Dec. 2 - New UCI brain study; end-of-quarter wellness
Section 1
Tire skid marks on a fire curb make for an abstract closeup. Photo by Ian Parker
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Sammy Alhassen, Wedad Alhassen, Amal Alachkar, Kiki Jiaqi Chen and Roudabeh Vakil Monfared (from left) of UCI’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences studied how the removal of cilia from the brain contributes to neurological disorders ranging from schizophrenia to Huntington’s disease. Photo by Lamees Alhassen / UCI
UCI brain study finds potential therapeutic targets for neurological disorders
UCI pharmaceutical science researchers have discovered that removal of cilia from the brain’s striatum region impaired time perception and judgment, revealing possible new therapeutic targets for mental and neurological conditions including schizophrenia, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, autism spectrum disorder, and Tourette syndrome. The study, recently published online in the journal Molecular Neurobiology, uncovered the first evidence of the important role cilia play in timing-dependent dysfunction.
Student success end-of-quarter checklist
With the end of the quarter nearing, it’s more important than ever to remember the keys to your own success lie within you. Some helpful reminders: Be proactive about your wellness: Pause to reflect and refocus: Try it right now. Take a deep breath and check in with yourself. More tips are available on a special checklist prepared by UCI’s Learning and Academic Resource Center.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rising in Orange County
OC hospitals have been seeing a steady rise in COVID-19-infected patients since Nov. 11, when there were 105 patients. The total numbers have almost doubled since then, with 222 patients as of Nov. 23 and 299 as of Nov. 30. The number of patients in intensive care have mirrored the same trend with the number climbing from 16 on Nov. 12 to 38 as of Nov. 30. "That's the second straight precipitous increase," says Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist and UC Irvine associate professor of population health and disease prevention, referring to last week's jump up in patients. "And the ICU has gone up too, but more modestly.”
UC Health offers “long COVID” video education series
UC Health has created a video education series to inform and educate health care providers about best practices and the latest research on screening, managing symptoms and making specialty referrals for patients with post-COVID symptoms. The series brings together the knowledge and learnings from 12 academic health professionals across UC’s system, including faculty and clinicians from UC Davis, UCI, UCLA, UC San Diego and UCSF.
UAW strike update
While two tentative contract agreements have been reached, the UAW strike at UCI and other UC campuses continues, as do negotiations, instruction and research. For the latest FAQs and information, visit the provost's continuity webpage.
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.
How China’s vaccine strategy stoked its looming ‘zero covid’ crisis
The Washington Post, Dec. 1
Cited: Andrew Noymer, associate professor of public health
Fifty years after expulsion, Asians are thriving again in Uganda
The Economist, Nov. 17
Cited: Anneeth Kaur Hundle, assistant professor of anthropology
Explainer: What’s Behind the Protests in China?
U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 1
Cited: Wang Feng, professor of sociology
#UCICONNECTED
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Welcome to the dog days of winter
#UCIrvine tweets: We may run out of days in November, but we'll never run out of smiles! #UCI #UCIPride #ThursdayMotivation
#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.
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION & HEALTH RESOURCES
Upload your vaccine and booster records
Daily COVID-19 Symptom check
By coming to campus each day, students and employees are attesting they are free of COVID-19 symptoms and are not COVID-19 positive. If you currently have symptoms of COVID-19 or recently tested positive, do not come to campus, or if you currently live on campus stay in your residence, and follow instructions for reporting your case or assessing symptoms on the UCI Forward page. Close contacts to a COVID-19 case are not required to stay home or quarantine, but should follow guidance for close contact instructions for masking and testing on the UCI Forward page.
Potential workplace exposure
UCI provides this notification of a potential workplace COVID-19 exposure. Employees and subcontractors who were in these locations on the dates listed may have been exposed to the coronavirus. You may be entitled to various benefits under applicable federal and state laws and University-specific policies and agreements. The full notification is available on the UCI Forward site. If you have been identified as a close contact to a COVID-19 case, the UCI Contact Tracing Program will contact you and provide additional direction.
For COVID-19 questions
UCI Forward - information on campus status and operational updates
Monkeypox information - Information and resources on monkeypox
UCI Health COVID-19 Updates – important information related to UCI Health
UCI Coronavirus Response Center – available at covid19@uci.edu or 949-824-9918
Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services – assistance with vaccines and vaccine uploads or to report a case, available at contacttracing@uci.edu or 949-824-2300
For questions specific to your personal health situation, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider.