word tag Pierre NNP Vinken NNP , , 61 CD years NNS old JJ , , will MD join VB the DT board NN as IN a DT nonexecutive JJ director NN Nov. NNP 29 CD . . Mr. NNP Vinken NNP is VBZ chairman NN of IN Elsevier NNP N.V. NNP , , the DT Dutch NNP publishing VBG group NN . . Rudolph NNP Agnew NNP , , 55 CD years NNS old JJ and CC former JJ chairman NN of IN Consolidated NNP Gold NNP Fields NNP PLC NNP , , was VBD named VBN a DT nonexecutive JJ director NN of IN this DT British JJ industrial JJ conglomerate NN . . A DT form NN of IN asbestos NN once RB used VBN to TO make VB Kent NNP cigarette NN filters NNS has VBZ caused VBN a DT high JJ percentage NN of IN cancer NN deaths NNS among IN a DT group NN of IN workers NNS exposed VBN to TO it PRP more RBR than IN 30 CD years NNS ago IN , , researchers NNS reported VBD . . The DT asbestos NN fiber NN , , crocidolite NN , , is VBZ unusually RB resilient JJ once IN it PRP enters VBZ the DT lungs NNS , , with IN even RB brief JJ exposures NNS to TO it PRP causing VBG symptoms NNS that WDT show VBP up IN decades NNS later JJ , , researchers NNS said VBD . . Lorillard NNP Inc. NNP , , the DT unit NN of IN New JJ York-based JJ Loews NNP Corp. NNP that WDT makes VBZ Kent NNP cigarettes NNS , , stopped VBD using VBG crocidolite NN in IN its PRP$ Micronite NN cigarette NN filters NNS in IN 1956 CD . . Although IN preliminary JJ findings NNS were VBD reported VBN more RBR than IN a DT year NN ago IN , , the DT latest JJS results NNS appear VBP in IN today NN 's POS New NNP England NNP Journal NNP of IN Medicine NNP , , a DT forum NN likely JJ to TO bring VB new JJ attention NN to TO the DT problem NN . . A DT Lorillard NNP spokewoman NN said VBD , , `` `` This DT is VBZ an DT old JJ story NN . . We PRP 're VBP talking VBG about IN years NNS ago IN before IN anyone NN heard VBD of IN asbestos NN having VBG any DT questionable JJ properties NNS . . There EX is VBZ no DT asbestos NN in IN our PRP$ products NNS now RB . . '' '' Neither DT Lorillard NNP nor CC the DT researchers NNS who WP studied VBD the DT workers NNS were VBD aware JJ of IN any DT research NN on IN smokers NNS of IN the DT Kent NNP cigarettes NNS . . `` `` We PRP have VBP no DT useful JJ information NN on IN whether IN users NNS are VBP at IN risk NN , , '' '' said VBD James NNP A. NNP Talcott NNP of IN Boston NNP 's POS Dana-Farber NNP Cancer NNP Institute NNP . . Dr. NNP Talcott NNP led VBD a DT team NN of IN researchers NNS from IN the DT National NNP Cancer NNP Institute NNP and CC the DT medical JJ schools NNS of IN Harvard NNP University NNP and CC Boston NNP University NNP . . The DT Lorillard NNP spokeswoman NN said VBD asbestos NN was VBD used VBN in IN `` `` very RB modest JJ amounts NNS '' '' in IN making VBG paper NN for IN the DT filters NNS in IN the DT early JJ 1950s CD and CC replaced VBN with IN a DT different JJ type NN of IN filter NN in IN 1956 CD . . From IN 1953 CD to TO 1955 CD , , 9.8 CD billion CD Kent NNP cigarettes NNS with IN the DT filters NNS were VBD sold VBN , , the DT company NN said VBD . . Among IN 33 CD men NNS who WP worked VBD closely RB with IN the DT substance NN , , 28 CD have VBP died VBN -- : more JJ than IN three CD times NNS the DT expected VBN number NN . . Four CD of IN the DT five CD surviving VBG workers NNS have VBP asbestos-related JJ diseases NNS , , including VBG three CD with IN recently RB diagnosed VBN cancer NN . . The DT total NN of IN 18 CD deaths NNS from IN malignant JJ mesothelioma NN , , lung NN cancer NN and CC asbestosis NN was VBD far RB higher JJR than IN expected VBN , , the DT researchers NNS said VBD . . `` `` The DT morbidity NN rate NN is VBZ a DT striking JJ finding NN among IN those DT of IN us PRP who WP study VBP asbestos-related JJ diseases NNS , , '' '' said VBD Dr. NNP Talcott NNP . . The DT percentage NN of IN lung NN cancer NN deaths NNS among IN the DT workers NNS at IN the DT West NNP Groton NNP , , Mass. NNP , , paper NN factory NN appears VBZ to TO be VB the DT highest JJS for IN any DT asbestos NN workers NNS studied VBN in IN Western JJ industrialized VBN countries NNS , , he PRP said VBD . . The DT plant NN , , which WDT is VBZ owned VBN by IN Hollingsworth NNP & CC Vose NNP Co. NNP , , was VBD under IN contract NN with IN Lorillard NN to TO make VB the DT cigarette NN filters NNS . . The DT finding NN probably RB will MD support VB those DT who WP argue VBP that IN the DT U.S. NNP should MD regulate VB the DT class NN of IN asbestos NN including VBG crocidolite NN more RBR stringently RB than IN the DT common JJ kind NN of IN asbestos NN , , chrysotile NN , , found VBN in IN most JJS schools NNS and CC other JJ buildings NNS , , Dr. NNP Talcott NNP said VBD . . The DT U.S. NNP is VBZ one CD of IN the DT few JJ industrialized VBN nations NNS that WDT does VBZ n't RB have VB a DT higher JJR standard NN of IN regulation NN for IN the DT smooth JJ , , needle-like JJ fibers NNS such JJ as IN crocidolite NN that WDT are VBP classified VBN as IN amphobiles NNS , , according VBG to TO Brooke NNP T. NNP Mossman NNP , , a DT professor NN of IN pathlogy NN at IN the DT University NNP of IN Vermont NNP College NNP of IN Medicine NNP . . More RBR common JJ chrysotile NN fibers NNS are VBP curly JJ and CC are VBP more RBR easily RB rejected VBN by IN the DT body NN , , Dr. NNP Mossman NNP explained VBD . . In IN July NNP , , the DT Environmental NNP Protection NNP Agency NNP imposed VBD a DT gradual JJ ban NN on IN virtually RB all DT uses NNS of IN asbestos NN . . By IN 1997 CD , , almost RB all DT remaining VBG uses NNS of IN cancer-causing JJ asbestos NN will MD be VB outlawed VBN . . About IN 160 CD workers NNS at IN a DT factory NN that WDT made VBD paper NN for IN the DT Kent NNP filters NNS were VBD exposed VBN to TO asbestos NN in IN the DT 1950s CD . . Areas NNS of IN the DT factory NN were VBD particularly RB dusty JJ where WRB the DT crocidolite NN was VBD used VBN . . Workers NNS dumped VBD large JJ burlap NN sacks NNS of IN the DT imported VBN material NN into IN a DT huge JJ bin NN , , poured VBD in IN cotton NN and CC acetate NN fibers NNS and CC mechanically RB mixed VBD the DT dry JJ fibers NNS in IN a DT process NN used VBN to TO make VB filters NNS . . Workers NNS described VBD `` `` clouds NNS of IN blue JJ dust NN '' '' that WDT hung VBD over IN parts NNS of IN the DT factory NN , , even RB though IN exhaust NN fans NNS ventilated VBD the DT area NN . . `` `` There EX 's VBZ no DT question NN that IN some DT of IN those DT workers NNS and CC managers NNS contracted VBD asbestos-related JJ diseases NNS , , '' '' said VBD Darrell NNP Phillips NNP , , vice NN president NN of IN human JJ resources NNS for IN Hollingsworth NNP & CC Vose NNP . . `` `` But CC you PRP have VBP to TO recognize VB that IN these DT events NNS took VBD place NN 35 CD years NNS ago IN . . It PRP has VBZ no DT bearing NN on IN our PRP$ work NN force NN today NN . . '' '' Yields NNS on IN money-market JJ mutual JJ funds NNS continued VBD to TO slide VB , , amid IN signs NNS that IN portfolio NN managers NNS expect VBP further JJ declines NNS in IN interest NN rates NNS . . The DT average JJ seven-day JJ compound NN yield NN of IN the DT 400 CD taxable JJ funds NNS tracked VBN by IN IBC NNP 's POS Money NNP Fund NNP Report NNP eased VBD a DT fraction NN of IN a DT percentage NN point NN to TO 8.45 CD % NN from IN 8.47 CD % NN for IN the DT week NN ended VBD Tuesday NNP . . Compound NN yields NNS assume VBP reinvestment NN of IN dividends NNS and CC that IN the DT current JJ yield NN continues VBZ for IN a DT year NN . . Average JJ maturity NN of IN the DT funds NNS ' POS investments NNS lengthened VBD by IN a DT day NN to TO 41 CD days NNS , , the DT longest JJS since IN early JJ August NNP , , according VBG to TO Donoghue NNP 's POS . . Longer JJR maturities NNS are VBP thought VBN to TO indicate VB declining VBG interest NN rates NNS because IN they PRP permit VBP portfolio NN managers NNS to TO retain VB relatively RB higher JJR rates NNS for IN a DT longer JJR period NN . . Shorter JJR maturities NNS are VBP considered VBN a DT sign NN of IN rising VBG rates NNS because IN portfolio NN managers NNS can MD capture VB higher JJR rates NNS sooner RB . . The DT average JJ maturity NN for IN funds NNS open JJ only RB to TO institutions NNS , , considered VBN by IN some DT to TO be VB a DT stronger JJR indicator NN because IN those DT managers NNS watch VBP the DT market NN closely RB , , reached VBD a DT high JJ point NN for IN the DT year NN -- : 33 CD days NNS . .