Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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NEWS RESEARCH Cancer Suspect The Specialized Cancer Research Center in Hershey is investigating the herpes viruses as suspected cancer causing agents. Under the direction of Dr. Fred Rapp, a team of researchers is concentrating on three specific herpes viruses: the Epstein-Barr virus; the human cy- tomegalovirus; and the herpes sim- plex virus, types 1 and 2. The Epstein-Barr virus has the most potential for human cancer of those under study, according to Rapp. The researchers are trying to define how the virus enters and transforms epithelial cells, those which develop into the cancerous tumor cells. The human cytomegalovirus is a newer cancer suspect, and re- searchers arc trying to determine if it is connected to genital and uri- nary tract tumors in some way. With the herpes simplex viruses researchers are developing methods to compare the ability of these vi- ruses to transform cells. ■ They Eat Manure With soaring feed prices and grain shortages, cattle raisers may have to turn to animal wastes to nourish their livestock. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Ani- mal scientist Lowell L. Wilson is feeding his cattle, among other things, ensiled manure. Ensiling is a process of fermentation that changes many of the physical char- acteristics of the manure. The cattle at Penn State seem to like it. and are growing. And they're growing as much and as fast as cattle fed standard feeds, according to Dr. Wilson. His studies indicate that cattle waste silage can substitute almost pound- for-pound for corn silage. Only 15% of the beef consumed in the northeast is produced there, but Dr. Wilson feels using animal wastes could boost production 40%. m Soft contact lenses used in test by athletes. Lenses Tested In the past decade, contact lens use in sports has become more and more common. Spurred by the ath- letes' demands, the Bausch and Lomb Co. was interested in finding out whether soft lenses would per- form better than hard lenses in sports. Penn State’s Sports Research Institute, directed by Dr. Chauncey A. Morehouse, undertook such a study for the Soflens Division of Bausch and Lomb Co. After screening by a team physi- cian and examination by an op- thamologist, 30 players in the Fall ‘76 intercollegiate sports program at Penn State were selected and fitted with Bausch and Lomb Soflens contacts. Most of the athletes wore the soft lenses about two weeks before completely adjusting to them. Mi- nor difficulties experienced during the adjustment time included tired- ness, redness and irritation of the eyes. Once adjusted, the athletes were required to wear the lenses only during play, about two hours a day. but most voluntarily wore them up to 16 hours each day. At the end of the testing period, which lasted all season, 95% of the athletes stated that Soflens use was better than or had an advantage over hard lenses or glasses. ■ The Pump Is In Walk through any grocery store and you'll notice that the pump is fast replacing the traditional spray can on the shelves. The pump’s popularity can be traced to concern over the ozone layer, a shield that protects us from much of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Harmful gases from the spray could be penetrating this shield, and meteorologist John Olivcro is working on a NASA-supported pro- ject to study ozone in the stratos- phere and beyond. Small mete- orological rockets, capable of going up 40 to 45 miles, will provide the data for his study and he hopes to determine just how important ozone is in controlling climatologic- al effects far above the earth. ■ Production Study Animal scientist at Penn State have been studying the sometimes bizarre social behavior of animals in a series of projects directed by Lowell Wilson, Grant Sherritt and Hannon Graves. The scientists are coming up with practical sugges- tions for farmers who want to get the most from their animals. Their studies are particularly geared to discovering why crowding, inter- mixing of groups and isolation can affect production efficiency. One study of high-density hous- ing programs for beef steers showed the older and larger steers were the more dominant ones. This tempera- ment is related to production, with the more dominant steers gaining weight more rapidly, thereby reaching slaughter weight and grade sooner. Another study investigated the behavior of lambs reared in envi- ronments of varying degrees of iso- lation. It was found that artificial environments or isolation had no adverse effects on growth and so- cial behavior of lambs. m 22

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News CAMPUS USG president Grunt Ackerman being interviewed on the State Capital steps about the budget crisis. Money Is Tight During the 1977-78 school year Pennsylvania colleges and univer- sities were in a monetary hind — they just weren't getting the neces- sary state funds. And Penn State, as students were well aware, was very hard hit. As a result, the Uni- versity vvos forced to make cuts in all departments to breathe life into its crippled budget. Cuts were made in the budgets of each of the col- leges. Education was hardest hit. partly due to decreasing enroll- ment. The colleges with the heavi- est enrollment pressures, such as Business Administration, had the smallest cuts. However, twice as much money was eliminated from University “support programs — library, physical plant services — as from academic programs. Staff cuts in all areas were made through con- sideration of the number of student credit hours per faculty members, the number of support personnel in ratio to those on the academic staff and the number of vacant positions which could be eliminated to avoid layoffs. According to Director of Budget and Planning Chalmers Norris, there was a loss of 11 faculty posi- tions. 33 clerical and 23 technical jobs. In addition, if sections of classes were not filled, those sec- tions were dropped. When the new budget act was finally passed, $408.8 million went to Penn State in appropriations, a figure still $900,000 less than Gov. Shapp had recommended. Although this is a two percent increase over funds the university received last year, it by no means ends budget problems. Despite the fact that current money problems paint a gloomy picture for the future, many administrators take an optimistic view of the situ- ation because they feel it will cause more intense planning and restruc- turing of priorities within each in- dividual college. The students probably felt the budget crunch hardest in the effects it had on library operating hours. Pattec, previously open until mid- night on Sundays and weekdays, started closing its doors at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Fall Term, a reduction of 17 hours per week and a cut of $120,000 in oper- ating expenses. Student response was angrily in- tense. The Academic Assembly conducted a student poll to dis- cover that 93 to 95% of students did not see the need for the cut in li- brary hours. The next step was a library study-in, conducted by the Assembly and USG, which pro- voked excellent student response. As a result, the library once again began keeping its doors open until midnight during Winter Term, but were forced to eliminate book fines and overdue notices. ■ Crime Rate Rises The greatest number of campus crimes occurred in the fall, prob- ably due to the crowds attracted to Penn State football games. From 3976 to 1977 liquor law vio- lations and drunkeness offenses doubled and indecent exposure tripled, while vandalism decreased. Campus police speculated that more people are reporting crimes, indicating that present statistics may be a more realistic assessment of crimes. Of offenses committed in 1977, police said 49% were by per- sons not affiliated with PSU. The year also sow many local fires and a student was arrested for setting six fires Fall Term — five in dorms and one in an academic building. Early one October morning, fires were set in Atherton Hall and Park Hill Apartments. While reported rape incidents fell in 3977 from four to one, eight cases were reported in State College over 1976's five. m 24