LOCAL/STATE The Michign Dal RESEARCH Depression in elderl linked to new seases 1 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- rear 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 were 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 edoption 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- ions 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, he 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. U'I economists predict stagnation University economists predict that uture 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 be 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 Fa'r offers infrmation, 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 t han eve4eFo Ca 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 ase worker at heHV/DSCntr'p P recalled the de~atiia~ i broug ht to t herlieitlke 0i death setence. h utah despair. hopelsns i i Thom Rath bum letsuet o f hope. and he encoiae po "I am one o u \ cll to t he co kta ineitir Rh said. "I had spent six months getting r'eady o di I tied up loose e..nds atnd Isaid r.y good-by and then the cocktails gave mem flt if' bak went from a T[-cell count ot It) to I ,M00 '"Wit hout a strong su ppot grciup and a co circle of friends, I don't know whr ci woi have been" Students honor live lost to deadl is By Jon Fish are saving lives, aid pe Daily Staff Reporter son to worry. The qui n Students last night fought to keep their candles lit these drugs are not 1,a aitnt irn to I he attitcs l t against a biting wind as they marched through cam- is st ill that t his disease only affcsds trni~ pus to honor the memories of loved ones lost to groups, such as IV drug user An AIDS and to show support for those living with HIV and other m inorities," she s The AIDS Interfaith Alliance and the Washtenaw This low awareness is ani HIV/AIDS Resource Center sponsored the candle- many of the participants a n light vigil and procession to acknowledge World "There definitely needs i n AIDS Day. More than 20 students participated in the especially in a commun vigil, with several more joining the procession as it Jennifer Abhernath, a So W t made its way from the Michigan Union to the attended the iigil to commemorgteithe li "s of.11o-1 Rackham Graduate School Building. ple she knows who are li ing xu at I l n orie Organizers said they were pleased with the awareness amonig the niversity comn;n\. turnout, saying they had not expected a large "If people just turn in their cai tolokthn crowd. They attributed the lack of participation to that's something Abernah the growing apathy toward AIDS education and a The vigil and procession were not withot lack of AIDS awareness among all Americans. moments of humor and happiness. For soie, the According to statistics provided by the AIDS vigil was a symbol of celebration rathc! than Interfaith Alliance, Ann Arbor has the second highest solemnity. "You have to celebrate perseverance HIV infection rate in Michigan, behind only Detroit. too," said LSA senior Lese y W:,ch, an I IV tesa The attitude that HIV happens to other people, or counselor at IARC. just specific groups such as intravenous drug users As the procession came to an end in on the steps or homosexuals, continues to be a prevailing belief, of the Rackham Graduate School Buildng, HARC members said. Chris Tabczka, HARC client marchers joined hands one last tie to honor th services coordinator, added that the advances in memories of friends and family lost to AIDS. drug therapies for people infected with HIV have led "I made a promise to fiends that died to a false sense of security among the public. promised I wouldn't forget them and I haven "The media makes people optimistic. The meds Social Work student Sheila Nelson said. IT TO WRITE FOR T E 'TY 76-DAILY FOR MORE INF DANNY KLIK "\ uaiy 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 WAN CALL 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. "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 class," she 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. The first desktop supercomputer,, I 'I 7iYY .J t 4 Introducing the revolutionary new Power Mac G4AWith the G4 processor's Velocity Engine,TM this is the first desktop computer to achiew supercomputer levels of speed - up to twice as fast as the fastest Pentium III-based PC. Come experience it today at your nearest reseller I . \} "- del A I v . '- +a R'.: What's happoning in Ann Arbor today Davis Lounge, 8 p.m. U Northw rF "Rpthinkine Welfa eCnitaim Lobby G~oup MEETINGS alk, 763-WALK, Bursley v. 8 D.m: 1:30 a.m.