Word: ms
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...understand a disease is to get at its root cause, and most of the time, that means hunting down the genes that trigger it. In three papers published this week, researchers report that they have identified two new genes that may contribute to the immune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS). The hope is that the discovery will someday lead to the development of more efficient and much-needed MS drugs, as today's therapies carry serious side effects and address the disease's symptoms, but not its cause...
...genes are the first to be linked directly to MS since the 1970s, when researchers initially identified a cluster of DNA on chromosome 6 associated with immune system function. Doctors believe MS is an autoimmune disease, in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells. But they have never been able to figure out why the body turns on itself, and they hope these new genes may offer a clue. "This is by no means the final, whole answer, but we've gotten an incredible glimpse into the cause of the disease," says Dr. David Hafler, professor of neurology...
...decades, MS researchers have been forced to make their best guess as to what causes the disease, which affects 300,000 Americans, mostly women, between their 20s and 40s. Since 1990, thanks to work done in Hafler's lab, however, they've known that MS sufferers have hyperactive T cells - cells that cruise the body looking for bacteria, viruses and other pathogens - a condition that triggers an inflammatory response and destroys the protective myelin sheath around nerve cells in the central nervous system, which connects the brain and body. This can lead to gradual nerve damage and weakening...
...nurse." On Bowen's behalf, protesters demonstrated outside the Lincoln courthouse, and a petition, which Bowen signed, circulated on the Internet to change Nebraska law. Because of the publicity surrounding the case, Judge Cheuvront declared a mistrial during jury selection, accusing Bowen of inciting public furor over her case. "Ms. Bowen and her friends hoped to intimidate this court and interfere with the selection of a fair and impartial jury," he wrote in his July 12 decision...
...Ms. Miers' refusal to comply with the subpoena and appear at this hearing, and to answer questions and provide relevant documents regarding these concerns, cannot be properly justified on executive privilege or related immunity ground," Sanchez said of her ruling, which was upheld along party lines. Such a decision is the first step towards bringing potential contempt charges against Miers, which would eventually have to be voted on by the full committee followed by the entire House - and then actually prosecuted by, who else, the Justice Department. No timeline has yet been set as to when - or if - such...