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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1996)
NU doctors recognized for HIV breakthrough OMAHA (AP) — An AIDS re search project at the University of Nebraska Medical Center has been named as one of the year’s most sig nificant advances in HIV brain re search. The American Academy of Neu rology has recognized the work of Howard Gendelman and Yuri Peridsky as one of the five major advances of the year. The NU doctors hope that mice will expedite drugs that would help Stop the loss of mental and motor func tions in AIDS patients. They have devised a comprehen sive way to explore how HIV, an AIDS-associated virus, attacks the brain. The model is based on a variation of a type of mouse commonly used in research and is also a mechanism for testing the effectiveness of drugs. Justin McArthur, a neurology pro fessoral Johns Hopkins University and a specialist on HIV dementia, said the mouse model developed by the Ne braska researchers is the most likely to become a test system. “We have been looking for a test system or model that would be quick, efficient and easy to use,” McArthur said. “This might allow us to screen a whole bund) of new drugs and pick out the ones that are effective. Then they could be tested in people.” Having a good screening tool is important because some HIV drags do a poor job of reaching the brain. a McArthur said the good news is that people with AIDS are living longer because of improved therapies. “The bad news is that as people live longer with a very weak immune sys tem, they are more vulnerable to the virus attacking other parts of the body," he said. “The brain is particu larly vulnerable to this sort of late stage attack.” About 20 percent of people with AIDS develop dementia that is simi lar to Alzheimer’s disease, he said. An additional 20 percent have a less seri ous form of brain involvement. “It’s a problem that’s likely to be come more common,” he said. “What we and a kit of other neurological in vestigators have been trying to do the last five to 10 years is to develop new treatments for HIV dementia." Dementia, somtimes accompanied by blindness, is what many people with AIDS fcarmost, said Gcndehnan, who is both a clinician and researcher. The virus that circulates in the blood kills off certain immune cells. But in the brain, the virus invades macrophages — another type of im mune system cells—and grows there. As a consequence, toxic substances are produced that damage the brain. The mouse model developed by the NU researchers mimics a human whose brain has been invaded by an AIDS virus. Gendelman said it has cost about $300,000 to develop the new animal model. Part of the expense stems from care of the mice, which have virtually no immune system and must be protected from organisms that could infect them. Law & Order -1 Burglars tried three different ways to get into UNL’s Information Services computer store in die 501 Building Monday night. The thieves eventually broke a safety-glass window to get in and stole seven laptop computers and an Apple Fowerbook, University of Nebraska-Uncoln Police Sgt. Mylo Bushing said. Police discovered pins pulled from the hinges of the door and found damage on another part of the door, Bushing said. The door to foe outside of the building showed no signs of forced entry, he said. The computers were worth $25,200. The damage to foe build ing was estimated at $700. Two vandals who broke four panels of glass Tuesday morning left an easy trail of Wood for Lin coln police to follow, Sgt Ann Heermann said. One of the vandals cut himself while two smashed all six windows of a car and a glass door at a house on the 2000block of Dudley Street, Heermann said. One used a metal pole and the other a large metal flashlight to break the windows. They shouted to the victim that they wanted to kill him for stealing their stereo, Heermann said. Police arrested Jeffrey Jackson, 20, and Jason Jackson, 24, for van dalism. Hie arrest of a 23-year-old man Monday was no laughing matter. Police arrested Christian Firoz for unlawful use and sale ofa toxic compound after he was suspected of peddling hits of nitrous oxide on 0 Street. Two witnesses were walking near 9th and O streets when the man asked them if they wanted to inhale nitrous oxide, Heermann said. One witness saw a box of round cartridges and a whipped cream machine in the car, Heermann said. Hie gas is commonly used for light anesthesia and can cause a temporary high similar to that of alcohol, although the effects wear off almost immediately. Someone inhaling a lot of ni trous oxide risks passing out from asphyxiation and damage to brain cells. Hie man stopped several people on the street and asked if they wanted some, the witnesses re ported. Police later stopped the man at 44th and O streets. A search of his car uncovered 282 empty cartridges of nitrous oxide and 134 full car tridges. _3_1_ Graffiti found in two Lincoln parks Tuesday could be gang mark ings, Lincoln police said. A trash bin was spray painted in Eden Park, 45th Street and An telope Greek Road, with the letters LKS, a five-point star, and 3X. Lincoln Police Sgt. Larry Nelson said LKS stands for Latino Kings. The 3X, stands for 13, or the 13th letter of the alphabet, and M stands for Mexican mafia or murder, Nelson said. Five-point stars, another com mon symbol for Latino Kings, also were found at Holmes Park, 70th and Normal streets. A picnic table was painted with LKS and the words, “runnin’ dungs.** The letters GD representing the Gangster Disciples, were also painted on the table. The Latino Kings and Gangster Disciples are known rivals, Nelson said. Unrelated graffiti found on a bicycle underpass at 48th and Nor mal streets read “J.S-,” “Kingdog,” “Chino,** and “#5.” Those mark ings were probably made by a tagger—slang for a non-gangster graffiti artist. Lincoln police are looking for lizards on tire loose. In the two years Peggy Owen has kept pet reptiles outside her apartment on the 1500 block of S. 20th Street, the reptiles have never been disturbed—until Tuesday. Owen found the mesh screen of the cage tom open and all the ani mals gone when she brought than dinner. Owen is missing four lizards known as anoles, two water turtles, four land turtles and three frogs, for a total loss of $287. save $3 PEPSI-COLA PRODUCTS 24 RACK Assorted varieties. 24,12-oz. cans. 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