Document yp7b28Jn4o5kYJ8gD7VyeeYe2

Brazilian Higher Edncatfoa Facnlly Organization Dael Woifle's editorial of 12 January (p. 131), `increased pay, diminished stature," presents a very logical series of arguments, but seems to start from a premise that does not apply to all in stitutions of higher education. Thus it would appear to lack general appli cability. Woffle slates that "bargaining over the conditions of academic work under mines the hard-won principle that faculty need freedom from external control." At some institutions I suppose that faculty have that freedom, but at many (hey do not, and that is precisely why they are organizing. Many faculty units have found that they must orga nist to deal with working conditions and job sacurity at wall as with wages and fringe benefits. Since faculty work is academic work, they must therefore by definition deal with "academic metiers." To attempt to separate the two does not deal with (he real world. It would ba like telling an auto worker that he can bargain over wages, but not over con ditions on the assembly line. In case one might think that that is a poor anal ogy, one serioua problem that faculty now /ace is precisely the seme as that facad by auto workers: speedup. More students, more contact hours, more courses. This problem can only be dealt with collectively. As faculty And that they are not "free" in terms of work load, they also may And that they are not "free" in terms of job security. Tenure and pro motion committees usually only advise administration, and may in any case reAect "administration" rather than "faculty" interests and sentiment. Fa culty require protection against arbi trary dismissal, against denial of tenure for frivolous reasons, and sgsinst prej udice in promotion procedures. They thus require a grievance procedure which guarantees speedy consideration of their case and Anal appeal to an authority completely outside of their university. The AAUP (American As- so apun. ten Letters sociation of University Professors) Standards have failed many individual faculty members on questions ranging from freedom of speech to dress to un popular research. Only organization can properly protect faculty members in dealing with these "academic" mat ters. Collective bargaining historically seems to have been shown to be more effective in protecting the rights and interests of each member of the group (hen does individual bargaining. Finally, there are a large number of working professionals on university campuses who are not faculty, but who make a significant contribution to the educational process. We call them the nonteaching professionals, and their rights need to be protected aa well. Again, individual bargaining just has not worked for them, and joint col lective bargaining with faculty will strengthen both groups. Steven Jonas Stnalt Professional Association. Inc.. Health Science Center Chapter. State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook 11790 Medium for Hybrid Selection With regard to the Research News report by Jean Marx on somatic cell hybrids (23 Feb., p. 785), I enjoy the notoriety but feel obliged to point out (/) that the medium called HAT (hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thy midine) used for hybrid selection was originally developed not by myself, but for other purposes by Szybalski from earlier work by Hakala and Werkheiser 12). John W. Littlefield Genetics Unit, Children's Service, Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston 02114 - WlHMM mi Nn 1. 9m alw J. W. UttUMM ue 9. CoMiuio, In Vitro i. 11 (IS?0). L W. Styfealtkl, I. H. SfrtaliU, O. lUeni. Not. CMtff Inn. Memoir. 7. 73 <I*W>. Hulda Grobmsa's commeots on Bra zilian higher education (Letters. 6 Oct. 1972, p. 9) indicate a lack of familiarity with what has been taking place since the Decretolei 53 issued in November 1966 laid the basis for the vast changes of the past 6 yean. In cooperation with the Council of Rectors of Brazilian Universities end with financial support from the Agency for International Development (AID), the University of Houston has been involved in several projects: regional seminars in Brazil, short counes for administrators in Houston and Mexico, and in-service training and the sending of consultants to all parts of Brazil. The momentum io higher education initiated by minister Raymundo Moniz de Aragao in the Gastello Branco re gime and continued under the prejrm minister Jarbas Passarlnho has been impressive. Grobmen states that "the model lot major reform planned for the new uni versity of Brasilia was abandoned . . . in one of the world's most modern settings, it mirrors the antiquated pat tern of Brazil's older universities." Nothing could be farther from ihe truth. The University of Brasilia has been developing a modern university with good leadership, full-time pro fessors, and efficient administrative practices. It is quick to seize on new ideas and is destined to become one of Brazils finest institutions. It is true that the university suffered seriously about 10 yean ago, when it was attempting the imposaible and was beset by political problems. That is all changed. Rector Amadeu Cury and vice rector Jost Carlos da Almeida Azevedo may be expected to continue the rapid growth of Ihe university. Frans M. Tiller Office of International Affairs. University of Houston. Houston. Texas 77004 The study by Allen and Norback (2 Feb., p. 498) dearly demonstrates that a particular gastric mucosal response occurs after the feeding of polychlorin ated biphenyls (PCB's) to male rhesus monkeys. The authors suggest that the carjQ|enic potentials of these com pounds should be investigated. While thiS'Js a worthy suggestion, it should 299 HONS 086612 LIFEGUARD. "Outside-of-Cage" Automatic Watering Systems... for dtpsndsblt, low-cot! watering of mleo, rote, ham ster*, rabbits, gutoN ptfp and ottiar small animals UF8QUAM "outaMe" watering w*h qutek-otange cage attach ment gteee Immetflata Improve ment In small animal earn . . . row drynats, poaltiva aafery, aMpartor aan#etfo ant reduced war* load. Indeed, better animal care at lower cost Guaranteed satlilaetory performance. Write or call. Mmtytttms taginiiri/tg A 01*. af AIM Mtp. C#,, Inc. Ml Walnut Sin Maps CA MtM Tetephenet (707) MMttt (fact* N*. 10 an ItWm1 Sarvlw Cm4 not be based on the particular lesions seen in this study. The lesions which Allan sod Noiback describe have been reported only in Macaco species, it occun in response to a variety of agents, such as shale oil (1), organophosphates (2), and putatively noncarcinogenic irritants, such as parasitic infestations (J) and (Mtric bezoart (V). It is not surprising, therefore, that the oral administration of irritating compounds such as PCB's resulted in such a response in a Macaco mulatto. The results would have had far more impact if a similar response had been induced in a nonhuman primate other than a macaque. Edwin l. Andrews Department of Comparative Medicine, Collet* of Medicine. Pennsylvania State University. Her,hey 17033 IlflWWM >, C. C LuUWaufh. 1. Nut. Center hut. 1. MS (1SATV. Cmrer Rm. *. MS UM*>. 2. R. Wmerouah. Arch. Fettml. SI, S4S <tSM). 3. C. Soimt aad J. H, Sanfround, Amer. J. Cen ter St. ITS <IMS); H. F. Smauaa and T. C. Orihal. /. Fereitid. If. SS (I***). 4. R. N, T. W. Fiamat, FaiAalarr / Shnlem Frtmmttt, part I, Cturret FafAatogp (Karfar, Baiat, I*T1). pp. HMM. 5. Z. J, Andrawa W W. J, WWW, 1. Mad. Frtmmmt., In pnn. Allen and Norback state that the concentration of PCB's within their experimental diet was leas than an order of magnitude greater than that occurring in random food samples sold in the United States. The term random applies to a very dearly defined scien tific concept. It is dear from the con text of the report that no attempt was made to obtain food samples, random or not, and that the statement in fact refers to reported maximum values. A careful evaluation of the evi dence, including the low reported val ues for PCB's in cereal, poultry, and eggs, and the fact that aa attempt it being made to keep food containing more than 5 parts per million off the market, leads me to conclude that their experimental diets contained concen trations at least two orders of magni tude greeter than those in the general diet. Thera is a degree of acceptance for the view that, insofar as s safe level exists, then such a level might be fixed at an order of magnitude less than the lowest level at which symptoms are known to occur. David Jowbtt College of Environmental Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay 54302 Andrews slates that (he gastric mu cosal response, which consisted of hy perplasia and dysplasia of the mucosa, to PCB's occurs only in th Macaco species and occurs as a response to s variety of agents; ha danias that the particular lesions we observed are sug gestive of a carcinogenic potential for PCB's. Hypertrophic gastritis, with a simi lar invasion of the muscuiaris mucosae, occurs in man (i) and has been re ported in three species of the genua Macaco--Macaco speciota (stump-tailed macaque) (2), Macaco mulatto (rhesus macaque) <J). and Macaco fasctcularis (Java monkey) (4). Similar changes havo been produced in the rat (J), and two incidences of gastric mucosal changes and the development of adenoma in the baboon have been reported, one of which was accom panied by pyloric mucosal hypertrophy (5). Since it is not practical to use orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, or other higher subhuman primates for routine investigations, the paucity of reports describing similar lesions is un derstandable. The evidence cited above indicates that this is not a lesion pe culiar to macaques, and the high phy logenetic position of this animal makes it more suitable for the investigation of disease processes of man than the more primitive primate, such as the marmo set or squirrel monkey. We are aware that hypertrophic gas tritis is a nonspecific response and stated in the text that the changes are "likely due to chronic irritation.'' One of us (J.R.A.) has also reported this change as a response to irritation from the parasite Nochtia nochtl 16). We reemphasize the association of chronic irritation, regardless of the source, with cancer, particularly of the skin, oral mucosa, larynx, stomach, and bronchial epithelium. The hyperplastic and dysplastic changes observed after administration of PCB's or PCTs I polychlorinated Iriphenyls) are suggestive of a neoplas tic transformation, but the carcinogenic potential cannot be evaluated from a short-term study. In the reports of the mucosal changes cited by Andrews, the exposure of the animals to the various irritants was of short duration (71 to 213 day* of exposure to shale oil) (.?) or not reported. However, in one re ported case of exposure to DDT and organophosphates. hyperplastic gastrin* with carcinoma was presant after 9 years (7). Since spontaneous gastric 9CIKNC& VOL 1M MGNS 086013 carcinoma* are nearly nonexistent in subhuman primates (5), the carcino genic potential of irritative compounds which cause gastric hyperplasia and dysplasia must be investigated with ade quate controls and over long periods of time. In regard to Jowett's criticism of the use of the word "random" we listed the highest concentration of PCB's found in food samples randomly taken by the Pood and Drug Administration. We emphasize that the gastric lesions were produced by this compound at levels leu than an order of magnitude greater than those which have occurred in samples of fi*h. We concur that the levels in a "general" diet would be lower for most of the population, and we presented the evidence for this con clusion by listing the lower levels found In other food products. We cannot adopt Jowett's acceptance of a safe level being "an order of magnitude leu than the lowest level at which symptoms are known to occur" without considera tion for the time factor. In our experi ment, the animals developed the lesions within 3 months, whereas dietary con tamination by the compound would en sure intake for indefinite lengths of time and conceivably for a lifetime. We again recognize the efforts of the Food and Drug Administration to remove contaminated samples which exceed 5 parts per million and urge the support of such actions. J. R. Allen D. H. Norback Department of Pathology, Medical School, end Regional Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706 1. A. f. Slow, in rumor* t rt* Summit. Aitm t fvmor rvMm Suttee Yt, PmMi 21 !uw-->--. DrnCfr,IMImMJ.mJu* Ol*f -Pirt.lkot.oBC.. WHmua. 2r.. la PeHtebgr, W. A. D. AnSsnon. E4. (Marty, Si. Lows, lMh m Ml ML 2. IP, NP (IMP*. ). C. C. Uirtemsti. J. War. Ceeeet lair. T, SU (1047); Cmmr Met. . MS <!**). 4. C. Bmum and J. H. S--SsreonS, Amt. J. Cmm St, m (inf). (SMHrtm. rausesipMs, i*sw, yp. mum, t J. R. AUta an* L. A. Canwnt. tub. Amtm. Caw If, 10S (IMS). 7. n. Kimbrough, Art*. fmhoI. SI. 141 (IMS). Reectioa to Rhetoric I would like to comment on Leo A. Orleans' article, "How the Chinese sci entist survives" (8 Sept 1972, p. 864). Whenever we are faced with messages of unpalatable content, someone will provide us with a tranquilizer, saying not lo ovtrresct to rhetoric and that people did not mean what they said. To those who believe in this, I recommend the following reading list: (i) A. Hitler, Mein Kampf; (ii) G. A. Nasser, Speeches and Broadcasts', (iii) M. T. Cicero, Speeches against L. Sergius Catilina; and (iv) Demosthenes. The Philippika. The fact that people do not achieve their previously stated programs and goals does not necessarily prove that they did not mean them. F. P. Bornstein 200t North Oregon Street, El Paso. Texas 79902 Snapping Turtle Plea Surely the most obvious conclusion to be drawn from the findings of Thomas H. Jukes and Richard Holmquiat (11 Aug. 1972, p. 330) is that the time has come for a taxonomy based on gross morphological traits to be replaced by one more securely rooted in biochem istry and genetics. One might almost, if one wished to be frivolous, imagine the snapping turtle pleading, in parody of St. Thomas of Celano: inter Aves locum praesta et a Boidis me sequestra. O. T. Nurse Human Sero-Genetics Unit, South African Institute for Medical Research, Hospital Street, Johannesburg. South Africa Our taxonomically oriented col leagues have reacted tepidly to Nurse's suggestion that a morphologically baaed taxonomy be replaced by one of bio chemical derivation. Furthermore, a telephone call to the California State Board of Education was unproductive. However, a friendly Mock Turtle (freudochelonia dodgsonii) was quite recep tive. "Once," he began, "I was a real turtle. . . Examination of his cyto chrome c sequence revealed phenylala nine at position 36, aspartic acid at 30, glycine at 89, and asparagine at 103-- all identical with bovine and no leu than 12 hypervariable sties, showipg evolutionary instability. .When We tokf him this, he rudely gave us the bird. THomas H. Jukes Richard Holmquist Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley 94720 20 APRIL 1*7) HONS 086614 MTOH SUM isthe new look in unbreakable Nalgcirf Burets Theee burets do everything giaee doe* . .. except break. Now you can have an individually cali brated transparent buret that will not break In normal use. Only e alight meniscus makes readings sealer, more accurate. The crystal clear acrylic body, tip, and leak proof stopcock era unaf fected by all the usual ti- trants. The Teflon TFE plug never needs lubrication, la a pleasure to turn. Stopcock assembly easily removed for straight-through cleaning. 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