“A rate study is a common and typical undertaking for any water utilities,” said Assistant City Manager Paul Navazio. “Legally you’re only allowed to set rates to cover the cost of services, so the fees must be set so as to ensure that each customer class is paying their fair share. Every time you go in to relook at you fees, you have to do a rate study.”

“We can only set fees for five years at a time,” said Principal Civil Engineer Dianna Jensen at the Water Advisory Committee meeting on Feb. 9. “In five years we’ll have an opportunity to update the study.”

The goal of the study is to come up with a new rate methodology based on projected revenue, which the city council would have to approve. The council would then proceed with the Prop 218 process for setting rates, which includes sending out notices to all property owners in the city and holding a public hearing on proposed rates.

“The council did go through the prop 218 process once already, but the referendum paused the process and questioned the rate method and structure,” Navazio said. “The council rescinded the rates, formed the Water Advisory Committee, and is now walking through all aspects of the water project, which includes the rate study with the goal of having recommendation from the council.”

Bartle Wells Associates was hired to conduct the study, which includes analyzing cost of service, reviewing existing rate classes and structures, and submitting a draft rate model. Bartle Wells will present its findings at the committee’s meetings until a draft rate proposal is created.

“We will be developing 40-year cash flow projections, exploring financing alternatives for capital projects, and estimating the impacts of various alternatives as well as providing technical expertise on rate-setting,” said Doug Dove, principal consultant for Bartle Wells.

The city currently operates a two-tiered rate, in which ratepayers pay a flat rate regardless of usage, and after a certain amount of units are charged at a higher rate, in order to incentivize conservation.

“When you do rate studies, you figure out if it makes sense to continue tiers for very high water users, and where you set those breaks,” Navazio said. “We could look at other structures, such as water budgeting and flat rates.”

Though not the sole cause for the study, the surface water project would have a large impact on the revenue the new rates would be required to generate. Part of the study will be examining alternative sources of financing for the project.

“The only funding sources that could lessen what needs to come out of rate revenues is if by the luck of the draw we’re able to access some state and federal grants,” Navazio said. “But those are not easily obtained, and there’s not a lot of grant money out there for this type of work.”

Financing options other than grants include utility revenue bonds, which are repaid through rate revenues, and low interest loans through the state and federal government.

The study is scheduled for completion by May 24, when it will be presented to the council.

EINAT GILBOA can be reached city@theaggie.org.

The founder of the infant cooling program, called “Cool Babies,” is Ian Griffin, associate professor in the department of neonatology at UC Davis.

“We look for babies that are depressed at birth; babies that are not interactive and don’t move much at birth,” Griffin said.

Griffin said that the one of the most important effects of the cooling program is that it helps prevent the second wave of brain damage that occurs after birth.

“The cooling slows down the processes of the brain,” Griffin said. “It slows the metabolism, meaning we can calm down the second wave of damage that occurs.”

According to Griffin, the second wave of damage is propelled by the residual effects of the first wave of damage. The first wave of cells die due to lack of oxygen and build up of waste material; in the second wave, other cells die as a result of toxic compounds released from the cells that died in the first wave.

“With the cooling, it’s just like how icing an injury helps prevent swelling,” Griffin said.

In terms of how soon infants need to be cooled, Griffin said that infants need to be put in the cooling program within six hours of birth, but as soon as possible is best.

“The infants are put on a cooling mattress that actively cools their temperature,” Griffin said. “They stay cooled for 72 hours in temperatures ranging from 33 to 37 degrees Centigrade [91.4 to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit], and are then re-warmed over a period of 12 hours.”

Griffin said that the infants typically spend 14 to 16 days in the hospital, where doctors keep following their neurological exams.

“The results are good. Maybe half of the babies will survive without significant handicap with cooling,” Griffin said. “Without the cooling, about one-third of the babies will survive without significant handicap.”

Griffin said that the program is important because it is the first time that doctors have been able to make a difference with affected infants.

“Before, all we did was support, look at the events and see how it turned out,” Griffin said.

According to Griffin, 58 babies have been cooled since the program’s start in June 2009. Griffin said that when they started, people were a little cautious about the program. However, within the last six to 12 months, recommendations for the cooling program have really taken off.

“It has started to be picked up nationally and internationally as well,” Griffin said. “Places like Italy and the United Kingdom have started to adopt this program.”

Jay Milstein, professor in the department of neonatology at UC Davis, believes the program is working wonderfully.

“It’s a boost to feel like, ‘Hey we may have something that makes a difference for high-risk infants,’” Milstein said.

Milstein said that the cooling program is showing encouraging results for infants with some minor brain damage.

“I’m excited about it, and it isn’t that difficult to perform,” Milstein said. “So many technologies used by doctors are so high tech that the availability may be limited; that isn’t the case here with the infant cooling program.”

Before this program, Milstein said that doctors would put infants in radiant warmers or incubators and keep babies at normal body temperatures.

“With this program, it’s a real deviation from normal resuscitation procedures,” Milstein said. “It’s a pleasant surprise when you see babies later and they are doing well.”

According to the World Health Organization, birth asphyxia — which it defines as the failure to establish breathing at birth — causes an estimated 900,000 infant deaths annually. Birth asphyxia is one of the main causes of lasting neurological damage in babies; Griffin hopes that the infant cooling program may increase the chances of many babies avoiding significant mental handicap.

ERIC C. LIPSKY can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

Measure C calls for a renewal of Measures Q and W, which are set to expire June 30. The measure would be instigated beginning of the 2012-13 school year. Currently, homeowners pay $320 a year to fund DJUSD’s yearly budget of $6.5 million.

If Measure C were to pass, homeowners will continue to pay $320 and apartment owners will pay $150. The one difference from Measures Q and W is Measure C will have a five-year term because of a scheduled school board election at the five-year mark.

“The measures are very specific as to what it funds,” said Parent Co-Chair of the Measure C Campaign Barbara Archer. “There’s an oversight committee to make sure the money is spent in which it is labeled.”

Numerous organizations and over 250 people have endorsed the parcel tax. Among those are every school board member and every city councilmember.

“Our schools are one of the things making living in Davis great,” said Director of the Davis Downtown Business Association Stewart Savage. “We have a quality educational program here, our students are well-taken care of and are well-educated.”

The Davis Schools Foundation President Maria Ungermann said the organization supports K-12 public schools in Davis and essentially measures associated with the schools.

“We’re a nonprofit organization, comprised of Davis parents and community,” Ungermann said. “As a nonprofit, we have endorsed Measure C, but legally, we can’t actively campaign.”

Savage and Ungermann said members of the respective organizations may individually campaign.

Archer said Measure C would continue funding elementary science and music, campus libraries and counseling.

“Measure C will continue keeping K to 12 libraries open in Davis,” Archer said. “Some librarians are split between two sites because we don’t have enough money to fund one librarian per campus.”

According to Archer, science, music and libraries are big deals for elementary schools. For junior high and high schools, staffing and access to classes are important.

“California already has the second to last ranking in terms of student to counselor ratio,” Archer said. “We rank 49th among 50 states in how many counselors serve our students.”

The parcel tax will fund counselors in secondary schools, as well as give more access to core classes such as English, math, science and the like.

The current opposition to Measure C is by two local residents who do not want to pay more taxes.

“They’re throwing a red-herring out there that residents will have to pay more in rent,” Archer said. “I don’t believe that’s true because it’s the same amount homeowners have been paying for the past four years.”

By California state law, a two-thirds majority is required to pass any measure.

“It’s not a simple majority,” Archer said. “But since we’re a college town, a lot of us who live and work in Davis are in the business of education, so we put education as the priority in this town.”

Archer said she feels optimistic about Measure C passing.

“We feel strongly that we want to preserve these programs in our school system,” she said. “Instead of having a special election at the four-year mark and be a cost to taxpayers, we’re doing it to coincide with the planned school board election.”

If Measure C doesn’t pass, the programs will be axed. Archer said about 90 percent of the budget goes to teachers so about 87 teachers would also lose their jobs.

“If we have good schools, we attract more families and people who are able to shop downtown,” Archer said. “We believe it benefits the whole community and you don’t need a kid in the school system for it to benefit you.”

CLAIRE TAN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

The Aggies dominated the game from the start with three goals in the first four minutes. Elizabeth Datino tallied four goals and two assists while Hannah Mirza added a hat trick. Teammates Stephanie Guercio, Lauren Nardi, Charlotte Morris and Allie Lehner each contributed two goals.

“I am pleased with the efforts of Datino and Mirza,” said coach Elaine Jones. “They played well on the field [Sunday].”

The Aggies never trailed in the contest.

San Diego State nearly tied the game at 6-5. However, shortly after, Guercio hit a short-handed goal and Datino followed with a net.

After almost 10 scoreless minutes, Nardi hit two goals in the 42nd and 44th minutes, pushing the lead to a 10-5 margin. Morri’s two goals in the later half solidified the Aggies’ 6-0 run.

UC Davis outshot San Diego State by a 40-24 margin –– 22-11 in the first half, also successfully clearing 10 of 11 transitions. San Diego State improved from 12 turnovers in the first half to four after the break.

Jones stated that the victory against the Aztecs was a “strong conference win and provided an essential confidence win.” She joked, “Everyone wants to win their first game!”

UC Davis’ next matchup is on the road against Saint Mary’s on Thursday. Jones expressed excitement for the upcoming contest, saying that the respective lineups should make for a grueling, albeit thrilling, game.

VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

The event will bring together students, business leaders and government leaders to discuss the current economic crisis of the state of California and the role of higher education in finding answers to this problem.

“It directly impacts us, it gives us a voice to say we’re not here to be guided, we’re here to be part of the solution,” said ASUCD President Adam Thongsavat.

The event will include speakers such as Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, Thongsavat, President and CEO of the Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization Barbara Hayes, and potentially Gov. Jerry Brown.

The event will also include panel discussions and break-out sessions. Discussions will center on finding solutions to current problems in California through the cooperation of business, government and education.

“All of us have to be advocates. Each one of us has to advocate for those that come after us,” Thongsavat said.

Two-hundred students will be chosen to take part in the event, and students can apply at asucd.ucdavis.edu. The last day to apply is Friday.

The juiced-up rangefinder is loaded on an airplane and is then flown over a region to create a three dimensional image of the land below. It is operated by a team from the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping.

“We learn a lot about earthquake faults by studying fresh quake ruptures,” said Ken Hudnut, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). “The record of [ground] displacement is useful for assessing the hazard presented by faults.”

LiDAR has been in use for nearly a decade, but up until recently, it had only been used to document a region after an earthquake. Now, it is being used to map areas both before and after an earthquake to measure exactly what changed in the topography with down-to-the-inch resolution.

The system uses a series of tools to maintain accuracy even when flying 10,000 feet above an area. First, the ground coordinates are mapped with GPS, and then those same coordinates are programmed in the plane’s GPS to keep it on track. In addition, the LiDAR system itself has a gyroscope and accelerometer to correct for the plane’s pitch and roll.

The LiDAR system collects a huge amount of data, over 100 gigabytes over just a few acres, so researchers require tools that will allow them to efficiently visualize all of that data.

This is when UC Davis geologists use KeckCAVES to analyze the vast amounts of data. Donated by the Keck foundation, the CAVES, or Center for Active Visualization in the Earth Sciences, is a three dimensional projection room built to explore the data collected by the LiDAR system.

“There are three walls and a floor with stereoscopic displays,” said Michael Oskin, a geology professor at UC Davis. “Users wear 3D glasses and CAVES allows you to walk around inside of your data.”

The system provides a far more immersive environment for analyzing data and is far superior to looking at it on a basic computer monitor. The detailed imaging is reminiscent of the Pre-Crime department in Tom Cruise’s movie Minority Report.

According to a representative at Mechdyne, the manufacturer of the CAVES system, the four-walled projection system at UC Davis is one of the most elaborate they have set up and cost nearly a million dollars in hardware and software.

Now that LiDAR is being used to map both pre- and post-earthquake topography, there is a project underway to create accurate maps of every active fault region. This means that geologists will not have to predict where an earthquake will occur in order to get accurate pre-quake data as the data will already be on hand. LiDAR maps of the post-quake region can then be overlayed on the pre-quake data to create a difference map that will show exactly how the topography changed.

“Other methods are not as accurate,” Hudnut said. “LiDAR gives us an actual 3D representation of the pre- and post-earthquake landscape so we can look at the differences in very high detail.”

Other institutions involved in the research are Arizona State University, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada in Mexico, NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Funding came from the National Academy of Sciences, the USGS and the Keck Foundation.

HUDSON LOFCHIE can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

Whether its men’s soccer shocking multiple top-10 teams, football taking a disappointing loss to Humboldt State or women’s soccer getting a point against No. 19 UC Irvine, it has been an unpredictable few months for UC Davis sports.

That is why I am dubbing 2011-12 the Year of the Upset.

And never was it more apparent than this past week.

The week opened with men’s basketball pulling out the improbable win over Pacific, in a game that very few could have realistically expected them to win.

The team then followed that with an underdog-victory on the road against Northern Arizona — playing under very difficult conditions at an altitude of nearly 7,000 feet (almost one and a third miles) above sea-level.

The most impressive upset of the week, however, occurred at La Rue Softball Field.

After losing four of their first five games, UC Davis softball made a statement in their sixth, pulling an incredible upset over No. 8 Stanford.

With all of these upsets, the natural question to ask is: why?

The answer — teamwork.

Let’s face it, few UC Davis team sports have a player that can single-handedly change a game. There’s no Jared Sullinger on the basketball court, and even dominant pitcher Alex Holmes is now part of the UC Davis coaching staff and will not be returning to the pitchers circle.

Instead it becomes about taking advantage mismatches and working together.

Case in point was men’s basketball’s win over Pacific, where five players scored in double figures, and all nine of the players who saw the floor contributed defensively.

In men’s soccer’s upset over No. 8 UCLA it took a combined effort from all 11 players on the field at any given moment to keep the intensity going in the overtime period.

Even with pitcher Jessica Thweatt’s strong performance in Wednesday’s win over Stanford, the Aggies still needed late-game heroics on offense from JJ Wagoner and Cassandra Ginnis to lock down the victory.

So if we can explain why, can we predict which team will pull the next major upset of the 2011-12 season? In my mind it’s a three-horse race between lacrosse, men’s golf and baseball.

Lacrosse faces an interesting challenge this season, with a relatively young team that should improve as the season progresses. If the team plans to pull out a shocking upset it will have to be April 18 when it hosts No. 6 Stanford.

The game looks like the traditional setup for a shocking win, as the match-up will be the third of four games in seven days for the Cardinal, and with a rivalry game against California just two days later, it seems plausible that Stanford could easily overlook UC Davis.

For men’s golf the upset would be winning the Big West Tournament and the conference title. While the Aggies are the defending Big West champions, last year’s team leaders Austin Graham and Tyler Raber are not taking to the course this season, leaving the team with some big holes to fill.

Still, coach Cy Williams has maintained that his team’s goal is a conference title, and with sophomore Matt Hansen continuing to improve, it seems possible that UC Davis could put together a strong weekend and repeat as conference champions.

Baseball may have the best chance of pulling an upset simply because it will have the most opportunities to do so. UC Davis’ schedule includes games against Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Arizona, UC Irvine and Fresno State — all of which are either ranked or are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

And the Aggies have just the type of team that is typically able to pull an upset. Dayne Quist showed how dominant he could be in Friday’s win over Utah, and first-year coach Matt Vaughn has already shown a willingness to be aggressive on the base paths — a trait that is often seen in teams who pull major upsets.

With all of the chances to pull off a shocking victory over the next few months, it looks like we could be in for an exciting spring.

And as this year has shown us, you should never count out the Aggies.

TREVOR CRAMER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that is carried through food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 400,000 cases of salmonella are reported in the United States alone.

Most salmonella infections are mild. Diarrhea, fever and cramps develop within three days of initial infection. These symptoms typically persist for around a week and abate without need for medical aid. However, there do exist more severe cases of salmonella in less fortunate individuals in which the infection spreads to the blood, which is often fatal.

In this regard, McSorley’s lab has been trying to identify targets for immune attack in salmonella in hopes of being able to vaccinate.

“There has been a lot of progress over the years in identification in other infectious diseases, but for some reason salmonella research seemed to be left behind,” McSorley said, “Which is terrible since many young children die of salmonella infections every year in Africa and Asia.”

Currently, there exist no vaccinations for the salmonella bacterial infection. Patients whose condition necessitates medical action are treated with antiobiotics. Those who are young, elderly, have compromised immune systems, and especially those without adequate medical facilities are less likely to benefit from this treatment.

Logical targets for vaccines are called antigens, which are proteins that are exposed on the bacteria. These foreign proteins are noticed by a person’s immune system, which targets the bacteria for destruction. Once these antigens have been targeted, the immune system will always react to that particular protein.

In addition to antigens, bacteria and other cells produce many more proteins that are not exposed as antigens. Immune systems cannot identify proteins that are not exposed. Therefore, the trouble in identifying immune system targets lies in distinguishing between antigens and other proteins.

McSorley’s lab synthetically produced 2,700 proteins for testing that the salmonella produces naturally. These proteins were then isolated and injected into the blood of mice that had been previously infected with salmonella. These mice were then tested for a response.

Since the mice’s immune systems had previously been exposed to salmonella, any protein that was exposed in the bacteria would trigger a response. When a protein caused no response, it was shown not to be an antigen. If a protein did cause a response, that means it was an antigen.

These proteins can potentially be used in vaccines to prevent infections. Exposing someone to the protein without any actual bacteria will prepare an immunity without the danger of infection.

According to McSorley, “the vaccine won’t contain any live organisms and should be very safe for young children.”

By these methods, the lab has identified 117 proteins that were antigens. Only a handful have been tested due to labor and monetary constraints. By identifying these antigens, the hope is that researchers in McSorley’s lab and other institutions can continue testing for good vaccines.

McSorley collaborated closely with Renee Tsolis of the UC Davis Medical School due to similar interests and pertinent information.

“I worked together with Dr. McSorley on this project, because we had done some work trying to define the salmonella antigens recognized by mice,” Tsolis said. “We realized that we had a common interest and decided to share our data and work together.”

ALEX STANTON can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

The team carried the momentum into Monday’s contest at Seattle University and led the Redhawks by 5 points at halftime. The Aggies couldn’t maintain the lead, though, as a first half shoulder injury to Paolo Mancasola left the team without a point guard. Regular starting point guard Tyrell Corbin was also unavailable for Monday’s contest, which the Aggies ultimately lost 59-73.

Neither of the President’s day weekend games were a part of the Big West Conference schedule, and UC Davis now has an overall record of 4-23.

Saturday — UC Davis 70, Northern Arizona 60

Still in search of their first road win of the year, the Aggies traveled to Northern Arizona over the weekend to play in an ESPN Sears BracketBuster game.

After a listless first half that saw UC Davis trail by 21 points with only a few minutes remaining, the Aggies came out firing in the second half.

The previously stagnant UC Davis team made nine of its first 11 field goal attempts in the second half, with five of them coming from behind the arc. A layup by Harrison DuPont tied the game at 50-50 with 11:47 remaining in the contest.

The game would be tied twice more, the final time at 61-61 with just under three minutes remaining. The Aggies never trailed in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Head coach Jim Les said that he challenged his team’s pride at halftime following the slow start.

“We were running in mud,” Les said. “We were a step, maybe two steps slow in everything we did [in the first half].

“I challenged them a little bit. It wasn’t overly emphatic; it was just a little challenge to their pride. Give these guys a ton of credit … this was the player’s win. This was them gutting it out, not giving in, battling and going to fight to get a road win.”

The Aggies shot 63.6 percent from the field in the second half and 51 percent in the game. They outscored the Lumberjacks 44-20 in the second half.

DuPont led UC Davis with 19 points and was named College Sports Madness Big West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for his performance.

Monday — Seattle University 73, UC Davis 59

In contrast to their performance earlier in the long weekend, the Aggies started Monday’s contest against Seattle in good form.

UC Davis shot 41.9 percent from the field in the first half compared to just 28.6 percent for their opponents. The strong defense and solid shooting allowed the Aggies to open up a 14-point lead after just 12 minutes of play.

It would quickly fall apart for UC Davis as Seattle used a 12-minute 37-6 run that spanned both halves to turn a four-point deficit into a 56-39 lead.

The Aggies could not cut Seattle’s lead to less than 14 points over the final 13 minutes of the game.

One of the reasons for the Aggies’ struggles in the second half was the lack of a true point guard. Without Corbin for the game, the loss on Mancasola partway through the first half forced UC Davis players into uncomfortable positions, and the offense struggled as a result.

The Aggies committed 22 turnovers in the contest and shot only 36.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three. UC Davis was only 10-21 from the free throw line.

Josh Ritchart was the leading scorer for the Aggies with 16 points. He also had 12 rebounds, recording his second career double-double.

CAELUM SHOVE can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Key
Food and ambiance quality
**** I’m dining here every day
*** Almost like eating at home
** Better than my roommate’s cooking
* Only if I’m starving

Budget
$$$$ chancellor $20+
$$$ professor $15-20
$$ graduate student/alum $10-15
$ undergraduate $5-10

Luigi’s is gradually establishing itself as a convenient Italian restaurant in Davis, though the food doesn’t quite live up to other local Italian offerings.

Located next to de Vere’s Irish Pub at 213 E St., the restaurant has a wide selection of pizzas, pastas, salads and sandwiches. There are two other Luigi’s locations in Sacramento.

My friend and I went to Luigi’s on a Saturday afternoon. Although it seemed like a hole in the wall at first, we were incredibly surprised by its large layout, as well as by the unexpected dining area downstairs. Upon entering we could not help but notice that there weren’t any booths and all of the pizzas, pasta sauces and soups were situated behind a glass partition. This gave my friend the impression of a hipper version of a cafeteria.

Luigi’s has a trendy atmosphere that doesn’t capitalize on typical Italian clichés. The restaurant’s industrially spacious inside is lined with white-tile walls, black floors, and a high ceiling displaying conduit, ventilation and cooling ducts. There is another large dining area beneath the main floor that has a stage set up for live music, and the space is also being set up to provide arcade entertainment in the near future.

It wasn’t very crowded for the Saturday lunch hour as there were only two people finishing their meals and getting ready to leave. This made us question the quality of service as well as the effective use of a two-story layout.

The restaurant also seems to be figuring out the logistics of ringing up their food for customers. There are two cash registers in completely separate areas. One of them is for ordering and the other is for paying, but there are no signs that indicate how each one operates. This was not only confusing for us, but for two other customers that came in later.

After we ordered our food and got our drink cups, we were a little upset to find that the sodas were flat. There were five people working in the afternoon and, besides the cook, most of them were hanging out and not being very receptive to the restaurant or the customers. It took about 20 minutes to get a slice of pizza and spaghetti.

However, the portions were great for the price. The daily slice — which was one of my favorites, pepperoni and mushroom — only cost $3.45 and a large bowl of spaghetti with a fresh sweet roll was $5.45.

The quality, unfortunately, did not match up with the food’s filling quantity. The pizza was overloaded with pepperoni and was more than crisp, close to being burned. The spaghetti was very simply done, tasting like something straight out of the pantry at home.

However, Luigi’s is the perfect place to get the most for your buck. We spent less than $10 for two very large servings. There are also cookies and brownies for $1.25 each. Although the cookies are not on the menu, they are nicely put on display and provide a very delicious dessert option.

What makes Luigi’s unique is the fact that it does not incorporate a bar, but still serves beer on tap, as well as big portions of classic Italian food throughout the day and late into the night.

Overall, Luigi’s industrial atmosphere is very spacious, offering a wide variety of music that is great to listen to while dining. The downstairs section is a great place for live bands to play and it will be exciting to see how the space develops further.

On a somewhat sour note, Luigi’s does not serve up the most delicious Italian food in Davis. However, it certainly has the most affordable and offers a diverse selection from pizzas to sandwiches. It serves very filling portions and may become the most accessible place to get a late-night bite in downtown Davis.

DOMINICK COSTABILE can be reached at features@theaggie.org.