02-06-2013

Page 1

FEB. 6, 2013

WEDNESDAY

Aztec Racing featured on page 3

WWW.DAILYAZTEC.COM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013

VOLUME 99, ISSUE 66

SD stops red-light camera program

local Christina Koral

coachella

Staff Writer

Dance acts, part 1: Chillout grooves

The city of San Diego shut-off its red-light camera program last Friday after the contract with the private firm that operates them expired. There were 21 red-light cameras at major intersections around San Diego. “Seems to me that such a pro-

Is it really safer to stop all the way behind those lines if it means you can’t get a full view of oncoming traffic? Ryo Miyauchi

priya chakrabarti

Staff Writer

UCSD human biology and international studies senior

gram can only be justified if there are demonstrable facts that prove that they raise the safety awareness and decrease accidents in our city,” Mayor Bob Filner said at a news conference. “The data, in fact, does not really prove that.” Filner says the fine, which is close to $500, “breeds cynicism

San Diego residents will no longer be seeing the flash of a bright light if they run a red light. Mayor Bob Filner made the decision last week to shut off the camera lights.

and disrespect for the law because people think they’re being ripped off.” University of California, San Diego human biology and inter-

national studies senior Priya Chakrabarti was making a right turn on a red light when the camera light flashed. “Is it really safer to stop all

Scientists fighting a bacteria that’s immune to all antibiotics

national

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine are trying to find a way to combat a bacteria

Will Houston Staff Writer

As people bundle up and eagerly await the end of the dreaded flu season, a more powerful threat is growing that may affect the fate of modern medicine as we know it. A recent study by researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine has revealed that the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is only one step away from becoming resistant to every antibiotic known to humanity. Vancomycin is the only antibiotic remaining that can still affect S. aureus, but that is becoming less of a reality, according to uncnews.unc.edu. The study, conducted by a team of researchers led by chemistry professor Matthew Redinbo, sought to understand how this bacteria

thinkstock

transmits antibiotic resistance to one another, which enables it to survive despite the presence of antibiotics such as vancomycin. Researchers decided to focus on enzymes in the bacteria for further clues. The Nicking Enzyme in Staphylococcus was found to be responsible for the transfer of these resistant genes. NES works by cutting the circular DNA of the bacteria at specific points, which allows these plasmids to freely enter and integrate into other bacteria. This in turn, gives the bacteria antibiotic resistance. As the number of effective solutions begins to dwindle, scientists from across the globe are scrambling to find their next move in this evolutionary arms race. “We used to live in a world where antibiotics could readily cure bacterial disease, but this is clearly

no longer the case,” Redinbo said in a press release. S. aureus is found worldwide and can be carried in air moisture, animals and humans. People are no strangers to the bacteria as nearly one-third of the population carries it today within their throat and nasal passages. The effects caused by this pathogen can range from minor afflictions such as skin infection to the more deadly, such as meningitis, pneumonia and heart infection. A beacon of hope exists that may halt this deadly strain from reaching its goal of antibiotic immunity. Using a crystal enzyme structure as his guide, Redinbo pinpointed an Achilles heel in the structure of the NES enzyme. “As a structural biologist, it’s all about the pictures for me, and it was this picture that confirmed the precise location on which NES works,” Redinbo said. Working with the California Institute of Technology, Redinbo took advantage of his discovery and created a synthetic molecule that blocks the NES enzyme from attaching to bacterial plasmid DNA, halting the transfer of these resistant genes. The ingenuity is a promising start in the reversal of antibiotic resistance in S. auereus and is a source of inspiration for future medical innovation. Modern medicine is not dead just yet. Rather, it is evolving and changing as all life does on Earth.

glenn koenig /los angeles /mct

the way behind those lines if that means you can’t get a full view of RED LIGHT continued on page 2

Though many Coachella electronic acts promise to bring the party, some aim for a more down tempo vibe. Check out our preview of some of the excellent low-key performers. COACHELLA continued on page 6

Crime Beat Suspicious Person San Diego Police Department was called to the Media Center in Love Library on Feb. 1 because of a report of suspicious behavior. Leslie Williams was arrested for obstructing an officer after refusing to leave the premises. Williams was issued a stay away order from the university for seven days. Police transported Williams to Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility after being arrested. Stalking SDSUPD police received a call regarding suspicious behavior and possible stalking on Feb. 1. A female SDSU student called to report an unknown male who appeared to be tak-

Hannah Beausang

ing photographs of people walking through E Lot on Zura Way. She believed the suspect was following her in his vehicle. The suspect was last seen on interstate 8. No arrests were made. Suspicious Behavior SDSUPD escorted a male SDSU student out of class in Hepner Hall. The student was reportedly behaving oddly in class. After being removed from the classroom, the student was referred to his advisesr for further assistance in determining the cause of his behavior. No arrests were made. —Compiled by Staff Writer Michele Pluss

larry bleiberg /dallas morning news /mct

Senior Staff Writer

In honor of Museum Month, 42 museums in the San Diego area will offer halfoff admission. The 24th annual Museum Month provides San Diegans with an entire month of affordable fun. The half-off passes can be obtained at 14 different Macy’s store locations in the San Diego area, Imperial Valley and Temecula. Each pass allows discounted admission for up to four visitors, while supplies last. Museum Month showcases some of San Diego’s finest art, culture and history. The extensive and diverse list of half-price museums ranges from the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center to the California Surf Museum.


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