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From: Billi Goldberg <bigoldberg@igc.org>
Subject: Houston Post Article dated 7/17/92
Note: non-commercial reproduction.
Archive-Number: 5739
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 92 16:36:52 PDT

The following information has been summarized and excerpted from the
Friday, July 17, 1992, edition of The Houston Post with the permission
of the authors, Tom Curtis and Patricia Manson.

This article is not copyrighted.

************************************************************************
SCIENTISTS URGE SCREENING OF POLIO VACCINE FOR HIV

A controversial theory that AIDS may have been spawned by a polio
vaccine tested in Africa more than 30 years ago finally seems to be
headed for scientific analysis.

A co-chairman of a committee of scientists said Thursday it will
recommend testing samples of a polio vaccine found at The Wistar
Institute of Anatomy and Biology in Philadelphia.  They would be
screened for the virus believed to cause AIDS, as well as for precursor
viruses.

"Basically we think we should leave no stone unturned" in examining the
theory that the possibly contaminated vaccine somehow introduced AIDS
into humans, said Dr. Claudio Basilico, a co-chairman of the committee.

Basilico said it still was not clear which, if any, of the samples found
in freezers at the Wistar were from the tests conduction in Africa.

The five-member committee was appointed in March by Wistar, whose former
director developed a poliovirus vaccine that was tested on about 325,000
people in central equatorial Africa from 1957 to 1960.

That region of Africa is among the areas with the highest percentages of
people who test positive for the AIDS virus, and where many scientists
believe AIDS entered the human population.

The vaccines were weakened polio viruses grown in a medium--primary
monkey kidney tissue--from monkey species now known to be susceptible to
infection with a number of viruses.

These viruses include lentiviruses, the subfamily of viruses containing
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) believed to cause AIDS.  Those
viruses also include simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a retrovirus
cousin of the HIV.  Some scientists now speculate that SIV and HIV may
be the same virus.

In March, workers began combing through Wistar's biological freezers and
freezer rooms in a search for specimens of the Congo vaccine.  About the
same time, Wistar officials appointed the committee of scientists to
look at the theory linking the vaccine to the origin of AIDS in humans.

However, in a May press release, Wistar officials described the idea as
"a highly speculative theory."  And Thursday, Basilico--like many others
in the medical establishment--also discounted the theory, saying the
committee thinks "the probability of this even occurring is extremely
unlikely."

Basilico also played down the implications of the theory, even if it is
proved to be true.

"It's really an interesting possibility, but if it is true, what will it
do to help us fight AIDS?...the present epidemic is not going to be
solved by this," said Basilico, chairman of the Department of
Microbiology at New York University School of Medicine.

But he said the final decision on whether to act on the committee's
recommendations will rest with Wistar, the oldest private, nonprofit
biomedical research and training institute in the nation.

Wistar officials were not available for comment Thursday.

Basilico made his comments Thursday afternoon after four of the five
committee members met at New York University.  The committee will issue
a final report by Sept. 15, he said.

Many details of the committee's recommendation that polio vaccine
samples be tested remain to be worked out, Basilico said.

"In all frankness, it may not be all that easy to find people to do this
testing because it's a lot of work," he said.  He said it probably would
be too expensive to test all of the samples found, which number "no more
than 100."

At least one scientist is eager to do the work and said he would perform
it for free.

Robert C. Bohannon said he was prepared to test at least 100 samples for
numerous viruses, including HIV.

Bohannon is director of research for Onasco Companies Inc., a maker of
vaccines and diagnostic kits for AIDS and AIDS-like viruses.
************************************************************************






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------------------------------

From: Greg Pratt <aragon@lachesis.acm.rpi.edu>
Subject: "One Life To Live" (Thursday)
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 15:18:11 EDT

The storyline wasn't touched that much today on "One Life To Live".  There
were two scenes, however.  I hope you all won't mind my not typing in 200-300
line posts anymore... :-)

The first one opened up on a vacated room in the community center.  Billy and
Alana walk into the room, and find a fair amount of broken glass on the
floor, along with another stone.  Alana unwraps the stone, and Billy reads
the note: "Drop Dead Father Faggot".  Billy is really upset, and starts
blaming himself for all of the problems; he says he never should have come
out to Reverend Carpenter.  Alana tells him it's not his fault.  Billy, in
talking, goes to the window, raising his voice as he approaches it, yelling
at the people out on the street.  Apparently, there are now many people out
on the street, behind police barricades, protesting either the center or
Reverend Carpenter's presence.  Billy and Alana are both upset, but Billy is
especially so.  As Alana pulls Billy away from the window, they here a noise
in the hallway, and Billy raises the rock as if to throw it.  It's Joey, who
has come to meet them at the center.

Joey apologizes to Billy for treating him so badly over the past few weeks,
for not being there for him, and for folding into a shell every time Billy
comes around.  He is really sorry, and asks Billy for his forgiveness.  They
hug, and Alana joins in the hug.

Billy tells the two that he really wants to crawl away into a shell himself,
and is sorry he ever came out.  The people out on the streets... there are
people like this everywhere, people who are afraid of what they don't know,
and what they don't understand.  Joey is the one to tell him not to back down
this time -- Reverend Carpenter didn't call it quits, he points out.  He
cannot continue to hide, says Joey.  As Billy himself pointed out, the bigots
are everywhere.  He tells them that his mother always told him that when
cleaning out a refrigerator, always start with the rotten food.  Alana asks
Billy if he wants a ride home, but he declines.  He says he'll walk home,
that he has to "clean out his fridge."  The group parts on that note.
--
Gregory Pratt                               "The problem with the gene pool
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute            is that there is no lifeguard."
Association for Computing Machinery                             --- unknown

------------------------------

Date:        Thu, 23 Jul 92 16:19:30 EDT
From: "AAKL000@CATCC.bitnet  Kevin S. Lowery Catonsville"
 <AAKL%CATCC.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Problematic Sig file (to some)

To the ladies who had a problem with my sig file, I am sorry that
you interpreted "fish" as applying only to women.  I have heard it
apply to both men and women.  I have heard it apply to the unattractive-
ness of one to the person who originates the remark.  Like I said,
it was not intended as a negative.  Sorry you interpreted it that way.
However, in the future, if you have a problem with something that is
as insiginficant as this, why don't you reply in person so as not to
bother all these wonderful is not really necessary GAYNETTERS with
our picayune grievances!

Hope the new one doesn't leave that SALTY aftertaste:

________________________________________________________________________
\ think  /  Kevin S. Lowery            | You can offend some of the
 \ pink /   Catonsville Com. College   | people some of the time, and
  \    /    800 South Rolling Road     | some of the people all of the
   \  /     Catonsville, MD 21228      | time, but certain people you
    \/      AAKL000@CATCC.BITNET       | can offend no matter what!
                                       | What's a girl to do? -- Kevin

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 13:25:18 -0700
From: sarahb@womyn.esd.sgi.com (Sarah Broadwell)
Subject: gregory

I'm giving gregory pratt an e-mail cheer for his wonderful efforts
to provide us non-daytime-television folks with the story relating
to billy and andrew on One Life To Live.

thanks gregory
--sarah

------------------------------

Subject: Dear Netters from a Lurker
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 15:26:13 CDT
From: Michelle "Von Dieter" Beauford <mbeaufor@emh1.mpc.af.mil>

Hi Everybody,

      Well, here I am another list lurker.  I've been reading gaynet for
about 6 months - but never had the nerve to post.  I almost had it - but
then Tom got flamed and I lost it, because (dare I say it), I guess I'm
strayt.  But I agree with most who believe that sexuality is a
continuum.  So let's just say I'm straighter than some.  Why after all
this time do I decide to post, you say?  Well, I'm here to say 'bye.

I'm in the Air Force - in San Antonio, I've always gone around ranting
about how stupid I believe the military ban on homosexuals is.
(Although even in the military, many don't think the ban is fair -
although probably not most - they all think I'm whacko for going around
saying these things.)  But I must follow my conscience - so at every
opportunity and with anyone - I'm willing to discuss it.  As you can
imagine these discussions get very interesting.  But I digress, bottom
line is - because I do this - my shop (we're all computer geeks) signed
me up to gaynet as a joke.  But I loved it!!!!  You are the greatest
bunch of folks - and I wish I knew you all personally (well more
personally than I do from your posting personalities).  Now the powers
that be have instructed me to desubscribe myself. :( :( :(   So I gotta
do it.   However I'll still be here spouting off to all these guys and
wishing I still knew the news.  Anyway - everytime I did think about
posting David Woolwine would post exactly what I had planned to say
anyway. bye kindred spirit.  By Mike!, and the Gabriel's, and Jennifer
P. and , of course Ron, and Kevin, etc.... Sorry this is getting too
long.  Well this is the last thing I had to do before I go on leave for
the next coupla weeks.

Peace, Love, and don't forget : You have friends everywhere

------------------------------

Date: 23 Jul 92 16:57:26 EDT
From: Thanalakshmi.Subramaniam@Dartmouth.EDU
Subject: queer carl?

newsweek ran a story on carl lewis in which they printed apparently
unconfirmed rumours abt his sexuality stemming from his vanity and fashion
sense. he was apprently dropped from the cover of a leading publication
because the editor didnt want to put "an arrogant black fag" on the cover. no
word of denial/confirmation from Lewis. at the risk of being a gossip monger,
i was curious if anyone had heard anything else abt this.

------------------------------

End of GayNet Digest
********************
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