Electronic health records unlock

genetics of tobacco use disorder

By Miles Martin (UC San Diego)

By analyzing electronic health records, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified hundreds of new genes associated with tobacco use disorder. They also identified hundreds of potential drug candidates that could help treat the disease. The study was published on April 17, 2024, in Nature Human Behavior.

“Tobacco use disorder has an enormous impact on public health,” said Sandra Sanchez-Roige, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “However, it’s challenging to develop new therapeutics for tobacco use disorder because so much of its underlying genetics is poorly understood.”

According to the World Health Organization, there are about 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide, and 80 percent of these people live in low and middle-income countries. The public health effects of tobacco use extend far beyond those who use it themselves; tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year and an estimated 1.3 million of these deaths are nonsmokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke.

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Top photo credit: Noble Prime/Unsplash

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Common HIV treatments may aid Alzheimer’s disease patients

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently afflicts nearly seven million people in the U.S. With this number expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050, the lack of meaningful therapies represents a major unmet medical need. Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have now identified promising real-world links between common HIV drugs and a reduced incidence of AD. The study, led by Jerold Chun, M.D., was published in Pharmaceuticals.

Chun’s new research builds on his lab’s landmark publication  in Nature in 2018 that described how somatic gene recombination in neurons can produce thousands of new gene variants within Alzheimer’s disease brains. Importantly, it also revealed for the first time how the Alzheimer’s-linked gene, APP, is recombined by using the same type of enzyme found in HIV.

The enzyme, called reverse transcriptase (RT), copies RNA molecules and changes them into complementary DNA duplicates that can then be inserted back into DNA, producing permanent sequence changes within the cell’s DNA blueprint.

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California leaders take sides in monumental

Supreme Court case on homelessness

By Marisa Kendall | CalMatters

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear the biggest case about homelessness in decades, and it seems like everyone in California has an opinion. At issue: whether and under what conditions cities can fine or arrest people for camping in public spaces. The ruling will have nationwide implications for how local leaders manage homeless encampments.

Where does Gov. Gavin Newsom stand on that issue? What about the leaders of California’s major cities? Our law enforcement agencies? Homelessness experts? How about President Joe Biden’s administration?

Many people and organizations have filed amicus briefs to the Supreme Court for the case, which means they’ve written out their opinion and submitted it in writing to the Justices for them to consider.

The case,  Johnson v. Grants Pass, stems from a 2018 lawsuit challenging an ordinance approved by the small city in Southern Oregon that essentially made it illegal for homeless residents to camp on all public property throughout the city.

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Reducing emissions with Iris Air Traffic Management

Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with Viasat, Iris is a ground-breaking ATM program that enables aircraft to fly more fuel-efficient routes by providing digital satellite communications to complement VHF data link, which is nearing a capacity crunch in increasingly congested airspace. By digitally connecting the ATM ecosystem, it enhances collaboration between pilots and air traffic controllers to maximize airspace use and reduce the impact of disruptions for passengers. This means the industry will be able to double or even triple the number of planes in the proximate airspace while flying environmentally optimized trajectories.

Iris is also able to help decarbonize the skies through the use of 4D Trajectory-Based Operations. One of the first airlines to start using the Iris ATM program is easyJet. Using ‘4D trajectories’ that can pinpoint an aircraft in four dimensions – latitude, longitude, altitude, and time – pilots and air traffic controllers can calculate the shortest available routes, cruise at optimum altitudes, and use continuous climb and descent paths. With this real-time information, fuel emissions can be significantly reduced.

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Northrop Grumman expands Australia MQ-4C Triton support team

Northrop Grumman Australia has signed a contract with L3Harris Corporation for the operation and maintenance of command-and-control systems aboard Australia’s MQ-4C Triton multi-intelligence uncrewed aircraft fleet. The collaboration is another milestone in advance of delivery of the platform to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

As prime systems integrator on Triton, Northrop Grumman has collaborated with several suppliers to integrate and maintain key systems and technologies on the platform to provide the capabilities required by the RAAF.

Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight of Australia’s MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft at its Palmdale facility in California in November 2023. The flight marks a major production milestone as Northrop Grumman progresses toward delivery of Australia’s first Triton in 2024.

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Latitude 33 Planning &  Engineering opens new office in Los Angeles

San Diego-based Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering recently celebrated the expansion of its Southern California presence with the opening of a new office in downtown Los Angeles. Opened in mid-March, Latitude 33’s new office is at The Collection, located at 527 W. 7th St., 9th floor. To help lead the Los Angeles office, Latitude 33 has welcomed Jacqueline Reed, DBIA as Project Development Director.  Ms. Reed earned her BS in Civil Engineering from UC Irvine, and brings 13 years of industry experience, most recently in the general contracting sector.

Legal Aid Society of San Diego dedicates

building in honor of its late CEO Gregory E. Knoll

The Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD) unveiled and dedicated its Midtown building in honor of its late CEO Gregory E. Knoll. The dedication took place on Thursday, April 18, at 1764 San Diego Ave., San Diego. Knoll grew LASSD from a small group of attorneys with a budget of $700,000 in 1974 to an organization that today has a staff of 230, including 80 full-time attorneys, 200 volunteers, and a budget of $28 million. He revolutionized the delivery of public healthcare to low-income people.

New owners group takes over The Harp in Ocean Beach

There is a new ownership team at the iconic Irish bar The Harp in Ocean Beach. The new management lineup includes Miles Doughty, frontman for OB-based reggae-rock band Slightly Stoopid; long-time Sunshine Company bartender Steve Ashton; industry veteran Tyson Green, and Hodad’s company president/CEO Jeremy Diem. The new ownership group is interested in transforming The Harp into “a place for all the locals, all of the community to come with ther families and kids.”

Crowe PR and Movetic announce strategic alliance

Crowe PR, a national integrated public relations agency announced its strategic alliance with Movetic, a brand consultancy. The long-time agency partners are formalizing their relationship to better service and help grow food and beverage, wellness and apparel brands with a more robust creative services offering. Crowe PR and Movetic have collaboratively supported consumer goods brands for over six years.  The partnership began during their work on Skrewball Whiskey.

San Diego Public Library launches program to erase library fines

The San Diego Public Library (SDPL) is removing barriers to library access with the new Fresh Start  program. The program offers one-time fine forgiveness for patrons whose juvenile accounts have been suspended for unreturned items, allowing them full access to library programs and services. Fresh Start will erase any past debts owed by SDPL library card holders under the age of 18 and lift suspensions on those accounts. There are currently more than 2,770 people under the age of 18 whose SDPL accounts have been suspended because they did not return items.

Frontwave Arena selects Levy to craft food & beverage at multi-purpose venue

Frontwave Arena has selected Levy, the market leader in creating world-class hospitality  at iconic sports and entertainment venues, to partner on an elevated food and beverage  experience at the new multi-purpose venue in Oceanside. Levy will oversee evey aspect of hospitality for the 7,500 person arena, from concourse concessiond to premium  suites, VIP viewing decks,  exclusive lounges, bars, and an open-air patio. Frontwave will open in September.

Edwina Williams honored with Regina Stanback Stroud Diversity Award

MiraCosta College part-time faculty Edwina Williams earns the 2024 Regina Stanback Stroud Diversity Award. The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges generously sponsors this accolade for California Community Colleges. It celebrates faculty members who significantly contribute to fostering intercultural harmony, equity, and diversity across their campuses. Williams has been at the forefront of incorporating evidence-based teaching and learning strategies,

Airport features live performances inspired by the sounds of airport terminals

San Diego International Airport has resumed its Performing Arts Residency Programm which cultivates the local performing arts community by inviting artist groups to develop and perform new works in the terminals. After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, DrumatiX, a creative percussion company, was selected to develop, rehearse, and perfirm new percussion-based dances in the airport terminals that are inspired by sounds heard during the travelers’ airport journey.

Scripps Encinitas named among top 100 hospitals in the U.S.

Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas has been named among the top 100 hospitals in the nation, based on a study conducted by health care technology and services platform PINC AI. Recognized in the medium community hospitals category, Scripps Encinitas was the only hospital in Southern California to make the prestigious list this year. Scripps Encinitas was ranked No. 10 among the 20 medium community hospitals included in the overall top 100 list.

San Diego plans to install over 400 EV chargers in parking lots

In its continuing efforts to combat climate change and create a regional network encouraging consumers to switch to electric vehicles, the City of San Diego has approved a plan to install 400-plus EV chargers in city parking lots including libraries, beaches, parks and recreation centers. True Upside Consulting has also been selected by the city to contract with it to build a regional EV charging station network. The City Council is expected to consider that contract, which requires no upfront City investment while requiring the contractor to pay for the use of city property, in May.