survive. there designed to keep it But the real reason I in good health. was so scared of taking the pills my doctor had LEO OCAMPO feels a lot better after recommended for me was sharing all this and invites you to do the same at gocampo@ucdavis.edu. because I already had a
Using Ativan
T
News iN BrieF
Financial Workshop scheduled at Student Community Center Correction On Monday, The Aggie reported that Joohi Kasliwal was appointed as Education Abroad Center commissioner in the Senate Brief. Kasliwal was appointed as External Affairs Commissioner. The Aggie regrets this error.
Janelle Bitker Editor in Chief Hannah Strumwasser Managing Editor
Rebecca Peterson Opinion Editor Joey Chen Copy Chief
Jonathan Wester Business Manager
Brian Nguyen Photography Editor
Caelum Shove Advertising Manager
Janice Pang Design Director
Muna Sadek Campus Editor
James Kim Asst. Design Director
Claire Tan City Editor Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Adam Khan Features Editor Matthew Yuen Sports Editor
Amanda Nguyen Night Editor Allison Ferrini Asst. Night Editor Irisa Tam Art Director David Ou New Media Director
Hudson Lofchie Science Editor One Shields Ave. 25 Lower Freeborn, UCD Davis, CA 95616 Editorial (530) 752-0208 Advertising (530) 752-0365 Fax (530) 752-0355
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A Finance Workshop for students is scheduled Thursday, Feb. 7. The event will be hosted by the UC Davis Senior Class Challenge in conjunction with River City Bank; it will feature alumni Bryen Alperin and Yulia
LUNCH
Yevsukova, credit analysts for River City Bank. The event will address how students can manage school-related debt before and after they graduate, according to a Jan. 29 press release. The UC Davis Senior Class
ed to be a part of the first [lunch],” Kapur said. “I was excited to hear that they were interested in being a part of the program.” The next Lunch with ASUCD is on Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the CoHo. Students can register online at asucd.ucdavis. edu/2012/10/30/asucdmeals.
Cont. from front page Students attended the first lunch last Thursday in the company of ASUCD Senators Bradley Bottoms and Kabir Kapur. The lunch included a discussion of the structure of ASUCD, reasons for being part of student government and where student fees go. “It was a rewarding ex- KELLEY DRECHSLER can be reached at perience. They were excit- campus@theaggie.org.
Challenge is a philanthropic opportunity for graduating UC Davis seniors to give back to the University or their College. This year, the graduating class of 2013 is encouraged to give $20.13 to either their college, the UC Davis Annual Fund or
RECORD
We Are Aggie Pride, which provides emergency funding to students that are in need of it. For more information on the Challenge visit seniorchallenge.ucdavis.edu. — Muna Sadek Robinson said. Systemwide, there was a 30.9 percent increase in applications from international students, both first-years and transfers. “We are still seeing increases,” Robinson said. “People still consider the University of California to be one of the best values in undergraduate education and graduate education in the world.”
Cont. from front page international students while increasing the enrollment of California residents, encouraging international experiences for noninternational students and increasing the amount of internationalgraduatestudents and faculty members. “We’ve been very intentional in developing a stra- MEREDITH STURMER can be reached at city@ tegic recruitment plan,” theaggie.org.
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SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES DO NOT WORK
Science &Technology
wednesday, january 30, 2013 3
The california aggie
Glowing brain cell reactivation Mouse nerves show how memory works By VICTORIA TRANG Aggie Science Writer
The basic assumption of researchers dealing with memory, including Brian Wiltgen, an assistant professor of UC Davis’s department of psychology and the Center for Neuroscience, is that memory retrieval involves the activation of the same neurons that were engaged during learning. He is in charge of a neuroscience laboratory focused on various topics such as memory circuit activation and memory consolidation. Recently, using genetically modified mice, Wiltgen and his group tested this assumption. In the past, psychologists would study various cases such as humans with their hippocampuses removed, or animal tests. “In humans, several patients have had the hippocampus removed and it produced dense amnesia,” Wiltgen said. “In animals, the hippocampus is im-
portant for learning about places. If this structure is removed, the animals will not recognize a familiar place.” In humans, the hippocampus serves a similar role. Researchers call the role of the hippocampus a storage center for “trace” memories. This means that if we smell, taste, hear or feel something similar to the stored trace in the hippocampus, the entire associated memory will be reactivated. “By studying patients with brain damage produced by medical conditions such as strokes, and brain damage induced in experimental animals, [psychologists detected where memories are stored],” said Arne Ekstrom, an assistant professor of the department of psychology and UC-Davis Human Spatial Cognition Lab. Researchers have identified the importance of the hippocampus by doing brain scans of test subjects, and recording which areas of the brain were
most active during memory retrieval. “Other information has come from functional brain imaging (fMRI) studies that identify areas of the brain that are active when people retrieve memories of past events,” said Charan Ranganath, a professor of the department of psychology at UC Davis and the Dynamic Memory Lab. In other cases, electrodes were used in place of an fMRI to help track learning and memory locations in the brain. “Researchers sometimes insert electrodes into the brain of epileptic patients to find the foci [focus] of their seizures,” Wiltgen said. “It’s been found that some neurons in the hippocampus are activated when a specific video clip is watched and then reactivated when the person recalls that same clip.” To further cement psychologists’ basic assumption and add more data to the evidence already
backing the assumption, Wiltgen conducted his study on mice. “In our experiment, we use genetically modified mice to permanently label neurons that are activated during learning,” he said. Out of the many types of mice generated from the various scientific research interests, Wiltgen picked mice with green fluorescent nerve cells. “In our mice, cellular activity leads to the expression of a protein called tTA. This protein [produces] a fluorescent marker, called green fluorescent protein (GFP), which allows us to identify the activated neurons,” Wiltgen said. “Mice were essential for our experiments because they are the only animal with the genetic changes that allowed us to tag neurons.” Wiltgen and his colleagues could track what neurons were active while mice learned. In particular,
See BRAIN, page 5
The big picture is sound New schizophrenia study suggests sensory signals develop into bigger issues
Courtesy
UC San Diego researchers, using a series of simple auditory tests, were able to map the neural circuitry of where a schizophrenia patient’s brain suffers deficits and abnormalities in the presence of auditory stimuli.
By ALLEN GUAN Aggie Science Writer
The processes in the brain of a schizophrenia patient are still somewhat of a mystery, but researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the VA San Diego Healthcare System are on track to understanding how environmental stimuli are processed in the mind of a schizophrenia patient. Through the use of electroencephalography (EEG), researchers are able to follow the pathways that are activated
in the brain from the time of the stimulus up until the higher brain processes. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by symptoms that fall into two categories: positive and negative. Positive symptoms are those that are associated with psychosis, and include delusions, disordered speech and thoughts and hallucinations. The negative symptoms are generally a bit more complex and can affect one’s quality of life. They include, but are not limited to, apathetic behavior, alogia (impoverished speech), lack of motivation, and even lack of desire to form
relationships. Although there are medications that can help suppress these symptoms, they generally only mitigate the positive symptoms. “The medications treat psychotic [positive] symptoms pretty well, but don’t really treat the negative symptoms. What’s unfortunate is negative symptoms are a stronger predictor of one’s ability to function in the environment than positive symptoms,” said Michael Minzenberg, an associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry at UC Davis. “Negative symptoms on the other hand are more disabling because if people are socially disconnected or unable to think clearly … they can’t get a job and adequately take care of themselves.” Currently, the only treatments are pharmaceuticals. “There have been significant advances in the last 15 years with the introduction of atypical antipsychotic drugs, heralded first by clozapine and followed now by other drugs,” says Ralph Hoffman, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. The causes of these symptoms are still not completely clear, but recent research by Gregory Light, associate professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego and senior author of the study, may help predict the severity of the symptoms. In a series of simple auditory tests (which include playing tones within roughly a half second of each
See SOUND, page 5
Regrowing a chicken Regenerative medicine blurs the line between the chicken and egg By KELLY MITCHELL Aggie Science Writer
Last year, in a lab at Loyola University in New Orleans, something happened that has never been seen before — a chicken embryo regenerated a joint. We know lizards regrow their tails and salamanders are capable of growing a new leg, but never has this been seen before in a chicken. In the case of this event, Rosalie Anderson, a professor in the department of biological sciences at Loyola University, was with her undergraduate lab when removing the elbow joint of the chick embryo’s wing. “The project was originally initiated to develop a model to study jointregeneration,” Anderson said. “Because of the accessibility of the chick embryo to manipulation and the many years I had worked on the chick embryo to understand the mechanisms of anterior-posterior patterning during development, I chose to work on the chick.”
Courtesy
Researchers at Loyola University observed a chicken embryo regenerating a joint. Embryonic stem cells migrated to the missing joint and replaced it. Eighteen hours after Anderson removed the joint, it had regrown. In this phenomenon the embryonic cells actually migrated to the location of the missing joint and replaced it. “While the chicken is not the most obvious choice since it had never been shown to be regenerative,
we were asking it to regenerate in a context that had never been tested before,” Anderson said. “Excising the prospective joint tissue and thereby creating a “window” in the limb proved to provide the right environment for regeneration to occur.” Surprisingly, human genes for development
are the same as a chicken’s. This means it is possible to apply this research to humans one day, and our own bodies will be capable of regenerating our joints. There will no longer be problems with our bodies rejecting the new joint and the limited movement
See JOINT, page 4
information is irrelevant, but it’s a cool coincidence. Assuming the atmospheric air being hit is largely oxygen and nitrogen gas, we can use Avogadro’s numAlan ber (6.0223) to calculate that Lin our little butterfly is hitting 240,885,660,000,000,000,000 (240 quintillion, 885 quadrillion 660 trillion) molecules of air with about 1 millinewton of force. There is a lot of other complex math involved that I am probably forgetting to include, but the things I don’t understand are literally he term butterfly efGreek to me. fect may refer to more Recap number two: we than a 2004 film starhave this monstrous insect ring Ashton Kutcher. What’s transferring enough force the saying again? A butterto cause a plurality of molefly flaps its wings and a tornado touches down in Texas? cules to accelerate by a value of some other unwieldy How could that even hapnumber. But to put things pen? Let’s think for a moment about butterflies. While in perspective, every time I’m reasonably sure that even a butterfly flaps its wings, it moves a small jar’s worth of the mightiest of earthly butair — still a big stretch from terflies outside of fiction throwing any houses out of couldn’t generate disastrous Kansas. wind storms with a single motion, further investigation So now let’s move to the tornado. How do tornainto the processing of natudoes work? In simple terms, ral laws could make the idea when warm air passes una little less far-fetched. derneath cold air, the warm The average monarch er air tries to rise, but can’t butterfly has a wingspan of pass through the dense, cold about 10 centimeters and air. The air swirls horizontalweighs close to half a gram. ly until enough force builds If butterflies had perfectly up that the different bodies square wings, then the apof air have to move past one proximate total surface area another, and the entire rapid would be 10,000 square milwind current comes spiraling limeters or 0.01 square meto the ground. ters, roughly two iPhone Conceptually, we are now screens put side by side … left thinking about two things I’m not trying to insult anythat at first glance are wildone’s intelligence. ly different. One is a weath Butterflies exist on earth, er-pattern-sized mass of deand they fly. In order to structive air, and the other is achieve this, they need to small enough to fit into a jam overcome this pesky thing jar. It’s easy to called gravimagine one ity. Sir Isaac ... every time the butterfly flaps small butNewton its wings, it is moving half a terfly causobserved ing this small gravity’s acgram of air ... jar’s worth of tion on fallair to move. ing bodFrom there it ies, and wouldn’t be hard to imagine through some fancy math, that jar of air going out and discovered that our planet’s pushing other “jars” worth of gravity causes falling bodies to accelerate at a constant air. Before too long, this butterfly has made a very large rate. In order to cause acceleration, gravity exerts force. It number of air molecules just so happens that the force move just a little bit faster. This miniscule speed inacting on the butterfly is crease doesn’t happen all about half a millinewton. In on its own either. The addisimple terms, the earth pulls on this hypothetical butterfly tive forces from billions or trillions of other literal and just about as much as it pulls metaphorical butterflies on a paper clip. all come together in a very In order to achieve flight, specific, yet random, interthe butterfly would need to connected way. The funny exert a force greater than the thing about time, is that on 0.0005 newtons of downearth at least, it happens ward gravitational force actfor everything simultaneing on it. Insects in generously; on a long enough al are pretty spry and zippy; timeline, everything affects for simplicity’s sake, I’ll say everything else. that the flap of a butterfly’s Recap number three: butwings exerts .001 newtons terfly flaps its wings, moves a (1 millinewton) of upward force, twice the force keeping little bit of air, which in turn moves a lot of air very slowly. it down. Conservation of enThe small butterfly has conergy would lead us to believe tributed to the monumental that any of the subsequent force of a tornado. molecules of air in the hypo And while no single butthetical volume of the butterfly’s wingbeat are being hit terfly may ever be the sole progenitor of an entire tornawith about 1 millinewton of do, the miniscule shift in iniforce. tial conditions caused by that The International one flap of a butterfly’s wings Union of Pure and Applied could have an untold cascadChemistry’s standard meaing effect on future events. sure of temperature and Ultimately, be it with repressure gives dry air — gard to particle physics, or the air our butterfly is flysomething complex like ining through — a density of terpersonal interactions, no about 1.3 kilograms per cumoving matter exists as an bic meter. Meaning that for isolated system. Our unievery flap of the wings, if verse is made out of a vast our butterfly’s 0.001 square web of connections both vismeter wings travel 4 cenible and invisible, known and timeters (0.04 meters), unknown. In a long enough we’d have a total volume of timeline, even the smallest 0.0004 cubic meters of air change in initial conditions being displaced, or .5101 can yield a quantifiable difgrams of air being hit. ferent outcome. Recap number one: every time the butterfly flaps its wings, it is moving half a ALAN LIN likes to think about butterflies’ effects gram of air, about the same on weather and can be reached at science@ theaggie.org. as the butterfly weighs. The
Butterfly effect
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4 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
joint Cont. from page 3 of the replacements we have today. “Our study can only be one of the stepping stones for developing therapeutic methods of restoring joint function,” said Duygu Özpolat, a researcher from the University of Maryland. “The basic idea here is to induce a form of regeneration response in an otherwise non-regenerating structure. In this sense, a chicken embryo is similar to a human’s: We cannot regenerate easily.”
The california Aggie
A large interest for this research project is for veteran amputees. The possibility of being able to replace a joint, or even a limb, with their own tissue would be a major discovery. “We are focused on the joint at present, but we will definitely need to interface our work at some point with the issue of regrowing a limb,” Anderson said. “Currently, our collaborator, Dr. Ken Muneoka, and his laboratory at Tulane University, are making great strides at addressing limb regeneration using their mousedigit-tip model.”
The model Anderson mentioned was another research project Özpolat worked on. “One of the reasons why we wanted to understand joint regeneration specifically was due to the mouse-digit-tip regeneration model we have been working on at the Muneoka lab,” Özpolat said. “In this model, when a fingertip of an adult mouse is amputated the structure regenerates. The regenerating structure has both bone and connective tissues, as well as a part of the nail. If you make the amputation a larger one, by including the first joint from the fin-
ger tip, there is no regeneration.” Humans regenerating joints seems like a daunting task for researchers to accomplish. “It is important to remember that while aiming for the complete limb regeneration can be an intimidating task, even the mildest, smallest tissue regeneration response can make a big difference for somebody who is losing the integrity of their joints through degenerative joint diseases, or another patient who lost a part of their finger,” Özpolat said. Currently, Anderson and her students are continuing research
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to find the cells and genes that lead to the embryo’s recovery. One of those students is Jeffrey Coote, a fourth-year undergraduate biological sciences major at Loyola University. “I do plan on using what I have and will continue to learn about joint regeneration throughout my medical career,” he said. “[I] will definitely keep up with this study and similar studies with the hopes of using what I learn to help my patients.” KELLY MITCHELL can be reached at science@ theaggie.org.
FOR RELEASE MARCH 22, 2010
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Prefix with brewery 6 Quite a ways away 10 Field furrow maker 14 Like a specially formed committee 15 Infrequent 16 Learn about aurally 17 Track shoe part 18 Canon shots, briefly 19 Dark and murky 20 Hopelessly, as in love 23 Meal remnant 24 Cribbage piece 25 Writer’s coll. major, often 26 Piper in the air 29 Field sobriety test 32 Fossil fuel 35 Draw a bead 36 Keeps for later 37 A single time 38 Theater chain founded in 1904 41 __ Beach, Florida 42 Firestone products 44 Bit of a chill 45 Formerly, previously 46 Fierce way to fight 50 Reply: Abbr. 51 __, dos, tres ... 52 ’50s car embellishment 53 “Antiques Roadshow” airer 56 Facetious 60 Forte of a certain “doctor” 62 Eye blatantly 63 Throw with effort 64 Political alliance 65 Mass transit option 66 Game show host 67 “The Sun __ Rises” 68 Somewhat 69 Competed in a bee
By Robert Fisher
DOWN 1 Virile 2 Work shirker 3 Copy from your classmate’s paper, say 4 Willie Nelson’s “On the __ Again” 5 Squid cousins 6 Broken chord, in music 7 Expo 8 Shooter with a quiver 9 Bristle at 10 Golfer Mickelson 11 Camera’s protective cap 12 Cask material 13 Droll 21 Bribable 22 They’re big in Hollywood 27 Online surfers, e.g. 28 Stupefy with booze 29 Hertz inventory 30 Edit 31 Umbilicus 32 Terra __: pottery clay
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33 Burger topper 34 Puzzles involving quotes, usually 39 Hall of Fame outfielder Dave or actor Paul 40 Madrid’s country 43 Steer clear of 47 Long-haired cat 48 Chewy candy 49 Yard’s 36
3/22/10
53 What a V-sign may mean 54 Slanted edge 55 Trapshooting 57 Not hoodwinked by 58 Director Kazan 59 Natural rope fiber 60 Place to be pampered 61 Buddy
Sudoku
Overpopulation is sexually transmitted. http://population.sierraclub.org/ population/
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wednesday, january 23, 2013
INSIDE the game with...
Corey Hawkins
Actually, when I transferred I ended up transferring late. Coach Les called my dad to tell him he had gotten a coaching job here and he had played with my dad in college so it just worked out for me. How much did your dad coach you as a kid? He definitely helped me. When I was starting off he guided me but he was also playing [in the NBA] at the time. So he was away for games quite a bit. But even just being able to go to his practices and use those facilities was a huge advantage. Obviously he’s helped me but I’ve gotten a lot of help from my teams and playing [with] my brothers. It was a nice combination of both.
Lucas Bolster / Aggie
By KIM CARR
Aggie Sports Writer
The UC Davis men’s basketball team has brought an entirely new look to the courts this season after a disappointing 2011-12 campaign. Part of that fresh start has been from the revitalizing spark that sophomore Corey Hawkins has provided for them. It can be said that basketball is in his blood, as his two brothers also play basketball and his father, Hershey Hawkins, was a successful 13-year NBA player. Hawkins has been a force on offense and hit the game-winning shot against Cal Poly in a thrilling game at home.
FIRE
He recently sat down with Aggie Sports Writer Kim Carr and discussed his new career at UC Davis, life with a former NBA player as a father and what it is like being in a family passionate about basketball. Aggie: You played your freshman year at ASU. How is the atmosphere different here? Hawkins: ASU is a bigger school with more people and bigger facilities so it’s a little different than here. There’s a different energy here though. People definitely take academics way more seriously here at Davis though. What pushed you to transfer to Davis?
5
How is Coach Les as a mentor? Oh, he’s awesome. He’s a player’s coach and he knows when guys get tired during the season and need some rest but he knows when to push you too. He really has everybody’s best interests at heart. Do you have aspirations for the NBA? Definitely. That’s what I’m in it for. I have to keep working on it. I’m not there yet but I’ve still got two more years and I need to keep progressing within the team and individually and just keep on winning. What would you like to do after the NBA then? Would you still want to be involved in basketball in some way? Absolutely. My dad works for the Portland Trailblazers in the player development department. My major revolves around social media and mass marketing so I would like to use that. You know, I love the game too much to not be around it.
You have a weird knack for taking off-balance shots and Coach Les has touched on your gift for landing the fade-away jumper. Have you always had that ability? Yeah. I mean honestly when I was a kid I would go to the gym and throw up shots, run over to the ball and throw it up again. I saw when you were warming up for the game against Cal State Fullerton you just lobbed it up in the air from half court and it swished right in. That was just luck. I don’t know how to explain it. I just try and keep focused on the shot all the way through, I guess. What are your warm-up songs? Honestly it depends on what kind of mood I’m in. If I’m tired when I hit the gym I want to listen to something that’s going to pump me up. Usually some kind of hiphop or rap — I don’t like slow songs. A lot of Kendrick Lamar, The Game and anything with a pump-up feel to it. You’re currently shooting 92 percent from the free throw line. What is your mental process when you’re getting ready to take the shot? I set my feet, spin the ball, take three dribbles and then I spin again. I spin it for me and take my dribbles for my mom and each of my two brothers then I spin it again for my dad. Then I tell myself “Good shooters make their free throws every single time.” What’s been your favorite basketball moment at UC Davis so far? It had to be the game winner against Cal Poly. Yeah, for sure. That was, that was ... well, I’ve never hit a game winner like that. KIM CARR can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
department, but there’s quite a difference between firefighters and police officers. It’s a completely different mindset. It’s not an administrative person we need; it’s someone that has the knowledge of what the fire department entails,” said Bobby Weist, fire captain and 3rd District vice president of the California Professional Firefighters (CPF). “This isn’t something that would have been done with any other department that has public safety in mind.” Weist, furthermore, raised questions surrounding the legitimacy of Black’s appointment, given that California’s government code 38611 stipulates that “the fire department shall be under the charge of a chief who shall have had previous training and experience as a fireman.” Frustration was also expressed with the length of time taken to reach a permanent solution. “The Davis Fire Department has been without a permanent chief for almost four years. We need a Chief, and this is the person that leads the department as well as makes decisions on operational issues,” Weist said. Weist said while he has no issues with Chief Black, the city’s priority should be to find a permanent chief. “He’s [Chief Black] very personable and all my dealings with him, whether on a professional or personal level, have been fantastic. But in order to carry out this role you have to have the relevant expertise in managing the day-to-day operation of the fire department,” Weist said. While Chief Black’s appointment could be interpreted as suggesting the contrary, the city is not considering a joint management model between the police and fire departments at present. “The discussion regarding police and fire relations has been in limbo for some time, but at this stage the city is not ready to explore what a combined model would mean for both communities,” Black said. The City Manager’s office says that during this transitional period there will be no noticeable difference to fire services provided for the community.
Cont. from front page We’re considering a range of options and we’ll be using this time constructively so we can reach the outcome that makes the most sense,” Pinkerton said. The priority for the city is to find a cost-effective management model that encourages greater cooperation, thereby improving response times to emergency calls. Black said he considers his appointment to be a move toward achieving this level of collaboration. “It reflects that both departments believe there is a lot of lost efficiency by standing separately. It’s not efficient and doesn’t provide the highest-quality service. Our goal is to provide a better service for the people asking for help,” Black said. It is thought that this level of efficiency can be attained by dropping logistical boundaries that currently exist between the two departments. “Dropping these boundaries would statistically improve response times to emergencies,” Black said. “We want an operation that enables us to respond in the fastest, most effective way possible while reducing the risk of any serious injury or casualty.” Discussion over the coming months will focus on the budgetary, staffing, logistical and management considerations before a decision can be made. While the culmination of the projected sixto nine-month period is by no means a strict deadline, it is hoped that a permanent solution will be reached within this timeframe. “We have to find a solution that everyone will be comfortable with. Our task is to work out the most effective way of delivering public safety services while maintaining our responsibility to be good stewards of public money,” Black said. The appointment, however, has not been unanimously well received. Reservations have been voiced with regard to Black’s qualifications for the role due to limited experience in the firefighting field. “Chief Black has done a fine job with the police JOE STEPTOE can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
sound Cont. from page 3 other) and the use of an EEG, Light’s team was able to map the neural circuitry of where a schizophrenic patient’s brain suffers deficits and abnormalities in the presence of auditory stimuli. “The research studied two major parts of an auditory response complex. The first is called mismatched negativity, or MMN. It starts to
brain Cont. from page 3 the mice learned about the danger of electrical shock. When they sensed that they were in the same cage where the initial electrical shock originated, they tensed up in fear, and the neurons during the learning process reactivated. However, in a new environment, there was no reactivation. The results were similar to what was found in the prior research with epileptic patients. The hippocampus is not by any means the only part of the brain associated with memory storage and retrieval. Other areas assist in learning and memory storage. “It appears that there is a division of labor, with different areas supporting different kinds of memories. So, for instance, the amygdala seems to be responsible for
occur about 1/20th of a second after a sound is presented … called an infrequent unexpected stimulus. The second part of the response complex is called P3a,” Light said. “The first figure shows patients have MMN deficits in isolated areas at the medial frontal cortex. At the second part of the wave, P3a shows there are deficits across large sections of the brain. So taking those two pieces together suggests that impairments at the earliest stages of sensory discrimination start off in relatively isolated areas and propagate forward to produce learning about the salience (importance) of objects or places, such as whether they are associated with danger or reward,” Ranganath said. According to Ekstrom, cortical areas such as the parietal cortex and prefrontal cortex are also important. “Parts of the thalamus are also involved, but their exact functions in memory are unclear,” Ekstrom said. Researchers have differentiated between areas that are responsible for forming memories and areas responsible for recalling memories. In mice, reactivation of memories decreased over time in brain regions such as the amygdala, which is responsible for forming memories. The study has opened many new possibilities and has greatly added to researchers’ understanding of how memory works. “Prior to Wiltgen’s study, we thought that when a memory is retrieved, most of
large-scale dysfunction in attention.” These processes all occur within fractions of a second, and can help explain some of the causes for the positive symptoms such as auditory or visual hallucinations. This explains why schizophrenia patients are unable to detect certain social cues and subtleties such as sarcasm or a raise in vocal tone. The pathway in which these stimuli travel also explains why there are so many symptoms; the widespread propagation of the signals affect different portions of the brain,
making it difficult for the mind to piece together simple external inputs. The experiment isn’t just limited to sound inputs either; these same patterns are shown in other sensory cortices such as those dealing with visual and tactile inputs. With this new research, Light hopes to create possible treatment plans that involve conditioning schizophrenia patients to recognize and respond to certain stimuli. ALLEN GUAN can be reached at science@theaggie.org.
the cells representing the original memory trace are reactivated. Wiltgen’s study shows that while many of the cells active during encoding are active during retrieval, many are not,” Ekstrom said. “This begs the question of what these additional neurons are doing and opens the door to better understanding the role of individual neurons in representing memories, at least in [animal] models,” Ekstrom said. According to Ranganath, Wiltgen’s research has provided the strongest evidence to date showing that the hippocampus is involved in storing memories and the context of those memories. In the future, this research could help current and future researchers investigate ways to reactivate neurons in patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory-degenerative disorders.
lunch
VICTORIA TRANG can be reached at science@theaggie.org.
KELLEY DRECHSLER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
Cont. from front page Thursday in the company of ASUCD Senators Bradley Bottoms and Kabir Kapur. The lunch included a discussion of the structure of ASUCD, reasons for being part of student government and where student fees go. “It was a rewarding experience. They were excited to be a part of the first [lunch],” Kapur said. “I was excited to hear that they were interested in being a part of the program.” The next Lunch with ASUCD is on Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the CoHo. Students can register online at asucd. ucdavis.edu/2012/10/30/asucd-meals.
6 wednesday, january 30, 2013
The california aggie
Developments to increase bicycle safety continue Campus officials implement programs to reinforce bike safety and regulations
Zach Land-Miller / Aggie
A roundabout replaced a stop sign on Hutchinson Drive and Bioletti Way. Roundabouts on campus reduce bike accidents by facilitating the flow of traffic.
By JOYCE BERTHELSEN Aggie Features Writer
During last week’s rainy days, many of us were splashed with the infamous “Freshman Stripe” — an embarrassing phenomenon that occurs when your bike tires splatter your back with muddy water. A lot of us also cringed when our buses drove up with foggy windows. Then we endured the discomfort of being tightly packed in it. For the even more unfortunate, however, rainy days are also bike-crash season. While arguably there are fewer bicyclists on campus in the rain, the hazards of a slippery road are also greater. Some people may even argue that students lose all biking abilities when it rains. Both the transportation and police departments are working to minimize the risks of accidents through roundabouts and other features. With over 22,000 bicycles on campus every day, the probability of accidents seem great. However, there have only been approximately 600 reported bicycle accidents in the past 10 years (five per month) according to a report from the fire department. Still, this does not account for minor accidents when students hit a curb or fall off their bike because they are texting. Well over 90 percent of bicycle accidents are not reported, according to Cliff Contreras, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) director. “There are accidents, [but] the majority are minor,” said William Beermann, UCPD representative. “I think the majority of accidents involving vehicles are reported to the police department. The accidents that are caused by a single bike are probably not reported, but those are minor — maybe not even to a point of a scrape or a bruise. I think that as a campus, we’re very safe as far as bikes go.” The 17 roundabouts on campus help reduce biking accidents by providing a more fluid flow of traffic. The construction of the new roundabout on Hutchison Drive and Bioletti Way replaced a stop sign, which some students seemed to disregard. Constructed during Martin Luther King Day weekend, it was in place by Tuesday, Jan. 22. “Historically, nationwide, the replacement of standard intersections to roundabouts has greatly increased traffic safety and reduced crashes,” said David Takemoto-Weerts, TAPS bicycle coordinator. “So that’s the assumption we’re operating under.” As Tercero South Residence Halls continues to grow, Takemoto-Weerts said he anticipates there will also be increased bicycle traffic on Bioletti Way and onto campus. The new roundabout is only part of the project to make the Hutchison/Bioletti intersection safer. Around 400 to 500 students pour out of the Science Lecture Hall every hour onto Hutchison Drive, keeping the street busy throughout the day and adding to the constant foot and vehicle traffic. “That area where the roundabout is now has been notoriously a problem where a lot of bicyclists don’t stop,” Contreras said. “It creates problems for traffic and pedestrian circulation, so we believe that this will mitigate some of that.” The existing construction found at the Hutchison/Bioletti intersection is a current gate construction project and improv-
ing the parking lot. The gate on Hutchison Drive and California Avenue is the current campus-enclosed core perimeter, but the new gate will extend the boundary, where there will be little vehicular access. The project is funded by TAPS and Unitrans, and aims to create a safer environment for bicyclists and pedestrians. The gate is anticipated to go up in the next several weeks, according to Contreras. “When you see class breaks on any day of the week, we believe that trying to go down Hutchison [Drive] is very dangerous for anybody involved in that movement, and we don’t want any vehicles in there during [breaks],” Contreras said. “So we created [the roundabout] and improved the parking lot to complement the gate.” The only routine vehicles permitted through the gate will be transit and campus service vehicles. A kiosk will also be built to allow communication for other vehicles that need access to the core. As part of enforcing bike safety, TAPS and the police department formed a partnership to create and implement different programs. The Bicycle Education Enforcement Program was developed through this partnership, and is an online training course about bicycle safety and regulations. Starting last October, they also implemented an ongoing bike light giveaway program. Bicyclists with no bike lights will be stopped by a police officer, talked to about bike safety and given a bike light instead of a citation. “It’s a form of education, encouragement to ride safely and to utilize the safety equipment,” Beermann said. Future plans to improve bicycle safety include developing a scramble phase on La Rue Road and Orchard Road, which is a light signal allowing only pedestrians and bicyclists to move. Another bicycle roundabout will also be placed at the California Avenue and Shields Avenue intersection this summer. During the rainy days when students aren’t biking in the dark or through roundabouts, many are found in Unitrans buses complaining about how crowded it is. Some wonder aloud why Unitrans doesn’t send them a spacious double-decker bus instead. In fact, there are only two vintage and two modern double-deckers. Buying another one would cost about $800,000. “We don’t have that many double-deckers because they’re very expensive and they’re all diesel-powered,” said Anthony Palmere, Unitrans manager. “Because we’re in an air quality nonattainment area, we’re restricted in how many diesel buses we can have. We have the natural gas buses, so we’re on what’s called the alternative fuel path. It’s difficult for us to get diesel buses unless we’re also getting natural gas buses at the same time. We don’t have the funding to buy either kind of bus right now.” Palmere also explained that crowded buses are one of the reasons UC Davis is a sustainable school. Dividing out the carbon footprints of the people on the bus, the emissions per person is low. They are even lower on a bicycle. But rain allows you to hold onto your environmentalist credit aboard the bus while avoiding that stripe down your back. JOYCE BERTHELSEN can be reached at features@theaggie.org.
Get tatted, fight cancer Local tattoo shop hosts event to help fund toddler’s cancer treatment By TANYA AZARI Aggie Arts Writer
If you walk into Primary Concepts on Feb. 2, it’ll seem just like a normal day for one of Davis’ neighborhood tattoo shops. You’ll see various pieces of art and tattoo flash sheets adorning the walls, hear the buzzing of tattoo guns and the murmur of conversation between artists and customers. Only one thing will seem strange: Everyone there will be getting the same tattoo. A cancer ribbon. They’re all there for Primary Concepts’ “Tattoos Fighting Cancer” event, in support of little Jeffrey Matthew Fagan. “I’ve known Jeffrey’s dad for a long time,” says Phil Geck, owner of Primary Concepts. “We went to high school together and I’ve been tattooing him for about five or 10 years. About six months ago, he called me to cancel his tattoo appointment because they had found a lump in his son’s chest.” The lump turned out to be cancer, and Jeffrey was diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of two. Since the tumor is too close to his trachea, surgery is not an option, and he will undergo two years of chemotherapy. Jeffrey is already several months into his treatment. “It’s been a bumpy road,” said Jeff Fagan, Jeffrey’s dad. “But he’s a strong, tough, happy kid. When he’s feeling OK, you wouldn’t even know he was sick, other than his bald head.” Jeffrey’s parents, Jeff and Brianne Fagan, are having difficulties paying for Jeffrey’s medical bills while still supporting themselves and their five-yearold daughter Zoey. Jeff hasn’t been able to work since the diagnosis, and the two juggle watching the children with almost daily trips from Vacaville to Sacramento for their son’s treatments. Thankfully, the Fagan family has received nothing but care and support from those closest to them. “Friends have put together fundraisers before, and that’s what’s really keeping us afloat,” Fagan said.
What makes Geck’s fundraising event stand out from the others is that when you give, you get something permanent in return. “Tattoos Fighting Cancer” will feature ten different artists, all available to tattoo any color cancer ribbon for only $20. “People want to show support with these tattoos for their loved ones that are suffering from or have passed away from cancer,” Geck said. “Our tattoos are usually a minimum of $70 or $80, but we chose to offer these for $20 to make it more accessible for those interested.” The money paid for each tattoo will go directly to Jeffrey’s family. Primary Concepts is also holding an art auction at the same time and place as the tattoo event, for individuals who don’t want tattoos but wish to contribute. “We’re going to have a lot of handmade art pieces, and we’ll be selling them off via raffle,” Geck said. For those who can’t make it on Saturday but still want to show their support, Geck has set up a fundraising website on gofundme.com to help Jeffrey’s cause. “I think it’ll be the first of many,” Geck said of the event. “There are a lot of people out there with cancer, and I think we can try and help some of them.” The Fagan family is thankful for the support. “We really appreciate the help that we’ve received from Phil and everybody that’s stepped up for us during this hard part in our life,” Fagan said. “I’d just like to convey that we don’t want people to feel sorry for us. It’s something that happens that’s hard for our family, but at the same time we’re trying to stay positive, beat the cancer and move on with our lives.” “Tattoos Fighting Cancer” will be taking place from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday at Primary Concepts on 219 E Street. To donate online, go to gofundme.com/1v3e54. For any questions, call (530) 400-9622. TANYA AZARI can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.