Vicious cycle in osteoarthritis: Sleep disturbance, pain, depression, disability
Science Daily – Oct. 6
New research confirms that sleep disturbances are linked to pain and depression, but not disability, among patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Study results published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), found that poor sleep increases depression and disability, but does not worsen pain over time. Arthritis is one of the top three health concerns that cause disability in the U.S., with OA being the most common form of arthritis. Medical evidence reports that nearly 30 million Americans are affected by OA, which has increased healthcare costs by $186 billion between 1996 and 2005. Previous studies show that those with knee OA report issues with initiating sleep (31%), difficulty maintaining sleep at night (81%), and general sleep problems (77%). “Sleep disturbance is a common complaint among those with pain, particularly among those with OA,” explains Dr. Patricia Parmelee from the Center for Mental Health & Aging at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. “Our research is unique as we investigate the complex relationships among sleep, OA-related pain, disability and depressed mood simultaneously in a single study.”
E Science News – Oct. 6
Times of India – Oct. 6
Alabama researchers make fibers conduct electricity
Crimson White – Oct. 7
A T-shirt that conducts electricity sounds like a product of the future, but five researchers at The University of Alabama are bringing it closer to reality. A University of Alabama research team was issued patent number 8,784,691 on July 22, which covers their newly discovered process of making certain fibers conductive. The team includes Scott Spear and Rachel Frazier, research engineers for the Alabama Innovation and Mentoring of Entrepreneurs center; Robin Rogers, the Robert Ramsay Chair of Chemistry at the University and director of the University’s Center for Green Manufacturing; Anwarul Haque, associate professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics and Dan Daly, director of AIME. The process utilizes ferric chloride instead of harsh chemicals like methanol. Methanol is volatile and toxic to humans, so using ionic liquids instead is safer and allows the fibers to retain much of their original strength. “[Ferric chloride] can coat surfaces or fibers such as cellulose or cotton fibers very well,” Spear said “That iron can then be used to polymerize pyrrole, so then you get a nice coating on the cotton fiber. Polypyrrole is a conductive material.”
Class learns South’s ecology
Crimson White – Oct. 7
For 75 minutes every Monday and Wednesday, Ellen Spears, an assistant professor of American studies at The University of Alabama, instructs students on a new perspective on Southern history: its ecology. The course, cross-listed in the departments of both American studies and New College, is titled Landscapes of the South. Spears said it focuses primarily on the ecology, culture and environmental issues surrounding the Mississippi watershed, from St. Louis, Missouri, to the river’s end at the Gulf of Mexico, just east of New Orleans, Louisiana. “I taught courses in the past about the Mississippi, and students were interested in studying places where they were born or where they had relocated,” Spears said. “There are many different ‘souths,’ so it was logical to broaden it to include the entire South.” First taught in Fall 2010, the course looks at the impact of events such as the 1927 flood and hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and examines human interventions and historical aspects of the Delta region as a whole.
Group seeks to encourage female leadership on campus
Crimson White – Oct. 7
In late September, actress Emma Watson gained public attention by speaking out for gender equality after her speech to the United Nations General Assembly launching the #HeforShe campaign. She told delegates she prepared for her role in the campaign by asking herself “If not me, who? If not now, when?” This year, a group of women at The University of Alabama asked themselves the same questions. In doing so, they started the University’s chapter of The American Association of University Women, a women’s advocacy organization founded in 1881. Brielle Appelbaum, a senior majoring in communication studies, serves as the chapter’s president. “We needed a platform that encourages sustainability, education, scholarship and research and the AAUW nationally provided that ten-fold,” she said. Sarah Long, a senior majoring in public relations, is the group’s vice president of media relations and communications. As a non-partisan advocacy group, AAUW is open to anyone who supports the cause. “Women’s issues are everyone’s issues, so we are reaching out to all students, faculty and staff on the University of Alabama campus,” she said.
UA engineers earn SWE awards
Crimson White – Oct. 7
Grace Guin and Lexi Romine, two University of Alabama graduates, were recently selected to receive nationally competitive awards by the Society of Women Engineers. Ten members of SWE collegiate chapters will be honored as recipients of the Outstanding Collegiate Member Award this year. “One of the most appealing aspects of engineering to me is the opportunity to help the community,” Guin said. “Because engineers are essential to almost every industry, society benefits from the contributions of engineers every day. It’s exciting to be on the forefront of new ideas and creative solutions to society’s current issues.” SWE grants the award through a nomination process. Beth Ann Todd, the faculty advisor for SWE at the University, and several officers of the organization put the nomination package for Guin and Romine together. The selection criteria for the award include SWE participation, campus and community involvement, and academic standing.
UA to hold health fair
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 6
It’s the season for sicknesses, and the University of Alabama is trying to get its faculty and support staff to take some precautions. The university’s health fair is this week. Current and retired employees, plus their spouse can go to the fair, get a free flu shot, and learn more about the university’s Well Bama program. Employees will also be able to protect themselves from shingles.