M
pi
page 8/The Battalion/Friday, March 11, 1983
local
Warped
by Scott McCullar
Muscle-eating acid found
United Press International
BOSTON — Medical resear
chers said Thursday they have
isolated an element in the hu
man defense system that causes
the body to devour its own mus
cle protein and may explain why
patients “waste away” so rapidly
during prolonged illness.
Understanding the mechan
ism will allow doctors to inter
vene in the disease-fighting pro
cess when it jeopardizes the pa
tient’s life, they said.
In two studies published in
the New England Journal of
Medicine, Boston researchers
said they found that a type of
amino acid called a peptide,
which circulates in the blood of
healthy individuals, is released
three to five times as fast in sick
people.
The substance stimulates tbe
breakdown of muscle protein to
supply other amino acids neces
sary for energy, healing and
maintaining vital organ func
tions. The doctors said the re
sponse is important for survival
but said prolonged mobilization
of amino acids causes tbe system
to consume the muscle protein
so fast the patient is left weak
and susceptible to other diseases
and infections.
The studies wer^e conducted
by the Harvard Medical School
and the Tufts School of Medi
cine.
Dr. George Clowes Jr. of the
Harvard Medical School and
New England Deaconess Hos
pital, who headed the research,
said he had always marveled that
people “go to pieces” , faster
when they’re sick than with nor
mal starvation. ,
Clowes said he would not
necessarily intervene in the heal
ing process, but the knowledge
of how the mechanism works
gives doctors the option to take
action — such as stepped-up in
travenous feeding — when
appropriate.
“We no longer have to just
stand by and watch a patient
waste away,” he said.
The studies also showed how
the system activates additional
protein synthesis necessary for
healing and defense against in
fection.
The researchers said they iso
lated a substance active in the
immune response that results in
accelerated protein synthesis.
The substance, leukocytic
pyrogen, is known to signal the
brain of infection and cause fev
er. It also triggers the synthesis
of prostaglandin, a hormone
associated with pain that could
be responsible for muscle aches
that accompany a fever, the re
searchers wrote.
They said fever appears to be
beneficial and seems to reduce
mortality in certain bacterial in
fections. But a prolonged fever
causes dangerous weight loss
and reduces the body’s ability to
fight infection, they said.
Survivalist’s
surrender
negotiated
United Press International
SHAWANO, Wis. — The
Wisconsin leader of the para
military anti-tax group Posse
Comitatus is negotiating the sur
render of survivalist Gordon
Kahl, a Posse member wanted
for the shooting deaths of two
U.S. marshals.
Shawano County Sheriff
James Knope and Rodney
Taubel, a chief deputy U.S. mar
shal, promised to guarantee
Kahl’s safety in a 2 '/t-hour meet
ing Wednesday with James
Wickstrom, head of the Wiscon
sin branch of Posse Comitatus.
Wickstrom said he does not
know where Kahl, 63, is hiding
but claimed he was not in Wis
consin. Federal authorities re
portedly believe he is in the
Dakotas or Montana.
The surrender plan was
announced — but no details
were revealed — at a news con
ference in the Tigerton Dells
Tavern in Tigerton Dells, the
Posse’s Wisconsin headquarters.
The compound is guarded by
armed Posse members.
A NEW CLASS IN STUDENT LIVIN
• compact, efficient space
• 3 minutes from campus
• security/covered parking
• washer/dryer in every unit
• CHANCE FOR FREE TRIP TO EUROPE*
(* subject to total occupancy)
846 8960
GUN SHOW
Saturday & Sunday, Marcli 12-13, 1983
at
THE BRAZOS CENTER
GUNS — GOLD — SILVER —
JEWELRY — WESTERN ARTIFACTS
& ART
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun.
General Admission $ 2 50
For information contact
fiontliern States Arms Collectors
P.O. Box 265
Rosebud, Texas 76570
817-583-7597
SPRING BREAK CLEARANCE SALE
at
MUSICIANS' WORLD
Guitars by:
• Epiphone
• Ibanez
• Martin
• Sigma
• Washburn
• Martin D-18
with-case
reg. ^ISS 00 Now
• Yamaha FG335
case extra
reg. *245°° Sale $ 169 45
UP TO 30% OFF RETAIL
PRICES WHILE SUPPLY LAST!!
nijtlCIHNS lAilJF-fl.il
WOODSTONE CENTER
907D Harvey Rd.
NO LAY-A-WAYS — NO TRADES
ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
SALE ENDS 3/19/83
693-8898
New Area Code for
Southeast Texas
Pepe’s Mexican Food
For the fun of it!
Come out and enjoy the zesty taste
of our Mexican Food - for the fun of it!
3312 S. College
Bryan
Open Daily 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
107 Dominik
College Station
Open Daily 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.
Post Oak Mall
Open 11 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Unprecedented growth in Houston
and surrounding areas will make it
necessary to assign 180 Southeast
Texas cities a new telephone area
code.
The new area code becomes ef
fective March 19, 1983.
Approximately 90,000 customers
currently in the 713 area code will be
served in the new 409 calling area
(see map inside).
Houston and twenty-nine other
nearby cities will retain the 713
designation.
No changes in seven-digit local
numbers are planned for customers
in either the 713 or 409 calling areas |
as a result of this change.
General
Telephone