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A person with lupus may have a rash on their face, mouth ulcers, sensitivity to sunlight, arthritis (inflammation, swelling and joint pain), anemia (low blood cell counts), poor circulation in finger and toes, and kidney, lung, or brain abnormalities.

The disease is sometimes hard to diagnose and laboratory tests help establish the diagnosis along with a careful history and physical.

Treatment can be challenging and varies from patient to patient depending on what organs are involved and the aggressiveness of the disease.

A rheumatologist is the doctor who usually manages patients with lupus.

Lupus patients will need to see their doctor on a regular basis to monitor symptoms and blood counts.

Based on these, the doctor may change treatments.

Medications vary depending on the symptoms the patient has.

For example, mild complaints that are not life-threatening, such as arthritis, can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

More powerful drugs are required for more severe symptoms.

Drugs for more serious concerns or life-threaten...

The doctor said scientists have always used random statistical probabilities and that Heath's work is perfectly acceptable.

Budowle told Warner that he published an article on the subject for the magazine Forensic Science International — which doesn't publish articles unless they are peer-reviewed and approved by experts in the field.

Basically, Budowle said, Heath figured out the likelihood of a particular person's DNA matching samples found in Stidham's car in much the same way someone would figure out how many times people would roll snake eyes if they rolled the dice a certain number of times.

According to court testimony, Heath's DNA analysis showed the chances that someone other than Bigger left blood in Stidham's car is 1 in 8.6 billion.

Tests done in a more orthodox way showed much lower probabilities.

Warner said she'd let the attorneys know today what her decision is on that issue.

● Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or at kimsmith@azstarnet.com.

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