Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 25, 2023

7

ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, November 25, 2023 

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Paper: Brain Circuit Controls 
if Salt Tastes Good or Bad

Representatives Urge NASA to 
Reverse Cuts to Mars Program

 Representative Adam Schiff and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla 
(D-Calif) led a bipartisan and bicameral letter Wednesday, 
joined by U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif) and 
Representatives Judy Chu, Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), and Young 
Kim (R-Calif.), urging NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to 
reverse unilateral funding cuts to the Mars Sample Return 
(MSR) mission, which would result in the loss of hundreds of 
California jobs, ensure the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) 
misses its 2030 launch window, and lead to the cancelation 
of billions of dollars in contracts supporting American 
businesses.

Full letter text below:

Dear Administrator Nelson,

 We write to express our strongest opposition to 
NASA’s recent unilateral and unprecedented decision 
to prematurely move forward with funding cuts to the 
Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission before Congress has 
finalized its Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process. This 
short-sighted and misguided decision by NASA will cost 
hundreds of jobs and a decade of lost science, and it flies in 
the face of Congressional authority.



 The 2023 Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey identified 
the completion of MSR as NASA’s highest scientific priority. 
For the first time in human history, we would launch a 
spacecraft from the surface of another planet and give our 
scientists the opportunity to directly analyze samples from 
Mars. The capabilities demonstrated and science returned 
by MSR would ensure American leadership with regard to 
Mars and pave the way for eventual human exploration of 
the planet. Furthermore, space technological innovation is 
a critical aspect of our ongoing strategic competition with 
China and Russia.

 The recently commissioned Independent Review Board 
(IRB) assessment of the MSR Program’s implementation 
plan and management approach reiterated that MSR should 
be a national space exploration priority, given its scientific 
and strategic importance. Coupled with changes in the 
NASA program management structure of MSR and the 
expeditious finalization of modified mission architecture, 
funding levels consistent with FY 2023 levels are necessary 
to ensure a launch no later than 2030 to get samples into 
the orbit of Mars.

 China is rapidly expanding its space program with a new 
space station, a goal of landing taikonauts on the moon by 
the end of this decade, a stated intention of being the first 
to return samples from Mars, and an aggressive vision for 
more ambitious endeavors such as building infrastructure 
in space, missions to the outer solar system, and creating 
a space governance system. U.S. Space Force General B. 
Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, said in March 
2023 that the U.S. must maintain a status of “perpetual 
competition.” The MSR mission is critical to staying well 
ahead of the competition in strategic space technologies, 
meeting the national security challenge posed by China, 
and maintaining our current competitive advantage.

 It is important to note that the House appropriations bill 
that funds NASA recognizes the critical nature of the MSR 
mission and would fund it at $949.3 million, equal to the 
President’s Budget request, and includes the following 
direction:

 Mars Sample Return.—The Committee supports 
consistent funding for the Mars Sample Return mission. 
The Committee directs NASA to allocate no less than 
$949,300,000 for this mission. In accordance with 
the pending Independent Review Board’s results, and 
considering the existing architecture committed to 
successfully returning samples to Earth, the Committee 
directs NASA to ensure that its fiscal year 2025 budget 
request includes the funding necessary to complete the 
mission launch no later than 2030.

 Therefore, we are mystified by NASA’s rash decision to 
suggest at this stage of the appropriations process that 
any cuts would be necessary. If forced to operate at the 
unnecessarily low funding level prematurely directed 
by NASA in its November 8 letter, the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory (JPL) will not be able to meet the 2030 
launch window, billions of dollars in contracts supporting 
American businesses will be subject to cancellation, and 
hundreds of highly skilled jobs in California will be lost. 
This talent represents a national asset that we cannot afford 
to lose, and if this uniquely talented workforce is lost to the 
private sector, it will be near impossible to reassemble.



 NASA’s deeply short-sighted and misguided decision 
to unilaterally adjust the funding allocation granted to 
JPL to carry out the MSR mission violates Congress’s 
appropriations authority. Therefore, we strongly urge you to 
rescind NASA’s November 8th funding directive to JPL and 
not take any further steps to adjust funding levels for the 
mission until Congress enacts final FY24 appropriations for 
NASA.

 We look forward to working with you to complete Fiscal 
Year 2024 appropriations legislation that fully funds NASA 
–including the MSR program, promotes our national
security priorities in space, and keeps the United States 
at the forefront of scientific and technical achievement in
space.

 For More information visit: schiff.house.go.

 New research from Caltech 
scientists is showing us more 
about how the brain regulates 
when the flavor of salt is yuck 
or yum.

 Having the right amount of 
sodium in your body is so 
crucial, in fact, that parts of your 
brain work hard to make sure 
you’re getting the salt that you 
need. If you’ve ever been hit by a 
sudden craving for potato chips, 
that may have been your brain 
at work. On the other hand, 
if you’re thirsty, salted snacks 
might sound like the last thing 
you to eat. 

 “Low sodium concentration 
is palatable, while higher 
concentrations—for example, 
ocean water—taste disgusting,” 
says Yuki Oka, Professor of 
Biology and Heritage Medical 
Research Institute Investigator. 
“But when you’re really in need 
of salt, you don’t mind the 
bad taste. The palatability or 
‘tastiness’ of salt changes based 
on its concentration and the 
body’s internal sodium need.”

 The body meticulously 
regulates blood sodium levels 
to stay within a narrow range 
of 135 to 145 millimolar. This is 
accomplished through precise 
control of salt consumption 
and retention. To keep sodium 
levels precisely balanced, 
the brain must control both 
attraction and aversion to salt. 
In 2019, researchers in the Oka 
lab discovered the brain circuit 
that drives cravings for salt in 
mice. Stimulating these “salt-
appetite” neurons, located at 
the base of the skull in a region 
called the hindbrain, triggered 
an immediate appetite for salty 
food. But the mechanisms 
regulating an aversion to salty 
tastes remained unanswered.

 New findings from the Oka lab 
reveal a distinct neural circuit 
in the mouse brain responsible 
for regulating tolerance towards 
the negative taste associated 
with sodium. These neurons 
are located in the forebrain, far 
from the salt-appetite neurons. 
Unlike the previously identified 
salt-appetite neurons, activation 
of the tolerance neurons does 
not prompt active seeking of 
sodium. Instead, activity of these 
neurons enables mice to accept 
or tolerate high levels of salt 
that would usually be aversive, 
in order to efficiently replete 
sodium levels in the body. 
Blocking the tolerance neurons 
results in mice rejecting aversive 
salt, even if low on sodium. 
The simultaneous operation 
of forebrain tolerance and 
hindbrain appetite circuits is 
crucial for maintaining sodium 
levels within the body.

 The researchers found that 
the tolerance neurons are not 
directly connected to the salt 
appetite neurons, and appear to 
function independently. How, 
then, does the body regulate the 
activity of the newly discovered 
circuits?

 The new study shows that, 
intriguingly, the tolerance 
neurons have receptors for 
the hormone prostaglandin 
E2 (PGE2) on their surfaces, 
suggesting that their activity 
is modulated by this hormone 
circulating through the 
bloodstream. This is a novel 

 revelation—prostaglandin, 
commonly associated with 
inflammation, had not 
previously been linked to 
sodium intake. According to 
Yameng Zhang, a graduate 
student in the Oka lab and the 
lead author of the new study, 
“This unexpected association 
between prostaglandin and 
sodium consumption raises 
important questions regarding 
how an inflammatory state 
might influence sodium intake, 
offering new insights into the 
interplay between sodium 
levels and the body’s pro-
inflammatory condition.”

 The results are reported in a 
paper appearing in the journal 
Cell on November 20.

 The paper is titled “Parallel 
Neural Pathways Control 
Sodium Consumption and 
Taste Valence.” A graduate 
student, Yameng Zhang is the 
first author, with additional co-
authors from Caltech including 
graduate student Tongtong 
Wang, former postdoctoral 
scholar Allan-Hermann Pool 
(now an assistant professor 
at the University of Texas, 
Southwestern), postdoctoral 
scholar Lu Liu, and former 
Caltech undergraduate Elin 
Kang. 

 Yuki Oka (pictured) is a 
member of the Tianqiao and 
Chrissy Chen Institute for 
Neuroscience at Caltech.


Shop 'till You Drop Holiday Shopping Shuttle to Citadel 
Outlets, Commerce

Tuesday, December 5 from 10 AM – 5 PM

Cost: R: $8 / NR: $10

 Time to get all your holiday shopping out of the way! Active 
adults ages 55 and up are invited to join us for a daytime 
shopping trip. Transportation is provided. Reserve your spot 
online!

Tween Holiday Prep Shop

Thursday, December 7 at 3:30 PM, Barth Community Room

 Is your tween looking for the perfect gift for friends and 
family? Then send them on down to our one-stop shop to 
choose, create, and wrap holiday crafts to give. All materials 
will be provided at this exclusive tween-only (grades 4-6) 
event. Registration is recommended.

Home for the Holidays: Light Up San Marino!

Registration: November 26 - December 10

Voting: December 11 - 17

 Do you have the most festive home or business in town? 
Enter our 3rd annual holiday decorating contest! Online 
registration will be open November 26 - December 10. 
Entries will be placed on the Holiday Decorating Contest 
map on December 11. This year, 3 winning entries will be 
selected by the Mayor, Recreation Commission, and YOU! 
Community members have the opportunity to participate 
by voting for their favorite entries by “liking” them on 
Facebook. Winners will receive a gold-ribbon yard sign and 
gift card to The Huntington Store.

Home for the Holidays: Tree Lighting Ceremony & 
Mayor's Reception

Friday, December 8 from 5 PM - 7 PM, Corner of Huntington 
Drive and San Marino Avenue

 Join us as we kick-off Home for the Holidays festivities. 
There will be a warm holiday glow around City Hall to honor 
the 71-year history of the Holiday House Bus Shelter: A San 
Marino Tradition. Join us for the tree lighting ceremony and 
watch Santa arrive by fire truck. In addition, there will be 
photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hot dogs, hot chocolate 
and cider, holiday cookies, festive selfie stations, kid’s 
craft table, and performances by the Valentine and Carver 
Elementary School Choir. Event is FREE and everyone is 
welcome!

West Nile Virus Detected

 The city was notified that a mosquito trapped in San 
Marino tested positive for West Nile Virus. Public health 
agencies detect West Nile virus every year in L.A. County, 
which means it's endemic and found naturally in our city 
environments. City staff are working with the Greater Los 
Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCD) to 
monitor the situation. For questions regarding mosquito 
inspections and testing, contact GLACVCD at (562) 944-
9656. To read more about West Nile Virus and what you can 
do to protect yourself and your family, visit: glamosquito.
org/west-nile-virus.

Meetings

Library Board of Trustees

Monday, November 27 at 8:00 AM; Barth Room and Zoom 
(Public Access)

Design Review Committee

Wednesday, December 6 at 6:00 PM; Barth Room and Zoom.

San Marino Board Member 
Needed for the GLACVCD

Decem

 
The City of San Marino 
seeks a volunteer to fill an 
opening as a Board Member 
on the Greater Los Angeles 
County Vector Control 
(Mosquito Abatement) 
District Board of Trustees. 
San Marino residency is 
required, and the member 
appointed shall be an elector 
of the City. Board member 
duties and responsibilities 
include setting policy, 
establishing the budget, 
approving expenditures, 
and retaining legal counsel. 
More information about 
GLACVCD can be 
found at: glamosquito.
org. Applications are due 
November 30. If you have 
questions regarding this 
recruitment, please contact 
the City Clerk at (626) 300-
0705 or CityClerk@ 

 CityofSanMarino.org. 
Further details and the 
application can be found 
at: cityofsanmarino.org/
government.

Early Literacy Family Workshop 
at the South Pasadena Library



 The South Pasadena Public 
Library is offering an Early 
Literacy Family Workshop, 
Playing, Discovering, 
Reflecting, on December 6 
from 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. 
in the Library Community 
Room at 1115 El Centro 
Street, South Pasadena, CA. 
This workshop is designed 
for children ages 2- to 
4-years old and their parents
and caregivers. During
the workshop, parents and
caregivers will learn about
creating learning experiences
and environments that
support the development
of their child’s complex
intellectual thinking, deep
conceptual thinking, and
creative problem-solving 
abilities – skills that will
help them throughout their
lives and better prepare
them for school. After a
brief discussion of research
that outlines the skills and
conditions that matter
most for a child’s success in
school, the children and their
caregivers will rotate through
three creative, fun, open-
ended, hands-on activities.
All supplies will be provided.
Registration is required and
will be limited to the first 40
people.

 Sign up for this event 
at: southpasadenaca.gov/
register or contact the 
Children’s Services Librarians 
at childrenlibrarian@
southpasadenaca.gov or 
(626)403-7358 for any
questions.

 The South Pasadena 
Public Library is located at 
1100 Oxley Street in South 
Pasadena. Visit the Library 
website at https://www.
southpasadenaca.gov for 
information about services 
and programs. The Library 
is open Monday, Friday, 
Saturday 10:00 AM–6:00 
PM, Tuesday, Wednesday, 
Thursday 10:00 AM–8:00 
PM and Sunday 1:00 PM–
5:00 PM.


Friends of the Pasadena 
Library Bookstore to Open

 The Friends of the Pasadena 
Public Library (FOPPL) 
Bookstore will open soon 
with a variety of used books, 
DVDs, CDs, LPs and lots 
and lots of children’s books 
for you to select from. They 
are targeting Tuesday Jan. 9, 
as an opening date. Look for 
more details to follow in the 
January/February issue of Off 
the Shelf at: cityofpasadena.
net/library.

 The new bookstore location 
is the former Jefferson 
Elementary School campus, 
1500 E. Villa Ave. (between 
Hill and Allen), east of the 
Jefferson Library Branch. 
Opening hours will be 
Tuesday, Thursday and 
Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 
p.m. They hope to expand
the hours in a few months.

 A donation bin is located 
to the east of the Jefferson 
Branch Library on the 
grass near the huge tree. 
Donations will be accepted 
only at this location not at 
any branch libraries. We are 
accepting all used books 
in good condition, except 
textbooks, magazines and 
cassettes. For large 
donations, contact Adrienne 
at phrogg8@gmail.com to 
make an appointment.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com