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Show Mis team happens across U. from page cause of form of epilepsy BY KRISTEN KAMERATH Chronicle Staff Writer and antibodies to GluR3 prompted Rogers and Gahring to investigate further. Rasmussen's While developing antibodies to a neurotransmitter receptor neurobiologist Scott Rogers and immunologist Lorisc Gahring from the Human Molecular Biology and Genetics Program at the Eccles Institute of Genetics, stumbled upon the cause of a rare, severely debilitating form of epilepsy. As part of their research, they injected rabbits with various of the neurotransmitter sub-uni- ts glu-tamat- e. The rabbits' immune systems then generated antibodies to fight these "foreign" substances. Much to their surprise, one of the rabbits injected with receptor No. 3 had major gluta-mat- e reactions that resembled an epileptic seizure. The rabbit's tongue was ripped and it hadJost a lot of blood,- apparently a : result of a common occurtongue-bitinrence during epileptic seizures in - g, ' humans. Rogers and Gahring videotaped the other rabbit that was injected with GluR3; its reactions were also indicative of epilepsy. Its body shook, and it hid in one corner of the cage and did not move or respond as normal. In an attempt to discover the cause of these reactions, one of the affected rabbits was sacrificed and its brain sent to Barbara Grain, a neurobiologist at Duke University. She discovered abnormally high levels of microglial nodules in its brain, a symptom of Rasmussen's encephalitis. Rasmussen's is a rare form of epilepsy generally occurring in children. Because it is unresponsive to conventional epileptic treatments, affected children have multiple daily seizures that leave them unable to function normally. These children's brains are so severely damaged that they often hemispherectomy removal of half the brain at an early age. This procedure can cost in the neighborhood of undergo $20,000. ' This significant discovery connection " 3 The Daily Utah Chronicle Wednesday Match 1, 1995 of a between Samples of serum (similar to blood plasma) from individuals with various neurological disor- ders, including Rasmussen's, were sent from Duke. Rogers and Gahring, who did not know which samples came from which subjects, tested the samples for the presence of GluR3 antibodies. Two samples tested positive. When the results of their tests were sent to Duke, Rogers and Gahring learned that these two samples were indeed the only two samples from subjects with Rasmussen's. These results indicated that Rasmussen's could be an auto immune disease, similar to multiple sclerosis. Auto immune diseases occur when the body's immune system, for some unknown reason, attacks a part of the body as foreign, producing disastrous consequences. In Rasmussen's, the immune system appears to be attacking GluR3, which is located on neural cells. Because GluR3 is involved with receiving signals from other neurons, its deactivation by the immune system leads to uncontrolled electrical signals coming from the neuron, causing seizures. Rogers, Gahring and the researchers at Duke theorized that an alternative to hemispherectomy might be simple plasmaphoresis, a process that could possibly remove the GluR3 antibodies from affected individuals' blood. ...Although simple, this process had effective results on one litde girl who had been unable even to speak for two years due to almost constant seizures. After a few weeks of plasmaphoresis treatment, the girl was asked to write her name. When someone encouraged her to try harder, she looked up and said, "I'm trying as hard as I can!" She was able to resume normal activity until about eight weeks of treatment, when her GluR3 antibody level began rising. Upon the July 29, 1994, publication of their initial discovery in see "rabbit" on page 6 . considered at once. Because the grants bill is not as expensive as many money bills, Steiner said it's "very close" to coming through. He said the thing to be done now is to keep it before the Republican leadership. Republicans have about a majority in both houses. The Legislature will also soon vote on the appropriations bill, which has been the source of money wrangling the entire session, especially after the executive and legislative branches both 1 However, the other bill, which would set up state funding for grants to students at Utah's public colleges and universities, carries a price tag of only about $250,000, Steiner said. Because he thinks more money will probably materialize in the last hours of the session, which ends Wednesday at midnight, he was optimistic about the bill passing. Both bills have already passed the Senate, and are waiting in the House Rules committee until all bills that require state funds are two-thir- Republican-controlle- - compro- d mised, changing allocations for many agencies with days left to spend it. hvents Today The Middle East Center and the Hinckley Institute of Politics will hold a lecture with David Dolan, Middle East analyst for CBS Radio News in Israel, called The Middle East: Peace or War" atllajn.in255 0SH. The U. Neuropsychiatric Institute will hold a seminar called "Personality Disorders: Listening to the Family" with Lorna Benjamin at 7:30 p.m. in the institute's dining room. Call for more information. 583-250- 0 REGISTER NOW FOR SPRING QUARTER! Gloria Steinam will speak and sign her book "Moving Beyond Wards" at 7 p.m. at A Woman's Place Bookstore in Foothill Village. Due to limited space, 500 tickets will be given, one each to those who purchase Steinam's 1 book. Call for more information. Projects for the Utah 5cienceArts Center. Focus on Music and Sound Spring. "95 (Index 3967) Utah's new ScienceArts Center needs YOU 583-643- - to help design (create!) and prototype unique, interactive, educational activities (cxhbits too!) which help integrate "Report From Cuba" with speakers Al Campbell from the economics department, Bob Goff from the Unitarian Univcrsalist Service Committee and Tami Peterson of the Youth Brigade to China at noon in the Sociology Conference Room on the 3rd floor of the Behavioral Science SCIENCE. ART, and TECHNOLOGY. Tak your friends into signing up to help you form a group project. You will wort (nwatd) in the new Leonardo Laboratory in the Center for Integrated Science Education. Students from a wide variety of interests (EVERYONE!) and majors are needed Contact the instructor, J. Andrade, TA: James Taught as tJiggs, A fJennion &ioE 596-- 1 ALL -- (RftOOOQ 00 Todaj&OOPM at Bldg. (leave message). Center Community Service Course. wderqrad and qrad students are welcome!! (Ml) Meet in Institute parking lot Service project ldssa with the Center at elderly Doxey-Hatc- h ............,,.,............. Tomorrow-6:00P-M Meet in Institute parking lot LDSSA SERVICE PROJECT The metallurgical engineering I I department will hold a graduate seminar called "Application of Thermal Pretreatment to Improve Comminution" with Marcelo Tavares, U. graduate student, at 3:20 p.m. in 617 Browning Building. Refreshments .will be served at 3:05 p.m. The materials science and engineering department will hold a colloquium called "Living Optical Materials: Biophoton Project" with Joseph Andrade from the bioengineering department at 4:15 p.m. in 105 Engineering and Mines Building. with the elderly at Friendly Neighborhood Center March 2 The Hinckley Fridaj:00-9:30P- Politics M NIGHT SKIING at Brighton Get tickets at the Union Building Wrap OSH. Institute of will hold a "Legislative Up" at 11 a.m. in 255 The chemistry department will hold a lecture with Peter Beak, professor at the University of Illinois, at 11 a.m. in 2006 Henry Eyring Building. The ballet department will hold their Utah Ballet Winter Program at 7:30 p.m. through Mar. 4. The University Symphony Orchestra will hold a concert at Gardner Hall at 7:30 p.m. "Interview with the Vampire" will play at the Union Theatre at 7 pjn. through Saturday. All seats are only $1.75. The chemistry department hold a lecture called will "A Multimedia System for Teaching College Chemistry" with John Lamb, U. professor, at 4 p.ra in 2008 HEB. Help ASUU recognf e great instructors here at th University of Utah! The Obert C. and Grace A Tanner Humanities Center will hold the Sterling M. McMurrin Lectures on Religion at 7 p so. in the Fine Arts Auditorium. : Nominations are due in tMMl (BMaf HIM Questions? Call 5 S-R- R U. students will participate in a discussion called "Look Who's Talking Now: Interactive Student Dialogue About Men and Women" at noon in the Union Saltair Room. . . |