Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Monday, March 4, 1991
3
KU team attacks Alzheimer's Profs and students are tackling a deadly disease with help from a new study and a little curiosity
By Sarah Davis
Kansan staff writer
Ansha Qian sees age-related diseases in her future.
But she does not plan to suffer from any; she plans to do research on them
And she is headed in the right direction.
Qian, a KU graduate student from Hangzhou, China, is researching Alzheimer's disease with Dick Himes, professor of biochemistry and Paul Burton, professor of physiology and cell biology.
"There's no cure for the disease," said Qian, who has been researching for three years. "But we're hoping to contribute some to the research that's related to normal aging and maybe to Alzheimer's disease."
Microtubules may be a key
Their research centers on structures in the brain called microtubules, which are tiny, hollow cylinders that serve as the railroad tracks by which vital materials are transported.
They are inside the axons, which are extensions of the nerve cell. Microtubules are hindered in the axon by terminal mineralis stones, and the nerve cell dies.
Loss of nerve cells occurs in people with Alzheimer's disease, and a recent study showed that impairment of microtubules could be the key to the disease.
"The change in microtubules is the trigger event leading to the loss of (nerve cells) associated with Alzheimer's disease." Burton said.
All people lose nerve cells as they age, but Alzheimer's patients lose them faster, he said.
Solving a tough problem
The three investigators decided to gear their work toward Alzheimer's disease research because of recent advances in the field, possibly are involved in the disease.
Because Burton has been studying microtubules for 25 years and Himes has been studying them for 17 years, the new focus fit right in.
"I's always been of interest to me," Burton said. "We talked about aging problems, and Dick Himes and I decided we should investigate this."
Burton is studying microtubules found in the olfactory neuron, which is responsible for smell, and Himes is looking at microtubules in the brain. They are using rat brain because human brains are not available.
In the future, they hope to work with frozen brains from Alzheimer's patients after a proposed tissue bank was created in Kansas Medical Center is set up.
Qian is comparing young rats' brains with old ones. She has discover-
ered differences in tubulin, a protein that assembles into microtubules, as well as abnormally constructed microtubules in the old brains.
"There is an alteration of microtubules during aging in general," she said. "If you understand the mechanisms in normal aging, that certainly helps you understand them in age-related diseases."
Profs enjoy the challenge
The question the researchers are confronting is: What causes Alzheimer's disease?
"We know what happens in Alzheimer's—they (nerve cells) die," Burton said. "We don't know what causes it."
The researchers know it is harder for old rats to form microtubules than it is for young rats, but they do not know why.
"The major goal is to understand why the old brains do not form microtubules as well as the young brains," Himes said. "What's the reason? What has happened in the aging process to bring this about?"
Himes said that because the population was aging and because people were living longer, research in the Alzheimer's research is important.
Burton said the research was pleasurable.
"It's like hunting for Easter eggs."
A cross section of a rat's brain, magnified 324,000 times, shows part of an olfactory neuron, which is responsible for the sense of smell. No. 13 indicates a microtubule with a normal number of wall units, and No. 14 shows a microtubule with incorrectly assembled units, leading to the loss of microtubules, which may be an indicator of Alzheimer's disease.
Himes said that he shared that same excitement and that the thrill of searching for answers would keep him going.
he said. "It's fun to search, and when you find one, wow! I'm really excited about discovering things. It's a neurotic high."
"I expect to be working on this till I retire," he said, pausing, then giving a smile, "or until my brain stops making microtubules."
Ansha Qian, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, graduate student, houses her research rats in the Animal Care Unit in Malott Hall
Kansan staff writer
Bv Amv Francis
That is this year's theme for the second annual Safe Break Week sponsored by Watkins Memorial with Center's education department.
Keychains, pencils, buttons, bumper stickers, condoms, sunscreen and information are being given away in front of Wescow Hall today to celebrate "A Spring Break to Remember."
"We'd love for them to have a good time and a safe spring break," she said. "Of course, nobody plans for bad harm to be happen, but often it does."
David Leschke, director of chapter services for BACCHUS International, gave the week an early start last night in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. He spoke about his work, motivation and alcohol education.
Jolie Dolan, representative for BACCHIAS said, "It kind of just worked out that way. It was just a coincidence. Mainly we got him because he is phenomenal. He could motivate anyone."
Leschek's presentation was sponsored by BACCHUS, Douglas County Citizen's Commission on Alcoholism, Greeks Adviating Mature Management of Alcohol, Student Housing Department-Residence Life and the
St. Lawrence Catholic Center.
Altenhofen said, "He's going to utilize some positive influence to try to get people to make wise decisions."
She said she also hoped students would visit the tables in front of Wescoe. The tables will be there today only, but presentations will be conducted for living groups throughout the week.
Students also can get information from the education department in Watkins.
Altenhoen said she was the Uni-
tenkansas sponsored Safe
Break Week.
"Some schools just don't have these kinds of events, aren't able to," she said. "It will continue because they don't have the issue. The students take part in it."
One of the ways students take part in the week is at the booths, she said.
Students can try the Convincer, a machine that simulates the feeling of the slow speed impact that a person would feel if in a car accident.
Also, neon-colored leaflets with safety suggestions will be handed out.
At the bottom of the leaflets is a pledge card that people can sign. Students may use it to pledge that they will take specific measures to have a safe break, such as practicing safe sex if they choose to have sex.
The pledge card can be left at the BACHCH table and will be entered into a ticket. Any winner will receive the choice of one Chrysler vehicle, Altenhofen said.
"We want them to pledge themselves to have a safe break," she said.
Sexually transmitted diseases cause mental as well as physical problems
By Amy Francis
Kansan staff writer
Sexually transmitted diseases are affecting more people every year. Treatment can be expensive and uncomfortable.
But not all of the discomfort is to the body. It also can have a damaging effect emotionally.
"I think people are initially devastated by it," said Henry Buck, gynecologist at Watkins Memorial Health Center. "Nobody is happy about having an STD. We are emotionally stressed by it."
Candyce Waitley, educator for the health education department at Watkins, said stress increased when told their partners about the STD.
"They need to approach their partner," she said. "It's an especially emotional time if they've been one partner for one or two years."
Buck said chances were good that a student could encounter someone with one of two common STDs.
One in every 10 students at the University of Kansas has chlamydia and the same number human papillomavirus, he said.
This means students have a one in five chance of encountering someone with one of these diseases, he said.
"The biggest problem starting out is that people don't use barrier protection." Buck said.
'The biggest problem starting out is that people don't use barrier protection.'
— Henry Buck gynecologist at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
Another problem that results for students is what they should do after being told they have an STD.
Buck said physicians in Watkin's gynecology department tried to counsel patients individually while receiving treatment for an STD
"We spend a lot of time with the patient," he said "We sit down and explain it to them."
The department also offers written information.
"It helps to handle it emotionally," he said. "It all works to help relieve the emotional tension."
Students also can get information from the health education department.
"We get a lot of questions from students," Waitley said. "They often feel better after they have talked about it."
"People don't generally talk about sexually transmitted diseases," Watitle said. "The more people learn, and the more it is out in the open the less the stigma will be."
New tax plan could help Margin of Excellence
Students might feel they are the only ones with an STD because of the stigma associated with it.
Kansan staff writer
By Joe Gose
Amendment to bill could designate $120 million for Margin's third year
TOPEKA — Two Democratic senators introduced a tax plan Thursday that could help finance the third year of the Margin of Excellence.
Sens. Phil Martin, D-Pittsburgh, and Dick Rock, D-Arkansas City, introduced the plan, the called Tax Reduction Usem Exemption Repeal.
The bill would generate $480 million annually, with $360 million going
toward property tax relief.
Martin said the leftover $120 million would go into the State General Fund, 60 percent of which is used to finance higher education.
The plan calls for the removal of 15 sales tax exemptions, tax brackets on upper incomes and extension of 34 services to 33 services not previously taxed
"That money could be used to finance the third year of the Margin
of Excellence if someone amends the bill to say so," he said. "If the bill makes it to the Senate floor, some may want that amendment in there."
Rock said the plan was designed to create equity in the tax laws by removing exemptions that inhibited the financial stability of the state.
"It is time to act today to restore fairness to our sales and income tax system," he said "Our plan will restore fairness to our sales and income tax structure while providing financial base for Kansas' future."
The senators said that they had introduced a similar package last year but that it had failed to gain approval on the Senate floor.
Sen. Wint Winter Jr., RLawrence, said that he had supported last year's version of the plan and that he thought the present plan was a good starting point to resolve the state's revenue problems.
"We have to have a revenue increase to avoid disaster of higher education and property taxes," he said. "I like the expansion of the base that they've come up with, but it may need some further work."
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