LOCAL/STATE
Th icianD6l hus1y1
RESEARCH
Depression in
elderl linked to
new seases
! According to a University study, older
Americans who suffer from depression
arejust as likely as smokers to develop a
new disease.
The study of more than 6,000
Americans age 70 and up was conduct-
ed by internal medicine assistant Prof.
Caroline Blaum Blaum analyzed how
age, race, body mass index, smoking,
physical limitations and depression
symptoms were related to the develop-
ent of a new disease during the two-
ear period. The types of diseases that
developed included stroke, arthritis,
diabetes and cardiac disease.
In the study, Blaum noted that physi-
cal limitations in the ability to lift a 10-
pound object, walk several blocks or
climb stairs indicated a person would
develop a new disease.
Blaum found that individuals who
smoked or had symptoms of depression
*ere 34 percent more likely to develop
a new disease than those who did not
have depression or smoked.
State sees more
older children
being adopted
Due to national efforts to increase
the rate of permanent placements of
older children in adoptive homes, the
*doption rate in Michigan increased 2
percent last year.
Social Work assistant Prof. Leslie
Hollingsworth said federal laws passed
in 1996 and 1997 helped to promote
cross-cultural adoptions and placement
of children with special needs.
Adoption of children from foreign
countries into Michigan families also
increased in 1998, accounting for about
ne-fourth of adoptions processed
'hrough the state's private adoption agen-
cies. Of the 704 children adopted from
foreign countries, more than 60 percent
were of children over the age of one.
While cross-cultural and special
needs groups increased last year, adop-
tions of infants decreased, according to
Blaum's report. The study also found
that 56 percent of adoptive families
were white and 40 percent were black.
It also noted that 356 sibling groups
*onsisting of two to five siblings were
adopted together.
Researchers grow
new vessels to
combat leg pain
University researchers are studying a
new growth protein that may help mil-
lions of Americans who suffer from
*eripheral Arterial Disease.
The disease, which is a chronic con-
dition where arteries that supply blood
to the legs becomes blocked by a build-
up of plaque. The blockage causes a
painful, sometimes life-threatening
condition called claudication.
PAD, which affects more than six
million Americans, is responsible for
30 percent of all deaths in the western
hemisphere. According to researchers,
the new growth protein promises to
*timulate the body to grow new blood
vessels, a process called angiogenesis.
The University is one of two sites
conducting the trial, which is part of a
study that will be conducted at 20 med-
ical centers in the United States.
4U' economists
predict stagnation
University economists predict that
iture economic growth will lag behind
the rate of growth of the past decade.
Despite the prediction that 100,000
new jobs will be created in Michigan
during the next two years, the econom-
ic growth will be at a slower pace.
University economist Joan Crary said
the employment growth will be4 con-
strained by a tight labor market, which is
illustrated by low unemployment rates
and high labor force participation rates.
n their forecast, the economists state
that manufacturing employment will
drop by .3 percent this year.
But in non-manufacturing jobs, the
economists predict employment
growth to rise from 1.8 to 2.2 percent
next year. They believe the rate of per-
sonal income will increase from four
percent to 5.2 percent next year.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Risa Berrin.
AIDS Fair offers information, tes
By Mahvish Khan
For the Daily
Kenneth Mendez, a case worker at the
HIV/AIDS Resource Center in Ypsilanti, has
been living with AIDS since 1991. Yesterday.
during the inaugural World AIDS Day Fair on
campus, he addressed the necessity of getting
tested despite new cocktail medications that
have become available.
"There is still not a cure. There is still not a
vaccine," he said to a group from a stage in the
Michigan Union Ballroom. "AIDS is more
serious today than ever before. Many students
believe it is a white-gay-male disease. It's far
from that."
In commemoration of World AIDS Day,
University Health Service and the Washtenaw
AIDS Interfaith Alliance co-sponsored the
event.
The event included speeches from individu-
als afflicted with AIDS, representatives from a
variety of organizations promoting greater
AIDS awareness and support for those affect-
ed by the virus.
Anonymous HIV testing and condom distri-
bution also were available.
Fifteen to 24-year-olds comprise 50 percent
of last year's HIV infections in the nation and
"university students are at a prime age for
acquiring this disease," WAIA coordinator
Barb Pott said.
"We are trying to increase awareness and
encourage testing among this age group. There
are so many people who are HIV positive and
don't know it," she said.
As LSA first-year student Chris Sutter wait-
ed for the free HIV testing, he walked around
the ballroom, talking to different representa-
tives.
"There's a lot of information from various
organizations that I didn't expect here" he
said. "I'm glad this event was organized. I got
a lot of current statistics; it's impressive."
LSA sophomore Leah Harris also was
"AIDS is more serious today than ever ore
Case workt at the HIV/A S Y
'!
pleased with the resources available to stu-
dents at the event.
"I'm happy to see so many groups here
They were very informative. This is a serious
issue - anyone can get AIDS," she said. "It's
not who you are, but what you do."
From support groups and counseling to
medical advice, the event educated students on
the abundance of resources available to them
about HIV and AIDS.
"I learned a lot of information about this
disease ... and picked up condoms," said LSA
senior Marc Stanaj.
During a candid speech by AIDS victim
Thom Rathbum and his mother Donna
Rathbum, students wiped away tears as the two
recalled the devastaimg e
brought to their lives. V xk a
death sentn. ce, he aid . "Ii' f
witPh despair, hopelessns an ane
Thom Rathbum levi t sidents with a
of hope, and he encouragned p oport
"'l ami One of the lucky few whxr
weIl to the cocktail min i n010
sid.
p1 1k'..
't itli ~
"l had spent six months gettin.g read iod
1 tied up loose ends> and SAid my good-
and then the cocktaiis ge. x e my lie ba.
went from a T-cell count of 10 t1 10
"Without a stiong suppor a rou.pan
circle of friends. 1 don't know~ whercie I woi
have been.
Students hono!* ^rtei
lost to deadyi
By Jon Fish
Daily Staff Reporter
Students last night fought to keep their candles lit
against a biting wind as they marched through cam-
pus to honor the memories of loved ones lost to
AIDS and to show support for those living with HIV
The AIDS Interfaith Alliance and the Washtenaw
HIV/AIDS Resource Center sponsored the candle-
light vigil and procession to acknowledge World
AIDS Day. More than 20 students participated in the
vigil, with several more joining the procession as it
made its way from the Michigan Union to the
Rackham Graduate School Building.
Organizers said they were pleased with the
turnout, saying they had not expected a large
crowd. They attributed the lack of participation to
the growing apathy toward AIDS education and a
lack of AIDS awareness among all Americans.
According to statistics provided by the AIDS
Interfaith Alliance, Ann Arbor has the second highest
HIV infection rate in Michigan, behind only Detroit.
The attitude that HIV happens to other people, or
just specific groups such as intravenous drug users
or homosexuals, continues to be a prevailing belief,
HARC members said. Chris Tabczka, HARC client
services coordinator, added that the advances in
drug therapies for people infected with HIV have led
to a false sense of security among the public.
"The media makes people optimistic. The meds
are saviig lixes, and people think there isn a
son to worry The quality of iI fe and I id effecs of
these drugs are not paid atteintion to. The att ituno
is still that this disease only afes disenfanchsed
groups, such as IV drug users, Africnl mricaps
and other minorities," she said.
This low awareness is an issue that concer d
many of the participants last night.
"There definitely needs to be moie awxarene ,
especially in a communin> o young people," satd
.Jennifer Abernathy, a Social Work sident wxo
attended the vigil to commemorate the lixes of p
ple she knows who are living with IV and to
awareness amoig the Universitv coimunti.
"If people just turn in their cai to look tn
that's something" Abernathy said
The vigil and procession were not ,ih;-
moments of humor and happiness.lk'r oie,
vigil was a symbol of ceiebration iather than
solemnity. "You have 10 clebiate perseveranc,
too," said LSA senior Leseliey Welch, an H IV te s
counselor at HARC.
As the procession came to an end in on the step.
of the Rackham Graduate School BiIdig,
marchers joined hands one last timie th hnor th
memories of friends and famiVy bs to AIDS.
"I made a promise to rnends th'it Wde
promised I wouldn't fre them and I hav en"
Social Work student Sheia Nelson 'aid.
DANNY KALIcK/Daly
Vigil participants Dan Leonard and Stephen Eddins close their eyes during a prayer for AIDS victims at a
candlelight ceremony on the front steps of the Michigan Union last night.
Internet course
notes spark debate
WANT TO WRITE FOR TE
CALL 76-DAILY FOR MORE INFORMABON
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
After Provost Nancy Cantor's
announcement last month that she will
form a group to study commercial note-
taking services, officials at Versity.com,
one of the nation's largest notetaking
companies on the Internet, said they are
encouraged that the University is dis-
cussing its company's place on campus.
"We think it's great," said Janet
Cardinell, Campus Relations director for
Versity.com. "I've seen Nancy's memo
and I think her decision offers a good
opportunity to answer some important
questions."
In her memo to faculty members,
Cantor said the University neither
endorses Versity.com nor encourages
"commercial notetaking in any form."
Although Versity.com offers notes for
34 different University classes, not all
professors are in favor of allowing the
publication of their class materials. n
"I am opposed to it very much," said
history Prof. Sidney Fine, adding that he
feels he owns the rights to the content of
his lectures.
"I feel we have a copyright on our
material. I am not teaching for the gener-
al public, and what goes on in my class is
between me and my students,' Fine said.
Cardinell said she does not agree with
Fine's argument.
"We've investigated copyright laws,
and they are designed to protect creative
work. It does not extend to historical or
scientific fact," she said. Cardinell did
say that as part of its pilot program,
Versity.com will offer professors copy-
rights on their class notes.
As of now, the University has no offi-
cial policy regarding notetaking for com-
mercial purposes, so notetakers are per-
mitted to take notes at the professor's dis-
cretion.
Cardinell said Versity.com recently
contacted 115 University professors
about participating in a pilot program
designed to improve both the quality of
the notes and the relationship between
Versity.com and University professors.
"I have been on campus all week, and
we were hearing concerns from profes-
sors about accuracy. Through the pilot
program, we want to develop relation-
ships with professors to help make the
notes as accurate as possible and provide
control to professors so they can have
input the notes," Cardinell said.
Jennie Kessler, an LSA senior and
notetaker for Grade A Notes, a for-profit
Ann Arbor-based notetaking company,
said she understands why some profes-
sors oppose student notetakers in their
classes.
"I can see those professors' views
because students may not worry about
going to classshe said.
Cardinell insists that Versity.com's
notes are not meant to substitute for class
attendance.
"The lecture notes are a supplement.
We are not a term paper company or an
exam taking company and we feel our
notes promote education and learning,"
she said.
Cardinell added that although she did
not feel offering notes on the Internet
encouraged students to miss class, she
did admit that some students might abuse
them.
"There will always be a small percent-
age of students who misuse the service
but we design it for students who want
to learn," she said.
Fine said he did not know first-hand
what effects published notes had on
attendance because he has never permit-
ted them for his classes. But he did spec-
ulate as to what free notes could do to his
class size.
"I think that students ... would find it
as an excuse to not come, he said.
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What's happening in Ann Arbor today
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