LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily -- Thursaay, March 29, 2001-3A
RESEARCH
'UJ' researchers
use children to
look for vaccine
I the first phase of research, Uni-
ve. ty Health System researchers
have made the first steps at finding a
cancer'vaccine by using children's
dendritic cells.
Led by surgery Prof. James Geiger,
the rsearch shows that when exposed
to cancer proteins from a child's
tumor, dendritic cells, which are spe-
cialized white blood cells, can produce
an immune response to the cancer,
causing a slow down or stabilization in
ca rous cells.
W study consists of 13 partici-
pants, one, whose disease has spread
to thedlungs and spine showed tumor
regression, and five other participants
saw their disease stabilize.
Each child had end-stage cancer and
had blood drawn for testing. Following
a series of preparations, researchers
injected activated dendritic cells back
into the'patient every two weeks for a
totfithree times.
De rdritic cells alert the immune
system when foreign invaders,
including cancers, viruses and bacte-
ria eniter the cell, so the body can
destroy them.
In aderting the body of cancerous
cells''dndritic cells display anti-
gens, which are pieces of digested
tumor proteins.
Tl icell then passes on these
antigens to other white blood cells,
wIr find receptors for the anti-
gen, tallow each type of cell to
attack and destroy a specific tumor
cell.
Cdk5 enzyme
shown to cause
cocaine addiction
*"rush" and addiction caused by
dopamine in cocaine is regulated by an
enzyme named Cdk5, according to
researchers at Yale and Rockefeller
Universities.
The research, led by Yale psychiatry
Prof. Jingshan Chen, shows the
processes related to Cdk5 lead to
changes in brain cells, which play a
key partin cocaine addiction.
The study examined long-term brain
cha es in relationship to drug addic-
tio including the induction of delta-
Fosl3 yroteins, which regulate the
rewarding and addictive effects of
drugs.
Results showed that cocaine expo-
sure caused increased levels of delta-
FosB iin areas of the brain that are
sensitive to dopamine, which causes
the Cdk5 levels to increase.
U ii'g cocaine-exposed rats, the
st* showed increased motor
activity following exposure to the
drug. 'Motor activity also doubled
when the rats were exposed to
roscovitine, a drug that slows the
work of Cdk5.
Th° group also concluded that an
increase in Cdk5 caused the delta-
FosB to brake the effects of
cocaine.
Study compares
afrexia in men
and women
Acc ding to researchers at the Uni-
versity'.of California - Los Angeles,
women are nine times more likely to
contrast full or partial anorexia nervosa
if a mani in the family has the disorder.
The study, which is the first famil-
ial udy of men with the disorder,
sh elevated rates of anorexia ner-
vosa ip families where women have
the disorder, as well as men, suggest-
ing a 'genetic link to the disorder,
according to the lead researcher,
Michasel Strober.
By examining the incidence of full
or partial anorexia nervosa in the life-
times of 747 relatives, 29 men with the
eating disorder and 181 women with
no symptoms.
the relatives, 15 cases of
an xia appeared among female
relatives, 10 of which were related
to ill men, but no men had the dis-
order.:
Though this disorder is extremely
rare in males, it occurs in .6 percent of
females. About 90 percent of all cases
occur irf females.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Lisa Hoffman
A loaf of bread
Bill calls for sprinklers in
all Mich. residence halls
Four and five year olds from First United Methodist Co-op Nursery play in a
bucket of flour at Zingerman's Bakehouse yesterday.
Syracuse decides
By Maria Sprow
Daily Staff Reporter
More than a year after a Seton Hall University dormitory fire
that killed three students and raised concerns about campus fire 1
safety, state Rep. David Woodward (D-Royal Oak) last week i
introduced a bill that he said will improve the safety of students
living on college campuses.
House Bill 4504 would require sprinklers in all residence
halls in colleges and universities in Michigan.
The bill states that the state Fire Safety Board "shall promul- ;
gate rules pertaining to fire safety requirements for the con-
struction, operation, or maintenance of the following: schools
and dormitories, including state supported schools, colleges, "
and universities and school, college, and university dormito-
ries. The rules shall require installation of an automatic sprin-
kler system in each dormitory."
This bill follows a Seton Hall University announcement after
the fire that the school would be installing sprinkler systems in
all unequipped dormitories.
University of Michigan Facilities and Operations spokes-
woman Diane Brown said campus residence halls are not com-
pletely equipped with sprinklers. "They have some sprinklers
in some areas in all of our residents halls," Brown said.
Due to recent renovations, the entire top floor of South Quad
Residence Hall is equipped with sprinklers. They can also be
found near laundry facilities and other areas where a fire is
likely to occur. However, students' rooms and hallways are not
currently fully equipped with sprinkler systems.
If the bill is passed, Brown said there would be a "significant
cost implication" for the University because the residence halls
were built before 1968 and would need extra renovations to
allow for sprinkler systems.
"But those costs do not compare to the costs of students'
lives," she added. "If sprinklers could save one life, that would
be a good thing."
The last major residence hall fire at the University happened
last August when construction materials ignited and started a ,
blaze on the roof of West Quad. There were no injuries sus- .
tained from the fire. The last injury sustained from a residence
hall fire occurred in 1981 when a student panicked, jumped out
a window and broke her leg.
Last year, 18 fires occurred in University residence halls.
Brown said the fires were results of accidents, carelessness and
arson. Brown said the most important ways students can pro-
tect themselves and prevent fires is to take fire alarms seriously
and to follow safety rules and regulations.
"All the things that aren't allowed, that's the reason they aren't-'
allowed, because they could potentially cause a fire," she said.
Brown added that most fires in residence halls, including.:
overloaded electrical outlet fires, happen near the floor and
would not activate heat-sensitive sprinklers.
"By the time the heat would activate the sprinkler system,-
the students need to be out of their rooms, she said. "Sprin-
kling can be an added tool in fighting fires, but it's primarily fora;
saving property."
University Vice President for Government Relations Cynthia
Wilbanks said more time and information is needed before the
University will decide if it supports the bill.
"It is very early in the process and a committee hearing has,
not been done on the bill. It is hard to say what the outcomes
are going to be," she said.
Wilbanks said she is currently trying to obtain a consensus
about the bill from "people who have expertise on campus." 2
"The goal is laudable, but there are all kinds of considera-:
tions that need to be addressed," she said.
The bill is currently being reviewed by the House Commits-+
tee on Regulatory Reform.
4Y
" "
to join t
By Karen Schwartz
Daily Staff Reporter
After committee consideration and
the approval by Chancellor Kenneth A.
Shaw, Syracuse University added its
name to the Workers Rights Consor-
tium yesterday, joining the University
and becoming the 76th school to join
the organization devoted to monitoring
unfair labor practices and the treatment
of workers in sweatshops.
Syracuse spokesman Kevin Morrow
said the decision came as the result of a
process of exploration that began in the
fall of 1999 when the WRC first came
to Syracuse's attention.
Morrow said the WRC has the right
leadership and direction to work effec-
tively with licensees to end unaccept-
able labor practices.
"By joining the WRC, Syracuse Uni-
versity is taking yet one more step in
the right direction towards achieving
the goal of ensuring that collegiate
licensed products are produced under
fair working conditions,' Morrow said.
Students also took part in the WRC
decision, serving on the school's trade-
mark licensing advisory board along-
side faculty and staff members.
In addition to considering WRC
membership, the board is responsible
for reviewing merchandise that has the
Syracuse University name on it.
"This board oversees offers and
determines which we should follow up
te
WRC
on and which licensed products we
want to be associated with," Morrow
said.
The licensing advisory board initial-
ly made the recommendation for Shaw
to consider WRC affiliation.
In addition to the WRC, Syracuse
University is also a member of the Fair
Labor Association and the Collegiate
Living Wage Association.
The FLA is a coalition of corpora-
tions and human rights groups that has
White House backing, and the recently
created Collegiate Living Wage Asso-
ciation is devoted to establishing guide-
lines for the wages of workers who
produce collegiate licensed products.
"We are supportive of all three of
these associations and we are throwing
both our name and our support behind
them," Morrow said.
WRC governing board member
Peter Romer-Friedman said Syracuse
University is an important school in the
college apparel industry.
He added that the signatures of Notre
Dame University and Syracuse Universi-
ty, both in the last two weeks, are testa-
ments to the success of the WRC.
"Now more than ever before univer-
sities are realizing the effectiveness of
the WRC's model and current organi-
zations. We hope that Syracuse and
other universities can play an integral
role in demanding change from an
exploitative industry," said Romer-
Friedman, an RC senior.
House approves
higher ed budget
LANSING (AP) - The state House
approved yesterday a 2002 budget for
the state's 15 public universities that is
significantly higher than the funding
proposed by Gov. John Engler.
Despite the state's slowing economy,
the House signed
off on a $1.66 bil-
lion higher educa-
tion budget for the
2002 fiscal year,
that begins Oct. 1.
The House
approved the bill
64-42 with four
Michigan igher
Education Budget
members not voting.
The House's budget would mean an
increase of $68.9 million, or 4.3 per-
cent, over current funding for Michi-
gan's 15 public universities. That's
more than Engler's request for a mini-
mum 1.5 percent increase.
The University of Michigan would
see a 2 percent increase, to $9,839 per
student, and Wayne State would get a 2
percent raise, to $11,041 per student,
under the House's budget.
The budget now goes to the Senate
for its consideration. A number of
House Democrats said they were wor-
ried the House's budget would not with-
stand the scrutiny of Sen. John Schwarz,
chairman of the Senate's higher educa-
tion appropriations committee.
Rep. Keith Stallworth (D-Detroit),
said House members should be con-
cerned that the Senate would disregard
the House's recommendation.
"It's dead on arrival when it leaves
this chamber," he said.
Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), said he
could not comment on the House's
budget proposal until he reviewed it.
Michigan State and Grand Valley
State universities are the big winners in
the House's budget. Michigan State
would see a $22 million increase, or 7
percent raise, for $8,710 per student.
Grand Valley State would see a 12.7
percent increase to $4,600 per student.
In the current budget, Michigan State
and Grand Valley fell below their respec-
tive per-student funding levels under a
system that places universities into one
of five categories and sets a minimum
per-student funding level for each.
But Michigan State would again fall
below the $9,000 funding floor for
Michigan State, Wayne State and the
University of Michigan in the House's
2002 budget.
The large increases to the House
budget were added by members of the
House Higher Education Appropria-
tions Subcommittee. Subcommittee
chairwoman Sandy Caul (R-Mount
Pleasant), has said she's concerned
about the big increases.
The House narrowly defeated two
similar amendments that would have
revised the way the funds were doled
out to reduce the large increases for
Michigan State and Western Michigan
and distribute them to other universities.
Western would see a 7 percent
increase, or $5,804 per student, under
the House's proposed budget. That's an
$8.6 million increase.
Dear Colleagues,
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This job is equivalent to being a university professor, i.e., long hours, iow pay, lots
of conflict, multi-tasking at every moment, great fun, smart people, huge vision, high
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who sees a chance to contribute to the work of others by spending an unbelievable
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people. All of the work is aimed at helping to protect a glorious and worthy biotech
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You will need to have your Ph.D. in either Biochemistry or Molecular Biology or
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If you are the one selected for this position, you will receive a generous salary, stock
options, vacation freedom, full medical benefits, and a chance to sprout scientific
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Letter to Scholarly Colleagues
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- THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
EVENTS ies, Bonnie Abiko will U Les Murray Poetry Read- SERVICES
sneak. noon. 1636 ing. Sponsored by the Eng-
I.