ESEARCH
Tests for Carpal
tunnel syndrome
not reliable
new University study claims that a
lily used nerve test is not reliable
when diagnosing carpal tunnel syn-
drome, a painful hand condition.
In a recent issue of the journal Muscle
and Nerve, the study maintains that peo-
ple without carpal tunnel syndrome
symptoms can register abnormal results
on the nerve conduction tests. Likewise,
those people with symptoms of wrist
pain and tingling will not register as
having nerve damage.
According to the study, co-authored
hysical medicine and rehabilitation
associate Prof Robert Werner and neu-
rology Prof. James Albers, physicians
should use a continuous scale to evalu-
ate test results instead of choosing a
cutoff point to distinguish between nor-
mal and abnormal results.
The study examined 158 workers,
mostly women, who spend a large
amount of time at work on the comput-
e-keyboard. The study noted that
Wen between the ages of 30 and 60
are most often affected.
An estimated 850,000 Americans
complain of carpal-tunnel-like symp-
toms and 260,000 undergo corrective
wrist surgery annually.
The study's researchers said it is
important to ensure accurate and reliable
testing.
Engler declares
vareness month
for Epilepsy
Michigan Gov. John Engler has
declared November "Epilepsy
Awareness Month" for the state.
After meeting with Epilepsy
Foundation President Arlene Gorelick
last summer, the governor dedicated the
month to promote awareness of the dis-
-r.
In response to the governor's declara-
tion, the foundation launched a
statewide awareness campaign to shift
the public perception of the disorder.
The campaign will include a print ad
campaign promoting a low carbohydrate
ketogenic diet to eliminate seizures. It
will also promote wearing helmets to
prevent head trauma during outdoor
activities.
addition, there will be television
radio public service announce-
ments and fundraising events at 12
metro Detroit Borders Books and
Music stores.
Gorelick said she hopes to dispel the
myths and misconceptions associated
with Epilepsy by providing factual
information to the public.
Owners of home
ms more likely
to lose weight
People who own their own home
exercise equipment are more likely to
lose weight than people who exercise
outside of the home, according to a
study conducted by two faculty mem-
bers at the Brown University School of
Medicine in Providence, R.I.
he study, led by psychiatry Prof.
na Wing and psychiatry assistant
research Prof John Jakicic, showed
that women with home exercise equip-
ment lost an average of 16.3 pounds
each, while the other women lost an
average of 8.1 pounds each.
Jakicic said the reason for the differ-
ence is that having the equipment at
home made the women's exercise regi-
mens more flexible.
'kicic also said that people are more
inc ined to use the treadmill, for exam-
ple, when it is raining, instead of going
outside and getting wet traveling to a
gym..
The study also concluded that women
who did shorter, multiple sessions of
daily exercise lost an average of 16.3
pounds each, while women who did a
longer, single daily session lost an aver-
age of 12.8 pounds each.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Risa Berrin.
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 11, 1999 -3A
LOCAL/S.3TATE
Hotline aids smokers
S I i toCall it q uits
By Risa Berrin
Daily Staff Reporter
The University is helping people quit
smoking with just one phone call.
As one of five sites in the country for
the National Cancer Institute's "Calling
it Quits" study, the University is helping
to provide a phone hotline with coun-
selors and informational pamphlets to
help smokers quit their habit.
Vic Strecher, the study's principal
investigator at the University, said most
smokers want to quit but are not willing
to attend group therapy programs. He
said "Calling it Quits" provides smok-
ers with an alternative.
"We're providing the opportunity to
receive effective help in quitting smok-
ing with just a phone call," said Strecher,
assistant director at the University's
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
According to the National Cancer
Institute's Website, lung and bronchial
cancers are the No. I cancer killers of
white males, black males and white
females. Following prostate and breast
cancers, lung and bronchial cancers
also affect the most Americans.
Kathy Bishop, University project
manager for the study, said that doctors
generally do not have time to talk to
their patients about how to properly quit
smoking.
"This resource replaces a face-to-
face counselor and it's more cost-effi-
cient.' she said. "The specialists pro-
vide support to help people through the
process of quitting"
When people call the toll-free num-
ber at the National Cancer Institute to
inquire about how to quit smoking, they
are asked if they would like to partici-
pate in the "Calling it Quits" research
study. If the person agrees to partici-
pate, a trained information specialist
will conduct a survey that evaluates the
smoker's habits; how long the person
has been smoking, whether they smoke
more in the morning or afternoon and
whether they have tried to quit before.
Then the participant is sent detailed
information on how best to quit smok-
ing. During the 11 months after the ini-
tial phone call, the participant will
receive four follow-up calls to monitor
their progress.
The study, which began in 1997, has
had 1,425 participants from across the
country. Bishop said people from ages
18 to 86 have participated and the most
frequent participants have been white
females. Of the 1,425 participants, 197
were from Michigan.
When a person calls the toll-free
number from Michigan, Ohio or
Indiana, they are routed to the
Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit.
Mary Alice Worrell, telephone ser-
vice manager at the center, said there
has been a steady volume of calls since
the study began.
"People want to know what's on the
cutting edge, what are the new trends"
Worrell said. "The response from the
participants has been so positive."
Bishop said the literature sent in the
mail covers a wide range of smoking
problems and offers numerous strate-
gies to quit.
"If a person appears to be addicted to
nicotine, we might suggest that they
brush their teeth after eating, or go to a
smoke-free environment like the movie
theater instead of a bar," Bishop said.
The study will continue until March .
2000. Participants must be at least 18-
years old to participate in the study. To
contact the Cancer Information
Service's hotline call 1-800-4-CAN-
CER.
JEREMY MENCHIK /Daily
LSA senior Jeff Bilsborrow enjoys a cigarette outside of the Michigan Union last
Wednesday.
OAC divestment
efforts receive
newsupport
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
The University's Ozone Action
Coalition has recently received a major
helping hand in their plight to get the
University to divest from members of
the Global Climate Coalition when the
Public Interest Research Group In
Michigan announced last Thursday that
they will be supporting the organiza-
tion.
Brian Imus, campaign director at
PIRGIM, announced in a press release
that the organization will support the
OAC. Later, Imus referred to the
10,000-member organization as an
"environmental watchdog."
OAC has been working since
September to get the University to divest
from GM, Mobil, and Exxon - compa-
nies that belong to the GCC.
Imus said that members of the GCC
"have been working to stop the Kyoto
treaty."
The Kyoto Protocol is an internation-
al treaty that encourages everyone to
reduce global warming. The treaty has
not yet been ratified by the U.S.
Congress.
OAC organizer Josh Davis said that
the backing of PIRGIM will do a lot to
help the OAC in its efforts. "More than
anything it perfectly exemplifies how
important (our) campaign is to the gen-
eral public."
Davis said that OAC has 1,000 signa-
tures, including 43 from University
professors on a petition stating their
cause.
OAC has also received recognition
by the Michigan Student Assembly.
Davis said that they brought a resolu-
tion before the Steering Committee of
MSA on Sunday and was brought
before the entire MSA Tuesday night as
a first draft.
Davis said that the amount OAC is
asking the University to divest is
around $6 million. "The University has
1.3 billion dollars in different stock
holdings all across the country." he
said. "Six million is a drop in the buck-
et."I
The involvement with OAC is not the
only way PIRGIM is making its pres-
ence known on college campuses. Imus
said they are trying to earn support for
the Dirty Jobs Boycott.
Heather Kunst, Dirty Jobs organizer
for the midwest explained that the
national student project focuses on
Ford, BPAmoco, and Coca-Cola - all
members of the GCC.
Kunst will be trying to obtain
pledges from students not to work at
these companies until they withdraw
from the GCC.
The companies "need to be held
accountable for their horrible envi-
ronmental records," Kunst said. We
have "specific things to ask of each
of them."
JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily
Department of Public Safety Director Bill Bess (left) and DPS Liason for Safewalk and Northwalk Jim Sullivan discuss
the Safewalk staff's new jackets at the organization's office in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library last night.
Ne w neon-trimed coats
increSfwakvsiity
Bradley: Don'traise
Social Security age
By Charles Chen
Daily Staff Reporter
Volunteers for the Safewalk and Northwalk pro-
grams will be sporting new blue jackets with neon yel-
low lettering and trim to help distinguish themselves
as they escort students across campus at night.
"The new jackets with increase safety on campus
and help get our name out," Safewalk Student
Coordinator Jim Cohen said.
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness
Center and the Department of Public Safety sponsors
the nightly safety programs, which operate out of the
Shapiro Undergraduate Library and Bursley
Residence Hall.
Last night, SAPAC and DPS staff members held a
presentation outside of the UGLi to unveil the bright
jackets. The purpose of the jackets is two-fold.
"We want to make sure that the walkers are safe and
have something that will make them identifiable to
other students," SAPAC Coordinator Virginia
Chitanda said.
Alicia Rinaldi, SAPAC's education and training
coordinator, said maintaining a safe atmosphere is dif-
ficult, meaning that students can never be 100 percent
in control of their surroundings.
"Safewalk and Northwalk provides an option for
evening escorts so that students don't have to walk alone
at night going to various places," she said.
Previously, volunteers were identifiable only by
their badges and walkie-talkies.
"The jackets are to remind students and staff that
the program is here and available," Rinaldi said.
Planning for the volunteer program's new jackets
began two years ago when student coordinators from
Safewalk and Northwalk came up with the idea.
Since then, they have been working closely with
SAPAC and DPS staff members and finally were able
to see their idea become reality.
"It will add validity to the program, Rinaldi said.
The Safewalk program began 13 years ago and the
Northwalk program followed three years later in
1989.
This semester, 100 volunteers work for Safewalk to
escort students on Central Campus, while about 30
students work for Northwalk.
"The program is successful because itsis an organi-
zation of students helping other students," said Jim
Sullivan, DPS crime prevention officer. "Since the
program started, there have been 6,500 volunteers giv-
ing a total of 40,000 walks."
Collectively, the program's volunteers spend 27,000
hours each year walking students to their destinations,
Sullivan added.
The program averages 20 to 25 walks per night,
totaling more than 3,000 walks each year, Rinaldi
said.
Between 13 to 15 volunteers work shifts each night
between the hours of 7:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. Sunday
through Thursday, and between the hours of 8 p.m.
and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Safewalk and Northwalk are free.
Students interested in receiving escorts across cam-
pus can call 936-1000for Safewalk and 763-WALKfor
Northwalk.
DETROIT (AP) - Bill Bradley, pur-
suing the Democratic presidential nom-
ination, said yesterday he would oppose
any proposal to raise the eligibility age
for Medicare and Social Security bene-
fits.
"I'm not proposing to raise the age
for Medicare," Bradley said during a
question-and-answer session with
senior citizens. "I don't think that's a
good idea."
Bradley, a former senator from New
Jersey, said last week that raising the
age for Social Security eligibility is
worth discussing. lie had voted in favor
of a nonbinding resolution which
expressed support for raising the eligi-
bility age from 67 to 70.
Vice President Al Gore, the front
runner in the race for the Democratic
nomination, charged that Bradley
showed lukewarm support for the
retirement program.
But Bradley said yesterday that his
work on the Senate Finance Committee
demonstrated his commitment to
Medicare and Social Security and
ensured their stability until 2015.
Correction:
Stephen Martin is a graduate student. He was incorrectly identified in yesterday's Daily.
What's happening inA:: Arbor today
GROUP MEETINGS J "Mishmar," Sponsored by Hillel, INFO, info@umich.edu, and
Hillel, 10 p.m. www.umich.edu/~info on the
U Goiden Key Nationai Honor Society F "The Modernist Moment in World Wide Web
Mass Meeting for Eligibie American Public Art" lecture by a Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley
Membrs,180 Che. 730 ~m. Casey Blake, Sponsored by the Lobby, 8 p.m.- 2:30 a.m.
Members, 1800 Chem. 7:30 p.m. Arts of Citizenship Program, U Safewalk, 936-1000, Shapiro Library
J intervarsity ChrIstIan Fellowship, Rackham Hall, West Conference Lobby, 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m.
1360 East Hall, 7 p.m. Room, 4 p.m.
U La Voz Mexicana Weekly Meeting, J "Racial and Economic Justice Task
Mosher-Jordan, Caesar Chavez Force," Sponsored by Interfaith
Lounge, 7:30 p.m. Council for Peace and Justice, Your event could be here.
EVENTS Memorial Christian Church, 730
Tappan, 12-2 p.m. Step by The Student Publications
at "Volunteers In Action Dinner for Building, located at 420
*'Blood Battle between U-M and the Homeless," Sponsored by a st or o entries to
OSU," Sponsored by Alpha Phi Hillel, First United Methodist daiycaledar umich.edu
Omega, West Quad, 1-7 p.m. Church, 3-7:30 p.m. Please include date, time,
"The Cosby Hour," Sponsored by Pleasein Id atin.
Ie asnd orgaoizatin.
Markley Multicultural Affairs SERVICES
Council. Mary Markley, Angela
Davis Lounge, 8 p.m. Q Campus information Centers, 764-
CALENDAR POLICY: The calendar's purpose is to provide a place for organizations to announce free events open to the
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All items for THE CALENDAR must be mailed or delivered to the Daily at least three days before publication. Events on
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I
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