-- -- - LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 14, 2000 - 3A
RESEARCH
rotesters rally against Lord &
Taylor guard
Study tests use
of cell treatment
* against cancer
A nev canc'r treatment that
involves transplanting blood-pro-
ducing cells from a sibling to help
attack tumors is showing promis-
ing results, according to a pilot
study by researchers at the Nation-
al Institutes of Health.
The treatment was tested in patients
with advanced kidney cancer and
showed a response rate of more than
50 percent to the new therapy.
The patients were given a combina-
tion of drugs in low-doses aimed at
suppressing the immune system and
then received transfusions of the
blood-producing cells also called
blood stem cells.
The treatment is based on a
bone-marrow transplant complica-
tion known as graft-versus-host-
*disease in which transplanted cells
attack various tissues in the
patient's body. The new approach
hopes to use the blood stem cells to
attack the tumor.
There was a positive response in 10
of the 19 test subjects. In three cases
the tumor disappeared completely and
in seven the tumors shrank by 50 per-
cent. Two patients died from compli-
cations, but scientists are still
encouraged due to the large response
rate among patients in advanced
stages of cancer.
Tap water may be
as beneficial as
bottled brands
Tap water might be as beneficial as
bottled water to human health, accord-
ing to a study conducted at Case West-
em Reserve University in Cleveland.
The study, conducted by Depart-
ment of Community Dentistry Execu-
tive Director James Lalumandier,
compared the tap water in Cleveland
to 57 different brands of bottled water.
The bottled water used in the study
included spring water, distilled water
and purified drinking water. The study
did not include filtered tap water.
Lalumandier found that while hot-
*led water contained fewer bacteria
than tap water overall, 25 percent of
the bottled water samples contained
10 times more bacteria than the tap
water, drawn from four different
sources. Ten percent of the bottled
water samples contained 1,000 nimes
more bacteria than the tap water. The
study also found that only 5 percent of
bottled waters had adequate amounts of
uoride, prevalent in tap water.
Tufts scientists
question safety of
antibacterials
In a recent study presented at the
International Conference of Frmerg na
Infectious Diseases, scientists found
that the use of antibacterial products
can be harmful to human heaith.
0Stuart Levy, director of the Center
-or Adaption Genetics and Druz
Resistance at Tufts University, found
that antibacterial products eliminate
the strands of bacteria that strengthen
the body's immune system. The prod-
ucts also kill the beneficial bacteria
that protect people from disease-caus-
ing bacteria.
The team found that the majority o
the products. which include soaps.
*nd lotions, contain an agent called
trclosan. responsible for killing bene-
ficial and harmless bacteria as well as
disease-causing bacteria.
Trielosan also cats allow har mful
bacteria to develop a resistance to
antibacteria. Levy said that children
need to develop a strong immune sys-
tem and it is necessary for them to have
exposure to bacteria to accomplish this.
lie advises that healthy people
should use soap and water to cleanse
*oeir hands and bodies but recommends
antibacterial products in the case of
seriously ill individuals and patients
with a weakencd immune system.
C- (onpiled n> Daiv Staff Reporter
Lindsei Aper-tfion wire reports.
DETROIT (AP) -The decision to throw
out charges against a Lord & Taylor security
guard who was accused murderer in the death
of a man outside a suburban mall must be
protested and appealed, civil rights leaders
said yesterday.
A rally, led by Rev: Horace Sheffield III
and Rev. Al Sharpton, was held in front of
the Wayne County courthouse, where any
decisions to overturn Dearborn Judge Vir-
ginia Sobotka's decision would take place.
Sobotka dismissed charges of involuntary
manslaughter against Lord & Taylor security
guard Dennis Richardson last week.
Richardson faced the charges in connection
with a June 22 confrontation after which
Frederick Finley died. Finley was shopping at
Lord & Taylor with family and friends before
security guards confronted him.
The security guards believed Finley's girl-
friend's daughter had shoplifted.
"I' think it is an outrage that a judge would
not even let a jury weigh the evidence,"
Sharpton said.
"We're not saying that a judge should have
convicted him, we're saying let a jury decide
the innocence or guilt."
Sharpton said he and protest organizers are
planning a "day of civil disobedience in
Dearborn" that will take place in the next
couple of weeks.
"This man died because he wanted to look
out for his children and we're not going to let
him die in vain," Sharpton told the more than
100 protesters.
"And we will not abandon his family. If we
got to shut down the mall, we'll shut it down
before we allow this to happen."
"I think it's an outrage that a judge would not even
let a jury weigh the evidence."
- Rev. Al Sharptoh
Wayne County prosecutors are expected to
appeal the decision and Sheffield said he
wanted to make certain that happens.
"We do believe it was a grave injustice
done here ... ," Sheffield said. "We want to
make certain this decision is not going to be
made in a vacuum."
Last week, defense attorney Gerald Evelyn
said Sobotka's decision was well thought-out.
lie said he thought it would be hard to
appeal.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI
are investigating Finley's death for possible
civil rights violations.
Since Finley's death, activists have stageji
protests against Lord & Taylor, accusing it of
having black security workers scrutinize
minority shoppers to avoid the appearance of
discrimination or racial profiling. Finley was
black, as is Richardson.
The company has denied engaging in any
form of racial profiling.
Good day, sunshine
Grand Valley State moves
to offer same-sex benefits
® Lubbers discloses
benefits same week as
announcing retirement
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -
In a move that could put it on par
with other state colleges, Grand Val-
ley State University is inching
toward offering benefits to employ-
ees' same-sex partners.
President Arend Lubbers said he is
working on the details of such a plan,
which would extend the same benefits,
such as health insurance and funeral
leave, to homosexual couples as those
who are married.
Lubbers, who announced Monday
he is retiring June 30, said the ben-
efits are expected to begin after
Jan. 1.
Details have yet to be finalized, but
Lubbers said the package will not
accommodate heterosexual couples
who are not married.
Most of the other state colleges
already offer benefits to same-sex part-
ners, including the University of
Michigan, Michigan State, Wayne
State, Eastern Michigan and Central
Michigan.
it is unknown how many of the
GVSU's estimated 1,200 employees
will take advantage of the benefits.
Of more than 29,000 eligible
employees at the University, fewer
than 200 receive benefits for same-sex
partners, according to a spokesman at
the school's benefits office.
The Rev. Jerry Bishop, who sup-
ports efforts to overturn the city's ordi-
nance, criticized GVSU's policy.
"I think they are sending a terri-
ble message to the rest of the com-
munity," said Bishop, a former nrn-
ister of Bethel Pentecostal Church
who operates outreach prograap
through an organization call ed
Lifequest Group.
But Kelly Garrett, coordinator Qf
programs at the office of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender affairs at thse
University, said such a move by GVS
enhances the appeal of the school tp
employees and students.
"It's a social justice issue," said Gar-
rett, whose school has offered same-
sex benefits since 1993. "Equality.is
not gender-specific."
GVSU trustee Karen H enry
Stokes said the board recently
voted to update language in the
school's nondiscrimination policy
creating the provision for Lubbers
to establish the benefits, the Grand
Rapid Press reported yesterday.
JUSTIN FITZPAT CK/Daily
LSA junior Alivia Benes takes advantage of sunny weather to study in the
Arb yesterday afternoon.
Progam to save
ifants goes unused
DE; TROIT (AP) -- Trying to save
the lives of babies abandoned by their
mothers. Wayne County started the
Safe Haven for Infants program. But
since its March opening, not a single
mother has used it.
"We haven't had a case. Nobody's
called. But if we have two a year, that
will be enough," said George Ward,
chief assistant prosecutor.
In 1998, 105 babies were abandoned
in public places nationwide, and 33
died, the Detroit Free Press reported
for a story yesterday.
The Michigan Legislature in June
passed a law designed to give immuni-
ty 10 parents who surrender their new-
borns in safe settings. It takes effect
Jan. I.
The death of a 17-year-old girl's
newborn son in the chilly November
air outside a Warren church last year
was one of the cases that prompted the
state and local action.
Lauren DeSantis, a former honor
student at Warren Mott High School,
kept her pregnancy secret from her
parents and most friends. She was 16
years old when she became pregnant,
and 17 when she left Nicholas behind
a bush at St. Louise Catholic Church.
The baby was discovered dead the
next morning.
DeSantis was convicted of involun-
tary manslaughter and sentenced to
five years' probation and community
service. Her record will be expunged if
she stays out of trouble.
Part of the sentence calls for her to
speak publicly about her experience.
But DeSantis told the newspaper she
cannot imagine having to tell her story
to teens or groups. "I'm not comfort-
able with public speaking," she said. "I
don't think I'll be doing that."
Asked what advice she would give
others in her situation, she said: "Defi-
nitely tell your parents, and definitely
don't keep it a secret."
At her sentencing, DeSantis told
Macomb Circuit Judge John Bruff that
she blamed "no one but myself'' for
her baby's death. "'Not a day goes by
when I don't think about what I did,"
she said. "I want (my son) back more
than anything."
"From when I was little, everyone
told me that if I ever got pregnant, that it
would be the worst mistake that I would
ever make in my life, and it would ruin
my life," DeSantis later told police.
She sought out an abortion but
could not come up with the 5300 cost
and gave up on getting a judge's per-
mission to proceed without her par-
ents' permission as required by
Michigan law.
Fear is the main reason girls and
women conceal unwanted pregnancies,
one expert said.
SE,7T rj11)9 DETATE'l
TH'IIS FIDAY1jjw,
Correction
® LSA sciiior Lrn Gilbert and LSA junior Erika Dowdell are still elected representatives on the Michigan Student
Assembly. This was incorrectly reported in yesterday's Daily.
THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
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