The Daily Free Press
Year xliii. Volume lxxxviv. Issue V
MAYOR HUB-BUB Mayoral candidates contest first televised debate, page 3.
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Tuesday, September 10, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
PUT GENES ON
MIT researchers achieve new genetic manipulation, page 5.
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GOL-IENSKI
WEATHER
Freshman forward wins Rookie of the Week, page 8.
Today: Partly cloudy, high 80. Tonight: Partly cloud, low 70. Tomorrow: 91/71. Data Courtesy of weather.com
Hundreds gather to protest U.S. involvement in Syria New documentary By Steven Dufour Daily Free Press Staff
Tempers flared Monday night when more than 200 people gathered at the Boston Common at a candlelight vigil against a military attack on Syria. MoveOn.org Civic Action organized the protest in various cities across the U.S., including Boston, but several Syrian immigrants and smaller advocacy groups also showed up and loudly confronted the larger assembly. “He [Bashar al-Assad] is bombing our children, our families,” said Abdul Ali, 28, a Boston resident who said he emigrated from Syria. “I want Obama to take Assad down so we can live in peace … [Syrian opposition] have no guns, no weapons, but Assad guns them down anyway. Obama has to take him down. It’s the only way.” U.S. officials claim Assad’s forces in Syria fired chemical weapon on rebel-held areas in Damascus on Aug. 21, killing more than 1,400 people. U.S. President Barack Obama talked to several media outlets on Monday to build support in Congress and the American public for a congressional action against Syria. Ali shouted at the crowd for several minutes before the 7 p.m. vigil was scheduled to start, but eventually left after several members of the vigil asked him to leave. “I totally understand where he was coming
Syria, see page 4
to tell story of final BU wrestling season By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff
MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Bostonians hold candles and signs at the Syria vigil Monday night on Park Street. The vigil began as a peaceful gathering, but became heated as it was interrupted by screaming citizens with opposing viewpoints.
Boston babies to have DNA sequenced in genome study By Sarah Platt Daily Free Press Staff
Beginning in early 2014, many newborns in Boston will have their entire genomes sequenced as a part of a five-year study to explore the effect of DNA sequencing on their future medical care. The study, run by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, will take 480 newborn babies and families, half from the nursery at Brigham and Women’s and half from the neonatal intensive care unit at Boston Children’s, to determine where DNA analysis is effective in learning whether there is a genetic cause of newborn health problems. The study is funded by a $6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. “These analyses will help illuminate the full spectrum of benefits and risks associated with genome sequencing of newborns,” said Dr. Alan Beggs, the principal investigator of the study and the director
of the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children’s Hospital in a press release on Wednesday. Massachusetts currently mandates that all babies be screened for conditions that are treatable, but not clinically evident in the newborn period. This study would go beyond these conventional screening methods to compare outcomes that occur when genomic newborn sequencing is used instead, according to the release. Chief of Biomedical Genetics at Boston University School of Medicine Dr. Lindsay Farrer said although all babies in Massachusetts are screened for a number of rare conditions, this neo-natal screening could help make a diagnosis early. However, he is not sure if the study will be truly worthwhile. “[The study] will probably pick up a number of things that may not be done on routine screening,” he said. “The majority of the things that they are going to find,
however, are going to have low predictive value.” Because genes show both causal factors and risk factors, Ferrar said most of what the researchers will find are risk factors — in other words, a child might be genetically disposed to having adult onset diabetes, but might not actually fall ill to it later in life. “For all the time, effort and money that is invested in doing this screening, they will only learn something on one out of many patients,” he said. Natasha Bonhomme, vice president at Genetic Alliance — an organization that launched the nation’s first center on newborn screening education — said she was concerned about support for the parents. “There needs to be a lot of educational material on this idea that parents can make an informed decision with what happens next with their family, in this case with their newborn,” she said. “At the end of
Hospitals, see page 2
After Boston University officials announced that the 2013-14 season would be the last for the BU wrestling team, two local filmmakers have decided to produce a documentary on the team’s final year. Freelance sports writer Michael Abelson and Emerson College student Brandon Lavoie are currently raising money to produce “It Hurts to Win,” a film that will tell the story of the BU wrestling team in its last season. “We would like to document the process of what happens in general when a college program gets cut,” Lavoie, a junior majoring in film production, said. Students were shocked when the BU administration announced its decision April 1 to cut the varsity wrestling team after their 2013-14 season. “A lot of times, these things fall by the wayside and no one gets to hear from the people it actually affects,” Lavoie said. “They [students] just hear from the people who are making the decision.” Lavoie said the film is also intended to explore some of the reasons why the wrestling program was cut so abruptly. “We’re certainly not trying to vilify anyone in the faculty,” he said. “We would just like to delve a little deeper into why this is happening and how it’s affecting them [the students].” Abelson and Lavoie have created a fundraising page on www.indiegogo.com to raise money for the documentary. With 14 days left, the campaign has raised a little more than $2,000 of its $25,000 goal. The money will be used for production costs, equipment costs and travel costs, Abelson said. “We’re going to be at practices, in the wrestling room, at matches and we’ll see what these guys do around campus,” Abelson, who graduated from the University of Rhode Island in May with a journalism degree, said. “... We just want to be with the team and show who these guys on the team are.”d Abelson said he hopes the film will document the team’s progress over the final year, while portraying the team’s dedication to their school and their sport.
Wrestling, see page 4
Mayoral candidates go head-to-head in first televised debate before primary By Alice Bazerghi Daily Free Press Staff
In the first televised debate before the primary, the 12 candidates running to replace Boston Mayor Thomas Menino squared off Monday night covering issues such as Boston Public Schools, around-the-clock public transportation and the casino deal in East Boston. Alison King of New England Cable News and Joe Bettenfeld of the Boston Herald moderated the debate at Suffolk University’s Modern Theatre. Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley — the only candidate who does not send his kids to public schools — said the BPS systems need to improve so more parents want to send their kids to them. “Parents don’t play politics with their kids education,” he said. “I care very deeply about the school’s education reform … it is the key to a great middle class.” Mass. Rep. Marty Walsh also said he would work on reforming BPS. “I’m in this race to transform our schools,” he said. “If we want safer streets and a better
economy, we need better schools.” City Councilor Mike Ross and Community Organizer Bill Walczak both argued that 24/7 transportation is necessary to keep the Boston economy moving, even though it would mean higher taxes for citizens. “I do support around-the-clock public transportation,” Ross said. “It’s our job to make sure it’s funded because it’s a problem for growth in our city.” Walczak said the Innovation District in South Boston is being strangled by the lack of public transportation. Former Mass. Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie said she is apprehensive about raising taxes on residents of Boston. “If you want to take on the job of raising taxes, you have to educate the electorate to let them know exactly how they can be part of the advocacy piece,” she said. “We just emerged from a big recession and timing is everything.” Former Boston Police Department officer and co-owner of TOUCH 106.1FM Charles
Mayor, see page 2
KIERA BLESSING/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
From left to right: Mayoral candidates David James Wyatt, Charles Yancey, Bill Walczak and Daniel Conley waiting to begin the NECN Mayoral Forum Monday night at Suffolk Modern Theater.