Editors note: The Fayetteville Observer has monitored the progress of Chris Harriss for more than a year. A reporter and a photographer were present when Harriss began physical therapy, and, about a month later, when he got his first intravenous antibiotic treatment. Harriss' wife, Karin, has provided periodic updates throughout the year. By Greg Barnes Staff writer Ayear ago, Chris Harriss' hands shook so badly that he couldn't consistently place a small ball into a big basket. He could barely climb stairs and couldn't drive a car. His speech became so slow and slurred that it was almost incomprehensible. A year later, after controversial treatment for Lyme disease, Harriss seems to have made an almost complete recovery. At a physical therapy session last month, Harriss easily skipped across a rubber mat, taking the black squares one by two almost without falter. His therapist, Becky Bliss, says Harriss has regained 95 percent of his physical abilities, the remaining impairment being mostly a little loss of balance. Harriss, a chief warrant officer 3 at Fort Bragg, has improved so much that he has gone back to work. His boss at U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Col. Patrick V. Pallatto, said in a … Continue reading →

To: HEALTH, MEDICAL AND NATIONAL EDITORS MANHASSET, N.Y., March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A collaborative group of investigators has joined together to identify five genetic variations associated with Crohn's disease (CD) and Jewish individuals of Eastern and Central European decent, who are also known as Ashkenazi Jews. These findings were published in the March issue of PLoS Genetics. CD causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract and can be both painful and debilitating, and sometimes may lead to life-threatening complications. CD is two-to-four times more prevalent among individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish decent compared to non-Jewish Europeans. The study conducted at multiple institutions across the world, including the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, was an important step toward understanding the genetic reasons for this higher prevalence. "This large collaborative study made it possible to define more precisely the genetic contributions to Crohn's disease that are enriched in the Ashkenazi Jewish population, which has carried a higher risk for this disorder," said Peter K. Gregersen, head of the Robert S. Boas Center for Genomics and Human Genetics at the Feinstein Institute. "The study identified genetic regions that hadn't been discovered before, and if additional studies of these regions are conducted … Continue reading →

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Legislation expanding benefits under the state's 2011 law mandating insurance coverage for autism is one minor step away from going to the governor, after the Senate unanimously approved the bill Friday. The bill (HB4260) clarifies that a $30,000 a year cap on coverage for the first three years of autism treatments applies to applied behavioral analysis (ABA), a specific neurological treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders. Advocates of the 2011 law believed that was the intent of the legislation passed last year. However, insurance providers, including the state Public Employees Insurance Agency, interpreted the $30,000 cap to be for services provided, including speech and physical therapy, as well as ABA. The House will have to concur on a Senate technical amendment today to send it to the governor. "We've saved our West Virginia children with autism, despite a massive push-back from the insurance industry, including our own PEIA," Delegate Mark Hunt, D-Kanawha, said Friday of the imminent passage of the bill. Hunt, who has a son with autism, gave an impassioned floor speech in support of the legislation earlier in the session. Senate Finance Chairman Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, said the changes are substantive. The change will … Continue reading →

BOSTON A Massachusetts research collaborative looking into the causes and treatment of autism is the first beneficiary of an unusual deal struck by U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren to discourage third-party campaign ads. Warren on Friday chose the Autism Consortium to receive a donation from Brown under the agreement signed by both candidates in January. The deal dubbed the Peoples Pledge by both campaigns is designed to blunt the influence of negative attack ads in what is shaping up to be the most expensive U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts history. Under the deal, each candidate has agreed to contribute 50 percent of the cost of a third-party ad to a charity named by the other candidate. The deal covers radio, television and online ads. The Coalition of Americans for Political Equality, a political action committee that supports Brown, violated the terms of the agreement between the two candidates when it posted an online ad backing the Massachusetts Republican. The organization describes itself on its website as a nonprofit organization that supports candidates with conservative values. Brown quickly said he would make a contribution to the charity of Warrens choice. Under the terms of the deal, … Continue reading →

Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Wayne on Thursday announced it is the first in Indiana to offer stroke patients technology that helps them walk. The hospital, part of Lutheran Health Network, is on the Lutheran campus in southwest Fort Wayne. The Ness L300 Plus system uses electric stimulation to activate weakened muscles in patients whove suffered a stroke, traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury. The Food and Drug Administration-approved equipment can also help people with multiple sclerosis. A hospital official said using the equipment early during rehabilitation treatment might mean the difference between a patients being able to live at home and having to live in a nursing home. Net income steady for WaterFurnace WaterFurnace Renewable Energy Inc. on Thursday reported 2011 annual net income of $13.90 million, or $1.14 per share, basically unchanged compared to the $13.92 million, or $1.15 per share, posted for 2010. The Fort Wayne-based maker of geothermal heat pumps also reported fourth-quarter net income of $5.4 million, or 44 cents per share, a 7 percent slide from the $5.8 million, or 48 cents per share, posted for the same three months of the prior year. Chairman Tim Shields praised managers ability to add shareholder value … Continue reading →