Campus News

Patients undergoing cornea transplant surgery can now have confidence in using cornea tissue from donors over 75 years of age, thanks to a recent study published by UC Davis professor and chair of the department of ophthalmology, Dr. Mark J Mannis. Before Mannis’ five-year-long national study of cornea transplant patients, doctors were hesitant to use old cornea tissue for fear of worn down cells. Now, after finding that the success rate for older cornea tissue is the same as that of younger cornea tissue, the donor pool has increased by approximately 30 percent. Corneas, located in the front of the eye over the iris, protect the eye and focus light entering the eye. Cornea injury, the number two cause of blindness behind macular degeneration, is caused by a range of disorders and accidents, from the herpes virus to a simple chemical burn.

In the Apr. 10 issue of The California Aggie, the article “Decline in African American and Hispanic graduation rates” incorrectly states that the number of graduating African Americans in 2004 dropped 33 percent. In reality, the rate dropped to 33 percent from 38 percent between 1975 and 2004, a difference of 5 percentage points. Similarly, […]

World-renowned primate researcher and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall came to UC Davis Wednesday evening to melt the ice around the human heart. For nearly two hours, Goodall spoke to a crowd of 1,774 about the plight of Earth and its denizens and what the audience members could do to help. Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking work in East Africa researching chimpanzees. She is widely credited with discovering tool-making behavior in chimps, in addition to finding that they are omnivorous.

After over a decade of research, UC Davis scientists have found five strains of grape rootstocks resistant to several strains of soil-born pests in California vineyards. The rootstocks were released to commercial nurseries on Mar. 31. Howard Ferris, professor of nematology at UC Davis and Andrew Walker, professor of viticulture at UC Davis, conducted the study along with assistance from staff research associate Liang Zheng.

In an effort to address campus cultural barriers, the Students of Diverse Affiliations are sponsoring anti-bias training in an all-day event Saturday titled “Lost in Colors.” The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Hart Hall. Students of Diverse Affiliationscoordinator Hanh Le said the program is a series of workshops to teach students how to properly communicate with all cultures and identities. The Women’s Resources and Research Center, Student Recruitment and Retention Center, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center, Cross Cultural Center, and Counseling and Psychological Services will make presentations during the event. UC Davis chemistry lecturer Bryan Enderle, the keynote speaker, will discuss how to communicate inclusively.

The national average graduation rate of African American and Hispanic students has decreased significantly in the last 30 years, according to a recent study conducted by Michal Kurlaender, an associate professor of education at UC Davis. According to the study, the number of graduating African Americans in 2004 dropped 33 percent, while the Hispanic student graduation rate dropped 34 percent nationally. The increase in dropout rates has grown in tandem with an enduring increase in enrollment to college by minority groups overall. Kurlaender said that there are several possibilities for this phenomenon. “There are many reasons for [students] to drop out: They may find employment that is more lucrative, have no taste for school or find they aren’t good at it,” Kurlaender said. Kurlaender also cites that some students may experience a lack of preparation due to a misalignment between high school academics and the intensity of college coursework, as well as financial constraints due to rising tuition fees. All of these factors may contribute directly to the dropout rate of minorities in college, who are more likely to come from low-income families and may be dependent on financial aid. She stressed that these reasons are not mutually exclusive.

On Mar. 31, three out of four UC Davis nominees were awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships for excellence in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering. Helen Craig, Scott Himmelberger and Alexander Sutherland were three of 18 California residents to be awarded the scholarship. Of the UCs, Davis had the most awarded, with UC Santa Barbara boasting two recipients and UC Berkeley and Santa Cruz trailing behind with one recipient each. “The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year,” said Gerald Smith, president and a founding member of the institution. “The scholarship is a steppingstone to very prestigious fellowship programs,” Smith said. “Of the approximately 6,000 Goldwater scholar recipients, 67 went on to earn Rhodes scholarships and close to 90 have earned Marshall scholarships,” Smith said. “It is nice to be recognized for all of the effort I have been putting into my studies,” said Himmelberger, a sophomore chemical engineering major.

Researchers at UC Davis recently published a study on the short-term “working memory.” Professor of psychology Steven Luck and postdoctoral researcher Weiwei Zhang at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain found that adults store a limited number of high resolution images in the “working memory.” The brain uses working memory to piece together sensory information and store it. Instead of storing many fuzzy images, Luck and Zhang found that the working memory stores a fixed number of high resolution images for a few seconds. “The capacity of working memory is so limited, you have to be careful what is stored in working memory,” Luck said. They found that this system of limited storage cuts down on useless information, or visual “noise.” Easily compared to a digital camera, the “working memory” uses up valuable space when saving these high resolution images, but unlike a camera, the visual memory cannot be set to save a greater number of fuzzier images. Zhang designed the experiment used to test the working memory of adults. The researchers showed subjects a pattern of colored squares for one-tenth of a second. The subjects were then asked to click the colors of the squares by clicking on areas of a color wheel. The accuracy of the colors showed the precision of the test subject’s working memory. “High resolution would mean how precise the colors are,” Zhang said.

Stumbling drunk A senior was spotted stumbling on Howard Way. After stumbling for a while, he fell down and passed out. A concerned witness called the UCD Police and requested a welfare check on the student. The student could not walk without the help of others and reeked of alcohol. Unable to care for himself, the student was arrested for public intoxication and was transported to the Yolo County Jail. After meeting with SJA, the student agreed to a censure and counseling at the Alcohol, Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment program. A censure is an official reprimand and warning given to the student from the university.

Senate Bill 1168, known as “Michelle’s Law,” was passed last week by the Senate Health Committee without opposition. Authored by state Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley), the bill will allow dependent college students to continue receiving health insurance for up to one year due to serious illness or injury. Michelle’s Law is named after Michelle Morse, a New Hampshire college student who contracted colon cancer. The doctor’s request that Michelle cut back her course load raised a dilemma: losing full-time student status meant she would need to pay monthly continuation premiums of approximately $550 to keep her policy in effect.

The Community Outreach Club is sponsoring a quarter-long campaign to raise awareness about the Solar Electric Light Fund, a non-profit organization that brings solar power to underdeveloped nations. The community service based club became inspired to work with SELF after learning that over 2 billion people in the world are living without electricity. SELF’s mission is to bring solar power and modern communications to developing worlds, said King Tong, president of the Community Outreach Club.

In the Apr. 4 issue of The California Aggie, the article “Bahá’í Club at UC Davis hosts Unity Concert” states that there are 9,200 Bahá’í in the Davis community. This is incorrect. The actual number is 90 to 100. The Aggie regrets the error.XXX