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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1981)
Page 6 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1981 Baylor prof devises method Hair identifies blood types United Press International WACO — A new technique de veloped by a biologist at Baylor University can determine the blood types of individuals solely from samples of hair. Forensic science experts say that the test is important because it could be used to narrow the number of suspects in criminal cases in which hair samples are gathered as evidence. Previous methods to' determine blood types from hair samples were not reliable enough, a fore nsic science expert said. But Dr. F. Ray Wilson, associate professor of physiology at Baylor Universi ty, along with graduate biology student Susan Kentroti, de veloped the process. And Wilson said his new method is foolproof. Wilsons rtiethod uses tiny flecks of iron called “ferritin” com bined with type A and type B anti bodies. These 1 solutions attach themselves to the elements in the hair called “antigens,” which indi cate blood types. Antigens are present in all tissues in the body, Wilson-said. The method uses an electron microsoch'pe to find tiny flecks of iron in the,hair. If a typ e A ferritin-antibody solution “sticks” to a hair sample, Wilson said, the blood is either type A or type AB. If the type B solution also sticks, it is type AB. If neither A nor B solutions stick, the blood type is O, Wilson said. “We never had any problems with this technique at all,” Wilson said. “It’s 100 percent foolproof. I’m sure this will be a standard procedure within six months to a year. “If I were ‘Quincy, or anyone working on an assault or murder or rape case. I’d want to try this test. ” Dr. Irving Stone, a foresenic sci entist at the University of Texas’ Southwestern Medical Center In stitute of Forensic Science in Dal las, said the method needs testing and verification by other crime laboratories, but said it shows great promise. “Hair from a crime scene can eliminate 50 percent of the sus pect population,” Stone said. “The potential for this test is su perb. “It’s at a point where we need other laboratories and other work ers to repeat the work. If it does work, then we will have a signifi cant new development.” Wilson and Kentroti spent ab out eight or nine months working on the technique and finished the research about two months ago, Wilson said. He said using a shampoo to wash the hair before beginning the process was a major element in the experiment s success. Before washing the hair, the antibody solution would stick to particles that would hinder the studies, he said. ni ves& Sharpening Stones Our Eye. 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Free pocket sharpening stone with every knife purchased (except kitchen or knife, bianks WHOLE EARTH PROVISION COMPANY 105 Boyett 846-8794 PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER FOR MD Enter Lhe AGGIELAND SUPERDANCE 1982 Feb. 5 & 6 at the Aggieland Inn Register at the A15C sponsored by Omega Phi A Ipha & Alpha Phi Omega All Proceeds Benefit The Muscular Dystrophy Association Insurance board debati homeowner reductions United Press International AUSTIN — Members of the State Insurance Board were re luctant to question a new law providing homeowner insur ance discounts for the installa tion of anti-burglary devices in residences, even though insur ance industry representatives called the measure unconstitu tional. The 1981 Texas Legislature passed a law ordering special re ductions in homeowner insur ance rates for persons who in stall deadbolt locks on doors and special locks on windows. Gaylon Daniel, insurance board staff actuary, recom mended insurance reductions of 10 percent in counties along the Texas Gulf Coast, 9 percent for homeowners in the central part of the state and 3 percent in north and northwest Texas. Insurance industry repre sentatives argued the bill was unconstitutional and if the dis counts for anti-burglary devices were offered, they should not be more than 2 percent of the premium. Mary Joe Carroll, the attor ney representing the Texas In surance Advisory Association, contended the bill unfairly dis criminates against businesses that might install the same anti theft devices but will not qualify for the homeowner rate dis counts. performing a disservice 1(1 public if you permit tlrj plementation ola statute ti subject to constitui attack.” Carroll noted the I not permit insurance | for homes with extensive(j lar alarm systems, orv devices other than thoselj in the new law. "The Legislature weutjl po i m t of absurdity when it She also contended the law improperly delegates to the Texas Crime Prevention Insti tute the authority to license in spectors to determine if homeowners qualify for the spe cial discounts. lied this,” she said. Board member IS ()lson said, however,henj luctant to not implementil passed by the Legislature [ “I urge you to delay any im plementation until you have submitted the question of con stitutionality to the attorney general,” she said. “You will he The Legislature is sajj os that they think it’s lie policy to give insura centives to stop stealinji said. 'That’s theonlytliiin think of unless it’s somes interest trying to pawno burglary systems.” Victim says wrong man accused; court disagrees! United Press International BRIDGE CITY — A prosecutor says Jon B. Simonis knew too many details of a 1979 sexual attack on a woman and her chil dren not to have committed the “ski-mask assault, but the woman disagrees. Clarence Von Williams was cleared of charges related to the attack and released from jail last week. But the 42-year-old victim says Williams, not Jon B. Simonis, assaulted her and her children. Orange County Assistant Dis trict Attorney Jim Jenkins said Tuesday that Simonis gave details in a videotaped statement that only the rapist would have known about the attack. “He knew too many details not to have committed the rape, Jenkins said. He added that he had no doubt that Williams was innocent. A state district judge, following prosecutors’ recommendations based on the videotape, declared a mistrial last week in the October trial in which Williams was con victed of the assault and sentenced to 50 years in prison. But the victim of the attack said Williams, not Simonis, was the man who raped her at gunpoint and forced her to engage in group sex with her teenage son and daughter. After viewing the taped state ment, filmed in Louisiana where Simonis was recently sentenced to 231 years in prison following his guilty plea in the sexual) Jena, La., family, the stood by her charge. She said the inform) available through the ne and the public trial. But Jenkins said Sim more than was available ing the victims’ names, how the house was ent descriptions of the assaal v ' on Orange County Attoi Wright said that desp\teS^ admission, he does not pi him. "ft would be case even with strong si; Tin IIX' if the victims don t agree! pect is the right man, kl Marching monks protest nuclear arms productioi piiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimHiiiMiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiM All Juniors and seniors, cirr shot:: United Press International AMARILLO — The leader of a group of Buddhist monks who marched from a Catholic school to a government nuclear weapon plant says a similar march in the Soviet Union made him believe people wanted peace. “People everywhere want peace, the Rev. Gyoten Yoshida said Tuesday. “It is the instinct of all people.” The monks walked 18 miles from from the Alamo Catholic High School to the Department of Energy’s Pantex facility where nuclear weapons are assembled to protest the production of nuclear s arms. The group, which included five Buddhist monks and one Buddhist nun from Japan, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka and several lay people, are participating in an eight-month walk from Los Angeles, Calif., to New York City to attend the United Nations nuc lear disarmament talks which be gin in June. During a peace vigil, the monks chanted and beat their drums to protest what Yoshida called the growing nuclear arms race. The monk encouraged the group and the spectators to rise up together to end the nuclear threat. He said the rest of the world would look up to and follow the United States if the couill ped the arms race andcjJ peace. “It would he a shining! for humankind,’ he said. I From Amarillo, the gtoj to walk about 20 miles ail they reach New York ini the UN disarmament tJ For All YourlM for AGGIELAND ’82 I Cir w ^9 Appeari# M\\ Thursday S Friday ^ through Friday special makeup i Cover 8 3 00 ‘” S "‘ , THE • MICHAEL MARC0EUER RUT l 4410 College Mato 846.9$ PURYEAR LU i DC O * o o CULPEPPER OFFICES SUITE #140 SAFEWAY CULPEPPER PLAZA EXXON co >- < £ X o X Yearbook Associates Studio Culpepper Office Park, Suite 140 (Off Puryear) Questions? Phone 693*6756 Daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ICTCLE w^AU: 10% OFF ALL BICYCLES IN STOCK THRU DEC. 31 s Cycles t/rc. 403 University at Northgate Best Repairs and Prices Around — Check It Out! 846-BIKE Open 9-6 Mon.-Fri. 10-5 Sat. iiiimiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiimiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiHiiiiiimiiiiiiiiimiiimimiiiiiimiiiimimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiii