LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 13, 1997 -'3A

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..Super-tasters'
avoid cancer-
preventive foods
9 Super-tasters, people with genetical-
ly-inherited sensitivity to bitter tastes,
fend to reject bitter tasting foods -
nany of which are important for cancer
prevention.
Adam Drewnowski, director of the
.Human Nutrition Program at the
"University's School of Public Health,
iecently presented his findings to the
American Association for the
Advancement of Science.
*About 25 percent of the 400 women
in Drewnowski's study fell into the
"super-taster" category, and another 25
percent were "non-tasters," or lacked
the ability to taste bitterness. The rest
were regular tasters.
Drewnowski said that, in general,
.women who are sensitive to bitter tastes
may limit their consumption of sharp-
tasting foods that contain diverse
flavonoids, which are thought to be
*ective in cancer prevention.
. Further research is planned to study
the impact of genetic taste markers on
dietary choices to determine if a
healthy diet might lower disease risk,
Drewnowski said.
Sirius sparkles in
Michigan sky
Sirius, known as the dog star, not only
the brightest star in Michigan's night
y, but is also the closest, according to
University astronomer Richard Teske.
Between 9 and 10 p.m. on February
nights, Sirius can be located almost
directly south of Michigan, just above
the horizon, Teske recently found.
The star, which is twice the size of
the sun and more than' 20 times as
bright, is 8.6 light years away from
Earth, Teske found.
Among astronomers, Sirius' greatest
claim to fame is its strange companion,
the cinder of a burned-out star. The two
are locked in a mutual gravitational
embrace that causes them to circle each
other perpetually, completing one orbit
every fifty years.
"As the corpses of stars that were
born and died in the early history of the
universe, the cinders represent a kind of
fossil record of the first stars ever
' rn," Teske said in a statement.
Program looks at
life in extreme
environments
The National Science Foundation's
Office of Polar Programs recently
announced the development of an
opportunity to enhance knowledge
,out "life in extreme environments"
through interdisciplinary research pro-
,grams.
The program will explore the rela-
tionships between organisms and the
environments where they exist, with a
strong emphasis on those life-support-
ing environments that exist near
extreme climates.
For additional information, contact
nave Plawchan at 764-7237, or e-mail
davedrda@umich.edu.
*- Compiled by Daily StaffReporter
David Rossman.

New test may help detect prostate cancer

,

By Brian Campbell
Daily Staff Reporter
Men with prostate cancer often become aware
of their condition too late, leaving themselves with
an incurable disease.
But some University researchers hope a new test
they have developed to detect prostate cancer will
give men quick and accurate answers.
The prostate-specific antigen blood test,
known as PSA, is a routine part of prostate exam-
inations. The test is now more sensitive to early
signs of the disease after being modified -by
researchers at the University's Michigan Prostate
Institute.
Dr. Joseph Oesterling, director of the
Michigan Prostate Institute, said the new test
will help physicians detect an additional 44-per-
cent of prostate cancer cases in their early
stages.
"This new test helps significantly to find more

cancers that previously would have been missed,"
said Oesterling, chair of the urology depart-
ment. "It is a more clinically useful and reliable

the blood are divided into free and complex anti-
gens. The new PSA test, also called the percent-
free test, finds the percentage of free antigens

test."
Deanna Hairi, director of
financial planning at
University Hospitals, said
improved testing is a prima-
ry way for hospitals to cut
costs.
"It's one of the ways that
hospitals look at to cut their
own costs, costs to the
patients, and the insurance
companies they deal with,"
Hairi said. "I think as we
develop more advanced tests

in the blood. If the percentage is too low, the
patient may have
prostate cancer and is
Isa m ore advised to undergo fur-
ther testing.
In addition to detecting
clinically useful ane
early cancer cases, the
and-a reliablueest percent-free PSA test can
also determine if the dis-
- Dr. Joseph Oesterling ease is absent. Oesterling
Michigan Prostate Institute said that a high result on
the older PSA test is not
always a sign of prostate
for diseases, it will cancer and can result from a number of non-can-

ing previously needed to confirm prelinnI
results.
"The new test will eliminate negative biopsies."
Gesterling said. "There are a number of me with
slightly elevated PSAs who don't have cancer -
you don't want to biopsy these guys."
While more sensitive tests may reduce cost> to
the patient, they only benefit patients who seek
treatment early. Oesterling emphasized the nee'd
for older men -- especially those with family
members who have had prostate cancer -- to be
tested annually.
"Prostate cancer is a very common prohle'm,
with more than 40.000 men dying each 'enr,
Oesterling said.
"The only way to prevent men from dyingjfror
the disease is to find it early - while it's still inthe
prostate - but the problem with finding it in the
early stages is that the patient shows no symptoims
at that point."

eliminate what we have to go through now, which
is performing multiple tests."
Oesterling said the prostate-specific antigens in

cerous conditions.
Oesterling said he expects the percent-free PSA
test to cut down on the amount of subsequent test-

ACLU
president
tospeak
tonight
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
Nadine Strossen, a veteran civil
rights crusader and president of the
American Civil Liberties Union, is
scheduled to speak tonight about civil
rights as they're applied to minority
issues.
Strossen is speaking as part of the
weeklong Diversity Days event.
"For Thursday, we wanted a big
speaker to draw people to the whole
week," said LSA senior Adam
Schlifke, one of the program's orga-
nizers.
Although Strossen is an expert on
civil liberties, she will speak about how
racial issues involve constitutional
rights, such as Proposition 209 in
California.
"There's a lot of injustice that goes
along with racial issues," Schlifke said.
"Nadine is going to talk a lot about
civil liberties in that area."
Strossen is a law professor at New
York Law School. She was elected
President of the ACLU in 1991.
Strossen has authored numerous
books about civil liberties, including
"Defending Pornography: Free Speech,
Sex, and the Fight for Women's
Rights." She was also the editor of the
Harvard Law Review.
Greer Dawson Wilson, a professor
at the University of Virginia and for-
mer president of the Association of
College Unions also will speak
tonight.,
"She does a lot of work with multi-
cultural issues," Schlifke said.
Schlifke said he expects a large
turnout at tonight's Diversity Days
event.
He said English Prof. Ralph
Williams' speech Monday night attract-
ed a few hundred people, but less than
15 people attended Tuesday night's pro-
gram on gender issues.,
Tonight's event begins at 7 p.m. in
the Power Center. Admission to all
Diversity Days events is free.


State focuses
on minimumf
wage bill
LANSING (AP) - The Legislature delivered some good
news to workers who earn Michigan's $3.35 minimun wage
by agreeing yesterday to increase their pay for the first tinie
in 16 years.
Competing bills passed by the Senate and the House
one sponsored by a Republican and one by a Demo'crat -
would raise the state minimum wage, first to S4.75 an hour
and then to $5.15 an hour.
The hikes only apply to the approximately 100;000
employees of companies that do no out-of-state business and
gross less than $500,000 a year, and mirror already enacted
increases in the federal rate that apply to all other workers.
"It has marginal impact, but if you're one of the people
making less than $4.75 an hour it has a big impact," said Rep.
Bob Emerson (D-Flint) who sponsored the House version..
"As long as it applies to somebody, it has more impact than
just posturing.
Approving a minimum wage increase, an issue leg over
from last year when it passed the House but was shunned by
the Senate, now gives both Republicans and Democr a the
chance to claim credit as another election year approa es,
With that in mind, the Republican-controlled Senat and
Democratic-controlled House approved separate bis that
contain provisions favored by their majorities and interests
supportive of them.
The Senate voted 37-1 for its bill, with Rep. Dale Shugars
(R-Portage) the sole "no" vote. The House approved
Emerson's measure 74-29.
But the votes on differing versions came despite the fact
that -key lawmakers already have agreed what the final legis-
lation will look like.
Negotiations between the two chambers centered around
the age limit for the minimum wage and how much base pay
waiters and waitresses should receive.
The House bill would bring workers older than 14 under
the minimum wage law. The Senate bill would retain the cur-
rent 18-year-old limit. Lawmakers said the final version will
set the limit at 16 years old.
And the Democratically-run House wanted to raise tl e
hourly salary tipped restaurant employees receive from the
current $2.52 to $3.87 an hour. But the Republican-con-
trolled Senate opposed that move. The agreement would
allow for a 13-cent hike to $2.65 an hour.
Other provisions lawmakers said would make up the f
legislation include:
Raising the minimum wage from the current $3.35 an
hour to $4.75 on July I and to $5.15 on Jan. 1, 1998. 2
Permitting a $4.25 "training' wage" for employees les
thari 20 years old for the first 90 days of work.
Allowing employees to choose time off instead- ef
money as compensation for overtime, if both worker aril
employer agree.

AJA DEKLEVA COHEN/Daily
Joe Fitzsimmons, who lost the 1996 Congressional election to U.S. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor),
talks with LSA sophomore Mark Potts last night at a meeting of the University's College Republicans.

FITZSIMMONS
Continued from Page 1A
Jack Kemp's potential of winning the presidential
election in 2000.
"In the vice presidential debate between Gore
and Kemp,I would have given the edge to Gore,"
Fitzsimmons said.
Fitzsimmons, who is pro-choice but against par-
tial-birth abortions, said his stance on abortion
was detrimental to his campaign.
"I'm pro-choice, but I can't out-pro-choice
(U.S. Rep Lynn) Rivers," Fitzsimmons said about
his Democratic opponent.
He also attributed his loss to the power of the
unions and female voters.
"The unions did a great job of getting out the
vote," Fitzsimmons said. "The women's vote was
significant for Rivers.
Another area Fitzsimmons said needs improve-

ment is support from Republicans in Michigan.
"We got no help from (Ronna) Romney,"
Fitzsimmons said. "The support from the state
needed to be improved dramatically."
If he could do one campaign move over again,
Fitzsimmons said he would "focus on the last 48
hours." Now Fitzsimmons is focusing on a
Republican victory for the 13th Congressional
seat in 1998.
"All we needed was another eight percent.
That's winnable;" Fitzsimmons said. "Not neces-
sarily for myself, but it could be."
Currently, Fitzsimmons is leading a busy sched-
ule. He is a member of three corporate boards also
is active in politics and volunteer work.
"The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is a great
passion of mine," Fitzsimmons said.
As well as political and charity work,
Fitzsimmons got married on November 30,
1996.

Correction:
Members of the Michigan Student Assembly voted 13-12-2 to investigate MSA Vice President Probir Mehta's S500 student
group allocation. This was incorrectly reported in yesterday's Daily.
What's happening in Ann Arbor today

-,>'

" GROUP MEETINGS
U Campus Crusade for Christ,
Fellowship Meeting, Dental
School, Kellog Auditorium, 7
p.m.
U Lutheran Campus Ministry Issues of
Faith Group, 668-7622, Lord of
Light Lutheran Church, 801 South
b Forest, 7 p.m.
United Jewish Appeal, 998-1964,
Hillel, 1429 Hill St., 6 p.m.
U Undergraduate Mathematics
Society, 213-2018, East Hall,
Room 3866, 7 p.m.
EVENTS
Q "Architectural Student Exhibition,"
sponsored by The College of
Architecture, Jean and Paul Slusser
Gallery, Pierpont, 11a.m.-4 p.m.
"Dinner for the Homeless," spon-
sored by Hillel, 1429 Hill Street, 3-
7 p.m.

J "'Dying Buddhist,' In Early Medieval
Japan," Lecture, sponsored by The
Center for Japanese Studies, Lane
Hall, Commons Room, noon
a "Linda Villarosa," sponsored by The
Queer Unity Project, Rackham
Auditorium,?7 p.m.
U "University 101: Making Your Way
at the U of M," Workshop on
time management, sponsored by
The Union Program Board,
Michigan Union, Wolverine
Room, 7 p.m.
J "Shuichan ivrit," sponsored by Hillel,
Cafe Java, downstairs, 6 p.m.
SERVICES
0 Campus Information Centers, Michigan
Union and Pierpont Commons, 763-
INFO, info@umich.edu, and http://
www.umich.edu/-info on the World
Wide Web
0 English Composition Board Peer
Tutoring, need help with a paper?,

Angell Hall, Room 444C, 7-11
p.m.
Q Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley Hall,
8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Q Psychology Peer Academic
Advising, 647-3711, sponsored
by Psychology Department,
East Hall, Roomi 1346, 1a.m.-4
Q Sa ewalk, 936-1000, Shapiro Library
Lobby, 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m.
U Student Mediation, sponsored by
Student Mediation Services, 997-
9253
U Underrepresented Minority
PreMed Peer Academic
Counseling, 764-9128, Angell
Hall, Room G155

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