hello friend, thank you very much for sending this kind of mail. atleast we can get sweet dreams near future among v i p of indian. with best regards m.chandrashekar
On 4/29/08, shahnaz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > BBC NEWS > Gene therapy 'aids youth's sight' > By > Pallab Ghosh > BBC > science correspondent > Please turn on > JavaScript. Media > requires JavaScript to play. > See how the treatment > has changed Stephen Howarth's vision > A 17-year-old whose > sight was failing has had his vision > improved in a pioneering operation carried out by > doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital. > The London researchers > used gene therapy to regenerate the > dying cells in Stephen Howarth's right eye. > As a result he can now > confidently walk alone in darkened > rooms and streets for the first time. > Stephen is the third > person to have the operation, and the > researchers expect even better results in future > cases. > Before the procedure, > he could hardly see at all at night > and in time he would have lost his sight completely. > Confidence > His condition was due > to a faulty gene that meant that the > light-detecting cells at the back of his eye were > damaged and slowly degenerating > further. > But, in a delicate > operation, surgeons at Moorfields injected > working copies of the gene into the back of Stephen's > eye. > After a few months, > doctors detected some improvements. > But Stephen did not > notice these changes until he confidently > strode through a dimly-lit maze designed to test his > vision. > Until then he had kept > walking into walls - and it would > take him nearly a minute to walk a few feet. > His doctors were shocked at > the improvement. > Professor Robin Ali, of > the Institute for Ophthalmology, > who led the trial, said: "To get this indication > after only three patients is hugely > exciting. > "I find it difficult to > remember being as excited as I am > today about our science and what it might achieve." > 'Cracks in the pavement' > The operation gave > Stephen the confidence to try out his > improved night-time vision on the streets near his > home in Bolton. > Before he had only been > able to see the bright lights of > passing cars, street lamps and brightly-lit > buildings but, to his amazement, he found > he could see beyond the bright lights. For the > first time he could see the cracks > on the pavement, the edge of the curb and markings on > the street. > He recently began > walking home late at night from the railway > station. > James Bainbridge, the > consultant surgeon who carried out > the operation, said: "It's hugely rewarding and > exciting to see that this new treatment > can have this impact on a person's quality of life." > Please turn on > JavaScript. Media > requires JavaScript to play. > 'To not have to worry about > losing my sight is great' > Stephen also says that > it has really helped his confidence. > He is now able to > socialise more late at night with his > friends. And, as an aspiring musician, he says he > can see the frets on his guitar > better - and can move around more on a darkened stage. > There may well be > further improvements. But without the > operation it was likely that Stephen would have lost > his sight altogether. > The prospect made him > depressed. Now he says he can get > on with his life. > "When I used to think > about it, it would get me really down > and depressed. But now I don't have to think > about it. It's a big burden lifted." > Child sight hope > The gene therapy has > not improved the vision of the other > two patients who have received it so far - but it > may well stop their vision from > declining further. > Robert Johnson was the > first person to undergo the operation, > as reported by BBC News in May 2007. > He welcomed the results > so far: "For the team, I am thrilled > that their hard work has come off. > This is only the beginning > James Bainbridge > Surgeon > "For me - I am simply > pleased that I left what I entered > with - a level of sight that gives me my freedom. What > more could I ask for?" > Professor Ali said that > the team now hoped to treat children: > "The next stage is to increase the dose of the > gene which we anticipate will improve > the outcome - and it's also to treat younger > patients, who have better residual vision > and in whom we expect to see a much greater benefit." > Although the genetic > condition that is being treated is > rare, the researchers believe that their > technique could be used to treat a wide > variety of sight disorders, possibly even age-related > sight loss. > Mr Bainbridge added: "This is > only the beginning. > "What we've > demonstrated so far is proof of principle that > gene therapy can be used to treat a particular gene > disorder." > The research, which has > been funded by the Department of > Health, has been published online in the New England > Journal of Medicine. > Health Minister Dawn > Primarolo said: "This is absolutely > brilliant. > "It's been done here in > the UK with the expertise of the > NHS and the science and research of the > Department of Health all coming together > to offer such hope for gene therapy for the > correction of sight - but also for gene > therapy generally." > Story from BBC NEWS: > > > > Meet people who discuss and share your passions. 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