LOCAL/S TATE

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 23, 1999 - 3A

OESEARCH
U' researchers
create less toxic,
cheaper isotopes
Several researchers in the College
Engineering have discovered a
ore efficient way of producing iso-
topes.
This new separation process is an
alternative to gaseous diffusion,
which is expensive, causes more
cross-contaminated byproducts and
requires the use of large electro-mag-
nets.
Researchers said they stumbled
upon the new method for producing
pure amounts of materials by atomic
*cight when they were studying the
pattern and weights of plasma ions.
The new process has a pending
patent and can be used for all materi-
als. Some consider gaseous diffusion
to be politically controversial
because plant workers recently
learned that they have been exposed
to radioactive and hazardous wastes
while using gaseous diffusion
faculty develop
earthquake
resistant designs
Faculty members from the
University's Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering have
worked to develop sturdier connec-
tions between steel beams and
columns.
Assistant Prof Bozidar
*Sjadinovic had previously proven
that the corners of beams fracture
when subjected to earthquake condi-
ions.
To alleviate this problem, the fac-
ulty team utilized two strategies. The
first was to strengthen connections
of the columns. The second, an oppo-
site strategy, weakened the beams.
Though opposite in design, both
rategies proved successful to the
searchers.
The department decided to embark
on this research after steel-framed
structures were damaged in earth-
quake-prone areas, such as Turkey,
Japan and California.
Warner named to
board of directors
- The American Legacy Foundation
,:ently named Public Health Prof.
Kenneth Warner to its board of direc-
tors.
The non-profit organization was
treated after the tobacco industry
reached a $206 billion settlement
with attorney generals of 46 states in
November 1998.
Warner is the University's Richard
D. Remington Collegiate Professor
(,Public Health and director of the
iversity's Tobacco Research
Network.
The foundation formally launched
its national public education cam-
paign against tobacco usage in the
United States yesterday It will spend
more than S1 billion on its educa-
tional campaign during the next four
years
Rutgers health
*enter to test
-PV vaccination

The Hurtado Health Center at
-Rutgers University in New Jersey is
beginning a three-year women's
health study that will test a vaccine
for Human Papillomavirus, a virus
attributed to 90 percent of the cases
of cervical cancer.
Depending on the success of this
. idy, a prevention of cervical cancer
'ay be possible. HPV is a particularly
,Oangerous virus because there are no
warning signs. It can only be detected
through a pap smear.
Although many universities across
the country are conducting similar sur-
veys, Rutgers was the only major uni-
versity selected by a large pharmaceu-
tical company to participate in the
study
researchers expect the study to be
' ne in about three years, but a vaccine
probably will not be available for at
least 10 years.
Compiled by Daffv Staff Reporter
Risa Berrin.

'

prof. files lawsuit against cruise line

By Sana Danish
Daily Staff Reporter
School of Social Work assistant Prof Susan
Mcdonough is suing Celebrity Cruises Ltd. for more
than S2 million in damages because of an injury she
suffered while on a Celebrity Cruise in March 1997.
Mcdonough was allegedly hit on the head by a
Coco Loco, a specialty drink served in a coconut
shell that is sold on the cruise ship.
The coconut shell drink fell from an upper deck,
dropping 16 feet before striking Mcdonough on
the head. Medonough's attorney Mark Daane con-
firmed she suffered brain trauma as a result of the
injury, which affects her memory and balance.

MCdonough claims she was
injured by coconut container

The incident occurred while Mcdonough was at
an "Island Night" party aboard the cruise ship
Zenith with her husband Arnold Sameroff, a
University psychology professor. Mcdonough and
Sameroff were unavailable for comment.
The lawsuit claims Celebrity Cruises should
have taken precautions to prevent passengers from
holding the unusual drink near the railing of the

deck, where it could easily fill to lower decks.
The accident was no different than if an actual
piece of the ship had fallen loose and injured his
client, Daane said.
Celebrity Cruises Brand Quality Administrator
Roswita Arnet, said it is a common practice to
serve specialty drinks such as the Coco Loco dur-
ing theme night parties.

John Cook, resident in charge of the 1Ilonolulu res-=
ident post of the Food and Drug Administraitinsaid,
he is unaware of any federal regulations regarding
the use of coconut shells as drink containers.
"If there are any specific regulations, it would
be a local matter and not a federal one," he said.
Mcdonough is not teaching any University
courses this semester.
Senior account executive at Celebrity Cruises
Liz Jakeway said Celebrity Cruises could not com-
ment on the lawsuit while it is in progress.
The suit was filed in March 1998 in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of
New York. A trial date has not been set.


Lecture links pessimism
to dangerous behaviors

k
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By Jeremy W. Peters
DAily Stafi Reporter
Award-winning psychology Prof.
Christopher Peterson spoke yesterday at
a free luncheon in the Michigan Union in
an effort to bring awareness to trauma
and its causes among young people, par-
ticularly those of college age.
The lecture, titled "Catastrophes and
Catastrophizing: Why Bad Things
Happen to Pessimistic People," exam-
ined the relationship between risk takers
and their incidents of personal injury.
"Trauma deserves more attention than
it's had in the past because of the sheer
number of people involved," Peterson
said, adding that, "trauma is the third
leading cause of death in the U.S."
Peterson defined trauma as a stagger-
ing injury - emotional or physical.
He also noted that males between the
ages 18 and 30 make up the majority of
trauma patients. Peterson attributes this
to the lifestyle some young males choose
to lead.
"Often times," he said, "these young
men are depressed, fatigued or stressed

... I am moved by the number of teens
who are exposed to trauma." Peterson
said 13 percent of teenagers have wit-
nessed a killing.
From his research, Peterson has con-
cluded that the young men who partici-
pate in high-risk activities and experience
trauma as a result are often pessimistic.
Pessimism, he found, can be linked to
depression, poor health and even untime-
ly death. Peterson said the reason why
pessimistic young men participate in
such dangerous or risky activities as con-
tact sports, playing with guns and drunk
driving is to escape a bad mood.
"Pessimistic males often partake in
high risk activities and end up getting
hurt, whereas pessimistic females will
stay home and eat a tub of ice cream in
order to cheer up," Peterson said.
One of Peterson's students, LSA
sophomore and self-proclaimed pes-
simist Andrew Pytiak, said he agrees
with the professor's conclusions.
"When I'm stressed the first thing I do
is light up a cigarette," Pytiak said. "It's
like a form of rebellion because I know

I'm not supposed to be doing it."
He finds that this particular form of
risk taking eases his mind.
"I don't do it consciously, but perhaps
sub-consciously when I'm angry risk
taking is an outlet," Pytiak added.
Through his research Peterson also
found that pessimistic people often "cat-'
astrophize," or in layman's terms, magni-
fy unimportant issues.
Catastrophizing "is thinking you're ai
loser if you can't find a parking spot," he:
said.
Through his research, Peterson hopes:
to help these overly negative people,
break their pessimism and to help thoset
who exhibit trauma causing behavior.
Peterson's lecture was the first in a
senes presented by Mortar Board, any
honor society for University seniors.
E. Royster Harper, interim vice presi-
dent for student affairs, said the idea ofd
the lectures is "to expose students to:
award-winning faculty."
Mortar Board will offer faculty lec-
tures along with free lunches throughput
the semester.
iches deal
- . s

Wayne State faculty re

JEREMY MENCHIK/Dany
Chemistry Prof. Nancy Kemer speaks about her project during the Computerworld
Smithsonian Awards program yesterday at the Michigan League Ballroom.
Profetassors receiv
national award fo
computer projects

DETROIT (AP) - With a professors' strike deadline less
than 90 minutes away, Wayne State University reached a
tentative deal with their union yesterday on a three-year
contract that raises salaries 12 percent.
Students, professors and administrators all said they were
happy to see the threat of a walkout lifted.
The agreement includes a four percent raise in each year
of the contract.
With an 8 a.m. strike deadline looming, bargainers ended
an all-night session with a settlement at 6:34 a.m., the
American Association of University Professors-American
Federation of Teachers said.
"Hey, we got a deal!" Margaret Raucher said yesterday
morning as she passed a co-worker holding a picket sign in
front of the Walter Reuther Library.
"Nobody ever wanted to go out. We've all dreaded it, said
Raucher, an archivist at the library. "I'm absolutely ecstatic."
Fellow archivist Tom Featherstone agreed.
"I'm just glad to be back," he said.
The union said it did not win its demand that new employ-
ees be required to pay union fees. Wayne State did agree to
send out union literature and applications to new staffers.

a
Of the 1,687 faculty and staff members covered by the
contract, 463 are union members, and about 100 of those
are in non-teaching jobs, the school says.
The union said it got a number of contract improvements,
including:
A paid Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
Early retirement terms.
Increased dental, long-term disability, and retirement -
life insurance benefits
® Flex and compensatory time for academic staffers.
"We'd have liked to avoid the extended nature of the-
negotiations, but are delighted to have a settlement agree-
ment," said Jeff Stoltman, WSU vice president for market-'d
ing and communication.
Pre-physical therapy student Jay Bhat of Windsor
Ontario, was upset that a strike came close to disrupting his
education.
"I don't think they should punish the students;' said Bhat
a WSU sophomore.
"All they care about is themselves. They don't care about,
the students," said Pindy Takhar, a pre-Pharmacy studenti
from Windsor.

By Lisa Koivu
For the Daily
The Michigan League Ballroom
was packed yesterday with profes-
sors sharing a common bond,
although few have degrees in the
same area.
Each professor was honored by
the Computerworld Smithsonian
Awards Program for innovation in
the use of computer technology.
"We designed the virtual micro-
scope as a way to improve our
classes," said Lloyd Stoolman,
associate professor of pathology.
"It allows students to look at any-
thing as if it were under a micro-
scope, such as diseased tissue, at
any time of the day."
Stoolman was one of a group
that designed the Virtual
Microscope, an online project that
allows students to study micro-
scopic samples 24 hours a day.
The awards program selected
this project as one of the top 50
out of 472 projects honored
nationally.
In total, 14 University profes-
sors received awards. The Virtual
Microscope was the only project
to place in the top 50.
All winning projects are perma-
nently placed in the Smithsonian's
National Museum of American
History
A ceremony was held in
Washington D.C. last April to
honor all 472 award recipients.
Other award-winning
University projects ranged from
software that help teachers post
quizzes on the Internet to a pro-
gram that allows students in

genetics classes to view dissec-
tions for labs.
"It is a virtual flight lab allow-
ing students to view many varia-
tions of fruit flies. Students must
do part of the lab in the classroom
and part of it on the computers.
Students actually have to collect
the data and apply it to the online
information," said biology Prof.
Sandthadevi Jeyabalan about her
CybefFly project.
This is the second year the
University has participated in the
competition. The national pro-
gram accepted all 14 of the
University's projects.
To be eligible, projects must be
nominated by a committee of
chief executive officers from
major technology corporations.
There are about 600 nomina-
tions each year. The nominations
are then reviewed by the
Smithsonian, an editorial board at
Computerworld and finally by
Daniel Morrow, executive director
of the Computerworld
Smithsonian Program.
"The museum is interested in
tracking the revolution, in terms
of how technology touches real
people," Morrow said.
University Chief Information
Officer Jose-Marie Griffiths said
receiving the awards adds to the
University's reputation as a lead-
ing source of technology research.
"These awards allow us to be
viewed as a birthplace for technol-
ogy and innovation. The projects
are made aware to the public so
that anyone can have access to
them," Griffiths said.

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What's happening in Ann Arbor today

GROUP MEETINGS
J.Ahava Mass Meeting, Hillel. 7 p m.
- The Environmental Justice Group
Mass Meeting, DANA, Room
1520, 6 p.m.
I nir vatcC~mmtta c.

Davis Lounge, 8 p.m.
J "The Idea of Moral Progress,"
Sponsored by the Philosophy
Department, Mason Hall, Room
2435, 4 p.m.
J "Kriging vs Stochastic Simulation
for Quantifying Uncertainty in

SERVICES
J Campus Information Centers, 764-
INFO, info@umich.edu, and
www.umich.edu/-info on the
World Wide Web
J NnrthwaIk . 763-WAI K RursIv

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