October 19 - 26, 2001

A weekly guide to news and features from UAB Media Relations.

For more information on these stories or any others, please call the UAB Office of Media Relations at (800) UAB-9091 or (205) 934-3884.

Web Site Gets Interactive on “The Ice”

October 20, dive into the frigid, ice-filled waters of Antarctica and join the latest adventure on the UAB interactive research Web site WOW.UAB.EDU. UAB in Antarctica chronicles the two-month expedition by a team of seven scientists lead by UAB Biologists James McClintock, Ph.D., and Charles Amsler, Ph.D., and USC chemist William Baker, Ph.D. Journal entries and photos are updated regularly, and visitors can participate by sending questions to the team members. “While the project’s aim is to understand the chemical defenses of marine plants and animals, the toxic defense compounds of the invertebrates we are studying could one day play a role in the prevention of diseases like heart disease, cystic fibrosis, cancer and AIDS,” McClintock said. Contact Jennifer Park, Media Relations, (205) 934-3888 or jpark@uab.edu.

Handling Hazmat Problems at Home

Most people have pesticides, paints and cleaning products in their home, but few know how to handle those products safely. For example, don’t mix cleaning products since many combinations can create a toxic or corrosive vapor. If a spill or accident happens, handling the situation carefully can mean the difference between a safe resolution and endangering yourself and others, says instructor Alan Veasey, MPH, of the UAB Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR). “First, back away from it, keep others away from it, then dial 911 and give the operator all the information you can.” If the substance touches you, wash it off and seek immediate medical attention. But don’t move the substance. “If you bring it into the emergency room you are potentially exposing everybody there and forcing emergency responders to go to two separate sites instead of just one.“ Contact Jennifer Park, Media Relations, (205) 934-3888 or jpark@uab.com.

Stop Falls Before They Happen

Elderly patients who have fallen often get caught in a “downward spiral,” leading to more falls, according to UAB Geriatrician Andrew Duxbury, M.D. “Older people who have fallen often become afraid of falling again, so they restrict their activity and mobility, which causes further physical decline and makes them more likely to fall again.” Gait disorders are the leading cause of falls in the elderly, but they are often overlooked because many doctors never see their patients walk. Yet the disorders can often be treated or prevented with medications, physical therapy and fall prevention tactics such as installing rails and removing throw rugs in the home. Contact Tracy Bischoff, Media Relations, (205) 934-8935 or tracy@uab.edu.

Cat Got Your Eye?

When donning a Halloween costume this year, consider dressing up your eyes. Spooky looks include “cat eye,” “red eye,” “white out,” “alien,” “wolf” and “black spiral.” A pair of the wacky contact lenses will put a $70 to $120 dent in your fright-night wardrobe budget. UAB Practitioner William J. Benjamin, O.D., says cosmetic lenses are relatively safe, especially if worn only for holiday festivals, but wearers must avoid certain pitfalls such as wearing lenses too long or swapping or sharing lenses. He also said wearers should beware of drying out the eyes through too much consumption of “witch’s brew.” “And, just like regular corrective lenses, these freaky contact lenses should be properly cleaned and disinfected between uses or thrown away.” Contact Tracy Bischoff, Media Relations, (205) 934-8935 or tracy@uab.edu.

Halloween History

Nearly every culture has some celebration of the dead that has helped form the basis of Halloween. “Various superstitions cross over and fade into each other,” says Stephen Glosecki, Ph.D., UAB associate professor of English. “Then through time and intermingling, the stories began to reinforce each other.” The early Celtic festival, Samhrain celebrated the dead, the harvest and the Celtic New Year. “At these celebrations, Druids officiated at sacrifices of farm animals and possibly human sacrifices. When these legends combine with natural occurrences like leaves falling and days getting shorter, superstitions are born. Contact Gail Short, Media Relations, (205) 934-8931 or gshort@uab.edu.

Melanoma Staging Vital to Treatment

Determining cancer’s “stage” after diagnosis is crucial in helping doctors determine the best treatment and helping patients understand the extent of their disease. “Characteristics of melanoma, such as tumor thickness and volume and ulceration, can help accurately predict patient survival and disease recurrence,” says biostatistitian Seng-jaw Soong, Ph.D., of UAB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. Soong led a committee of the American Joint Committee on Cancer to revise the staging system for melanoma. “The system previously used literature review and data from individual institutions. We used cases from UAB’s 25-year database and that of 13 other institutions for an in-depth statistical analysis of 17,600 patients.” His team confirmed some of the old guidelines and created several new criteria. Contact Hank Black, Media Relations, (205) 934-8938 or hblack@uab.edu.