Unfold

Linking Wartime Trauma to Dementia in Vietnamese American Communities

Since the fall of Saigon in 1975, more than 1.2 million Southeast Asian refugees have resettled in the U.S. Many of them have experienced significant trauma. Now, many Vietnamese refugees in the U.S. are at ages where they’re beginning to develop dementia. But like other underrepresented groups in the U.S, they also face barriers to seeking treatment for trauma and dementia.  In this episode of Unfold, we talk to a UC Davis researcher embarking on the first long-term study examining early life contributors to dementia in Vietnamese communities.

 

In this episode:

Oanh Meyer, social psychologist at Alzheimer's Disease Center at UC Davis Health

Duy Nguyen, former child refugee from Vietnam, recent graduate of UC Davis School of Medicine and psychiatry resident at UCSF Fresno

The Human Machine: Reimagining Prosthetics

Nearly half of all arm amputees choose not to use their prosthesis, despite improvements in technology. Prosthetics can be too difficult to operate, unintuitive, and don’t allow amputees to sense pressure or temperature. At UC Davis, engineers, neuroscientists and surgeons are collaborating to solve this problem. In this episode of Unfold, we look at how the combination of surgery and machine learning is making life easier for amputees. 

Jonathon Schofield, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, College of Engineering 

Wilsaan Joiner, neuroscientist and associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences

Andrew Li, assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery, UC Davis Health 

Clifford Pereira, associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery, UC Davis Health 

Laduan Smedley, certified prosthetist-orthotist and biomedical engineer, UC Davis Health

Fehran Maher, certified prosthetist-orthotist, UC Davis Health

David Brockman, retired firefighter, hand amputee with prosthesis

How Dogs Could Help Doctors Find the Next Cancer Treatment

Dogs 10 years and older have a 50% chance of dying from cancer. They also develop the same types of cancers that humans do because their immune system is closely related to ours. Now human oncologists are studying cancer in canines in the hopes of benefiting both animals and humans. In this episode of Unfold, you’ll learn how UC Davis veterinarians and physicians are collaborating to help human cancer patients and their furry best friends. 

In this episode:

Robert Canter, surgical oncologist with UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center 

Michael Kent, radiation oncologist and director of the UC Davis Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine 

Danae Unti, owner of Boone, dog who completed a cancer clinical trial

Hope For a Spina Bifida Cure, Part 2

Spina bifida is the most common cause of lifelong childhood paralysis in the United States; approximately four children are born with this spinal defect every day. Standard care usually involves surgery, but it still leaves more than half of children unable to walk. But a combination of surgery and stem cell treatment may offer hope to children. In this episode of Unfold, we examine the world’s first human clinical trial using stem cells before birth to treat the most serious form of the disease. 

In this episode:

Diana Farmer, pediatric surgeon and chair of surgery at UC Davis Health

Maya Evans, medical director of the Shriners Spina Bifida program and associate professor in the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UC Davis

Michelle Johnson, mother of baby enrolled in spina bifida clinical trial 

Jeff Maginnis, father of baby enrolled in spina bifida clinical trial

Cockroaches for Dessert

Just when you thought Unfold was done for the season, we decided to bug you with one last episode. UC Davis boasts one of the largest insect collections in North America, so how could we not take you on a tour? The Bohart Museum of Entomology holds more than 7 million specimens, from the beautiful to the downright terrifying. Its entomologists have even helped homicide investigations, thanks to the bug scrapings left behind. You’ll hear about beautiful butterflies, jewel beetles, murder hornets and cuckoo wasps — as well as why we’re calling this episode “Cockroaches for Dessert.”

In this episode: 

Lynn Kimsey, professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and director of Bohart Museum of Entomology

The Poet‘s Voice

Scholars who write about or analyze poetry read out loud usually do so in a subjective and impressionistic way. But UC Davis experts have empirically analyzed the complexities of these vocal performances, based on pitch patterns and speed, volume, pauses, repetition and other characteristics. Now researchers are analyzing the performances of 101 African American women poets. In this episode of Unfold, we discuss why they embarked on the project and what they’ve discovered.  

In this episode: 

Marit MacArthur, lecturer with the UC Davis University Writing Program and faculty affiliate with the Performance Studies Graduate Group

Howard Rambsy, professor of literature, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 

Why is that Song Stuck in My Head?

Earworm, brainworm, whatever word you choose, it’s that song that gets stuck in your head. Research shows that more than 90% of us experience earworms. UC Davis researchers have found that they may play an important role in helping us form memories, not just for the song, but for life events. In this episode of Unfold, we examine music, memory and what earworms can teach us about how the brain works. 

In this episode:

Petr Janata professor, UC Davis Department of Psychology and Center for Mind and Brain 

Ben Kubit, postdoctoral researcher, UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain 

Hotter, Drier, Windier: California Wildfires Under a Changing Climate

California wildfires burned millions of acres this year, destroying entire towns and killing people. As wildfires become more difficult to control and more deadly, scientists say it will only get worse. Now, wind-driven wildfires like the Santa Anas that Southern California experiences, are moving further north and striking when conditions are hotter and drier. This episode of Unfold examines how fire is changing California’s landscapes and how we might manage this going forward.

In this episode:

Malcolm North, UC Davis associate professor and research forest ecologist, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station

Andrew Latimer professor, Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis

Derek Young, postdoctoral researcher, Andrew Latimer Lab, Department of Plant Sciences

Hugh Safford, affiliate faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region

Emma Underwood, research scientist at the Information Center for the Environment, Department of Environmental Science and Policy

Encore: The Father of Wine

California wine country tempts visitors from across the globe with its famous fruit. But the Golden State wouldn’t be able to boast its world-class bounty without UC Davis wine scientist, Maynard Amerine. This Bonus Bite episode centers around the pioneering researcher and his contributions to the California wine industry. The former professor and viticulture chair passed away in 1998 but left behind a legacy of work including his co-development of the Winkler Index, which is still used to determine optimal wine grape growing regions. Amerine is also credited with helping develop an objective way of judging wine quality, elevating the market for wine.

Encore: Stranger Beers

After nearly 40 years in the beer business, Charlie Bamforth holds the crown as “The Pope of Foam.” The now-retired UC Davis professor kicks off Unfold’s first Bonus Bite episode in a light-hearted discussion about the hoppy beverage. Bamforth describes some of the strangest beers he’s come across throughout decades in the business and takes some playful jabs at beer’s rival, wine.