Tuesday, January 18, 1994

BLOOD PRESSURE:  People from UW, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and
Manulife Financial are holding a news conference this morning to announce
a new $128,000 research project, to be headed by Roy Cameron of UW's
health studies department.  The project is a study of how borage oil --
an extract of a common edible herb -- can be used in controlling high
blood pressure.  It contains what seem to be the right chemicals, it has
had good results in animal testing, and now Cameron and his colleagues
are planning to test it on 80 human volunteers who have untreated, borderline
hypertension.  They'll find the volunteers, they hope, through a massive
screening of employees at Manulife and at Mutual Life, which begins this
week.

RETIREMENT PARTY:  Pat Taylor, secretary to UW's dean of engineering, is
the guest of honour at a retirement reception this afternoon.  It starts
at 3:30 in Engineering 2 room 4403.

SHARE A RIDE:  Survey forms were spread around campus yesterday for a
study of how people at UW commute to work or school, and what possibilities
there are for a "Share-a-Ride" car-pooling program.  The study is being done
by environment and resource studies student Emese Kiss as a WatGreen project 
with support from the UW waste management office.  

Faculty and staff members should be able to find a copy of the survey form
somewhere around their departments.  Widespread distribution for students
is expected to happen next week.  The form asks things like what hours you
come to campus and whether you'd be interested in car-pooling.  If many
people are, a computer matching system is expected to follow -- but the
form notes that there is "no obligation" to get involved, just because you
fill out a one-page survey.

A copy of the research proposal is available at the libraries, at the
Campus Centre turnkey desk, and at the WPIRG office in the General
Services Complex, and through faculty, staff and student associations.  Or
you can get in touch with its author at 725-3121 or ekiss@watserv1.

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs
credmond@watserv1    ext. 3004