Friday, February 26, 1999
Community Briefs
COMMBRIEFS:
Study shows jogging may be good for brain
A recent study in mice suggests that jogging may add cells to
your brain. Mice that ran on an exercise wheel during the study
created more new cells in one area of the brain than did mice that
pursued other activities.
But, it is not yet proven if jogging will increase the number of
brain cells in humans.
"If you want to answer that question, you’re going to have to do
some experiments in humans," said Fred Gage of the Salk Institute
for Biological Studies in San Diego. However, "more people in my
lab have started running since we found this result."
The study was published in the March issue of Nature
Neuroscience. The study was a follow-up on previous studies that
found mice who spent time in a playground-type environment rather
than in a standard cage created more new cells in the hippocampus,
an area involved in learning and memory.
In the experiment, mice were allowed to run on an exercise
wheel, trained to find the location of a hidden underwater
platform, or permitted to swim. An injected chemical marker
identified newly created brain cells.
William Greenough of the University of Illinois said the
findings may indicate that jogging can boost the number of brain
cells in the human hippocampus. But, it is also possible that
people would require an activity other than jogging to get that
effect.
Researchers question need for ‘hospitalists’
Due to today’s competitive health care environment, changes are
necessary to improve clinical outcomes and decrease costs. The
recent introduction of the hospital-based generalist physician,
known as the "hospitalist" is one decision that may need to be
reversed. Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in the care of
hospital patients.
A new report by UC San Francisco health policy researchers said
a rigorous evaluation of the hospitalist system is needed before
assessing its full impact.
The emergence of hospitalists is based on the idea that
inpatient care specialists will be more efficient and available to
hospitalized patients.
To provide evidence of the value of the institution of
hospitalists, Jonathan Showstack, one of the studies’ primary
authors, and colleagues recommend that evaluations of quality of
care should be based on processes performed by hospitalists and the
outcomes of their work
Unique family program focuses on instruments
Special family event, "Meet the Instruments," on March 14 will
feature UCLA’s Symphonic Band. Presented by Design for Sharing, a
community outreach organization for UCLA Performing Arts, the event
will include "touch and look" demonstrations in Schoenberg Hall at
1 p.m., followed by a concert performance.
Appropriate for children ages 5-12, the live demonstration will
give audience members the opportunity to explore the brass,
woodwind and percussion instruments that comprise the 100-piece
UCLA Symphonic Band.
Following the demonstration, the band will perform a concert
featuring Percy Grainger’s "Children’s March" and Tchaikovsky’s
"Sleeping Beauty." During the concert, individual instruments will
be featured to show how they pertain to various compositions.
Led by Thomas Lee, director of bands and conductor of the UCLA
Wind Ensemble, the UCLA Symphonic Band is one of the oldest
performance ensembles on campus and is composed of graduate and
undergraduate students from every major.
General admission for "Meet the Instruments" is $7 for adults,
$5 for children. For more information, call (310) 825-7681. To
order tickets, call (310) 825-2101.
Compiled from Daily Bruin staff reports.
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