LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 6, 2001- 3A

RESERECH In need
Researchers test
for quake safety
Researchers at the School of Infor-
mation are using a $10 million grant
from the National Science Foundation
to create a virtual laboratory to study
earthquake-safe structures.
Plans for the lab include data storage
facilities and access to the latest research
tools. It will link multiple earthquake
engineering sites across the country in a
network called the NEES grid.
With a wide range of equipment at
their desktop, including shake tables,
centrifuges, tsunami wave tanks and
computer simulation software,
researchers will exchange ideas and
data quickly from many geographic " .
locations across the country.
Tim Finholt, director of the Collabo-
ratory for Research on Electronic
work, will lead the University division
of the team. He also played a large role
in the development of the Space Physic .
and Aeronomy Research Collaboratory,
which is another NSF-funded internet
research effort.
Drug-resistant HIV
In memory of Ea
strains on the rise ig ary dr
(right) are dresa
Physicians treating HIV patients supporting the H
without recognizing the risks and
demands of drug treatment programs
resistant HIV strains, according to ro p
researchers at UCLAIUCSF.
Led by Dr. Sally Blower, a biomath- e
ematics professor at UCLA and a
member of the AIDS Institute, the
research team found that incorrect use
of antiretroviral medications con-
tributes to the increase in resistant By Louie Meizlish
strains due to the demands on dosages Daily Staff Reporter
and the severe side effects.
The team created a theoretical model A proposed mas
using variables, including treatment ropolitan Detroit a
rate, the number of infected drug-resis- residents access to
tant cases and the rate of emerging from the city of De
drug treatment in, members of the San tan Airport.
Francisco gay community from 1996 to Citing figures th
2001. in the region do n
The team estimated that, by 2005, 42 transportation to
percent of all HIV cases will be drug- Michigan Council
resistant, compared to 3 percent in mass-transit plan
1997 because of the conversion of District Library.
drug-sensitive cases to drug-resistant SEMCOG offici
during therapy, not sexual transtiission plan will be able to
of the virus. their cars and onto
lines.

of a hand

Applicants
to 'U' med
school still
on decline
By Sarah Scott
Daily Staff Reporter

rl Gebott, and to promote awareness of HIV and AIDS, Shaman Drum Bookshop employees Bob Curry (left) and Patrick Elkins
ed in drag and pass out condoms as they assist LSA senior Lauren MacDonald purchase books. The employees were
IV/AIDS resource centers of Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
osed mass-transit system to
A2 with Metro Airport, Detroit

For the fourth year in a row, applications to the Univer-
sity's Medical School have declined, from 4,949 appli-
cants in 2000 to 4,688 applicants in 2001. The 5.3
percent decrease is greater than the nationwide decline of
4 percent in 2001.
For female applicants, the decline is less than 1 per-
cent, while the number of minority applicants has actual-
ly risen by about 2 percent, said Barbara Barzansky,
author of the recent American Medical Association
report that outlines the decline.
The strong economy of the last few years and rising
student debt have been named as potential factors in the
decline, said Katie Horne, director of admissions for the
University's Medical School.
"It's hard to say what the change in economy will do to
the applicant pool," Horne said.
She said that the number of applicants has fluctuated
in cycles of four to five years, at least during the last
two decades.
The last big decline was in the late 1980s, with a
large increase in applications in the early 1990s.
Nationally, there are still about twice as many appli-
cants as open spaces in medical schools, so the appli-
cant pool is still strong and large, Horne said.
"There are a number of factors in the decline," Barzan-
sky said.
"The economy, as well as the health care environment
being what it is, many young people are being advised
not to go into medicine."
According to AMA figures, the average debt for a
medical student is $93,000.
That figure can more than double by the time it's paid
off, depending on the terms of the loans, Barzansky
said.
"One of the things that's mentioned in national circles
that I've noticed is trying to come to grips with the cost
of medical school. Our dean is quite concerned about
that and is already taking some action by increasing our
scholarship funds," said Horne.
Rackham student Christina Yee said she knew someone
who was going to attend. medical school but instead went
to work on Wall Street.
"I think there were a couple of factors, but earning
money as opposed to going into a lot of debt had some-
thing to do with it," Yee said.
Horne added that while the numbers are declining, the
applicants who are applying are consistently strong.
"If the pool dropped another several years and we also
saw a quality decrease, then I think we'd really have to
assess where we were," Horne said.

s-transit system for the met-
rea would give Ann Arbor
public transportation to and
etroit and Detroit Metropoli-
at 96 percent of commuters
tot use any form of public
get to work, the Southeast
of Governments discussed its
yesterday at the Ann Arbor
als said they hope the new
get more commuters out of
o either busses or light-rail
ar development plan, some
ved by light rail systems and
The bus system, known as
bles a train in its amenities
and is able to pre-empt traf-
a trip would require fewer

stops.
Tait also said that under the plan, which
must first be approved by SEMCOG's Gener-
al Assembly and then receive funding from
federal, state and local governments, Ann
Arbor would not participate in the Speedlink
program immediately. Instead it would first be
served by an express bus system that would
make only three or four stops on the way to
Detroit.
"If ridership warrants, if we have enough peo-
ple taking it, then we can justify light rail,"
SEMCOG Executive Director Paul Tait said.
The implementation cost of 12 Speedlink
routes would cost the equal of one light-rail line,
Tait said.
The program would have a price tag of
approximately $2 billion. Although the federal
government would provide matching funds,
local and state governments would also have
to come up with substantial amounts of money
in order for the system to be built. Annual
upkeep would cost approximately $200 mil-
lion.

Former Ann Arbor state Rep. Liz Brater said
she felt more fsnds should be diverted from
highway expansion projects to mass transit pro-
jects. "People are beginning to spend-more time
in their cars than they're able to tolerate," she
said. "Too much of everybody's day is spent
waiting in traffc."
Ann Arbor resident Frances Trix, who drives
to her job in Detroit at Wayne State University,
said she and her fellow commuters were sick of
driving and also would prefer a light-rail system.
"I know they say it's expensive. But it's more
subtlety --- you believe there're not going to rip
it out the next day," she said.
Ann Arbor resident Clark Charetski, former
chair of the Michigan Association of Railroad
Passengers, said he preferred a rail line because
though they are expensive, they produce higher
ridership.
"If you look at the recovery of costs by fares
... the highest farebox recovery is in the rail sys-
tems," he said. "Los Angeles took bus systems
as far as they could go and then built rail sys-
tems."

New technique
developed for
battling sun
Researchers at the University of Illi-
nois have developed a technique to
look at the skin and the effects of ultra-
violet radiation, noting that most sun-
screen products do not provide
adequate protection against the sun.
Though SPF 15 sunscreens block up
10 94 percent of UV light, residual light
can create highly reactive free radicals,
which lead to weaker cell membranes.
These molecules also harm DNA, cre-
ate age spots and wrinkles and weaken
the immune system, which increases
the risk of skin cancer.
The research, conducted by post-
doctoral research scientist Kerry Han-
son, focused on the effects of UV
Iradiation on free radical formation and
skin damage using two-photon laser
fluorescence-imaging microscope.
Research shows
new handgun laws
provide benefits
A study by researchers at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health's Center for Gun Policy and
Research shows that-states that require
licensing and registration of handguns
make it harder on criminals and juve-
niles to attain a gun.
Researchers examined the propor-
tion of 25 cities' crime guns that were
sold by dealers in-state, and found that
cities with a high percentage of out-of-
state gun purchases had low levels of
homicides involving guns.
These findings, according to
researchers, suggest that states may
benefit from having registration and
licensing requirements, rather than one
or the other. This requires handgun
buyers to directly contact law enforce-
ment agencies and be fingerprinted.
Registration also makes it easier to
trace a gun back to its owner if used in
a crime.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Lisa Hoffinan.

Under the 25-ye
areas would be ser
others by busses.'
"Speedlink' resem
and seating design,
fic signals so that

It's (finally) official:
Posthumus enters
race for governor


THE BIGGEST BACK TO SCHOOL
OSTER SALmE
ChO
A005

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Lt. Gov.
Dick Posthumus has confirmed what
just about everybody already knew:
He's running for governor next year.
"It's time to take those first steps,"
Posthumus said yesterday.
The Alto Republican said his cam-
paign will concentrate on the "three
Es" -- education, the economy and
the environment. Gov. John Engler,
who made Posthumus his running
mate during his bid for a third term
in 1998, cannot run again because of
term limits.
"Clearly, there's going to be a change
no matter what," Posthumus said. "I'm
going to be that change."
The lieutenant governor has
Engler's backing and is considered
the leading contender for the 2002
GOP gubernatorial nomination. State
Sen. John Schwarz of Battle Creek
and Troy businessman Ed Hamilton
- also a candidate for the U.S. Sen-
ate - are the other Republicans in
the race.
Posthumus told a group of his aides
and supporters at a picnic Tuesday that
he intends to run next year. He has not
yet filed the required paperwork to set
up a candidate committee or made a
formal announcement. But hie has been
working for months behind the scenes
lining up donors and supporters.
"There wasn't much surprise, but
there was a lot of enthusiasm" for his
remnarks Tuesday, Posthuirius
spokesman Matthew Resch said yester-

day.
Posthumus operates a farm in Alto
in southeastern Kent County. He was
elected to the state Senate in 1982 and
served as Senate majority leader from
1991 until his election as lieutenant
governor. He is married and has four
children.
He plans to kick off his campaign
with a formal announcement this fall.
He said he faces a long road in running
for governor and wants to continue the
policies begun under Engler.
Posthumus caused a ruckus in politi-
cal circles two weeks ago when he
withdrew his support for Senate Major-
ity Leader Dan DeGrow's bid for attor-
ney general.
He said DeGrow wasn't working
hard enough to win the nomination.
DeGrow, a Port Huron Republican who
has worked with Posthumus for 20
years, denied the allegations and said
he's staying in the race. He switched
his support in the gubernatorial race
from Posthumus to Schwarz.
Although Posthumus is considered
likely to win the GOP nomination, he
could face a tough fight next Novem-
ber.
A February poll by EPIC/MRA of
Lansing showed Posthumus losing in
matchups with Democratic candidates
Jennifer Granholm, who's now attorney
general, or former Gov. James Blan-
chard. Posthumus was about even in
the poll with Democratic U.S. Rep.
Dave Bonior.

THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
EVENTS Chemistry Building lower Sponsored by the Insti- To PLACE AN
atrium tute for Research on
Festifall: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., U Gifts of Art: Sponsored by Women and Gender, 3 EVENT IN THE
Diag the University of Michigan p.m., Michigan Union CALENDAR,
Washtenaw Bicycling and Hospitals; Perfomances Anderson Room; 764-
Walking Coalition monthly by local artists; noon, Uni- 9537EMAIL
meeting: 7 p.m., Ecology versity Hospitals Court- In Human Tough: Spon- cqehdar~edkor
center (117 N. Division); yard (1599 E. Medical s by the U-M Museum
487-9058 Center Dr.j; 963-ARTS sored by the U-M Museum
Meningitis vaccinations: "Making the Case for of Art; Exhibit featuring
Sponsored by the Michi- Diversity in Higher Educa- photographs by Ernestine LEAST 3 DAYS
gan Visiting Nurses; tion: Testimony by Univer- Ruben; 6 p.m., Museum IN ADVANCE
9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., sity of Michigan Experts": of Art; 764-0385
CALENDAR POLICY: The Calendar is a daily listing of free events open to the University community. We will only print
announcements on the day of the event. Announcements for events that charge admission will not be run. -
All items for the Calendar must be submitted at least three days before publication, and announcements for events on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday must be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday. We can not accept requests over the telephone, and there is no
guarantee an announcement turned in within three days of the event will be run.
Announcements may be dropped off in person; e-mailed to calendar.editor@umich.edu; faxed to (734) 764-4275; or mailed to
Calendar Editor, The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor MI 48109.

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