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[ Wednesday, March 29, 2006 18:51 PDT ]
The New Biotech Scientific Method: Translational Marketing, Money, Modeling and Measuring.
Section:
Science and Technology
Summary:
“Find out what the folks want, when they want it and where they want it. Then, give to them just that way”——-John Lee Hooker, (1917-2001) San Francisco based, Mississippi Delta blues musician. Associated with the Boom Boom Room in the Filmore St.,San Franciso.
In sports, business, and politics each day is a new day with a fresh opportunity for individuals, groups and teams to compete, cooperate and move on. Goals and endpoints are clear. The clock, the score, the financial report and the vote count tend to be truthtellers. In academic scientific research there frequently appears to a dirth of public information and accountablity. Recent evidence includes examples of academic conflict of interest, double dipping, abuse of tenure privileges, travel and expense perk padding and funded faculty recruiting tactics that would embarrass even the most jaded NCAA basketball tournament official.
For example, The California Aggie has recently featured stories of alleged corruption, sex and racial discrimination, poor money management, secrecy, standards violations, and general loss of trust in a number of senior University of California officials. According to the continuing investigative reports from the SF Chronicle, UC President Dynes approved $600,000 in residence upgrades and furnishing , including $30,000 for a dog run, as part of the compensation and moving package negotiated recently by incoming UCSC Chancellor, Denice Denton. Dynes and his office have also provided low interest loans and a deferred compensation package to several administrative aides on his personal staff and Dr. Chu, head of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
On Friday, the Chronicle reported that the university has filed formal charges against UCLA epidemiology Professor Jess Kraus through the faculty disciplinary process. The charge is that federal research funds were improperly channeled to companies affiliated with his family members. Additional federal criminal charges are possible.
University Regents, the state Legislature and the public are not pleased. Several campus Chancellors have announced their plans to vacate their positions. A senior member of the UC Academic Senate has been forced to resign.
Main:
In big biotech science, here is how translational biomedical technology works. Grantmanship is a learned skill. The field of play is at the NIH, its institutes and the academic staffed review sections.
So, first, market your area of research as solving the chronic disease of the moment: obesity, cancer, heart and vascular disease, aging, autism, regeneration with stem cells of lost neural tissue, or whatever. Second, network to find Strong senior mentors and IP smart partners. Third, attract, train and retain talented graduate students and post-docs. Fourth, build a mathmatically sound model to simulate and test your methods and your data. Fifth, demonstrate your model with Strong visuals. Sixth, take your powerpoint show on the road.
One of the key translational skills is developing models using algorithms that claim to simulate and predict the outcome of drug altered biochemical reactions and enzyme kinetics at the intracellular, intra nuclear and organelle level. Other examples of modelling of complex systems are in the fields of economic forecasting, military science and climate change . Needless to say, none of these three examples have impressive predictive records.
Meanwhile, we note that one of the six out of three million to got the Final Four NCAA backet right made a mistake. He confused George Mason with George Washington. The lesson is: to increase your chances of winning in games where luck is in play, increase your number of bets. The illiterate John Lee Hooker knew his numbers and played the game in spades.
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[ Tuesday, March 28, 2006 15:28 PDT ]
Caspar W. Weinberger: A view from the Heartland.
Section:
Vital Stats: birth, wed, obits
Summary:
Today one notes the passing of a bicoastal mover, shaker and shaper of the American presence on the the World stage. Cap Weinberger was born and raised in San Francisco where he attended public schools. His early education included Harvard College where editor of the Crimson and Harvard Law. He was a junior Army Intelligence Officer on the staff of General MacArthur during WW ll. He clerked for a Federal Judge and was elected as a San Francisco Republican three times to the Calfornia Assembly, During the 1950’s he was a Strong Sacramento supporter of comprehensive management of Valley water. That involvement is noted is the recently published history of the California Water Agency founded and funded while Weinberger was in the California State Legislature.
While not an agriculturalsit, Weinberger, like Senator Feinstein, was influenced by the example of San Francisco based Bank of America and its big stake in Valley Ag.
In addition, Weinberger was a Heller firm attorney, KQED PBS public affairs journalist, a Chronicle book reviewer, Chairman of the California Republican Party, a St Lukes Hospital Trustee, a Churchillian Anglophile, and a Forbes Magazine publisher and Bechtel Corporate general counsel. His San Francisco clubs included the Bohemian and the Pacific Union.
He died at the age of 88 on March 28, 2006, at a hospital near his house in Mount Desert Island, Maine. He had been treated there with renal dialysis for several years.
Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.
Main:
Most in Davis who are aware of his work in the Reagan Administration would .like the nytimes, lead their story with military spending and Iran- Contra.
Perhaps some know that American and DOD supplied Sidewinder missles are credited by Margaret Thatcher as being a decisive factor in the Britains Falkland’s War. Few know or care about his contributions to the control of flooding in the surrounding floorplains of the lower Sacramento River drainage.
However, the sharp edged Weinberger was the perfect Disreali counterweight to the smooth homespun Reagan . BTW,it is continuing to rain today in the Valley. The resevoirs are filling: flooding is not anticipated.
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[ Saturday, March 25, 2006 15:36 PDT ]
Midterm March Madness
Section:
Briefs
Summary:
It is getting a lttle weird out there. A morning visit to the Davis Farmers Market and a reading of the nytimes suggests that some reckon that the big bang, one trillionth of a second theory of the ever expanding universe is yet another newly packaged creationist scheme to hijack science. Others suggest that the pending Bush administration driven massive and rapid tipping point bipolar ice cap meltdown is about to flood Florida, a key state in the next national election cycle. A few
are convinced that western civilization is about to unravel.
On the other hand, hundred of High School Robots teams and their parents travelled thousands of miles for the opportunity of to compete in a contest at the ARC in Davis. A fifth grade class served up the usual Saturday gourmet free meal for any and all at a local church. Yes, the local media was focused on the overnight rain related auto accidents on the Interstates. But that will pass. What lasts is what is not reported.
Main:
Seniors in Davis today even learned that they may even die, dispite the best of life style choices and access to the lastest of medical care. Even exercise is of marginal benefit is the best efforts to delay and deny the givens of nature and nurture.
Yet, for most, participation in walking, biking, yoga, Tai Chi, swimming, tennis, golf, fishing, hiking is part of the lifestyle of the Heartland of the Valley. It is all about savvy people looking at the alternatives making smart choices and casting the vote for what makes sense, not what is promised and impossible even in the ultimate land of manufactured dreams, the Disneyland called California.
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[ Monday, March 20, 2006 14:28 PDT ]
Signs of the Times.
Section:
Science and Technology
Summary:
60 Minutes has a nose for hot button news. The lastest is women’s search for a few good sperm and the the claim of censorship by NASA employee, James Hansen of the Goddard Space Center in NYC. Sunday’s television program on assisted reproductive technology, ART, was a provocative teaser for today’s nytimes article on this family choice issue for some affluent women . The Hansen story is a perfect storm item that has been long smoldering to become a potential “tipping point ” issue with Strong political, legal, first amendment rights, governance and scientific credibility implications.
Lastly, today the nytimes reported that the Supreme Court has actively pursued and agreed to hear a clause 13 patent case for the first time in nearly 20 years. At issue is the present claim of ownership of natural science. Scientific research is now driven by patentability of a natural science process that are newly discovered to exist. For example, the association of changes in homocystiene metabolism with low vitamin B levels and further possible association with heart disease has opened the door for mass patient testing by automated clinical laboratories. Biotechnology, IP Law and Venture Capitalist are the troika that powers this chariot. Expectations are riding high.
Main:
There are several intertwined threads of thought that are spawned by each of the topics on this first day of spring.
* Particularly interesting in the ART presentations are the lasting emotional bonds that donor selectors made with the donor. Pictures were carried in purses, subjective qualities of character, talent and interests were important selection criteria, validation and approval by friends and family were significant. Compatibility of social status,ethnicity, hair characteristics, eye color, and religion were important. The sperm donor services often has detailed databases on donors including their “popularity”. Books and reading habits were important to the largely NYC group in the nytimes article.
* The Hansen story is a rehash. What was not reported is that Hansen is reported to have had long association with Vice President Gore who continues his moral crusade on behalf of Global Warming.
BTW, no researcher or writer likes to have their work edited or peer reviewed prior to being accepted for publication and public distribution. Most employers have some kind ofreview process when employees are in the position of been spokespersons for the organization or institution. For example, the editorial page of the nytimes has positions and a voice. But, according to Gail Collins, behind the anonymous Editorial “page” are a group of people who have a carefully crafted and thoughtfully considered review process that precedes putting ink to paper. And of course, there is always the metaphoric, magical and mysterious Chinese Firewall that separates owners from publishers from editors from reporters from advertisers from other media. Then there is the ever present press reality of low pay, inadequate resources, falling circulation, the new journalism and layoffs. Through the fog, Kristof continues to shine. He is currently proposing to take an undergraduate out of the classroom and into the field for a semester of real world experience. To his credit he notes the common Mormon mission tradition of two years sober rendering away from nest. BTW, Utah and Hawaii share some common traits. Both are far from NYC; neither has a state lottery or legalized gambling; the young folks tend to travel widely. But neither do it like the Kiwis from New Zealand.
* The pending Supreme Count patent case could have a major impact on present way biotechnology information is shared. federally funded research is conducted and venture capital is raised
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[ Sunday, March 19, 2006 15:45 PDT ]
The BS factor: For every itch, there is a scratcher.
Section:
Advice
Summary:
We all are categorical thinkers. Some of us are lumpers; others are splitters. Categories are useful skeletal contructions that we populate with our experiences and give meaning to via our worldview, our language, and our actions .
Recently, at a medical presentation to a group of 450 Davis senior citizens, an academic physican categorical characterized his impression of the quality of medical journalism in the media and found it weak and wanting.
His advice was to consult a knowledgable professional resource and to not rely on advocacy and patient support groups for personal diagnosis and treatment.
Main:
The term BS in the present context does not mean: balance sheet, bill of sale, back space base station, the Bahamas or a college degree. It stands for
B
latant
S
peculation. or opinion without context, content or clarity. Often there is a barely hidden commerical message. Q: ” Are you the victim of the newly discovered Ambien sleep eating disorder that your have suffered from for the last eight years?” A: ” May we recommend a .lex website for more information and support.”
Sympathy is the initial gut reaction to the universal subjective symptom of injustice and vicimization. But on reflection, for eight years! Really? Does that sound reasonable?
Maybe, we should ask Senator Fiengold to introduce a resolution to censure the pharaceutical manufacturer. Perhaps sales of the product should be prohibited to card carrying members of the media and others with a low threshold for suffering.
More:
[ Thursday, March 16, 2006 15:58 PDT ]
The Ides of March: Schulz, Kids and the Games People Play
Section:
Arts and Culture
Summary:
Today, this world view is conditioned by the point of view of youth at play. Kids at play can take your breath away. Consider the writing partnership of President Carter and a young poet confined to a wheelchair who died from his congenital muscular dystrophy, marvel at the simplicity of innocent truth in the cartoons of “Sparkie Schulz” and be amazed by young men like Daniel Blair, a second grader at North Davis Elementary School who like his fellow classmates, speed reads like a wizard.
Main:
What is shared by these three examples is the story of the natural curiosity of kids that leads to creative play. Language lubricates that creativity. The sound of words that give meaning to shared experiences is like the smooth syncopated rhythm of a galloping horse. Poetry in motion.
Part of that creativity is making friends, making your own games and making up the rules during the action. The process of having fun is more important than winning. But competing is not without conseqences. Creativity and curiosity are not bounded, pretested, scripted, standardized , sanitized, authorized, certified and shrink wrapped for purchase.
And so it will be on the basketball courts around the country for the next two weeks. Great energy, youth at play and many a story to be observed.
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