Ross 'The Boss' Friedman was a pioneering force in both punk and heavy metal, best known as a founding member of The Dictators and Manowar. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world.
It affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control and getting worse over time. ALS causes nerve cells in the upper and lower parts of the body to stop working and die. Nerves no longer trigger specific muscles, eventually leading to paralysis. People with ALS may develop problems with mobility, speaking, swallowing and breathing.
Sara Bennett announced her death the way she did everything else: thoughtfully, plainly and on her own terms. "I am not in pain, or tired," she wrote. "I can laugh, talk, and I can move." Looking back on the last few months of her life, Bennett said she was grateful she had not gone suddenly - even with the suffering - because the time allowed her to finish her legacy work.
Gayheart has regularly had to battle with insurance companies to make sure that Dane, from whom she has been separated since 2017, receives adequate health services, including round-the-clock nursing care. 'Eric has 24/7 nurses now,' wrote Gayheart, who shares two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, with Dane, 53. The company twice denied her request for full-time nursing care but she said she locked it in and prevailed after filing appeal after appeal.
They focused on UPF1, a protein that acts like a proofreader, scanning RNA and destroying defective copies before they cause trouble. This process, called mRNA decay, is essential for healthy cells. The team discovered that UPF1 and TDP-43 normally work together to control the length of RNA messages - especially at their tail ends. These regions help regulate how long an RNA message lasts and where it goes in the cell. In ALS, these processes go haywire, leading to unstable RNA and stressed neurons.
Investigators discovered that a genetic mutation in the RNA-binding protein Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) disrupts the stability of microtubules - central components of the cytoskeleton in motor neurons - leading to impaired neuron growth and function. The findings may help inform the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which progressively destroys motor neurons and leads to muscle weakness and paralysis.
I wrote them letters for special days because I asked people who had lost parents what they wanted most from them. I'd write a sentence and sob. But little by little, sometimes at 3 a.m., I wrote them. For weddings, pregnancies, graduations, the first and last day of school. I even wrote one for a grandchild I may never have.
