University of California, San Francisco

About: University of California, San Francisco is a education organization based out in San Francisco, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 83381 authors who have published 186236 publications receiving 12068420 citations. The organization is also known as: UCSF & UC San Francisco.

The Social Determinants of Health: Coming of Age

Abstract: In the United States, awareness is increasing that medical care alone cannot adequately improve health overall or reduce health disparities without also addressing where and how people live. A critical mass of relevant knowledge has accumulated, documenting associations, exploring pathways and biological mechanisms, and providing a previously unavailable scientific foundation for appreciating the role of social factors in health. We review current knowledge about health effects of social (including economic) factors, knowledge gaps, and research priorities, focusing on upstream social determinants—including economic resources, education, and racial discrimination—that fundamentally shape the downstream determinants, such as behaviors, targeted by most interventions. Research priorities include measuring social factors better, monitoring social factors and health relative to policies, examining health effects of social factors across lifetimes and generations, incrementally elucidating pathways through kno...

The epidemiology of glioma in adults: a "state of the science" review.

Abstract: Gliomas are the most common primary intracranial tumor, representing 81% of malignant brain tumors Although relatively rare, they cause significant mortality and morbidity Glioblastoma, the most common glioma histology (∼45% of all gliomas), has a 5-year relative survival of ∼5% A small portion of these tumors are caused by Mendelian disorders, including neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome Genomic analyses of glioma have also produced new evidence about risk and prognosis Recently discovered biomarkers that indicate improved survival include O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase methylation, isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation, and a glioma cytosine-phosphate-guanine island methylator phenotype Genome-wide association studies have identified heritable risk alleles within 7 genes that are associated with increased risk of glioma Many risk factors have been examined as potential contributors to glioma risk Most significantly, these include an increase in risk by exposure to ionizing radiation and a decrease in risk by history of allergies or atopic disease(s) The potential influence of occupational exposures and cellular phones has also been examined, with inconclusive results We provide a “state of the science” review of current research into causes and risk factors for gliomas in adults

Astrocytes Give Rise to New Neurons in the Adult Mammalian Hippocampus

Abstract: Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus persists throughout life in many vertebrates, including humans. The progenitors of these new neurons reside in the subgranular layer (SGL) of the dentate gyrus. Although stem cells that can self-renew and generate new neurons and glia have been cultured from the adult mammalian hippocampus, the in vivo primary precursors for the formation of new neurons have not been identified. Here we show that SGL cells, which express glial fibrillary acidic protein and have the characteristics of astrocytes, divide and generate new neurons under normal conditions or after the chemical removal of actively dividing cells. We also describe a population of small electron-dense SGL cells, which we call type D cells and are derived from the astrocytes and probably function as a transient precursor in the formation of new neurons. These results reveal the origins of new neurons in the adult hippocampus.