LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 1, 1999 - 3A

ESEAH in
Research reveals
folic acid reduces
birth defects
New research by University scientists
revealed how folic acid helps decrease
the risk of cardiovascular disease and
birth defects by reducing the amount of
a compound called homocysteine.
In 90 percent of humans, homocys-
teine is converted into a harmless amino
acid. But for 10 percent of the popula-
tion, the compound accumulates in high
concentrations in the body and causes
heart disease and birth defects.
Folic acid helps the body convert the
omocysteine through the complicated
lbiochemical chain reaction. The
researchers stumbled on this discovery
while doing general research on an
enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofo-
late reductase.
Researchers Rowena Matthews and
Martha Ludwig said they credit the
National Institute of General Medical
Sciences for providing the funds to pur-
ue this basic untargeted research.
Songbirds forecast
global warming
Winter. songbirds may clue
researchers in to global warming. A
new study by Chad Laurent, an SNRE
sophomore, shows a correlation
between temperatures in the Great
Plains during the past 30 years and the
4umber of winter songbirds.
Laurent will present his research on
Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on
April 14. The work was completed
through the University's Undergraduate
Research Opportunity Program.
Laurent's research shows that with
sustained temperature changes the win-
ter songbirds change residential areas.
Laurent studied 14 different songbird
species including the black-capped
hickadee, the horned lark, the white-
reasted nuthatch and the dark-eyed
junco in North and South Dakota,
Nebraska and Kansas.
Researchers
hope to decipher
facial expression
A few faces will launch University of
isconsin researchers in their latest
deavor to understand human expres-
sion. By studying artists' caricatures of
photographed human faces, the
researchers hope to uncover the mecha-
nisms behind interpretation of facial
expressions, reported the Badger
Herald, Wisconsin's student newspaper.
The researchers, led by psychology
Prof. Pawan Sinha, hope to develop a
computer program capable of sorting
d understanding facial expressions.
If we can take a face and reduce it to
its essence - then we would under-
stand what it takes for recognition'
Sinha said. "This is what caricaturists
have been doing for centuries."
Human beings are able to discern
between a variety of facial expressions.
According to Sinha, humans can per-
form the "impressive feat" of recogniz-
ing between 5,000 and 10,000 different
faces.
Sinha's project began two months
go when researchers commissioned
artists from across the country to draw
caricatures of faces from photographs.
Sinha will next compile a caricature

database and interview caricaturists on
the methods they use in their drawings.
Then, researchers will use computers to
analyze the different caricatures.
,Bacteria may be
sed in medicine
Doctors may soon take their cues in
treating patients from bacteria, organ-
isms directly responsible for many
human illnesses.
In studies published in the March 2
issue of Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, Stanford
University researchers reported that the
strategies used by bacteria to destroy
tther microorganisms can be potential-
ly useful in the development of more
potent drugs, according to a report in
The Stanford Daily.
The researchers emphasized the
potential for the treatment of immuno-
suppression, inflammation and hyper-
tension.
-Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud.

Serve Week strives for unity through service

By Risa Berrin
Daily Staff Reporter
Members of the University community will be
painting, playing tennis and collecting money next
week as part of Project SERVE'S Serve Week 1999.
Serve Week activities, scheduled to begin April
5 and end April 10, are aimed at unifying the cam-
pus through service projects. The goal is to
encourage individual students and student groups
to become involved in various organizations in the
Ann Arbor area.
LSA senior Spencer Preis, Serve Week's volun-
teer information and placement team chair, said
another aim of the program is to bring together dif-
ferent groups on campus and encourage them to
contribute to the greater community.
"We try to get groups together that normally
wouldn't get together," Preis said..
Project Serve is also working in conjunction

with Diversity Days to provide an educational
theme for each day of service. Topics include reli-
gion and spirituality, sexual orientation, gender
issues, disabilities and race and ethnicity. Two of
the week's main events include the Love to Serve
Tennis Tournament and a lecture by Jesse Jackson,
both planned for on April 9. The proceeds from the
tennis tournament will be donated to the charity
chosen by the winning team.
The idea for Serve Week stemmed from the
national program Into the Streets, in which volun-
teers serve a community for one day. The program
was implemented in Ann Arbor 11 years ago,
extending the one day of service to one week.
Some participants will work in the Ann Arbor
Options Center, which provides support groups and
employment opportunities for at risk men, women,
children and individuals being released from prison.
Program Coordinator Linda Hiller said the partici-

pants will be painting the interior of the center.
Hiller said that without the manpower provided
by Serve Week, this year's renovations would not
be possible.
"Since we're a non-profit organization, we would-
n't be able to pay for the place to be painted," she
said.
Hiller said the center is grateful for Serve
Week's involvement.
"The renovations will make the environment
more pleasant for the children," Hiller said.
LSA junior Sabrina Kidd, a member of the
Serve Week Leadership Team, said there are more
than 20 project sites this year.
"The number of people involved this year has
exceeded our expectations," Kidd said. "There are
about 50 campus groups participating"
Kidd said she hopes the Serve Week experience
inspires individuals to do more service throughout

the year.
"We want to raise awareness of diversity and
service issues on this campus and in the local com-
munity," she said.
Another beneficiary of the week's events is the
Alzheimer's Association. Serve Week will provide
volunteers to assist with the annual Alzheimer's Tag
Days on April 9 and 10. Volunteers will hand out
tags to provide information about the disease and the
association's programs and services. The volunteers
will also collect money through a bucket drive.
Alan Esper, the Alzheimer's Association special
events coordinator, said the money raised will fund
local projects in Washtenaw County. Esper said that
each year the monetary goal is surpassed.
"Last year we raised about $5,500. This year we.
should exceed that number since the Greek syster,
is working our seven additional sites this year,
Esper said.


MSU administrators look at
changes in police policy

LANSING (AP) - A university pol-
icy needs more teeth if Michigan State
University officials are to punish stu-
dents for last weekend's riot, adminis-
tration officials said yesterday.
MSU administrators now can sanc-
tion or suspend students if they com-
mit crimes on campus. School offi-
cials also may suspend students if they
commit off-campus crimes that pre-
sent a "clear and present danger" to the
community.
Since last weekend, MSU officials
have drafted a change that would allow
the campus judicial system to try off-

campus cases even if they don't meet
the "clear and present danger" level,
including cases of arson and other
felonies, said student affairs spokesper-
son Marie Hansen.
Off-campus cases would still be tried
in the county courts, she said. But the
change would give the school more
power to crack down on off-campus
behavior by suspending students. The
university's board of trustees must
approve the new policy.
The debate may be especially timely.
East Lansing police and MSU officials
are on alert as the school's hockey team

plays in the NCAA semifinals tonight:.
Last weekend's riot followed the basket
ball team's loss in an NCAA semifinal'
game.
East Lansing police Lt. Kevin Daley
said police don't expect much of a dis-
turbance, but have asked officers in;
East Lansing and surrounding areas to
be prepared.
MSU student government Chair Nate
Smith-Tyge admitted he was "con-
cerned" about a repeat event tonight
but said many students he has talked to,
are vowing to crack down on any bad
behavior.

DHANI JONES/Daily
Four University students perform during the Generation Asian Pacific
American cultural show at the Power Center last night.
Gen APA show sets
Y2K 'in motion'

Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ
Composite for Week 3/24-3131
DJIA Close Change NASDAQ Close Change
3/24 9666.84 -4.99 2365.28 +42.44
3/25 9836.39 +169.55 2434.82 +69.54
3/26 9822.24 -14.15 2419.19 -15.63
3/29 10,006.78 +184.54 2492.84 +73.67
3/30 9913.26 -93.52 2480.29 -12.55
3/31 9786.16 -127.10 2461.76 -18.53
-ighlights from the week: After penetrating the 10,000 barrier three separate times over the past two
weeks, the DJIA finally closed above the record barrier last Monday. The historic session was fueled by
end-of-quarter buying by money managers, takeover speculation, and bargain hunting. Money mangers
attempted to "dress up" their clients portfolios and show that their money is fully invested in this lucrative
stock market of the past year. The following trading day, disappointing news surrounding Coca-Cola and
Philip Morris, two Dow components, drove the blue chip average away from the previous record. Coca-
Cola announced that their case-volume sales would decline in the first quarter due to weak economies over
seas. Philip Morris dropped 3 7116 after a jury found it guilty in the lung cancer-related death of an Oregon
man. Morris was ordered to pay $8 1 million in damages to the family of the deceased.

More than 300
students participate in
cultural show
By Marta Brill
Daily Staff Reporter
Combining issues and art, the
annual Generation Asian Pacific
American cultural show packed
the Power Center last night, with
the theme of "Setting the
Millennium in Motion."
Gen APA, presented by the
United Asian American
Organizations, began on campus
in 1995. Since then, it has grown
to include more than 300 partici-
pants from 13 student groups on
campus.
"It has gained so much momen-
tum with the help of student lead-
ers," said School of Art and
Design junior Thuyen Tang, co-.
chair of the event.
"Our mission statement is pro-
moting community, cultural
awareness, APA pride and unity
through the creative arts;' said
co-chair Tejas Shah, an LSA
junior.
The acts represented a blend of
modern and traditional artistic
expression through dance, singing
and skits.
Highlights included a rhythm
step act by Asian fraternity
Lambda Phi Epsilon, a spirited
dance by the Advancement of
Indian Opportunity and modern
dance by Culture Shock.
Shah said he was pleased so
many non-APA members attended
the show.
"It is important to expose peo-
ple to each specific culture. It's a
great way to showcase each indi-
vidual culture,"'Shah said.
LSA sophomore Young Do par-
ticipated in the Lamda Phi
Epsilon step act. He described the
experience as full of adrenaline
and very enjoyable.

"It shows a lot of APA groups
and it shows unity between the
groups. It's good for the commu-
nity," Do said.
Between acts, the Masters of
Ceremony addressed issues rele-
vant to APA students such as
stereotypes in the media, affirma-
tive action, interracial dating,
hate crimes and involvement on
campus. The issues were dis-
cussed with humor through skits
and movies.
"I liked the way they talked
about all the issues that are going
on. It brought a lot of stuff to my
attention that I wasn't aware of,"
said Katie Moray, a local high
school senior.
This year one focus of Gen
APA was community building.
"Every participant in the show
was required to partake in at least
one or more community building
event," Shah said.
These events encompassed
more than service and could
include anything from attending
another cultural show to volun-
teering at a hospital. More than
100 Gen APA participants spent
the afternoon March 13 knitting
mittens for the homeless and the
needy.
Another community building
event included a mentoring pro-
ject in association with the
Community Action Network,
where Gen APA participants
could work with high school stu-
dents.
Other student groups perform-
ing included the Indian American
Student Association, alpha Kappa
Delta Phi, the Thai Students
Association, Korean Campus
Crusade for Christ, the Chinese
Christian Fellowship, the Arab
American Anti-Discrimination
Committee, the Filipino
American Students Association
and the Vietnamese Student
Association.

- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Kevin Magnuson from wife reports.


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What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Office of the Provost, Rackham, Lobbyy
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