814-L*ncaster Farming, Saturday, February 24, 1996
GAY BROWNLEE
omerset Co. Correspondent
SOMERSET (Somerset
Co.) —Recently, spouses of dele
gates to the Pennsylvania Young
Fanners Association convention
spent the morning snipping paper
with scissors.
This was no senseless activity,
but one to ignite the potential for
creativity that was hiding some
where inside each of them.
Their hosts, wives of PYFA
members in Somerset County’s
three chapters Berlin-
Brothersvalley,, Rock wood and
Meyersdale had invited local
artist, Paul Beal, to demonstrate
sherenscnitt (the Pennsylvania
Dutch term for paper cutting)
since it’s his area of expertise.
They couldn’t have asked a
more enthusiastic teacher. Beal
thinks no cause is more worthy
than that of inspiring newcomers
in the art of scherenschnitL Espe
cially when their concept of scis
sors is geared to only mundane
and practical usage.
Beal’s intricate creations were
displayed in their various farms.
He’s done scenes depicting home
steads and deer springing over a
hillsdie and Valentine hearts trail
ed by patterns surely woven by
love itself.
The 30 participants began with
the simple, doily-like snowflake
that kids often do in school art
classes. Valentines came next
with Beal urging his pupils to
think creatively. He suggested
pencil-sketching the design on the
paper before making any cuts. A
dove, for instance, is a nice touch.
“You are relating this to your
experience,” he told them. “This is
you. You have to related it to your
experience to make it personal.”
In other words, they were to
look afresh at old things they usu
ally took for granted and dredge
up a fresh mental image. For
instance, lace or fabric, a favorite
Research
TUCSON, Ariz. When Lou
Gehrig, baseball’s “inm horse”
was discovered to have amyotro
phic lateral sclerosis in 1939, little
was known about the progressive
disease. Some authorities thought
vitamin E might offer some benefit
in slowing the disease, although
there was no direct evidence. Since
little else was even considered a
“potential” therapy, Gehrig ate a
daily salad of garden grass, a plant
thought to contain high amounts of
the vitamin.
Some 30,000 Americans are af
fected by ALS. Many continue to
supplement their diets with nutri
ents including vitamin E, and a
team of investigators supported by
the Muscular Dystrophy Associa
tion is reporting the first evidence
that the antioxidant slows muscle
wasting in the early stages of the
disorder in mice with a genetic de
fect for a familial form of ALS.
Their study, reported today in An
nals of Neurology, also noted
some benefit from the antioxidant
selenium, and found that two other
drugs, riluzole and gabapentin,
prolong survival in a later stage of
ALS.
“We’ve entered a watershed
period of progress in the battle
against ALS,” said Donald S.
Wood, MDA’s director of science
technology. “The first prescription
drug for treating the disease be
came available earlier this month,
and last week the journal Science
presented strong biochemical evi-
Paper Cutting Ignites Creativity
sweater, trees, plants of animals
are good places to look for pat
terns. Sources of inspiration are
found everywhere, Beal told them.
Antique glassware has long
been a wellspring of influence for
Beal. “It’s really beautiful. There
are so many possibilities for
shapes,” Beal told the attentive
group.
Straight edges are boring. Even
scalloped edges, if they aren’t
snipped here and there, will also
be dull and boring after awhile.
But these arc minor nuisances for
the amateur paper cutter whose
determination leads to innovation.
She will remember her pinking
shears, or perhaps, her paper
punch, when inventing her
decoration.
The group learned that paper
cutting began in ancient China,
probably around 200 B.C. Some
how, in the intervening years, pap
er cutting caught on with the
Amish in Europe. Later, the Pen
nsylvania Dutch were instrumen
tal in promoting it, Beal said. To
them it had utilitarian value.
They used it as a stencil for
designs on their doors, chairs,
chests and other furnishings. Pap
er cuttings became an accepted
method for designing any needed
patter. Another use was that of
protecting furniture from dripping
wax. They put a paper doily under
the lighted candle.
Beal explained the difference
between “negative” and “posi
tive” cuts. Simply stated, pieces
that are cut out are negative and
whatever remains is positive.
Rose Dillman from Shippens
burg, Cumberland County, had a
super time learning paper cutting.
She said later, that each activity
got better as die day progressed.
She couldn’t decide which of
them was her favorite the paper
cutting, lunch at “G. Whillikcrs”
(an old historic landmark that was
restored by Jeff and Pam Moore).
Finds Vitamin E,
dence that genetic defects in famil
ial ALS cause an enzyme known as
SODI to become toxic and dam
age nerve cells, instead of per
forming its normal function.”
ALS is a paralyzing disease in
which cells in the brain and spinal
cord that control voluntary mus
cles gradually die. The disease
leads to total paralysis and is usual
ly fatal within five years. It usually
strikes between ages 40 and 60.
Led by MDA grantee Mark Gur
ney. the study reported today, us
ing the first mouse model for a
neurodegen era live disease, was
conducted mostly at Northwestern
University in Chicago and Phar
macia Upjohn in Kalamazoo,
Mich. Gurney created the model in
1994 with MDA funding, after
MDA-supported researchers iso
lated disease-causing defects in the
human SODI gene.
“Evidence that these drugs may
slow progression of ALS under
scores the real potential of this
first-of-its kind mouse model that
can yield reliable data on possible
ALS treatments in as little as sue
months,” added Wood. “Some 20
additional compounds arc being
tested singularly or as combina
tions, and these studies will help
accelerate delivery of major health
benefits to people affected by
ALS.”
Today’s findings are compatible
with the biochemical insights into
the cause of ALS reported last
week by chemist,Joan Valentine of
Paper cutting (scherenschnitt) fun was an activity spouses of the Pennsylvania
Young Farmers got to do while In Somerset for the 1996 state convention.
Two of Paul Beal’s paper cutting creations—fleeing deer and a farm with cows
are displayed at the Pennsylvania Young Farmers Convention held in Somerset.
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planned the day included superb more time.” Guild of p^ r Cu tters.
Other Drugs May Help In ALS
the University of California, Los
Angeles and Dale Bredesen of the
La Jolla (Calif.) Cancer Research
Foundation. By analyzing the bio
chemistry of two SODI mutations
that cause a familial form of ALS,
this team found a “toxic gain of
function” that may improve under
standing of both genetic ALS and
the much greater number of nonin
herited, or sporadic, cases.
Gurney said his study under
scores the value of using transgen
ic mice to speed the search for
drugs to treat ALS. “It also shows
that ALS has two distinct phases,
each of which might be treatable
by a specific type of drug.”
According to Gumey, nerve
cells are “silently” damaged by the
renegade SODI enzyme, made
vulnerable to lethal damage from
normal nervous system chemicals,
such as glutamate, in phase one of
the disease. In phase two, chemi
cals such as glutamate affect cells
differently from the way they nor
mally would, leading to cell death.
Gumey said he thinks today’s
results probably apply to all ALS,
not just this genetic type, which af
fects only a small percentage of pa
tients. Gumey also cautioned that
selenium can be neurotoxic, so pa
tients shouldn’t take the antioxi
dant without close supervision
from a doctor.
In December, the FDA for the
first time ever approved a drug
(riluzole, brand name Rilutek) for
prescription use in ALS. The ap-
proval was based on human studies
showing slightly increased survi
val times for those who took the
drug versus those who took a
placebo, or dummy pill.
Riluzole partially blocks release
of the chemical glutamate from
nerve cells. It was developed by
Rhone-Poulenc Rorer with the aid
of MDA research on glutamate.
Doctors and patients at several of
MDA’s 230 hospital-affiliated
clinics across the country helped
test the drug, which slows progres
sion of the disease.
Gabapentin (brand name
Neurontin) is approved for use in
epilepsy and is being tested for use
in ALS. It seems to partially block
the body’s manufacture of gluta
mate.
Vitamin E and other antioxi
dants are being tested in clinical
trials by MDA • supported investi
gators and results are expected this
One of the most important
things you can give your child is a
good sense of self-esteem. There
are many things you can do to
enhance your child’s view of
themselves: smile at them, encour
age them, help make good deci
sions, and occasionally, take their
picture or have it taken
AMERICAN DAIRY ASSOCIATION*
spring. Meanwhile, many doctors
continue to recommend vitamin E
to their ALS patients.
MDA is the nation’s leading
nongovernment source of medical
services and worldwide research
seeking treatments and cures for
ALS. The Association allocates
more than $5 million each year to
its ALS program (about S2.S mil
lion each to research and patient
care), or some $lOO million in the
past four and a half decades. MDA
maintains seven ALS research and
clinical care centers, and some 230
clinics where people can get expert
diagnosis and follow-up care form
the country’s top specialists in
neuromuscular diseases. For more
information about ALS, the latest
research into neuromuscular dis
eases, or referrals to an MDA clin
ic, people should call 1-800-
572-1717.
Smile!
professionally.
Photography gives your child a
special feeling. “Someone wants
to remember me today.”
So, even if you’re not a great
photographer, say “smile” to your
child, and that feeling will help
give your child self esteem.