LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 28, 2000 - 3A RESEARCH esearch shows ocolate can elp save lives tating chocolate can help fight car- ascular disease and cancer, iccording to a recent study by scien- st the University of Scranton. 'fihe reason being that chocolate is a igh-quality and high-quantity source f 'ntioxidants, generally found in 1uits and vegetables. Chocolate also contains flavonoids aich can help eliminated low-densi- y lipoproteins, also referred to as 'S d cholesterol." Lipoproteins trans- mi cholesterol and saturated fats to *ies which cnn lead to clingged nto-s. Antioxid ts help the choles- eril froin being oxidized. The study, led by Chemistry Prof. tkyinson, examined the antioxidant cihis iof milk chocolate, dark choco- at 'and cocoa powder. Vinson found that cocoa powder Ontains two times the amount of nOidxidants as dark chocolate, which "Mains more than milk chocolate. carchers also found that one bar of hocolate is equivalent in antioxidant ale to a glass of red wine or cup of lack tea. But the study recommends limited hocolate intake because of calories nd Sugar. Norms may unlock -emedy for cancer " 'he gengtic structure of wiorms Id unlock secrets in cancer, cenrding to a study appearing in this inonth'sjournal"Science." -,san Mango, a University of Utah soeiate professor of oncological sci- nces, and Brenda Bass, a University fUtah biochemistry professor, have '0nt thb last two years analyzing the enlbics of worms. The researchers used microscopic sparent worms, caenorhabditis legans, to examine RNA interfer- nce. Worms are considered model rganisms because they have many of se imilar genes, tissues and organs f other animals such as mice and umans e team intjeced thevorms with a ont le-strand RNA matrix to cause INA interference. The interferencee euts when the sinle-stranded RNA . ducad as a eouble-strane. ango and Bass hope that the RNA t11erence-based treatment will turn ff if iutated cells caused from the can- - and improve the ability of physi- ians to treat cancer. ocktail therapy may ive HIV patients W~dical freedom cording to a new study published Sthe scientific journal "Nature," oine people infected with HIV can dp taking their medication and con- rneto fight the disease. The study, led by Bruce Walker, the itrktor of Partners AIDS Research enter at Massachusetts General Hos- itbhand Eric Rosenberg, looked at ignt patients with HIV Researchers stress that patients IotId not quit taking their drugs until er testing is done, but they are opeful that if the drugs are taken at ann nrly stage, the immune system has the - to fight the virus on its own. T'tfse patients all began taking the VIFS drug cocktail therapy" within t-onths of infection and had taken e Medicine ior a perinod of one to ree years. The medicine keeps the viral levels e body low, but has toxic side l*cts and must be taken on a strict gimen. Seven of the eight patients who had ic loff the medication had low viral %Is and one was put back on the ektails due to an increase in viral :vels. Two of the seven chose to 'sume taking the cocktails despite i>w viral levels. - Compilelfiomin ire reports hie "0'ei/iy Sntai6Reporter Liiiidser A /pert. Silver catheter red uces risk of infections By Lindsey Alpert Daily Staff Reporter Silver may earn its weight in gold for hospital patients in need of a urinary catheter. In a new study published in this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers at the University have found silver-alloy-coated catheters prevent urinary tract infections in patients and are cost effective. A catheter is tubing that is inserted into the ure- thra to collect urine from patients. Nearly four mil- lion hospital patients in the United States use a catheter for some time during their hospital stay. Catheters also increase the risk of urinary tract infections, causing about 600,000 each year, according to the Center for Disease Control. "Most of the bacteria come from the intestinal track," University Health System Medical Director of Infection Control Carol Chenoweth, who co- authored the study. "The bacteria can live on the skin around the urethra and get in by way of the catheter." Tests using silver alloy catheters have shown they decrease the risk of urinary tract infections, which may reduce the total cost of treatment by eliminating urinary tract infection treatment. "Silver has an anti-bacterial activity" said Inter- nal Medicine Prof. Sanjay Saiint, who led the study. "The exact mechanism is unclear, but there are sev- eral theories." Saint examined the economic consequences of using a silver-coated catheter opposed to regular catheter by looking at past data regarding the rates of urinary tract infections and the cost of treatment. A silver-coated catheter costs five dollars more than the S 12.45 regular catheter. "We found that in certain patient populations a silver-alloy catheter should be strongly con- sidered to prevent the common, costly and morbid complication of urinary tract infec- tions," Saint said. Researchers looked at data from patients that used a catheter for two to 10 days, in hospital units for intensive care, post-surgical care, general med- ical care and urology care. Rates of symptomatic urinary tract infection were reduced by 47 percent and the chance of bac- teremia, bacteria getting into blood, by 44 percent. The health system may also benefit by lower health care costs," said co-author Mark Fendick, an internal medicine associate professor and the Uni- versity's Consortium for Health Outcomes, Innova- tion and Cost Effectiveness Studies co-director. The scientists estimated that the cost of detecting and treating a symptomatic urinary tract infection was about S400 and the cost of the bacteremia infection at roughly S2,000. "We thought that was a conservative estimate," Saint said. "We actually used a range and we said it can range between S835 and S4,082" Hospitals, including the University Hospi- tals, are looking in to the benefits of using silver-coated catheters on patients fitting the criteria. "We are using the catheters in our hospital but we chose to use it in patients that will use catheters the longest," Chenoweth said. Students use computers as long-distance alternatives Diag Olympics By Susan Luth For the Daily Students tired of paying expensive lI phone bills are exploring alternatives to the-minute plans offered by phone cot Ameritech. . New technology such as instant messagini phone services is providing the medium studi looking for to diminish their phone bill woes. Perhaps the most popular choice of America Online's Instant Messenger. The program is completely free and can be downloaded from AOL's web site at ii-ni-iiuol.cotm. Although previous ver- sions only accommodated conversation through typing, thenewest versionn AIM 4.1, offers technology for voice conversation. By hooking a microphone to the com- puter and using the speakers provided, customers can talk to and hear each other from anywhere in the United States. "It's easier to talk to my sister in Kala freshman Amanda Erickson said. "Pretty body stays online all the time." But LSA senior Lucie Preston said she messaging a little taxing. "I definitely use the telephone more. came out I thought it would be a good ides Rental comp for discnm1n sick of typing everything Out," Preston said. LSA senior Chris Georgandellis said he has sent instant messages to friends and family but prefers to Ong distance use iiimtedialjad.com. the pay-by- "It's good and it's free," Georgandellis said. "My mpanies like brother uses it all the tiine. lIe used to pay S150 in phone bills." g and Internet Unlike AIM, on dialpad com Internet buffs can use ents have been their computer to dial other people's phone lines. Georgandellis said the connection isn't as clear as he students is would like it to be because a faint static can be heard and the voices of those involved will occasionally drift in and eut Of contact. "The only problem is that its i little spotty. You can hear other people just fine, but When they hear you it's spotty. TU DEN NTi But the fact that it's free just makes it \ that much more attractive," Georgan- L FE dellis said. Even Dial pad acknowledges the ' problem, but says they are working oi something that will guarantee its cus- tomers clearer communication. mazoo," LSA Along with Dialpad, there are other companies on much every- the internet who offer their clients alternatives to tradi- tional long distance calling. Websites such as found instant wwi.photle'e'e.com, winei eoim, mmiii. me'ssem- ge.lmst~n.COi-im and mmwwi-.1m7e'dirtiing.co nprovide cus- When it first tomers with not only free phone calls, but vOice mail, a, but you get video confrencing and video mail. any sued ationDALY. eatment based on age," she said. hough Herring said hne wished to e the case without litigation, he said Ludwigs felt their actions were not Jal and that they were acting within& The Michigan Gymnastics team entertains passers-by on the diag yesterday. By Laura Deneau Daily Staff Reporter LSA senior Sean Herring didn't think his status as an undergraduate would hurt his chances when he began house hunting this spring. But when Herring and his room- mate expressed interest in seeing an apartment at 817 Arch St. that was published in the University's May Off-Campus Housing List, landlords Kenneth and Margaret Ludwig told him it was available only to graduate students. Now Herring is in a legal battle withi the Ludwigs over what he interpreted as age discrimination. "Housing is a very important thing on this campus and it can become limited very quickly" Herring said. Herring contacted the Fair Housing Center of Washtenaw County, an orga- nization that attempts to help those who believe they have been victims of hous- ing discrimination. H11C workers beg an investigation in June to test the validity of larring's claim. said Pamela KisCh, executive director of the Fair Housing Center. The organization sent a number of volunteers who posed as undergradu- ates, some in their 30s and others in their early 20s, to inquire about the property to determine if the Ludwigs were concerned with the status of their residents as graduate students or if age was the actual concern. "The volunteers explicitly said they were undergraduate, but they also told their age," Kisch said. The investigation supported Herring's claim, Kisch said. "We found differences in tt T settl the lleg Michigan laws. The landlords refused to agree on a settlement. The case was presented to the Washt- enaw County Circuit Court where it was assigned to Judge Melinda Morris earli- er this month. FHC Cooperating Attorney Janet Hales of Cooper, Walinski & Cramer filed the suit on behalf of Herring. [he Ludwigs, who are represented by attorney Bruce Wallace of Hoop- er, Hathaway, Price, Beuche & Wal- lace, declined to comment on the matter. Kisch said the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act makes it illegal to discrimi- nate against individuals because oftheir age. The University has a policy against running ads in its housing list for prop- erties with discriminatory criteria for prospective residents. "We notify those who place ads aboutoutr policies,' saied Amy Starr, the University s off-campus housing adviser, "so that nothing is a violation of students' rights" By taking the case to court, Herring said he would like to discourage other landlords from implementing discriimi- natory policies. Herring also hopes to serve as m example for other students. "Hopefully it'd show other students, if you're discriminated against, or any injustices take place against you, that you don't just have to sit around, that there are agencies and places out there that will help you such as the =HC, Herring said. SE mE N U A I 'NFIiA'N I TAA- CREF provides ofTeCtions: A quote from MSA Rep. Jessica Curtin that appeared in yesterdays Daily should have read "I'm proud MSA has taken the head of fighting for affirmative action and providing students with the education they need to take a stand on the issue." he cartoon that appeared in yesterday's Daily was drawn by Chip Cullen. This was incorrectly attributed. HE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today EVENTS ® "The Pedagogy of Action: The Cri- Borders, 612 E. Liberty, 668- sis of HIV and AIDS in South 7652 U "Arthur Miller at the U of M," Enoch Africa," Sponsored by Center "Mean Genesm," Reading and LBrater to lecture. Sponsored by for A fro-americ an and A fric an Signring, 8:00 p.m. , Sh am an Mortar Board, 12:00 p.m., Michi Studies. Talk by Nesha Haniff., Drum Bookshop, 315 S. State. an Union Pendleton Room 2:00 p.m., 209 West Hall, 550 662-7407 Dancing in the Diag," 21:00 E. University, 764-5513 a.m. -4:00 p. Sponsored by "Gender, Power, and Love In Cou- SERVICES Danc Maathn ad Pi Bta ees" Sonsredby Institute faterty} nand Phr BRtesearc ons r Wbomn and N Campus Information Centers, 764- us c in the Park, Sponsored by Gender Narratives & Numbers; INFO, info@umich.edu, and Herb David Guitar Studio and Integrating Qualitative and wwwumichedu/info on the World Wide Web Liberty Plaza, 11 a.m. - f p.m., Study of Gender and the Life 0 Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley 665-8001 ' Course" Series, 4:00 p.m., Lobby, 8 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. * "Swing, Rock-a-Billy,, & Bop," by Rackham West Study Hall 0 Safewalk, 936-1000, Shapiro the Starlight Drifters, 12:10 Alcove, 764-9537 Library Lobby, B p.m. - 2:30 a.m. p.m., University Hospital Lobby U Christopher Rice Reading, Reading U Student Mediation Services, 647- Floor 1, 936-ARTS and signing, 7:00 p.m., Liberty 7397 mediation@umich.edu, CALENDAR POLICY: The calendar's purpose is to provide a place for organizations to announce free events open to the University community. 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