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STATINS MAY TARGET LEARNING DISABILITIES

UCLA scientists have discovered that statins, a popular class of cholesterol drugs, can overcome the mutation linked to the leading genetic cause of learning disabilities. The Nov. 8 issue of Current Biology reports the findings, which were studied in mice bred to develop the disease, called neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). The results proved so hopeful that the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the drugs in three clinical trials currently under review to test the effect of statins in children and adults born with NF1. The findings could help the estimated 35 million Americans who struggle with learning disabilities. “Learning disabilities and mental retardation each affect 5% of the world population,” said Alcino Silva, professor of neurobiology, psychiatry and psychology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Currently, there are no treatment options for these people. That’s why our findings are so exciting from a clinical perspective.”

THE AFTERMATH OF A HURRICANE

Eliminating poverty in the United States has emerged among most Americans as a more important priority than fighting terrorism, building democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and rebuilding areas devastated by natural disasters, according to a multilingual poll.

New California Media. The 10-year-old organization that promotes ethnic media was commissioned to find out how Hurricane Katrina affected the way people think about poverty, race, the environment and government. Pollster Sergio Bendixen released results Oct. 27 at UCLA. Poll takers talked to 1,035 respondents in Spanish, English, Korean, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin from Oct. 14-21. More than two-thirds of respondents agreed that “life is a lot more difficult for poor people in the United States than I ever imagined.” The poll also found that strong majorities of whites, African Americans, Hispanics and Asians now think that “it is a disgrace that there are millions of very poor people in the United States, and government should do everything in its power to eliminate poverty.” In contrast, much smaller percentages of each group feel that “there will always be millions of very poor people in the United States, and there is very little that our government can do to change that.”

FUTURE HOME

The UC Office of the President has selected a future 11-story building planned for a site at 1100 Broadway in downtown Oakland as the new headquarters for its office consolidation initiative. The site is adjacent to its current offices at 1111 Franklin St. UCOP has five other satellite offices in and around the city, housing systemwide human resources and benefits, the UC treasurer's office, the California Digital Library, and several special research and academic preparation programs.  The consolidation of office leases allows the university to bring these functions under one roof in a cost-effective manner. The lease proposal will be presented to the regents this month.

DESERT RACE ENDS

A software glitch dashed UCLA’s chances of winning the last month’s robotic-vehicle race, but the university’s entry turned in fine performance nonetheless.

“Golem 2’s performance was fantastic. It got to the 28-mile marker faster than all the other vehicles in the race,” said Emilio Frazzoli, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and member of the Golem Group/UCLA team. The team’s Dodge Ram 2500 was called Golem 2 after a legendary Jewish automaton. he race took place in the Mojave Desert near Primm in southwest Nevada on Oct. 8. Stanford University’s Stanley, a VW Touareg, completed the 132-mile course in 6 hours, 53 minutes and 8 seconds for a first-place finish and $2 million in prize money. The race was sponsored by the Department of Defense, which is seeking to spur development of autonomous vehicles so as to save American lives on the battlefield. According to team co-leader Richard Mason, Golem 2 was on pace to win the race when her on-board computer crashed after 22 miles. The truck veered off course, halting after a dramatic quarter-mile romp in the desert. Golem 2 received about $250,000 in funding from UCLA.

FATAL DISPARITY

HIV patients with a low socioeconomic status are more likely to die much sooner than patients with higher levels of wealth and education, a new UCLA study has found. These findings are of concern, given the high rates of HIV among patients with low socioeconomic status, according to the study led by William Cunningham, professor of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine. “It’s among these groups that the infection is increasing most rapidly, even though there are better treatments available than we used to have,” said Cunningham, also a professor of public health. “There’s still reason for alarm because the groups that are most likely to get infected are less likely to get treatment and are dying at much higher rates. We need to look at improving care and find ways to help the low socioeconomic status population, and we would recommend more resources being put toward those groups.” The findings are published in the November issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

PARTNERSHIP PRIZE

The Center for Community Partnerships is accepting applications for the third annual Ann C. Rosenfield Distinguished Community Partnership Prize. The program's primary goal is to publicly acknowledge outstanding examples of engaged scholarship in which UCLA faculty or staff have collaborated with Los Angeles nonprofit organizations to address issues of community concern.  The winning partnerships will receive a cash prize of $20,000 of which $10,000 goes to the UCLA partner and $10,000 goes to the community partner. These cash awards are made possible through the Ann C. Rosenfield Fund at the UCLA Foundation under the direction of David A. Leveton, and can be used for any purpose by the recipient. The deadline for submission is 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9. The application information is available at http://la.ucla.edu/awards/

THE GENDER GAP AMONG BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS

Over the past 33 years, black women have enrolled in four-year colleges at higher rates than have black men, according to the results of a new study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. In 2004, black women comprised 59.3% of all first-time, full-time black students attending four-year institutions, compared to 54.5% in 1971. The study also revealed that among black freshmen, males have higher intellectual self-confidence ratings than do females: 76% of males vs. 65% of females rated themselves among the top 10% compared with their peers. However, black women attending both historically black colleges and predominantly white institutions were significantly more likely than were men to enter college with “A” averages. “The findings reveal that the gender gap is not a new issue among black college students, but it continues to widen in many areas of access, achievement, and important college and graduate school preparation behaviors,” said the lead author of the report, Walter R. Allen, UCLA professor of education and of sociology and holder of the Allan Murray Cartter Chair in Higher Education. “This portends even lower attainment rates for black males in the future.”

NEW POLICY FELLOWS

Former California Governor Gray Davis and former California State Senator Jim Brulte have been appointed Distinguished Policy Fellows at the School of Public Affairs for 2005-06. Throughout the year, they will participate in classes, lead discussions and panels, and serve as a resource for faculty and students on issues involving California state politics. The Distinguished Policy Fellows program has been spearheaded by John Morris, president of Morris Management, a longtime supporter of UCLA.

NEW SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

The School of Law is partnering with the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate at the Anderson School in a joint venture that will be called the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA, reflecting the growing interdisciplinary focus of the center and the university. “Few current issues can be addressed by one discipline alone,” Chancellor Albert Carnesale said. “Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential and is a top priority at UCLA. This partnership between the Anderson School and the School of Law will strengthen the Ziman Center’s role in an industry that makes an enormous contribution to the economy of Southern California. Collaboration will enhance opportunities for interdisciplinary research and curricular development, along with UCLA’s community outreach in the field of real estate.” The Ziman Center will continue to work to offer students a full range of coursework that considers real estate and its significance in the economy and urban environment. The center’s recently established Faculty Research Fellows Program includes faculty members from seven academic departments at UCLA, including the law school.

TWINS GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS

One of two identical twin baby brothers waiting for heart transplants at Mattel Children’s Hospital has responded well enough to medication that he left the hospital. Leaving his 15-week-old twin behind at UCLA, Nate Draper joined his parents at the Ronald McDonald House where the Arizona family has been staying since coming to UCLA in mid-July. “Although Nate looks perfectly healthy on the outside, tests show that his heart is still weak and he still needs a heart transplant,” said Juan Alejos, medical director of the pediatric heart transplant program. “Being at home will allow him to bond with his family and continue to develop while he waits.” The condition of his brother, Nick, has actually worsened, and doctors have increased his heart-pumping medications. 

The twins were transferred to Mattel shortly after their birth because they have dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the muscles of the heart are not strong enough to pump efficiently. Doctors say it is extremely rare for a baby to be born with this condition, and even rarer that twins would both have it. The family has appealed to the public to stress the critical need for organ donors.

Where are we?

You're in the Ahmanson Foundation Courtyard in the Tom Bradley International Hall. The building was designed by renowned architect Ricardo Legoretta.