Newsbriefs Johns Hopkins Credit Union member accounts not affected by federal government decision Johns Hopkins Credit Union members' accounts will not be affected by the federal government's decision to take over another credit union where JHFCU has investments. A decision by the National Credit Union Administration regulators to place under conservatorship the Capital Corporate Federal Credit Union will only affect a minimal investment the JHFCU has there. JHFCU is well-reserved and strong and maintains the majority of its investment portfolio at other institutions, said Lynn Cataneo, of the JHFCU. Loans and withdrawals will continue with no interruption or problems, she said. Researchers use computer images to identify patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder Hopkins researchers have created color-coded, computer- enhanced images of the brains of patients with obsessive- compulsive disorder. The images highlight areas of the brain where increased activity marks the distinctive patterns of this form of mental illness. Using an imaging technique called single photon emission-computed tomography, researchers, led by Gordon Harris, an instructor in psychiatry, found that OCD patients had significantly heightened activity in an area at the front of the brain called the frontal lobe, which is part of the cortex and is involved in higher mental functions. Higher activity also occurred in the cerebellum, a part of the brain that helps control movements and also may be involved in thought processes. "This study promises to give us more insight into how the brain of an OCD patient functions," said Rudolf Hoehn-Saric, professor of psychiatry and one of the authors of a paper on the study. "The technique provides a useful tool to study how various areas of the brain respond to drugs or psychotherapy." Facilities Management pleased with SEA energy audit Administrators in Homewood Facilities Management have reviewed an energy audit report prepared by Students for Environmental Action, and they like what they see. "The students put in a good effort," said Rick Eschenbach, energy manager for the department. "Some of the things they pointed out, like exit light conversion, is something the university has already started on. Other data is useful to me as I begin my own [energy] audit of each campus building." Robert Schuerholz, executive director of Facilities Management for the university, and a longtime proponent of energy efficiency at Hopkins, welcomed the student report. "This was good for the students because it raised their awareness of energy conservation," said Schuerholz. "And we welcome their observations, because it's always good to see things from another perspective." The report stemmed from a daylong, small-scale energy audit of four Homewood buildings the SEA conducted Nov. 4, 1994, with guidance from Pepper White, a Hopkins alumnus who runs an energy consulting firm in Massachusetts. White briefed the students on how to conduct an audit, and then four groups of students visited the New Engineering Building and Garland, Remsen and Ames halls. The students' findings, summarized in a recently released report prepared by SEA president Eric Lee, focused on suggestions for upgrading lighting in all the halls but Remsen, which already has energy-efficient fixtures in place as a result of its recent renovation. They calculated replacement costs and cost payback periods for each suggestion. Also, the students completed a plug-load survey of the buildings, which involved counting the various electrical machines as a means of calculating the total energy use of each building. Eschenbach found this data to be especially useful, as he is in the process of determining how many computers are used in campus buildings. "In the last 22 years, we've saved close to $40 million in energy costs," said Schuerholz. "But the energy conservation business is a continuing process, and this audit by the students is a useful tool for us. They should be commended for their efforts."