SCIENCE FICTION! A SCIENCE FICTION FAIR MAY 22, 1976 Sponsored by THE CHILDREN'S BRAIN DISEASES FOUNDATION AUXILIARY To Support Continued Research Into The Causes And Cures Of Children's Brain Diseases JFranriscan RESTAURANT PIER 43VZ EMBARCADERO • SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA • 362-7733 CHILDREN'S BRAIN DISEASES FOUNDATION Board of Trustees J. Alfred Rider, M. D., PhD. Charles Kramer James Martin Maclnnis Graclynn L. Rider Richard D. Rider, M. D. Robert E. Sutherland Jay W. Walsh, Jr. "A SCIENCE FICTION FAIR" COMMITTEE Mrs. Raymond Vuksich, General Chairman Mrs. Jack Kennedy, Publicity Mesdames Milton Romey and James Rudden, Program Book Mrs. J. Alfred Rider, Food Mesdames Deryl James and Robert Sutherland, Raffle Mrs. Richard Rider,Tickets Mrs. Thomas School, Hospitality The Children's Brain Diseases Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt, charitable or­ ganization developed primarily to determine the cause and cure of various progressive­ ly deteriorating brain diseases occurring in infancy and childhood. These diseases frequently go unrecognized or are often misdiagnosed. Even when the diagnosis is accurate, these conditions are all too often considered hopeless. Although the children appear normal at birth, there is an insidious onset in late infancy or early childhood---- clumsiness, stumbling, failure of vision, seizures, changes in personality and dropping of scholastic grades being the most frequently presenting symptoms. Any one or a combina­ tion of these signs in any sequence may indicate the beginning of a retrogressive brain disease in a normal-appearing child. Since it became immediately and painfully apparent that, contrary to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc., there was a lack of public or private funds available to study these diseases, the need for the creation of the Foundation was indicated. Since Batten's disease is a classical example of these conditions and a break­ through in this disease would obviously be of benefit to the other similar diseases, the Foundation decided to focus primarily on Batten's disease as its first obj ective. We have sponsored various research projects and, as a direct result of the theories forthcoming from this research, there has been a major breakthrough. It has been discovered that a deficiency of theenzyme peroxidase occurs in persons having Batten s disease. This discovery is analogous to the discovery of a de­ ficiency of insulin in diabetes. We have also sponsored six scientific symposia which were attended by many of the outstanding research physicians and basic scientists from the United States and Canada. The transcriptions of these symposia have resulted in the publication of a book called "The Dissection Of A Degenerative Disease" which will provide a wealth of material concerning specifi­ cally Batten's disease as well as other cerebral degenerative diseases and includ­ ing the so-called "normal" aging brain. The purpose of this book was to disseminate the.knowledge of Batten's disease to the entire scientific community and stimulate research. An additional highly motivating force for sponsorship of additional research is that in children with Batten's disease a yellow pigment has been found which accumulates in the brain and is similar to the pigment found in the normal aging process. It is conceivable that by solving Batten's disease the normal aging process in human brains could be slowed down. The Foundation has come a long way in less than seven years and it is certainly re­ warding to have been able to discover the enzyme defect responsible for Batten's disease, namely a deficiency in peroxidase. Efforts are now being directed to increase the level of research toward definitive therapy. For example, a number of chil­ dren are already being fed crystalline horseradish peroxidase and they have been instructed to eat foods high in peroxidase, for example, avocado. Additional funds are needed to study further the role of peroxi­ dase and other related enzymes in therapy. The Children's Brain Diseases Foundation is unique in that 90% of funds raised actually go into the purpose for which they are raised-----research. No salaries or other expenses are paid to any Directors and only minimal sums are spent on operat­ ing costs such as stamps, stationary, etc. We are most grateful to the sponsors, business firms, and individuals whose ads appear in this program. Their generous contributions and those of many other friends who have consistently supported the other projects of the Foundation are truly appreciated. When added to the hard work and devoted services of the Auxiliary members, their contributions become a major factor in enabling us to continue with our research into the causes and cures of children's brain diseases. J. Alfred Rider, M.D., Ph.D. President Two of the outstanding scientists doing research on Batten's disease sponsored by the Children's Brain Diseases Foundation are: Dr. Donald Armstrong, Asst. Professor of Neurology at the University of Colorado, and Dr. Wolfgang Zeman, Professor of Neuropathology at Indiana University. Dr. Armstrong discovered that there is a lack of the enzyme peroxidase in children with Batten's disease, an important breakthrough analogous to the discovery that there is a lack of insulin in patients with diabetes. Dr. Zeman clarified the pathological process in the brains of children with Batten's disease, showing there are characteristic microscopic changes in them. He has been instrumental in developing treatment using anti-oxidants. Donald Armstrong RAY BRADBURRY has published some 500 short stories, poems, novels and plays in the past 35 years. His work has ap­ peared in The Nation, The "New Republic, Harper's Magazine, Esquire, Collier's, The Saturday Evening Post as well as Playboy, Wierd Tales, Amazing Stories, Dime Detective, The New Yorker, Sight and Sound, Los Angeles Magazine, and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. His novels include The Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked, This Way Comes, and Dandelion Wine. Films have been made of his books Fahrenheit 451, The Illus- traded Man, and his stories The Picasso Summer, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and It Came from Outer Space. In 1954 he formed his own stage group, the Pandemonium Theater Company to produce his own plays "The Anthem Sprinters","The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit", "Dandelion Wine", "Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby's is a Friend of Mine", and"Leviathan 99". He spent 35 years writing his first book of poetry, When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed, recently published. His most recent book is Pillar of Fire, three one-act Future Time plays. He is finishing work on a book concern­ ing Creativity titled How to Keep and Feed a Muse. His next volume of short stories Long After Midnight will be published in 1976. IT1 HmP^' if ;.A ■ «?■ ■ FORREST J. ACKERMAN, a graduate of Balboa High School in San Francisco, won a 1931 newspaper fiction contest for teenagers with the story ”A Trip to Mars". He created the Scientification Club at the beginning of thd 30's."Dwellers in the Dust" was picked as a prize-winner in a 1934 contest by the editor of 'Marvel Tales'. In April, 1936, he made his first professional appearance in Wonder Stories, collaborating with Francis Flagg on "Earth's Lucky Day". He has since edited literally thousands of books, magazines and films. He is Honorary Member #1 of the Science Fiction League and had been christened "Mr. Science Fiction" in the press in 1949 by the late Willy Ley. He has won the first Hugo Award, first Ann Radcliffe Award, a German Hugo, Japanese Hugo, and First Fandom Award. Other accomplish­ ments, to name only a few, include: holder world atten­ dance record at World Science Fiction Convention; Charter member of Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society in 1934 and Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, Club Organizer, Editor, and Patron Saint of the same. Television appear­ ances since 1947 include The Mike Douglas Show, Tom Snyder's Tomorrow, Down Memory Lane, To Tell the Truth, Joe Pyne Show, Omnibus History of SF(BBC TV), The Merv Griffin Show; film appearances include The Time Travellers, Queen of Blood; Dracula vs. Frankenstein, Schlock, Hollywood Blvd; techni­ cal advisor for Wizard of Mars, Dracula vs. Frankenstein; creative consultant and additional dialog for Horror Hall of Fame (TV); creator of comicbook character Vampirella (now in pocket book and being filmed); narrator and writer of record album 'Music for Robots'; author of over 1000 articles and short stories; scripted 'An Evening with Boris Karloff and Friends' for Decca Records; edited over 100 issues of Perry Rhodan magabook/bookazine; coined ubiquitous term "egoboo" (boosting of the ego). Completely in love with and dedicated to the Science Fiction World, Mr. Ackerman has collected over 200,000 pieces of Science Fiction memorabilia. Star Trek Convention Saturday, June 12 San Jose Ctr. for the Performing Arts JIMMY 'SCOTTY" DOOHAN, NICHELLE "UHURA" NICHOLS & WALTER "CHEKOV" KOENING IN PERSON. PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS, BRUCE "LT. KEVIN RILEY" HYDE & WILLIAM "TRELANE" CAMPBELL. STAR TREK FILMS...SCI-FI MOVIES... 'STAR TREK DREAM" T.V. SHOW...COSTUME CONTEST... RAFFLE...MDSE ON SALE. PREVIEW OF "LOGAN S RUN ' .AUTOGRAPHS & PIC SESSIONS. STAR TREK GALAXY GAME...BOB WILKINS-M.C....SURPRISES! ALL TICKETS S6...TW0 SHOWS...9 AM & 5 PM. TICKETS ON SALE AT ALL BASS OUTLETS; FED. TRADING POST. BERKELEY STARBASE ONE, SAN JOSE. POUL ANDERSON Poul Anderson has been writing science fiction for almost thirty years. He is probably one of the best writers in the field today. He has been awarded the highest honors available in science fiction more than once. Both the Hugo and Nebula Awards have found their way into his talented hands. Some of his more famous titles include Three Hearts and Three Lions, Tau Zero, and The High Cru­ sade . Mr. Anderson started to write science fiction while majoring in Physics at the University of Minnesota.