The Michigan Daily-Saturday, July 11, 1981-Page 3
Another hurdle conquered
U' scientists edge closer
: toward defeating cancer
By LOU FINTOR
Daily staff writer
University medical researchers an-
nounced another breakthrough recently
in the battle against cancer with the
discovery and development of a new
radioactive compound which can
detect-for the first time-potentially
lethal tumors and has also proven ef-
fective in diagnosing many heart.
ailments.
Laced with a weak tracer dose of
radioactive iodine, the new compound
has been found 100 percent effective in
the diagnosis of tiny tumors in the
body's adrenaline-producing tissues.
IT IS ESTIMATED that between
100,000 and 200,000 Americans are
stricken with the tumors and that 90
percent are located in the central core
of the adrenal glands (the medulla)l
with the other 10 percent found
developing on sympathetic nerves in
other parts of the body.
The new compound, called "131-I
meta-iodobenzylguanidine," was syn-
thesized by organic chemist Dr. Donald
Wieland, head of research and
development in nuclear pharmacy at
the University's division of nuclear
medicine.
According to Wieland, the compound
can specifically detect
pheochromocytomas-tiny tumors that
when triggered by routine stress during
simple surgery, produce surges of
adrenaline-type hormones
(ephinephrine and norephinephrine)
which overstimulate the car-
diovascular system, resulting in death.
THE COMPOUND can identify these
previously undetected growths by fun-
ction as well as location simply by in-
jecting it into a vein, then "imaging" or
scanning the body with a radiation
registering device.
The current method of diagnosis in-
volves making a long incision and
manually manipulating suspicious
growths until the tumors are found,
which Wieland described as like "fin-
ding a needle ina haystack."
"We like to call it a functional agent
rather than an anatomic agent (such as
the CAT scanner), because we're into
See ANOTHER, Page5
Daly 'Poo by PAUL ENGST ROM
DR. DONALD WIELAND, University researcher who successfully syn-
thesized a new radioactive tumor detection compound, consults with his
biological testing head, Larry Brown.
FINE IS REDUCED TO $20:
A2 police ticket bike offenders
By JENNIFER MILLER
Daily staff writer
Yes, the Ann Arbor police have star-
ted issuing tickets to bicyclists, but the
fine for all violations has been reduced
,from $35 to $20.
And as a result of citizen letters and
complaints, the police are especially
targeting the State-Liberty-Thompson
area for bike violations.."Most bicycle
problems emanate from there," said
Patrolman Walter Willard.
THE ACTUAL number of tickets
already issued is unknown, because
separate records for bicycle and motor
-vehicle tickets are not kept. However,
police say they are giving warnings
more often than tickets.
Willard, who is the only officer riding
a bike on patrol, said, "Every day I
warn at least 15 people for bicycle
violations."
"Going the wrong way on a one way
street," Willard said, "is the worst
violation, and the most dangerous."
Motorists pulling out onto a one-way
street usually don't check the opposite
way for traffic, he explained. He said
the majority of tickets that have been
given out are for one-way street
violations.
CANDY ELLISON, 27, was given a
ticket last month for riding down Liber-
ty toward State Street. "I'm used to just
casually and carelessly riding my bike.
I never realized they were giving out
tickets," she said. When the officer told
her the fine was $35, "I was just
floored," Ellison said.
Ellison was angry about her ticket. "I
feel at least they could have given me
one warning. But -(the policeman)
made-it-hard to argue- because he was
apologizing the whole time-he said he
was getting pressure from the station."
When Ellison went to City Hall to pay
the ticket, she found the fine had been
reduced to $20. But, she said, "How can
they justify charging so much money?
They at least should bring the amount
in line with the offense."
THERE ARE indications that the
traffic court may discuss changing the
fine. Tom Pendleton, the city bicycle
coordinator, said, "At the moment, the
court is charging $20. But remember, it
could be (as much as) $35."
Both the police and Pendleton
stressed that the motivation behind the
ticketing is to make bicyclists become
aware of riding safely, not to harass
them. Pendleton said that once the
majority of bicyclists start riding
carefully and obeying the laws, then the
ticketing can be "saved for the
recalcitrant, argumentative person"
who refuses to obey the traffic laws.
These are the main violations that
police may ticket a bicyclist for:
" running a stop signor red light.
" no registration (now mandatory by
a city ordinance, registration costs
$2.50).
" not yielding to pedestrians,
especially on sidewalks.
" no lights or reflectors at night.
THE BICYCLE safety problem in
Ann Arbor is not solely the fault of the
bicyclist, Willard said. As a bicyclist
himself, "You start to appreciate how
motorists don't watch for bicyclists,"
he said. Willard has been riding his
patrol bike for five years, ahd also rides
to work rather than drives. "I have a
feeling for the problems the bicyclist
has," he said._
ny rnu o oy PAUL ESUOM
OFFICER WALTER WILLARD says he likes riding his bike on patrol
because it facilities easy interaction with people. On his own initiative,
* Willard has starte toppatrjL.the Nichols Arboretum in addition to his cam- ,
pus dati'eg.A Studeit fah os'the Ding painted 911 and AAPD on the bicycle for -
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