Today at Berkeley Lab: October 19, 2006

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Today

7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
EHS
Red Wing Shoemobile
Bldg. 51 Parking Lot

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Health Care Facilitator
Onsite Dental Mobile
Bldg. 62 Redwood Grove

1 p.m.
EHS 260
Basic Electrical Hazards & Mitigations
Bldg. 70A-3377

1 p.m.
EHS 123
Adult CPR
Bldg. 48-109

5:30 p.m.
Yoga Club
Class with Inna Belogolovsky
Bldg. 70-191

Tomorrow

Noon
Yoga Club
Class with Naomi Hartwig
Bldg. 70-191

2 p.m.
UC Berkeley
Phase Transitions at the Nanoscale
BJunqiao Wu
390 Hearst Mining Bldg

Morning Editions: Ham and 2 Eggs with Bagel and Fruit
Tomorrow's Breakfast: Biscuits and Gravy with 2 Eggs
Market Carvery: Pork Chop with Baked Potato and Vegetables
The Fresh Grille: Cuban Sandwich with French Fries and Fruit
Menutainment: Chicken Monterey with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

B'fast:	6:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Lunch:	11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Full menu

Physicist Was Depressed,
Daily Cal Reports





Ronan

Berkeley Lab Physicist Michael Ronan, who died from a fall off Building 50 on Tuesday, was the professor for a Physics 8A class on campus and during review of a midterm earlier Tuesday told his students he was suffering from depression and would not continue to teach the class, the Daily Cal reported today. Following his announcement to the class, Ronan spoke to The Daily Cal at about 2:30 p.m., two hours before his death. “I wanted to say goodbye to the class,” he said. “I had troubles and just couldn’t handle it and just came to the point that I just had to give up. I’m just depressed.” Ronan said he had sought treatment and was intending to take time off from teaching and from his work at the lab. Full story. Confidential employee counseling for those who request it is available through UC Berkeley’s Care Services, the employee assistance program for the Lab. Call 643-7754 to make an appoinment.

SIBYLS Beamline Sheds Light on DNA Repair





Tainer

John Tainer of the Life Sciences Division and Scripps Research Institute, working with Greg Hura ad Scott Classen of the Physical Biosciences Division, used the SIBYLS beamline at the Advanced Light Source to visualize the structure of a molecular machine critical to DNA repair. With colleagues from the University of Maryland and Washington University, the researchers showed how DNA ligases work together with ring-shaped proteins called sliding clamps, which encircle DNA's double helix, to repair the millions of breaks that occur during the lifetime of a typical cell. Their results appear in the Oct. 20 issue of Molecular Cell. Full story.

Genome of Lactic
Acid Bacteria Published





Lactic acid bacteria

Researchers from the Joint Genome Institute and UC Davis have characterized the genome sequences of nine different lactic acid-producing bacteria, or LAB. The small LAB genomes encode a diverse repertoire of genes for efficient carbon and nitrogen acquisition from the nutritionally rich environments they inhabit and reflect a limited range of biosynthetic capabilities promising broad industrial applications. LAB's play a key role in the production of fermented foods and beverages, accounting for tens of billions of dollars in sales annually. Full story.

Hidden Hazards
of 'Neutral' Conductor

Recently, an electrician at another DOE facility was replacing a light ballast. A Safe-to-Work check was performed by verifying that opening the breaker de-energized the appropriate light fixture. When the neutral wire was separated, a load-break spark occured. Turns out the fixture was part of a multi-wire branch circuit. Facility drawings didn't show this type of wiring. When performing zero-energy checks for Lockout/Tagout, assume all wires are energized until proven otherwise. In this case, the electrician used proper techniques, avoiding injury. Go here for more information.

A University IT Expert
To Lead Lab Division





Alvarez

Rosio Alvarez, a California native with a distinguished record as a university technology manager and expert on organizational impacts of technology, has been named Berkeley Lab's Director of the Information Technology Division and Chief Information Officer. Effective Jan. 1, she will succeed current IT Director Sandy Merola, who was recently named Deputy Chief Operations Officer. Alvarez was introduced Tuesday to IT division staff by Lab Director Steve Chu, who cited her extensive publication and presentation portfolio and her regional IT leadership in the northeast U.S. Read about the Lab's newest division director here.

Materials Scientist Wins APS's Langmuir Award





Somorjai

Berkeley Lab materials scientist Gabor Somorjai has been awarded the 2007 Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics from the American Physical Society. The prize was established to recognize and encourage outstanding interdisciplinary research in chemistry and physics, in the spirit of 1932 Nobel Laureate Irving Langmuir. According to the APS, Somorjai was awarded the prize "for his pioneering research in surface chemistry and delineation of catalytic mechanisms." Go here for information on this and other accolades Somorjai has received this year.

Pre-Tax Plans Offset
Health Care Costs

Most employees will see an increase in their monthly UC medical plan premiums next year. However, UC provides two programs — the Tax Savings on Insurance

Premiums (TIP) Program and the Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) — that can help to lessen the impact of those increases. Go here to learn more about these plans and how they can assist in lowering costs.

Purchase 'Stores' Items Through eBuy, B2B

With the closing of Stores last Friday, items previously obtained from that source can be purchased from eBuy and B2B suppliers. Check the Procurement website for items that can be purchased through these suppliers. In the near future, calendars, forms, labels, chairs and safety supplies may be purchased through eBuy from Pacific Supply and Safety/Corporate Express (PSS/CE). Labels, tools, and safety supplies may also be purchased through eBuy from S&S Supplies and Solutions. During this transition (expected to last 30-60 days), call x5087 or fax x4211 to obtain supply forms and labels that may be required.

WEATHER

Partly cloudy.
High: 70° (21° C)

Extended Forecast

SECURITY CONDITION

SECON level 3

More Information

INFO