FEATURES
Book Review: The Martian
COLUMNS
Journal Club
Read highlights from recently You can be sure that it’s going published journal articles, to be a fun ride when you pick summarized by Synapse’s Science Editor. » PAGE 4 up a book with an astronaut on the cover. » PAGE 3
IN THIS ISSUE
Events » PAGE 2 Features » PAGE 3 Columns » PAGE 4 Puzzles » PAGE 8
SynapseNewspaper
The UCSF Student
synapse.ucsf.edu | Thursday, May 28, 2015 | Volume 59, Number 16
ASSN Spring Social Ashley King Contributing Writer
T he Associated Students of the School of Nursing (ASSN) hosted the Spring Social
on May 13, and it was a huge success! Over 50 people attended the catered dinner from Carmelina’s and enjoyed drinks in the Nursing Mezzanine. After the raffle, a few lucky students walked away with gift certificates for Starbucks, Jamba Juice,
and Amazon.com. Nursing students were able to catch up with each other, as well as guests Pam Bellefeuille and Dean Vlahov. It was a wonderful way to wrap up the school year. Thank you to everyone who attended. Ashley King is a first-year nursing student.
UCSF Joins Forces with Dental Students Across the Nation Anna Nonaka Staff Writer
“I f not you, then who? If not now, then when?” This April, seven UCSF Dental Students had the opportunity to attend the largest ASDA Lobby Day ever in Washington, DC. Lobby Day is an annual event hosted by the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) where dental schools from all over the United States send representatives to lobby for legislation in favor of enhancing dentistry, protecting students, aiding patients, and much more. Our goal is to meet with members of Congress in order to obtain votes or co-sponsorships
on legislation with a positive impact on dentistry. The event is also hosted by the American Dental Association (ADA), ASDA’s parent professional organization. The ADA selects 2-3 bills for the agenda each year, and representatives can decide which bills to advocate. This year, the ADA selected the Action for Dental Health Act 2015 HR539 and the Student Loan Refinancing Act HR649. Here is a brief breakdown of the major talking points we referred to during our appointments.
ASDA LOBBY DAY » PAGE 6
Photo by Diana Teng
Spring Social. Nursing Students and Dean Vlahov enjoy a catered dinner, drinks, and a raffle during
theMay 13 ASSN spring social (from left to right).Eli Fox, Cate Flannagen, Audrey Combs, Dean Vlahov, Mike Sweeney, Ameera Snell Marge Suda, Charlie DeVries.
Career Advice
What is Your Weakness Naledi Saul Contributing Writer
Ipostdocs t’s the time of year that students and ask about the most frustrating
interview question: “What’s your weakness?” This seems to be the most misunderstood interview question, by candidates and interviewers alike. What’s the purpose of this question, and what’s an appropriate response? The goal of any effective interview question is to gain some insight on your knowledge, skill level and work style. The “weakness” question was to be asked, by your direct supervisor, after they told you about the job responsibilities. Your answer gave them information about your learning curve, and how to support you as a supervisor. It also gave them insight about your ability to assess, manage, and
communicate potential problems and to problem solve, if you were the selected candidate. But at some point, everyone - not just a supervisor - started asking candidates about their weaknesses. In some cases, the question came before even hearing about the scope of responsibilities. Why is that? We in the OCPD think that it’s because most staff who are part of a hiring process are not experienced interviewers, and tend to just ask questions they themselves were asked in their interviews. Students and postdocs frequently struggle with the question, “What’s your weakness?”
CAREER ADVICE » PAGE 7
UCSF Representatives.
Courtesy of Anna Nonaka
From left to right, Cassie Truong (2014-2015 ASDA Legislative Liaison), Dr. Prerna Vijan, Anna Nonaka (2015-2016 ASDA Legislative Liaison), Patrick Wolfgram, Yoomin Ahn, Argina Kudaverdian, and Eliza Tran. Post-Lobby Day appointments.
Action for Dental Health Act
•• Allows more organizations to qualify for CDC oral health grants in order to improve oral health education and dental disease prevention. •• No additional burden to taxpayers (grant money is not being increased) •• Allow initiatives with the greatest impact in communities with dental access disparities to receive support. These include: Give Kids A Smile, Missions of Mercy (both treat hundreds of thousands of patients in tens of millions of dollars in free care that they would not have received otherwise, both currently privately funded). •• Reduce the number of emergency visits and burden on the health system (these visits also do nothing to treat dental disease and patients will continue to cycle back to the ER). •• Still a competitive grant – not reallocating money. •• Improves quality of care by opening competition to more efficiently functioning organizations (statistics included)
Student Loan Refinancing Act
•• Allows students to refinance federal loans as many times as they wish. •• Allows new dentists (actually all students) to refinance federal Direct Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans anytime (this means you can pay back your loans at lower interests rates if available). •• Dental students have an average of $247,437 in debt from dental school alone (for those with debt) – the highest of any professional school, and most students receive loans. •• Dental students have the lowest rate of default on their loans. •• Reduced student loan burden allows the opportunity for a greater diversity of students to attend dental school which statistics have proven results in increased access to care. This lessened burden also allows students to accept positions in those communities versus higher paying corporate positions. •• Refinancing is only used when the economy is doing well and interest rates lower, so should not have a significant detriment to national finances.
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Events » HISTORY, SCIENCE AND ART OF OCULAR PROSTHETICS: LECTURE & RECEPTION
Friday, May 28, 3-5 p.m., Lange Reading Room, Library, Parnassus Join School of Medicine Alum, Robert S. Sherins, MD, as he speaks about the traditions of ocular prosthetics through the story of family traditions over centuries and across two continents. Registration required: http://calendars.library.ucsf.edu/ event/2075133
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE NIGHT
Thursday, May 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Nursing, 225 Join the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance for a celebration of cultural diversity. This event aims to push back against biases and stereotypes and allow APA communities to speak for themselves regarding a number of critical health issues faced.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES: MISSION BAY Friday, May 29, 1-1:30 p.m., Medical Sciences, 159, Parnassus Friday, May 29, 1:30-2 p.m., Mission Hall, 1407, Mission Bay The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer and socializing. All are welcome!
CAMPUS EVANGELISTIC FELLOWSHIP
Friday, May 29, 7-10:30 p.m., Nursing, 517, Parnassus Join the Campus Evangelistic Fellowship for their weekly meeting with Bible study, hymn singing, and fellowship. http://www.sfcincodemayo.com/
MAKING HISTORY: UCSF SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Saturday, May 30, 2-4 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission Bay Don’t miss this special program that opens a window to the School of Pharmacy’s colorful, pioneering past and how that past is shaping the School’s future. The Making History program and reception are open to all UCSF community.
IPQB ALUMNI SEMINAR
Monday, June 1, 7-9 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay Come hear from UCSF PhD alumni and learn about their careers! The May seminar features Meg Byrne, who received her PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from UCSF in 2005. Meg worked as a Medical Writer at newMentor and is currently Senior Editor at PLOS ONE. Sponsors: ASGD, GDAA, iPQB
PCP MONTHLY MEETING
Tuesday, June 2, 5-6:30 p.m., Library, CL220, Parnassus This monthly meeting will feature Dr. Margot Kuschel, a leading primary care researcher in the topics of pain management in safety net settings, and homeless healthcare. Social Histories and other spring events will also be discussed. Dinner provided.
CARRY THE ONE RADIO WORKSHOP
Tuesday, June 2, 5 -7 p.m., Mission Hall, 1107, Mission Bay Carry the One Radio is an UCSF-based science podcast. The show is run completely by a dedicated group of young scientists who want to share their enthusiasm for research with a wider audience. The group
meets weekly to workshop various pieces. All are welcome, no radio experience needed.
CAT DAY IN THE LIBRARY
Tuesday, June 2, 2-4 p.m., Library, CL-222 Take time to de-stress with Duke the Cat, from Animal Assisted Therapy of SPCA. Pet a cat, enjoy a snack, and relax!
UCSF RUN CLUB
Wednesday, June 3, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Millberry Union Central Desk, Parnassus Please drop by and join UCSF Fit & Rec for a run! Each Wednesday night the Run Club runs various distances (3-6 miles) at a 9-11 minute per mile.
IMN MIDWEEK MEDITATION HOUR
Wednesday, June 3, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Library, CL211, Parnassus The Integrative Medicine Network invites everyone in the UCSF community to experience a weekly guided meditation. All are welcome, whether you are looking to combat day-to-day stress using meditation or you’d like to uncover subtle layers of your self by diving deep! No experience in meditation is necessary.
ENGLISH CORNER
Wednesday, June 3, 6-8:30 p.m., Medical Sciences, 159, Parnassus English Corner is an informal Conversational English Class given as a free community service and provided on a voluntary basis by both people born and raised in the United States as well as many people who have, at one time in their lives, experienced life as a new immigrant to the US.
DOG DAYS OF FINALS: STRESS REDUCTION
Thursday, June 4, 2-4 p.m., Library, CL220 Take time to de-stress with Lady Jenna, a Cockapoo, from Animal Assisted Therapy of SPCA. Pet a dog, enjoy a snack, and relax!
PROFESSIONAL CULTURAL AWARENESS NIGHT
Thursday, June 4, 4-8 p.m., Faculty Alumni House, Parnassus Join the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), Latino Association of Pharmacy Students (LAPS), and Pilipinos at UCSF (PUSO) for a collaborative around the world cultural food night. There will be a variety of cultural foods to tingle the senses, educate the mind, and calm the soul as you embark on this journey of exploring the different variety of dishes around the globe all in one evening. Come mingle with students from other professions.
FRAUDULENT DATA: A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT
Thursday, June 4, 5-7:30 p.m., Mission Hall, 2105, Mission Bay Join the Science Policy Group for a firsthand account of one researcher’s encounter with fraudulent data in their lab and the resulting experience.
MISSION BAY RIPS
Friday, June 5, 3:30-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission Bay RIPS is a seminar series wherein one student and one postdoc present their current research. Talks are 15 minutes in length and are preceded by a 20-minute social. Snacks and beverages are provided.
DOG DAYS OF FINALS: STRESS REDUCTION
Tuesday, June 9, 2-4 p.m., Library, CL-222 Take time to de-stress with Dasher and Prancer, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, from Animal Assisted Therapy of SPCA. Pet a dog, enjoy a snack, and relax!
2014. This year’s theme is, “Equality Without Exception” » Register http://ucsf-pride2015.eventbrite.com
SUNDAY STREETS: SUNSET
Sunday, June 14, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Great
DOG DAYS OF FINALS: STRESS Highway REDUCTION Sunday Streets is San Francisco’s Thursday, June 11, 2-4 p.m., Library, CL213 Take time to de-stress with Brixton, a Golden Retriever, from Animal Assisted Therapy of SPCA. Pet a dog, enjoy a snack, and relax!
official block party – a monthly roving neighborhood celebration where the streets are closed to vehicles so pedestrians, roller skaters, bicyclists, yoga classes, and whoever can take over for an afternoon.
END OF THE YEAR GATHERING
Sunday, June 14, 2 p.m., Stern Grove, 19th Ave and Sloat Blvd Enjoy a summer of amazing concerts and performances at an admission-free performing arts series in Sigmund Stern Grove, a beautiful outdoor amphitheater.
STERN GROVE FESTIVAL
Thursday, June 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Smith Cardiovascular Research Building Atrium, Mission Bay Come celebrate PRIDE month at UCSF. Enjoy food, music, and raffle prizes, and acknowledge the LGBT community at UCSF. This event is open to UCSF staff, students, faculty, trainees, and alums, as well as our allies, friends, spouses, and partners.
SUNDAY STREETS: EXCELSIOR
Sunday, August 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Mission Street between Theresa and Geneva Ave Sunday Streets is San Francisco’s official block party – a monthly roving neighborhood celebration where the streets are closed to vehicles so pedestrians, roller skaters, bicyclists, yoga classes, and whoever can take over for an afternoon.
MUSIC IS GOOD MEDICINE CONCERT
Friday, June 12, 5–7 p.m., Oberndorf Auditorium, Mission Bay Hospital Enjoy our Spiritual Care Services volunteer musicians who care for our patients as they perform especially for you!
SUNDAY STREETS: WESTERN ADDITION
JOIN THE UCSF CONTINGENT AT THE Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE PARADE Fillmore and Fulton Streets Sunday, June 28, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Market Street between Beale and 8th Street Come join friends and family of UCSF and be a part of the San Francisco Pride Parade
Sunday Streets is San Francisco’s official block party – a monthly roving neighborhood celebration where the streets are closed to vehicles.
Announcements » ARE YOU A FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE STUDENT (FG2C)?
••
Register with the First Generation Support Services office to give you access to all of the First Generation Support Services and help the office advocate for you! http://bit.ly/firstgenregister
Roman Catholic Mass Sundays, 11:30 a.m., Mission Bay Hospital, First Floor Main Meditation Room C1401; Parnassus Hospital Room M1319
GOAT HILL PIZZA
SPIRITUAL CARE SERVICES ONGOING EVENTS
Present the coupon below anytime you dine in or pick up at Goat Hill Pizza in Potrero Hill and 20% of your bill will be donated to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco.
Daily Midday Mindfulness/Meditation Mondays-Fridays, noon-12:30 p.m., Mission Bay Hospital Room C1401
Get involved! Local businesses and their customers have been raising money for the new UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco through the Big Give for Kids (BGFK) community Initiative. If you know of any businesses that may be interested in being part of the BGFK, please contact linda.cam@ucsf.edu or 415502-1885.
Spiritual Care Services at UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals invites all to their ongoing programming. For more information, please contact Spiritual Care Services at Parnassus: 353-1941 or Mission Bay: 5144200. ••
DINE WELL DO WELL Present this coupon when you dine in or pickup at Goat Hill Pizza in Potrero Hill and 20% of your total bill will be donated to support UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco.
Potrero Hill 300 Connec�cut St SFCA 94107 415‐641‐1440 Offer Expires 12/2015
Sun to Thurs 1130am‐1000pm Fri to Sat 1130am‐1030pm
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Features »
GPSA General Meeting Book Review The Martian by Andy Weir Summary: May 4 Hanna Starobinets Staff Writer
Polina Pulyanina Contributing Writer
T ransition to New GPSA Board We proudly welcome the incoming
GPSA Board! We encourage you to meet your student representatives at our next GPSA meeting in October 2016, or by appointment. The GPSA Board members are introduced on our website at gpsa.ucsf. edu. Upcoming Event Planning GPSA is always looking for feedback regarding GPSA-sponsored events such as the Winter Formal, Casino Night, and Multicultural Diversity Night. If you are interested in providing feedback or participating in event planning next year, please contact our current or incoming executive board. Housing Updates The Housing Committee is planning on having all term limits end during the three months of summer, varying among the academic programs. The term limit ends regardless of when a student moved into student housing. The term limits are implemented to allow equal access
to housing for students of all programs, regardless of matriculation. Students interested in influencing housing policy at UCSF are encouraged to serve on the Housing Committee during the upcoming academic year. UCSA Hosted Meeting Three students were chosen to move on to the final interviews for the incoming Student Regent. The finalists will be interviewed by the current regents. In additional UCSA news, it was proposed that students will be invited to participate on hiring committees for faculty members.
Y ou can be sure that it’s going to be a fun ride when you pick up a book with an
astronaut on the cover that begins with the words: “I’m pretty much f--ked. That’s my considered opinion. F--ked.” After blazing through software engineer Andy Weir’s breakout novel The Martian, released in print in 2014, I wasn’t in the least surprised that it was already in production for a major motion picture
some massive just oversight on physics… it always sets off a flag to my nerdy little OCD brain that it just ruins the setting for me. So I wanted to make my sci-fi as accurate to real physics and science as possible.” Throughout the book, a number of situations arise that require cleverness, innovation, and a lot of back of the envelope calculations. While one might
Food Security No student should be hungry at UCSF. The Food Insecurity program will provide Bear Hug certificates and gift cards to Safeway for those students who are experiencing limited access to food. Students may remain anonymous. For details, please email gpsa@ucsf.edu. Polina Pulyanina is a fourth-year pharmacy student and GPSA VP of Diversity Affairs and Synapse Liaison.
Arts & Events Creating community, one event at a time
June 2015
www.campuslifeservices.ucsf.edu/artsevents
TICKETS ON SALE SOON! UCSF FAMILY NIGHT AT AMC featuring "MINIONS," rated PG Friday, July 17th at 6:30 p.m. AMC Van Ness
Visit our website for more information. THE SYMPHONY PARNASSUS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Sunday, June 7, 2015 3:00 p.m. San Francisco Conservatory of Music 50 Oak Street THE GOSPEL CHOIR AT UCSF ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT Monday, June 15, 2015 6:00 p.m. Millberry Union Event and Meeting Center 500 Parnassus Avenue UCSF FAMILY NIGHT AT THE THEATER featuring "MATILDA, THE MUSICAL" Sunday, July 26th at 7:30 p.m. SHN Orpheum Theater Tickets on sale now - $40 & $45 Visit our webpage for details!
Synapse
An artist’s conception of a spacecraft landing on Mars.
starring Matt Damon. It’s just that good.
The premise of the novel is a near-future manned mission to Mars that goes awry in a dust storm, leaving the American astronaut Mark Watney, who is a mechanical engineer and botanist, stranded alone on Mars. The beauty of near-future science fiction is that all the technology used in the novel exists today; it may not be fully developed or mainstream, but it at the very least has been invented. This allows Weir to create a completely realistic and plausible environment in which our laws of science and math hold true. In an interview with the science podcast “Inquiring Minds,” Weir spoke with UCSF’s Director of the Bay Area Science Festival Kishore Hari . Weir spoke of the importance of scientific accuracy and plausibility: “I’ve been a sci-fi geek my whole life, and I’ve also been a science geek my whole life. And it always bugs me when I’m reading sci-fi and there’s
Courtesy of Pixabay
imagine that reading through a series of mathematical calculations would be utterly dull, I actually found these passages to be exhilarating highlights. One of my favorite sections required Watney to use mental arithmetic to figure out: how much water would grow how many potatoes, which would provide how many calories, which would allow him to survive for how many days. This kind of high-stakes problem solving pulled me into each moment as I asked myself: “What would I do?” Turns out, the author ran his own simulations to figure out these mathematical solutions!
With Mars missions on the not-so-distant horizon, this book comes at a perfect time to capture our imaginations and force us to think about how we’ll survive on other planets, and how we’ll come together as a planet to support those early space pioneers. Hanna Starobinets is a fourth-year BMS Student.
For more information: www.campuslifeservices.ucsf.edu/artsevents
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The UCSF Student Newspaper Staff
Jenny Qi | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Taylor LaFlam | SCIENCE EDITOR Bryne Ulmschneider | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Hanna Starobinets | STAFF WRITER Akshay Govind | STAFF WRITER Ilka Fensen | STAFF WRITER Yarrow Madrona | STAFF WRITER Yi Lu | STAFF WRITER Anna Nokana | STAFF WRITER Lauren Shields | STAFF WRITER Mayya Shveygert | STAFF WRITER Charllotte Anderson | STAFF WRITER Andrea Villaroman | STAFF WRITER
About
Synapse is the UCSF student-run biweekly newspaper which runs on Thursdays during the academic year and publishes online in between print issues. Synapse seeks to serve as a forum for the campus community. Articles and columns represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Board of Publications or the University of California.
Advertising
Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Synapse. Synapse and its editorial board reserve the right to decline advertisements promoting false or misleading claims, known health risks, or content deemed by the editors to be antithetical to the interests of UCSF students or the UCSF community. Synapse does not accept advertisements from tobacco or alcohol manufacturers, or sexually oriented personal ads. Synapse reserves the right to run any ad Submissions Announcements and letters should be submitted with a disclaimer. seven days before publication. All submissions must be emailed to synapse@ucsf.edu. All material is Visit synapse.ucsf.edu to view the publication schedule and to submit an ad. subjected to editing.
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Columns » [Exit, Pursued by Science]
Biomedical Science is Awesome Hanna Starobinets Staff Writer
A s this academic year comes to a close, I want to highlight some recent discoveries
in the wonderful world of biomedical science. As I sit at my lab bench, bent over an ice bucket cluttered with FACS tubes, trying to make some small discoveries of my own (and get a PhD before I’m 30?), I’m motivated by all the awesome discoveries that are helping humanity live longer and healthier lives. I’ve said before that today’s transformative technologies are driving the future toward us at a ferocious pace; I believe this is equally true of our understanding of the biology of human health and disease.
anyone wants to read it). They found that the measles virus preferentially infected macaque memory T cells and follicular B cells, both of which are important for immune memory (the heightened ability to fight a repeat infection). As soon as the immune system was able to mount an antimeasles response, all those infected cells were killed off, and with them memory of any pre-measles infection. The authors termed this systemic depletion of memory cells, “immunological amnesia.” They also noted that the reason we might have missed this effect in the past was that a rapid expansion of measles-reactive
This Date in UCSF History Taylor LaFlam Science Editor
F rom 25 Years Ago: Vol. 34, No. 31, May 24, 1990: The Synapse issue that came out 25 years captured an exciting time in UCSF history. The front page was crowded with a number of memorable stories, with front-page stories “Doogie Howser Appointed to Faculty”, by Jean Yuss, “Trump Buys UCSF”, by Lo Sell Hi, and “UC cardiologist to fight Mike Tyson,” by Lowell Comb. Now you might be thinking, why did UCSF decide to hire Howser. Well, Chancellor Julius R. Krevans was quoted as saying “This child prodigy, this Renaissance lad, is just what our institution needs. His youth, energy and clinical abilities can revitalize UCSF.” But Krevans soon said more that revealed that what seemed like a genuine interest in a boy genius might have really just been about the money: “Since his fellow teens all make $3.75 an hour in fast food chains, he should be satisfed with the relatively low salary we have established for him,” Krevans said. I guess that Howser realized he was getting a raw deal, or maybe just got tired of teaching medical students and saving lives, because now he just hosts award shows and acts and stuff like that.
In another interesting story, we learned that “Millberry Union Bookstore manager Peter Crigger has been approached by the U.S. Secret Service to serve as Mikhai Gorbachev’s “stand-in” during the Soviet president’s upcoming Bay Area visit.” Evidently, Gorbachev wanted some time to get in some secret golf lessons. Crigger was interested, so long as he could meet with Gorbachev to “’to compare notes on cutting bureaucracy and restoration of the free market.’” There was an article that sought to help medical students choose their best specialty by comparing themselves to various celebrities. For example, if you resemble the teenage mutant ninja turtles, pediatrics might be a good fit because all the kids would know and love you. On the other hand, if you have the “big biceps” of Arnold Schwarzenegger, then orthopedic surgery would work well. Some of the recommendations I suspect will resonate more with readers with sharper memories of 1990, such as the recommendation that if you’re like “Dr. Jacoby” (he of “twotoned glasses and tropical fiesta wear,”) psychiatry would be a good path. In addition, revelations since this article was written make some of the recommendations
UCSF HISTORY » PAGE 5
UCSF Journal Club Taylor LaFlam Science Editor
C ANCER BIOLOGY: The transcription factor GABP selectively Courtesy of Pixabay Childhood vaccines can protect against additional off-target infections and drive down worldwide childhood mortality
The Awesome Side Effects of Vaccination We know that vaccines work. They’re well-designed immune-training diseasedefeating warriors. Recent studies have shown that, on top of teaching the immune system to defeat one specific disease, childhood vaccination can indirectly provide protection against additional diseases. Vaccination is the gift that keeps on giving! One example of this phenomenon is the measles vaccine, which was first administered to children about fifty years ago. As intended, the rates of childhood measles plunged. What’s perhaps more interesting is that overall childhood mortality decreased up to 90 percent in the poorest areas of the world, a stunning number that cannot be accounted for by measles incidence alone. The two major hypotheses for this observation were: (a) the measles vaccine stimulates an immunological gain of function that can provide off-target protection, and (b) the measles virus itself is somehow immunosuppressive, and the vaccine simply prevents that suppression from occurring. De Vries and colleagues demonstrated evidence for the latter hypothesis in macaques in a 2012 publication in PLOS Pathogens (an open-access article if
T cells would have masked a global T cell depletion. Quality over quantity: the number of T cells in someone who has survived measles may be high, but the global repertoire is gone. Fast-forward to a May 2015 publication in Science by Mina and colleagues from Princeton University. Using population data from England, Wales, the United States and Denmark from the decades surrounding measles vaccine introduction, these authors set out to find human epidemiological evidence that would support or refute the two opposing hypotheses: does the measles vaccine provide an off-target gain of immune function, or does it prevent the measles virus-associated loss of immune function? The authors found that in the prevaccination decades of all four countries, childhood measles infection associated significantly with mortality from other infectious diseases for a prolonged period of 2-3 years. This association was tight enough that the rates of measles infection year to year could predict fluctuations in mortality rates from other infections. The authors argue that while the gainof-function hypothesis cannot explain the pre-vaccine disease rate correlations, the prevention-of-immune-suppression
EXIT SCIENCE » PAGE 5
binds and activates the mutant TERT promoter in cancer. Bell, R.J., et al. (Costello, J.F.). Science. 2015. Epub ahead of print. In normal cells, the number of cell divisions is usually limited by the need for chromosomes to be capped with protective telomeres, which shorten with each division. Cancer cells find a way around this block, often by activation of TERT, the enzyme that can extend telomeres. Previous research on several types of cancer frequently found two particular mutations in the TERT promoter, but the specific effect of these mutations was unknown. Here, Bell and colleagues show that these mutations allow recruitment of the transcription factor GABP to the TERT promoter, leading in turn to TERT expression. They find this recruitment in four different cancer types. They also observe that multiple ETS motifs located near these TERT promoter mutations cooperate to activate TERT; they hypothesize that the ETS motifs stabilize GABP binding. BIOCHEMISTRY & CANCER BIOLOGY: Structures for human phosphofructokinase-1 and atomic basis of cancer-associated mutations. Webb, B.A., et al. (Barber, D.L.). Nature. 2015. Epub ahead of print. The glycolytic pathway, subject of a thousand undergrad biochemistry quizzes, is regulated most strongly by the activity of phosphofructokinase-1, whose activity
is affected by binding of many metabolites. PFK1 is thought to have an important role in metabolic changes in cancer cells. In this paper, the authors present the first crystal structure of tetrameric PFK1, specifically the human platelet isoform PFKP, in complex with ATP-Mg2+ and with ADP. By comparing the structures, they were able to determine that there is a large conformational change upon ATP hydrolysis to ADP, one effect of which is that the catalytic site becomes more open. They also examined the effect of three mutations seen in cancer and found that they alter how binding of certain metabolites to PFKP alters its activity. INFECTIOUS DISEASE: FCRL5 delineates functionally impaired memory B cells associated with Plasmodium falciparum exposure. Sullivan, R.T. et al. (Greenhouse, B.). PLoS Pathog. 2015. 11(5):e1004894. The protozoan Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent cause of malaria. Although there has been significant progress in preventing and treating malaria, with annual deaths down about 50 percent since 2000, it still kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. People infected with P. falciparum tend to have atypical memory B cells, but little careful study of these B cells had been done. Here, Sullivan and colleagues provide new insights into these cells.
JOURNAL CLUB » PAGE 5
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Articles continued » Exit Science » FROM PAGE 4 hypothesis explains both pre- and postvaccine rates of childhood infection and mortality. In further support of this claim, these correlations did not exist when the authors applied the same analysis to the introduction of the pertussis vaccine; this makes sense, given that pertussis (whooping cough) is not known to have any immunosuppressive effects. The authors conclude that: “Measles vaccination is one of the most costeffective interventions for global health.” My conclusion – and I’m no statistician – is that in this case, getting the vaccine is basically a million times better than getting the disease. Sources: Science, PLOS Pathology, NPR But Wait, There’s More! A really cool paper just came out of the Müschen group at UCSF, published in the May issue of Nature Immunology. They were interested in the origins of childhood pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL), as well as the observation that the common childhood vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib),
UCSF History » FROM PAGE 4 hold up poorly. In particular: “Obstetrics: Bill Cosby. The researchers found that 92 percent of expectant mothers trust anybody who wears multi-colored sweaters, eats Also from 25 years ago:
which cause ear infections and meningitis, also protects against childhood ALL. As they develop, T and B cells undergo genetic recombination events that can produce an unlimited diversity of receptors (in B cells, these are antibodies). This adaptive immunity allows one to prepare for unforeseen infectious attacks that one must survive in order to reach adulthood. If errors occur during these recombination events, genetic abnormalities can turn a B cell into a pre-cancerous cell, which can then expand into leukemia. It turns out that very high levels of inflammation in infancy can contribute to the expansion of these pre-cancerous cells. This group showed that the enzymes involved in B cell genetic recombination events were hyperactive in the presence of the inflammatory cytokines of chronic infection. Early vaccination against Hib, and perhaps other bacterial and viral infections, prevents such aggressively inflammatory diseases – and, as an added benefit, cancer. Sources: Nature Immunology, UCSF News If you want to keep reading my digest version of science and technology news over the summer, follow me on Twitter at @hannastarobin.
Journal Club » FROM PAGE 4 They found that these B cells had decreased expression of B cell receptor compared to normal memory B cells. They further found that they tended to express high levels of FCRL5, expression of which correlated with poor antibody production after the cells were stimulated. Moreover, higher levels of P. falciparum exposure correlated with having more FCRL5-expressing B cells.
cell. Binding of this peptide-receptor complex to the T cell receptor initiates a carefully regulated signaling pathway, two early steps of which are activation of the kinase Lck followed by ZAP-70. In this paper, the Weiss lab provides new insight into how ZAP-70 activity helps tune this signaling pathway. They used mass spectrometry-based techniques to carefully profile the phosphorylation state of cellular proteins over time in the presence and absence of ZAP-70 catalytic activity.
IMMUNOLOGY: The catalytic activity of the kinase ZAP-70 mediates basal signaling and negative feedback of the T cell receptor pathway. Sjölin-Goodfellow, H., et al. (Weiss, A.). Sci Signal. 2015. 8(377):ra49.
They found that ZAP-70 stimulates negative feedback on Lck. They also created a computer model to explain their experimental results, predicting a particular order of tyrosine phosphorylation events on the TCR ζ protein.
The T cell receptor binds to a peptide presented by an MHC receptor on another
Taylor LaFlam is a fourth-year BMS / sixth-year MSTP student.
jello pudding and tells humorous anecdotes about his or her childhood.”
Dental work after work or school
Even at the time, the issue probably didn’t please everyone. An article on the front page declared, “Humor Issue Cancelled,” which was probably disappointing.
UCSF Dental Center now offers high quality dental care in the evening. Get the care you need, on your schedule.
Hanna Starobinets is a fourth-year BMS Student.
Taylor LaFlam is a fourth-year BMS / sixth-year MSTP student.
At UCSF Dental Center, dental students provide state-of-the-art care, supervised by experienced UCSF faculty. Our patients pay 40 to 60 percent less than other dental offices. • Convenient evening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. • Easy parking • 99 percent satisfied patients Call us for a screening appointment today. We look forward to serving you! (415) 476-1891, Option 3 • • • • • • • •
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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Closing Celebration
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Thursday, May 28 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nursing 225 Parnassus
Join Dr. Tung T. Nguyen, ARCH Director, for a special musical performance, food, community building and fundraising for Nepal Relief efforts.
6 | May 28, 2015
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Articles continued » ASDA Lobby Day » FROM FRONT PAGE So, how did we prepare to win over our representatives? The preparation actually begins months prior to the conference. First, the UCSF ASDA Legislative Liaison recruits applicants for Lobby Day and selects the number of representatives based on the subsidies we receive from our supporting organizations. Then, we meet periodically to discuss logistics, strategies for lobbying, team-building, and tips for scheduling appointments with our assigned representatives. Setting appointments proved more difficult than previous years. While we were selected to represent all of the Northern California dental community, some representatives were resistant to meeting with a student who was not a constituent in their district despite the fact that these representatives did have constituents at the UCSF School of Dentistry, alumni from our school, and many of our students may be providing for patients in their districts in the future. Many of us also fundraised to meet the student contribution for the trip – only $200 (including flight, hotel, and conference fees)! The conference day schedule was intense and left us well-prepared for our appointments the following day. We ran an 8AM – 4PM schedule including lessons on lobbying, inspiration for our common goals, information on the bills, practice lobbying, planning logistics for moving around the capitol, confirming appointments, and meeting new people! A good portion of the day was hearing speakers give us tips on how to lobby. They were legislative aids and experienced lobbyists and all had valuable lessons for us.
How to Lobby •• ASK for co-sponsorship (their vote) on your bills. They want you to leave feeling good about the meeting, but without having to actually promise to do anything. Make your intentions explicit, so their response is equally clear. •• Know your stuff, especially the information packets you give to them. They may test you or ask specific questions on the bill, and you should be able to answer to show that you are vested in the bill and an intelligent representative of the dental community. In addition, know the current cosponsors. Some representatives were much happier to be on board when they saw who else was already supporting the bills. •• At the same time, it is alright if you do not know everything. Do not make up answers. This also gives you the opportunity to follow up with their offices and confirm their stance on the bills. •• Use specific and personal examples. You are giving them the information on the bill, but your personal story will tell them why that information is relevant. Why should they care? In addition, many of the legislative aides are right out of college and similar in age with us, so they may be able to relate more with us on a personal level. •• Do not get distracted. Again, they do not want to have to promise you anything, so they will try to distract you into casual conversation. Always find a way to bring it back to your purpose for being there. •• If they give you a co-sponsorship, stop talking! You do not want to talk yourself out of their support. •• Follow up! If you did not get the cosponsorship, follow up to remind them that you are still waiting for their support. If you did get the cosponsorship, remember to thank them. Follow up more than once! Finally, on Lobby Day, our work came to fruition. All 400+ dental students rode over to the capitol together, and dispersed into the House Office Buildings. The UCSF dental students huddled to go over final reminders, then dispersed and huddled again throughout the day to discuss good and bad points about each appointment. It was usually very difficult to obtain appointments with the congressional
representatives themselves, but our group was actually extremely successful relative to other schools. While every other school we talked to only met with representatives, UCSF was fortunate enough to meet with four actual representatives! Two to three students attended each meeting and they usually met with the representative and his/ her legislative aide, or multiple aides. The results of the appointment varied, but we are able to share that many of our representatives gave our bills co-sponsorships! You can see the representatives we met with and some of the co-sponsorships captioned in our pictures (below/above/left/right). In addition to success, there were also barriers. The Action for Dental Health Act proved difficult because some representatives were concerned about other organizations losing that grant money. We tried to reassure them that this was not a reallocation, but an opportunity for the public to receive the best care instead of simply confining the funds to groups historically allowed access. In addition, since it was still a competitive grant, if those groups could still prove themselves more efficient, they would still receive the money. The Student Loan Refinancing Act of 2015 proved difficult because there are so many options for improving student loan burden. Almost every congressperson sympathizes with the exorbitant expense of our education, but each member has their own idea of how this problem should be solved. It was described as, “picking your favorite child.” You love what each bill is trying to do, but how do you pick just one? We advocated for this bill because it was the most reasonable, obtaining bipartisan co-sponsorship, and would only be used if the economy was doing well. Overall, UCSF representatives obtained much needed support for these bills and left a professional, intelligent,
and passionate impression on all the representatives we met. And… we were still allowed to have fun! That weekend, we were able to attend the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, visit the national mall, and even travel to other states to meet up with friends and family. We had a blast and could not have asked for a greater group of people with him to travel and lobby. So, why did this trip matter to the dental profession? First, strength in numbers! When over 400 students are representing over 50 schools, the entire dental profession, and all our patients, that’s difficult to ignore. We also have very consistent, personal relationships with our patients who are constituents of these representatives. It is also important for our patients. If we do not fight to expand their access to care and fight to allow us to go to under-served populations, who will? In addition, as health professionals in the field, we also know best how to solve these problems because we have tangible experience in solving these issues throughout our communities. We also do this for our dental peers and future colleagues. Dentists and specialists have dedicated their lives to helping others, and we want to give them the voice and help they deserve. Finally, if we do not do it, who will? Many times in facing administration, professors, the UC system, students feel they do not truly have a voice. However, in this case, we may have the most powerful voice of all. We are the future of America’s health, and we will be the future doctors counseling thousands of patients. That is a powerful voice, and UCSF can be proud that our School of Dentistry representatives have used that voice to advocate for all of us. Anna Nonaka is a first-year dental student.
Courtesy of Anna Nonaka Representative Mark DeSalnier with Cassie Truong, Anna Nonaka, and Yoomin Ahn. DeSaulnier represents California’s 11th district.
Courtesy of Anna Nonaka Representative Jerry McNerney with Patrick Wolfgram and Eliza Tran. McNerney represents California’s 9th district
Courtesy of Anna Nonaka Representative Ami Bera with UCSF’s Patrick Wolfgram and Eliza Tran. Bera is a medical doctor who represents California’s 7th district.
Courtesy of Anna Nonaka Representative Eric Swalwell with his legislative aide, Dr. Prerna Vijan, Argina Kudaverdian, and Cassie Truong. Swalwell represents California’s 15th district.
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Solutions »
Articles continued » Career Advice » FROM FRONT PAGE Some torpedo their candidacy with candid answers: •• “I get angry easily.” •• “I hate disorganized people.” Others tried to dodge or ingratiate themselves with the question: •• “I’m a perfectionist.” •• “I care too much.” •• “I don’t have patience for people who don’t bring their A game.” And some failed to answer the question: •• “I can’t think of one.” Why are these responses all wrong? Because these general foibles aren’t giving your employer useful information about your understanding or ability to do the specific tasks on the job description, or any sense of how they can help you succeed. So what can you do? Reframe the question. That is, answer it as if was asked by a skillful interviewer who understood the purpose of the question. Rather than, “What’s your weakness,” imagine the interviewer asked the question this way: Well, Lucy, you seem to have a fantastic skill set. You’re our top candidate and it’s been a pleasure talking with you about the role and responsibilities of the job. As the person who would be supervising you, it will help to know three things: 1) As you reflect on the job description, which responsibilities you’re comfortable with, 2) what’s going to be a growth area for you, and 3) what you would appreciate from me and the team to manage any issues and meet the goals of the position. So what comes to mind for you? This reframing is useful because it puts boundaries around the questions (discuss your weaknesses in relation to the job), and gives you an opportunity to both talk honestly about how you plan to handle the situation and what you need from your supervisor to do so. Below are three variations of responses: 1. Well, Ted, while I understand the research, and have several years of expertise with X technique, one issue I note could be considered a weakness is that this will be my first experience working in a startup.
Solution to Crossword: Through informational interviews, I have an appreciation that the focus, metrics of success, and startup culture is different than academe. But then, every organization is different, and one of my first goals wherever I work is to make sure I understand the performance expectations and integrate into the work environment. If I‘m off point, I’d value straight feedback early. 2. Well Dr. Kent, as I mentioned earlier, In addition to my PNP clinical training and RN experience, I have several years of health education and outreach experience. In hearing about your patient populations today, one of the NPs noted that a significant number of your patients are affected by Tay-Sach disease, which is not one of the health conditions with which I have a great deal of experience. If I was the selected candidate, I would certainly make sure that I brushed up on this clinical issue, and any feedback you could give me on performance in this area would be greatly appreciated. 3. I need to be cautious about agreeing to new projects before I review my workload. If I don’t, I can, at times, overextend myself. Often, it’s because the project or task is interesting, but I’ve learned that over-committing means that nothing gets done well. I manage this tendency by specifically asking about the scope, key deadlines and a little time to review my workload before I commit. I also try to keep my calendar with me so I can review my schedule if an answer is needed immediately– which is what I would do here as well. As you can see, all three responses give your potential employer useful information about your skills, experience, work style, and problem solving skills, and make it clear that you intend to take responsibility in managing whatever the issue is. Most importantly, you can be honest, and professional in discussing a weakness, without feeling you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Want to practice interviewing? Schedule an appointment in the OCPD. Call 476.4986 to make an appointment. Naledi Saul is the Director of the Office of Career and Professional Development.
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Solution to Sudoku
OCULAR PROSTHETICS EXHIBITION
May 2015 - April 2016 Join UCSF Archives & Special Collections and the UCSF Library as we explore the traditions of ocular prosthetics through the story of family traditions over centuries and across two continents. This exhibition demonstrates the evolution and skillful craftsmanship of Müller-Uri and Danz families, as well as the science and art of ocular prosthetics. Modern methods of creating ocular prostheses can be traced to the ingenuity of Ludwig Müller-Uri a glassblower from Lauscha, Germany. After training with an ophthalmologist, he became an ocularist (prosthetic eye-maker). By 1835, he began using a better quality of glass from the local factory. It was not until 1885 that the best cryolite glass became available, which was crucial for the patient’s tolerance of the prosthesis. Around 1880, Amandus Müller, granduncle of Gottlieb Theodore Danz, Sr., created 13 artfully manufactured eye-kits of the blown glass eye models depicting diseases that could be used as teaching devices. In 1915, Gottleib T. Danz, Sr. immigrated with his family to the United States with one of his granduncle’s kits. After the death of Gottlieb T. Danz, Sr., his widow gave that kit to grandson, Phillip Danz (also an ocularist). In 1963, Phillip donated the kit to Professor Michael Hogan, MD, then Chairman of the UCSF Ophthalmology Department. Today the kit is preserved with UCSF Archives & Special Collections, where it remains preserved today.
UCSF Students: Be a sitter or a tutor. Earn $. Sittercity is seeking sitters, elder care resources, dog walkers, pet sitters & more. Visit Sittercity.com and click on “Sitters” to create your free profile. Add “UCSF” to your profile to be searchable to UCSF families seeking services. This new program, sponsored by Student Services Fees, has been used by UCSF students over 170 times since September 2015. Join today!
8 | May 28, 2015
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Puzzles »
Comics »
The Crossword
ACROSS 1 Start of many a Robin exclamation 5 Cafeteria item 9 Dinghy pair 13 Soprano's solo 14 Alan of a 60's sitcom 15 Omani's money 17 Sly signal 18 Give off, as light 19 Seem logical 20 Mama's boy 21 Peeved 22 Seasonal vehicle? 23 Type of music 26 Aromatic herb 27 Part of AARP 28 Flow stopper 30 Whip severely 31 Shapely leg, in old slang 32 Tuna variety 34 "Get lost!" 36 Uno + due 37 Frying medium 38 Angel-like 40 Golfer's goal 41 Make public 42 Term starter 43 Pancake maker 47 Game with a 32-card deck 49 Black Tuesday follower 51 Mexicali munchie 53 Gushing review 54 Beyond tipsy 55 Susan Lucci role 56 Used a loom
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Copyright 2015 by The Puzzle Syndicate
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Camera setting 6 Barrel cleaner Puts on the line 7 Sci-fi staple All square 8 To this point Goblet part 9 Evangelist Eyelid woe Roberts Orion feature 10 Staff members Aromatic 11 Steam source seasoning 12 Lazy one Field of3 activity May 2015 16 - Issue 21 Rock layer DOWN 22 Wound covering 1 Mooring line 24 Humidor item 2 Maryland state 25 Dillydally bird 29 Lethargic feeling 3 Old World finch 32 Pendulum's path 4 Tibetan bovine 33 Pinochle need 5 Something to 34 Big game hunprove ters in India
35 Pottery maker 36 It comes and goes 38 Furniture wheel 39 ____ one's time (wait) 40 Nip in the bud 43 Driveway material 44 Water down 45 Hang around 46 Place in a crypt 48 Tasteless 50 Leave no doubt 52 Zap with a beam 56 Charlotte's creation 57 Shade of blonde
Edited by Margie E. Burke
Difficulty : Easy
Copyright 2015 by The Puzzle Syndicate
Solution to Sudoku
HOW TO SOLVE:
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
SOLUTIONS » PAGE 7
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