FEATURES: Rest assured, students find places to take naps on campus. Page 9.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103,NO.156
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
FDA approves drug studied at Med Center
AIDS treatment has fewer side effects
By Laurie Hudson Kansan staff writer
The horizon of treatment for AIDS patients expanded last week when the Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug that doctors at the University of Kansas Medical Center spent two years testing.
The Med Center was one of several national study sites hired by a drug company to test the drug called Stavudine.
Stavudine was the fourth drug that received FDA approval for use in HIV infections. Three other drugs, Didanosine, Zalcitabine and Zidovudine, are commonly known as AZT. But they have been known to cause side effects such as pancreatitis, which causes stomach pain, and nerve damage to the legs.
"As far as safety goes, this is probably the safest drug that has been approved," said Elliot Goldstein, infectious diseases director at the Med Center. "It seems to be more readily taken and less discomforting."
Goldstein credits the patients who volunteered for the study.
"These studies are all fairly difficult," he said.
"The patient has to stay on the study for two
years. Compliance is a big factor."
The patients—who were from the Med Center and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo. — were enrolled in the study in August 1992. They were permitted to take the unapproved drug because their health wasn't improving on FDA-approved drugs, a practice that doctors call compassionate use.
All the available AIDS drugs in use stop the HIV virus from replicating itself in human cells.
Unfortunately, the AIDS virus can become resistant, and the drugs won't work.
But the drugs actually attack the enzyme needed by the virus to convert its genetic pattern into the human host cell. Each drug has built blockades on the enzyme at a different sites.
Goldstein said Stavudine had not yet been resisted in testing so far, but he feared it soon would be.
it probably can get cross-resistance," he said. Because of the possibility of resistance, the doctors at the Med Center have begun another study on a drug called U90.
However, Goldstein said KU would begin prescribing Stavlandia immediately.
He said he wasn't sure of its exact cost.
Parade sparkles on Fourth of July
"I know it's equivalent to the others," he said.
Dillons' pharmacy charged $132.09 for 100 tablets, 100 milligrams each of Didanosine. Zalcitaine costs $189.08 for 100 tablets of .75 milligram strength. In comparison, aspirin runs about $2 for a hundred tablets.
Soldiers march down Massachusetts Street in celebration of Independence Day. The parade started at Seventh and Massachusetts streets and ended at South Park.
Two firefighters take down the flag at Eighth and Massachusetts streets after the parade. The flag was suspended by two clanes for the parade.
Photos by Yumi Chikamori
Army officers distribute candy at South Park. People remained at the park to participate in the Independence Day festivities.
Dropping dollar rate hurts KU Libraries pay more for foreign materials
By Scott MacWilliams Special to the Kansan
The dollar fell to a record low Monday against the Japanese yen, closing at 98.67 yen in Tokyo financial markets.
Yet many students were unaware of the falling dollar's impact on KU's research materials, said Kathleen Neeley, Anschutz Science Library bibliographer.
As the dollar lost value against foreign currencies, goods purchased from those countries became more expensive, she said.
Neeley said KU libraries subscribed to many overseas publications. About one-fourth of the journals in the science library and one-third of the journals in all other libraries were from other countries. Foreign journals accounted for about half of the $1.3 million of the science journal budget, she said.
Neeley said that many libraries had reduced their periodical budgets. The journal publishers had raised prices to compensate for lost sales, making it more difficult for libraries to maintain their current journal collections.
"Science and engineering have already been hit by past cuts, and any more cuts could really be devastating," she said.
Neeley said between $175,000 and $200,000 had been cut from the science library's budget in past years. The libraries won't know until next spring which journals will be cut from the current subscriptions lists.
Yi Chu, graduate student from China, said he used many math journals in his research.
"About half of the journals I use are from overseas," Chu said.
Lyle Bighley, Lenexa pharmacy consultant, said he used journals at Anschutz to research information for part of a textbook. Bighley said about 15 percent of the journals were from European publishers.
"If those subscriptions were dropped, it would affect my work," Bighley said.
Richard Himes, professor of biochemistry, said 40 to 50 percent of the journals he and his students used were foreign. Himes said previous cuts had already affected his work. Although he used the inter-library loan system to get journals from the Kansas City area, Himes said he often waited more than a week to receive the materials.
Campus laboratories also purchased equipment, such as microscopes and spectrometers, from European and Asian companies. Further price increases would make future purchases more difficult, he said.
The government likely will keep the dollar from falling further by raising interest rates and tightening the money supply, said Paul Koch, associate professor of business. But the measures would be temporary.
"I believe the prospect of higher taxes to finance proposed health care reforms and welfare may lead to inflation," Koch said.
Country club
With a fourth country-western bar opening in Lawrence this week, the competition for local fans has increased.
Page 3.
Water keeps heat sickness at bay
By Melinda Dlaz
Special to the Kansan
Carolyn Durbin packed everything but the kitchen sink in preparation for an afternoon bicycle ride. Upon reflecting, she wished she had packed the sink.
Heat exhaustion is not life-threatening. The victim has a normal temperature, damp skin and might also experience weakness and nausea, said Janice Early-Weas, director for community relations for Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
"I was very hot and thirsty," said the Overland Park senior. "Everything went black, and I just toppled off my bike."
Durbin suffered heat exhaustion, the body's attempt to cool itself while losing salt and water.
She said heat stroke, or sun stroke,
occurred when the body's cooling mechani-
am breaks down, causing core body
temperature to soar.
"Ive seen people with core temperatures of 108 degrees," said Charles Yockey, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center. "These people have usually died. Heat stroke has a very high mortality rate."
According to statistics from Western Michigan University, Kansas is fifth in the nation for heat-related deaths with 115 fatalities between 1980 and 1990. Missouri is first with 514 deaths.
A high percentage of people who die from heat stroke experience liver failure. Yockey said.
"The liver is all protein, and when it reaches temperatures of 106 degree, it totally disintegrates," he said.
The key for cooling the body is drinking plenty of water, said George Lottez, director of aquatics at Robinson Center. Water helps regulate body temperature better than sports drinks and is absorbed into the body faster, he said.
The signs of heat stroke are flushed, clammy skin and rapid pulse rate, he said.
The victim might become unconscious or confused and lethargic.
"It's best to get them into a shower or bathtub and get them cooled down," he said. "If you don't get the temperature down, their brain could cook."
Overexertion in hot weather also can result in heat cramps, which usually occur in the abdomen, legs and arms.
Lottes said preparation is best for heat-related problems. Drink plenty of water, wear loose-fitting, light-colored cotton clothing and don't exercise outside during the hot part of the day.
He said children, teenagers and elderly people are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses because they don't sweat normally. Lottes also warned that alcohol also could have an adverse effect on the body during hot weather.
"Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it takes water out of the body," he said. "If you drink alcohol in hot weather, you need to drink plenty of water, also."
Heat cramns
These three common summer ailments caused by the heat can easily be avoided with common sense. If you fall victim to the heat, here's what to do:
Heat exhaustion
Victims should drink salty water every 15 minutes and apply a wet compress to the cramped muscle.
Move victims to a cool place and give them salty liquid.
Heat strokes
Move victims to a cool room and call 931. Put them in a cold bath if possible.
9-1-1
X
Dave Campbell / KANEAN