July 12 - Researchers invent wearable health monitor, blood shortage continues
Section 1
Krieger Hall engulfed in flora. Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Nationwide blood shortage continues
Since 2015, surveys show that U.S. blood donations have declined steeply, with only about 5% of eligible adults now participating. It’s really only among baby boomers that the rate of donation is fairly stable. Among younger age groups, the rate is dropping even more. Because there is no substitute for blood, recruiting new donors across all age groups is of utmost importance. Dr. Minh-Ha Tran, medical director of UCI Health transfusion and blood donor services, and a School of Medicine professor of pathology, explains the critical need to increase regular blood donations.
UCI researchers invent wearable health monitor that operates without a battery
Researchers in UCI’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering describe their invention as a self-powered, wristwatch-style health monitor built via 3D printing of nanomaterials on flexible substrates for real-time and wireless monitoring of vital signs. The current prototype serves as a self-powered radial artery pulse monitor, but other aspects of health – such as heart rate, body temperature or blood pressure – can be gauged by simply changing the sensor circuitry, according to the paper’s authors.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Travel webinars
The Central Travel Office continues its efforts to educate and inform UC travelers on the benefits of booking within the systemwide program. Through a series of webinars beginning July 20, UC offers an opportunity to engage with major travel suppliers and learn more about their operations. This year, Amtrak joins the lineup of major airlines, hotels and car rental companies with which UC has contracts.
A new dominant omicron strain is driving up cases — and reinfections
For much of the pandemic, the only silver lining to coming down with a case of COVID-19 was that you likely wouldn't catch it again for a while. Increasingly, however, more people appear to be contracting the virus multiple times in relatively quick succession. The BA.5 variant is now the most dominant strain of COVID-19 in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while it's hard to get an exact count — given how many people are taking rapid tests at home — there are indications that reinfections and hospitalizations are both increasing.
Creating a culture of change to reframe bias language in technology
In recent years, technology companies and teams have become aware of commonly used but problematic terminology. The impact of some IT jargon can go beyond misunderstanding and perpetuate a toxic environment. To that end, companies such as Microsoft, Android, and Red Hat have embarked upon campaigns to eliminate these terms from their corporate culture. This realization was the impetus for a small group of IT professionals from UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego Health, and the UC Office of the President to come together and talk about the language used in information technology.
EVENTS
Blood drive
Thursday, 9 a.m. (sponsored by UCI Health)
July Financial Wellness - Benefits of the DCP After-Tax Account
Thursday, 10 a.m. (sponsored by HR Wellness)
Happiness: A Key to Life’s Satisfaction
Thursday, noon (sponsored by HR Wellness)
Visit today.uci.edu to see and submit event listings. Events of general interest will be shared in UCI Digest two days before they occur.
UCI IN THE NEWS
Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.
Orange County was the heart of California conservatism. Now it’s up for grabs.
Politico, July 12
Cited: Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies
Which Doctor Should I See for Dementia and Cognitive Decline?
U.S. News & World Report, July 6
Cited: Hayley Kristinsson, neuropsychologist in the School of Medicine
Monkeypox Is Spreading Amongst LGBTQ Communities – But Is The Response Adequate?
KPCC (podcast), July 12
Cited: Andrew Noymer, associate professor of population health and disease prevention
#UCICONNECTED
Dean of Students Rameen Talesh tweets: “SPOP 1 Parents bringing their enthusiasm to #UCI!”
#UCIconnected spotlights student, alumni, faculty and staff photos, essays, shoutouts, hobbies, artwork, unusual office decorations, activities and more. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.