Nearly 100 people filled the courtyard of the Cushing Street Bar and Restaurant Tuesday evening, as the UA-sponsored Science Cafe lecture held its first meeting in its new, downtown location.

The crowd, which consisted primarily of senior citizens, relaxed, ate food and drank wine offered by the restaurant, and listened to the lecture of UA clinical assistant professor of medicine Dr. Margaret Miller. Miller, who elicited laughs from audience members, lectured on the topic of joint pain and arthritis before fielding questions.

“”It is so great to be here,”” Miller said. “”This is the first time I have spoken in a bar. It is great to have this new location, and to be able to speak to you all.””

The Science Cafe, a series of lectures created and sponsored by the Flandrau Science Center, occurs once a month as a way of bringing interesting and contemporary issues to light in a less formal lecture and discussion.

Tuesday’s discussion was titled, “”Oh, My Aching Joints: Advancements in the Treatment of Joint Pain.””

“”Eventually, everyone will get some form of degenerative arthritis,”” Miller said, “”which comes from age. I am sure many of the people here have it. Even I have it.””

Miller spent most of her time speaking about rheumatoid arthritis and advancements in joint replacement.

“”Rheumatoid arthritis should be called rheumatoid disease, because it can regress, which is something we did not even think about 30 years ago,”” she said. “”Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1 to 3 percent of the population, and will occur in patients around 30 or 40 years old,”” Miller said.

Miller only lectured briefly before fielding questions, which occupied most of the lecture time. The most common questions were those submitted during the lecture and dealt with the issues of joint replacement.

The Science Cafe’s upcoming lectures will include Dr. Richard Bootzin, psychology professor, in a lecture titled, “”Everybody Sleeps, But Why?”” on November 9.