Have you ever wondered what kinds of research and activities take place on the different University of California campuses?

The University of California Television gives students and the general public an inside view into what they may not know about UCs.

UCTV, launched in 2000, is a satellite channel that provides educational and entertainment programs from the 10 UC campuses.

“UCTV is a mix between, Discovery Channel, PBS and C-Span,” said Alison Gang, communications manager for UCTV.

Programs offered range from art and music to science, religion, health and medicine and are broadcasted 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

It is a non-commercial, satellite channel that collects programs submitted from different UC campuses, she said. The programs are then packaged and disseminated on satellite to various outlets.

UCTV is currently available on cable television, iTunesU, YouTube, live webstream and satellite.

“Anyone can watch it for free,” Gang said.

UCTV programming includes documentaries, lectures, interviews, artistic performances and educational material for a wide audience.

According to its website, UCTV embraces the core missions of the University of California – teaching, research and public service – through quality and in-depth television that informs, educates and enriches the lives of people around the globe.

Some programs offered are “The Med Ed Hour,” “Teachers P.E.T.” and “State of Mind.”

“The Med Ed Hour” features medical programs for health professionals who wish to expand their knowledge, stay updated on new research, and obtain continuing medical education credits.

“Teachers P.E.T.” provides a series of programs that help teachers enhance their classroom experience as well as prepare students for college.

State of Mind is a 30-minute magazine-style program that features segments from the UC campuses. UC Davis senior public information representative, Paul Pfotenhauer, submits many of his pieces to “State of Mind.”

“My pieces are geared toward the general public,” Pfotenhauer said, “to inform the community of the value of research done at UC Davis and how we work to solve real world problems in California and the nation.”

Water is the primary issue in this state and a political “hot potato” in legislature, Pfotenhauer said.

“At UC Davis, we have a strong group of environmental researchers with plans to save the delta,” he said. “They are making plans to map out future water needs for the state of California and how to solve it.”

Pfotenhauer also submitted a 30-minute documentary about the challenges that zoos face in the 21st century. The documentary was recently aired on PBS.

Other UCTV programs from UC Davis are contributed by Mediaworks, a team of professionals who provide campuswide media services.

Their services include video, audio, photography, art, illustration and animation. Mediaworks submits videos of concerts and conferences that take place on the UC Davis campus.

Each of the UC campuses has media sources that submit programs to be aired at different time slots on UCTV.

“Those sources vary by campus,” Gang said. “Some campuses are very centralized and we generally get things from one unit.”

From UC Davis, she said, UCTV receives most of the content from the communication department, the Mondavi Center for Performing Arts and the UC Davis Medical Center.

“A lot of information comes out of the MIND institute,” Gang said. The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders institute is a research organization that focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders.

“It is highly valued by the community, especially people who have children with autism,” Gang said.

In addition to informing and educating the community, students can also learn a thing or two from UCTV.

“There may be a lot of things students don’t know about the campus,” Pfotenhauer said.

The content available on UCTV can inform students about issues such as the environment or contributions made by researchers on campus, he said.

For UCTV programs exclusively from UC Davis, visit uctv.tv/davis.

THUY TRAN can be reached at features@californiaaggie.com.

WEDNESDAY

Davis Farmers Market

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Central Park

Buy local produce and more at the farmers market. For more information, visit davisfarmersmarket.org.

Friends of Yolo Hospice

6 p.m.

1909 Galileo St., Suite A

Come join the inaugural meeting of this group, which will sponsor special events as well as fundraise. A top priority is celebrating next month’s 30th anniversary of the Yolo Hospice organization. If you have any questions, call 758-5566.

THURSDAY

Summer Concerts at the Gazebo

7 to 8:30 p.m.

Main Street and Railroad Avenue in Winters

This free concert series will feature the Little Charlie’s Caravan playing a genre of music known as French gypsy jazz. The shows, sponsored by Winters Friends of the Library, will continue through July 31.

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@californiaaggie.com 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.

Honeybees do more than sting you. Without them, you wouldn’t get to eat your favorite fruits, nuts and ice cream flavors. And due to a recent mysterious decline in honeybee colonies, you may actually be losing more than that.

Every one-third bite of food you eat is something that is due to pollination by bees, said Robbin Thorpe, professor emeritus of the department of entomology.

Honeybees pollinate an estimated $15 billion of crops annually.

“Honeybees are our prime agricultural pollinators,” Thorpe said. “We’re all affected. A lot of the foods we eat are going to increase in price.”

In Davis and the Yolo County, crops that are particularly affected are almonds, sunflowers and possibly cherries and prunes.

In many of the colonies, all the adult bees abandon the hive and leave behind the queen bee and a handful of very young bees, said Eric Mussen, apiculturist for the department of entomology. Colony Collapse Disorder is used to describe this phase among the honeybees, which takes place over a short period of a few days to a few weeks.

The causes behind CCD are unknown to researchers.

“They’re not starved to death,” he said. “Honey and pollen is there and the bees have got everything they need, but they left.”

CCD could be caused by a combination of several factors, said Sue Cobey, research associate for the department of entomology.

“New diseases, poor nutrition, pesticides in the environment and lack of foraging are some things that will break down the honeybees’ immunity,” Cobey said.

“Too many fungal or viral infections could send honeybees over the edge,” Mussen said. “There’s a myriad of infections out there.”

UCD researchers are still hoping to learn more about CCD and its causes. The task is made a little easier thanks to a $100,000 grant from Häagen-Dazs in February.

Häagen-Dazs has launched a campaign to save the bees, as honeybee pollination contributes to producing 40 percent of their ice cream flavors.

Some of their most popular flavors such as vanilla swiss almond and strawberry depend on ingredients reliant on honeybees.

The grant will be used toward rebuilding the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility and to hire a postdoctoral researcher. According to the department of entomology website, the facility has been an active bee research program for 76 years. It is the largest, most comprehensive state-supported apiculture facility in North America.

Although the program is still looking for the postdoctoral researcher, it has set up a contract to work with Michelle Flenniken, a researcher from the University of California, San Francisco.

UCD researchers are hoping that Flenniken will be able to provide insight into how viruses affect honeybees.

The previous research done in honeybee immunology, Mussen said, basically looked at the question of what happens when a honeybee is challenged with microbes, particularly bacteria and fungi.

“We were thinking that perhaps the viruses are more difficult things that are hurting the bees and we don’t know how honeybees respond to viruses,” he said.

Other ongoing honeybee research is being conducted by Cobey, a geneticist who maintains a stock of honeybees at UC Davis and is trying to increase the genetic diversity among the honeybee populations.

“We’re losing diversity and honeybee health is really dependent on diversity,” she said.

She will be going to Ireland and Turkey to obtain some semen to artificially inseminate the queen bee in Davis, Mussen said.

Although the causes of CCD may not be confirmed any time soon, Mussen said UCD researchers are working on a number of honeybee-related projects that will help protect the bees.

Consumers interested in helping to protect the honeybees can do so by supporting local beekeepers, donating money to the UC Davis Honeybee Research Fund or purchasing Häagen-Dazs’ honeybee-dependent flavors of ice cream, where proceeds will go to research.

For information on honeybees, CCD or how to you can help, go to helpthehoneybees.com.

THUY TRAN can be reached at features@californiaaggie.com.

Talking on your cell phone frequently could produce an expensive phone bill – but could it also give you cancer?

For now, the answer is no. There have been several studies about the link between cell phones and brain cancer and many of them have pointed toward the negative.

In 2006, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported a Danish study that claimed, “Any large association of risk of cancer and cellular telephone use can be excluded.”

Researchers carried out the study by following 420,095 Danish cell phone users from 1982 to 2002. Their studies proved that heavy cell phone use did not cause an increase in brain tumors, acoustic neuromas, salivary gland tumors, eye tumors or leukemia.

Yet, there is still concern regarding the mobile phones. The effects of radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones on humans are still being researched.

Paul Knoepfler, a cancer biologist and member of the UC Davis Cancer Center, speculates that a cell phone’s ability to emit microwave radiation through obstacles can have adverse effects.

“We are all very happy when our cell phones work inside buildings or even elevators where the user is surrounded by metal,” said Knoepfler in an e-mail interview. “But if you think about it, if the signal from the cell phone is strong enough to do that, it is definitely going right through your skull and into your brain because your ear is only a couple inches from your brain. Therefore, although current research does not suggest high risk, cell phone users are in a sense irradiating their brains and there is almost certain to be some kind of risk associated with that.”

He adds that frequency to the radiation might play an important role.

“It is the same kind of issue as getting your teeth [or chest] X-rayed,” said Knoepfler. “In those cases the exposure time is usually a split second and occurs only once every few years or less. While X-rays are a much stronger form of radiation, cell phone users often spend hours every day on the phone, so that magnifies the radiation exposure.”

Another problem with this type of study is that cell phones are a new invention, relatively speaking. The long-term effects of cell phones are hard to measure because brain cancer itself can take years to manifest and cell phones are ever changing.

With the new California law, a hands-free device is now required when driving. Knoepfler said it might be a safer alternative, as a wireless device emits less radiation to the brain.

However, it still emits radiation.

“You have to remember that any wireless signal is a form of radiation,” said Knoepfler. “So there could be risk associated with Bluetooth, but the same may apply to WiFi.”

Does this mean that having a radiation device strapped right by the temples for long periods of time will be dangerous?

The Bluetooth is used for short-range transfer of information, however, so most often signal strength is likely to be a lot less intense than that emitted by cell phones, he said.

“The Bluetooth signal just needs to go a few feet, not miles,” Knoepfler said.

“All risk is relative,” Knoepfler said. “The danger of dying from crashing your car into a semi truck on I-80 from being distracted by chatting on the cell phone as you drive is probably much higher than from the radiation given off by that cell phone during your drive and the risk from Bluetooth is even lower.”

“If you spend hours every day on the cell phone with it pressed against your ear year after year, you are definitely exposing your brain cumulatively to a significant amount of microwave radiation that over time could add up to trouble,” he said.

To add to the fear, not all studies point to safety. A study on the issue was done recently by Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, a physician and lecturer at Tel Aviv University.

The study concluded that frequent cell phone users had a higher chance of developing tumors on the salivary gland on the side of the head where they hold the cell phone.

“The jury is still out on this important question,” Knoepfler said on the cell phone debate.

“There have been a number of studies looking for links between cell phone use and brain tumors, which together have given conflicting results…. We just don’t know enough yet to say that kind of heavy, long-term cell phone use is safe or not,” he said.

And the topic generates concerns among college students as well.

Susan Tiang, a sophomore biological science major, said cell phones do not cause any sort of brain damage.

“I don’t think [cell phones] do enough to chemically cause your cells to mutate,” Tiang said.

Chino Mayrina, a junior English major, points out the uncertainty of holding an electromagnetic radiation device to one’s head.

“It has to do something. It operates on [radiofrequency energy] and that’s found in microwaves and such things,” Mayrina said. “It’s easy to think they share a similar concept.”

APPLE LOVELESS can be reached at features@californiaaggie.com.

Editor’s note: In order to shed some light on its day to day operations, The Aggie talked to its own Jon Gold this week. The managing editor is a senior political science and international relations double major.

1) What exactly does being managing editor entail?

The managing editor has many different roles at the Aggie. The most prominent aspect would be deciding the placement of stories on the front page of the paper. I hire writers for the paper and read over all articles and columns before a paper is actually produced. Also, as with all desk editors, I am part of the editorial board. We meet four times a week during the school year to collectively author the editorials that appear on the opinion page every Tuesday and Thursday.

2) So in terms of day to day tasks, what’s the first one you have to do once you walk in the door?

Once I get in, I turn on my computer. While I wait, I’ll pick up the dummy. This set of papers shows me where in the next day’s Aggie ads will be. I use this to decide which articles go on which pages, and where we can place color photos.

3) What’s the most difficult task you have to do?

Handling all of the personnel aspects of the Aggie. Although interviewing and hiring writers is very rewarding, it takes a fair amount of time. Other aspects of personnel, such as discipline, are rather unpleasant as well as time consuming.

4) What made you apply to be managing editor?

I wanted to have more of an impact at the Aggie. Previously, when I was working at night, I felt as though a lot of things were out of my control. Now, I feel like I have an impact on the day to day production of the Aggie, which is very satisfying.

5) One aspect of your job is the Daily Calendar. How does someone get an event into the Daily Calendar? What kind of information should they provide?

People can either stop by 25 Lower Freeborn and fill out a slip or e-mail dailycal@californiaaggie.com. Providing the date, time location and a short description are the four things that are most useful. However, the more information, the better!

6) What would you say to people thinking about writing for The Aggie that are reading this interview?

Apply! We’re always looking for more writers, especially for the upcoming school year. I see the Aggie as a place for people to learn, so lacking experience is not an issue. Just stop by 25 Lower Freeborn and pick up an application, or e-mail managing@californiaaggie.com with any questions.

7) Your previous job at The Aggie was night editor, but I think more people would know you as Jon Gold the Weatherman. Where did you get your inspiration for the daily weather quips?

When I first took over the job, I was concerned that I wouldn’t have anything to say. The previous weatherperson suggested that I get a small notebook to jot ideas down. Although I did get one, most of my ideas were just inspired by the awkwardness that is my daily life.

8) What would the weather for tomorrow be, if you were still writing them?

Wow, what a question. Let’s go for: “Looks like the weather should be clear tomorrow, with a high of 90. Over the weekend, I saw a colony of 10 or 15 rabbits by Hickey Gym. Although I tried to catch them under my backpack, the little rascals moved much too quickly. I’ll catch you, you pesky wabbit!”

9) How is managing editor a position that will help you in future careers?

So many different skills come together in managing editor – personnel, editing, managing writers and editors – that I feel I’ve already learned a lot in my first six weeks! I think supervising the production of all news articles and working with people during stressful deadlines will be valuable things to experience.

10) So where do you get your news?

I read the New York Times daily. I’m especially a fan of Sunday’s Week in Review section. I also read the Sacramento Bee and San Francisco Chronicle online relatively frequently. For my bitter and sarcastic political news, I am an avid reader of wonkette.com. I think that about covers it.

Interview conducted by RICHARD PROCTER. Reach him at editor@californiaaggie.com.