Science & Technology

Have you ever looked up into the sky and wondered to yourself, "What's out there?" The mysteries of space can be the most puzzling, yet exciting phenomena of science today. To Andreas Albrecht, this phenomena is simply enthralling. Albrecht is a professor of physics at UC Davis and studies dark matter, dark energy, cosmic inflation and - when he's not wrapping his mind around the universe - the delicate art of Pretty Pretty Princess.

A new study by UCD researchers suggests that some epilepsy related deaths result from patients' brains not telling their bodies to breathe during seizures.

The finding could help identify a risk factor for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy SUDEP, a condition in which the reason for death is unknown and is not due to prolonged convulsive seizures or seizure-related accidents.

Today

Environmental Drivers of Large-Scale Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Mosquito Abundance and Virus Transmission in California

Chris Barker, UC Davis

12:10 to 1 p.m., 122 Briggs

Sponsored by entomology

Western pine forests succumb to North America's largest known insect invasion

Western pine forests are experiencing an infestation of bark beetles that is destroying millions of acres of trees in the area.

Experts say it is the largest known species infestation that has ever occurred in North America.

Marion Wittmann knows Lake Tahoe. From the invasive species that live in the basin of Lake Tahoe to the effects of the boats on the surface, this ecologist takes to the lake like a boat to water. Wittmann is known at UC Davis for her research and presentations on the Asian Clam Invasion, a particularly damaging species to environments like Lake Tahoe.

UC Davis and Aldagen, a North Carolina biotechnology company specializing in regenerative medicine, will investigate the potential of Aldagen's stem cell technology for the treatment of stroke.

The collaboration was formalized in a memorandum of understanding earlier this month and represents the first time that researchers in the stem cell program at UC Davis will work with Aldagen.

Heart transplants more successful when donor and recipient are same sex

A Johns Hopkins University study found that heart transplant patients are 25 percent more likely to live if the donor and the recipient are of the same sex.

Today

"Infectious Diseases: Think Locally and Globally"

Campus Community Book Project

Freeborn Hall, 10 a.m. to noon

Sponsored by Campus Community Relations, UC Davis School of Medicine, Student Health Services, International Education Week Resources Faire

If you ever wanted to stop your tennis match and challenge the referee's last call, you probably should, said UC Davis associate professor David Whitney.

Published in the Oct. 28 issue of the journal Current Biology, UC Davis researchers, led by Whitney, have shown that humans - even professional tennis referees - are hard-wired to misjudge balls when they are hit close to the line.

Consisting of 22 million acres, alfalfa is the fourth largest crop produced in the United States. Like most crops, there is an ongoing battle between genetically engineered producers and organic producers of alfalfa.

However, a recent study conducted by UC Davis plant scientists suggests that gene flow between GE alfalfa and organic alfalfa can be minimized.

Editor's note: Nancy Hudson, the assistant program director of the UC Davis nutrition department, has had the chance to visit 72 different countries to pursue her professional and recreational interests. She recently sat down with The California Aggie to discuss her travels, her career in dietetics and more.

Today

"Chemical Communications Between Plants, Leafminers, and Parasites"

Le Kang, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

122 Briggs, 12:10 to 1 p.m.

Sponsored by the department of entomology

Older blood found to increase infections in hospitalized patients

A recent study showed that hospitalized patients who received blood that was more than a month old were three times more likely to develop infections than those who received fresher blood.

Once upon a time, it placed fear in the hearts of many and killed 20 million people in less than a year. Now, one shot every year hopefully prevents this outbreak from ever occurring again. As flu season begins, so does the distribution of vaccines.

California's housing market slump may be breeding stress and discontent, but a new study shows that the ongoing foreclosure crisis may also breed disease.

According to researchers at UC Davis and the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District, a rise in the number of neglected pools associated with abandoned homes in Bakersfield coincided with the city's first West Nile Virus epidemic, which was also the largest outbreak of the disease in California last year.