This Friday the Thirteenth: A Highly Illustrated Virtual Tour of Medical Museums of the Western World by Morbid Anatomy at Observatory!

Just a friendly reminder: if you are looking for a way to celebrate this upcoming Friday the 13th--and who isn't, really?--why not come down to Observatory for a special event: a highly illustrated and subjective tour of medical museums of the Western World by Morbid Anatomy's Joanna Ebenstein, followed by music and delicious artisanal cocktails compliments of Friese Undine?
Why not, indeed!
Full details follow; hope very much to see you there!

Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig
A heavily illustrated lecture by Morbid Anatomy founder Joanna Ebenstein, followed by afterparty featuring thematic music and specialty cocktails by Friese Undine
Date: Friday, July 13
Time: 8:00
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy 

Since 2005, artist, independent scholar and Morbid Anatomist Joanna Ebenstein has travelled the world seeking out--and photographing whenever possible--the most fascinating, curious, and overlooked medical collections and wunderkammern, backstage and front, private and public. In the process, she has amassed not only an astounding collection of images but also a great deal of knowledge about the history and cultural context of these fascinating and uncanny artifacts.  

This Friday the Thirteenth, please join us for a heavily illustrated lecture based on this research, followed by a thematic afterparty. In her lecture "?Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig," Ebenstein will lead you on a highly-illustrated tour of medical museums and introduce you to many of their most curious and enigmatic denizens, including the Anatomical Venus, the Slashed Beauty, the allegorical fetal skeleton tableau (as seen above), the flayed horseman of the apocalypse, and three fetuses dancing a jig. Ebenstein will contextualize these artifacts via a discussion of the history of medical museums and modeling, a survey of great artists of the genre, and an examination of other death-related arts and amusements which made up the cultural landscape at the time that these objects were originally created, collected, and exhibited. Following, please stick around for an afterparty featuring thematic tunes and inventive artisanal cocktails complements of the omni-talented Friese Undine.  

Joanna Ebenstein is a multi-disciplinary artist with an academic background in intellectual history. She runs the Morbid Anatomy blog and related open-to-the-public Brooklyn-based Morbid Anatomy Library. She is also the founding member of Observatory, a Brooklyn based arts and events space devoted to the revival of the 18th century notions of the dilettante and rational amusements. Her recent work—which includes photography, curation, installation, blogging, museum consulting, lecturing and writing—centers on anatomical museums and their artifacts, collectors and collecting, curiosities and marvels, 18th and 19th Century natural history and, as the subtitle of her blog states, “surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture.” She has lectured at a variety of popular and academic venues, and her work has been shown and published internationally; she is the current Coney Island Musuem artist in resident, and recent solo exhibitions include The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre. You can find out more at her at her website astropop.com and her blog Morbid Anatomy; you can view much of her photography work by clicking here. She can be reached at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

You can find out more about this event here.
Images top to bottom, as drawn from my recent photo exhibitions The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre:
  1. "Fetal Skeleton Tableau, 17th Century, University Backroom, Paris; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  2. Skeleton and hand models for "la médecine opératoire" Musée Orfila, Paris. Courtesy Université Paris Descartes; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  3. Plaster Models in Pathological Cabinet, The Museum of the Faculty of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  4. Wax Anatomical Models in Rosewood and Venetian Glass Boxes, The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2007
  5. "Slashed Beauties" in Rosewood and Venetian Glass Boxes, The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2007

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"Morbid Anatomy: Exploring the Art of Death" OR New Morbid Anatomy Episode of "The Midnight Archive"

Episode 2, Season 2 of The Midnight Archive--that wonderful web-based documentary series centered around Brooklyn's Observatory--has just gone live! Entitled "Morbid Anatomy: Exploring the Art of Death," it features my work with Morbid Anatomy, The Morbid Anatomy Library and the Morbid Anatomy Presents series at Observatory, as well as my work photographing curious collections--public and private, front stage and back--around the world.

To watch the episode, simply press play in the viewer above. More on the episode, in the words of director/creator Ronni Thomas:

It is an honor to present in this episode my friend and a huge inspiration to me - Joanna Ebenstein whose Morbid Anatomy blog (morbidanatomy.blogspot.com) is sort of the online Bible of the macabre and the sublime (making Mademoiselle Ebenstein - as i call her - the Patron Saint of Odd).  Here she discusses the thinking behind her research, her views on death and beauty and the institution she has created.  If you are not already a huge fan - make sure to visit morbidanatomy.blogspot.com AND check out more amazing photography from our girl at astropop.com/secretmuseum and astropop.com/anatomical

For more on the series, to see any of the episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list and thus be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and be alerted in this way--by clicking here. If you are interested in medical museums and their curious denezins, be sure to stop by Friday night to grab a drink and see my lecture "Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig" at Observatory this Friday; more on that can be found here.

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The more obvious ACA – India connection: The windfall to Indian IT

If you are unaware of the Supreme Court decision last month, you are either completely disconnected from the US or are a very successful cave-dweller.

There are several groups benefiting from this decision, all the way from insurance-starved Americans to stir-crazy Tea Party loonies, otherwise known as the GOP. And yes, no matter the amount of fake tears that AdvaMed sheds and its senseless parrots mimic, medical device makers and the pharmaceutical industry are also going to benefit immensely. Sensing huge windfalls, the health insurance industry has also reacted with hidden glee.

However, one important connection has not been made very obvious. Of course, in an election year, who would want to tout the fact that a whole host of Indian IT companies would be making money from a successful US bill? I always knew that EHR/EMR start-ups and Indian companies would benefit from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -  the numbers seem to be surprisingly low, at least if you were to believe Economic Times.

A luke-warm $5.4bn!


In the truly egregious manner in which most Indian newspaper articles espouse information, analysts who are elevated to "experts" (although the article, linked below does dole out some borderline-pertinent comments) mention that the Indian outsourced software and IT industry would see about  ? 1.2 lakh crores (frustrated by the strange units? Well, that is how the rest of the World feels about FPS) or $5.4bn from the ACA. The analysts from Everest Group, apparently also believe that the true "potential" for this market could be $22bn, which still appears low.


If you look at how big the EHR/EMR and other Medical IT market is going to be over the next decade in the US, one wonders if they mean annually? Understandably, NASSCOM, the Indian IT equivalent of AdvaMed (though not so self-involved) predicts that health based BPO only accounts for 4% of the overall industry, and that it can go up to 11-14% of the total outsourcing business. 


Higher Possibilities or Poor Vision?



While a single article does not a trend make, it would appear that the Indian IT industry is still stuck on "serving" rather than "leading". This is probably why the numbers appear too low to me. The companies are still probably stuck in the "Y2K" mode - calculating how many L1 and H1 visas they can snag and how they can benefit from innovation that comes out of the US. It would appear to me that the Indian IT industry and India in general has much farther to go before they can develop leadership in the true sense. 


It is not that Indians lack creativity, innovation, or simply the power to invent. Leadership has a little more to it by way of ingredients, and I believe this is where the Indian industry with its mob mentality, focused on 90-day cycles is giving in. 


An opportunity for the US that the GOP will take away?

Technically, the lack of Indian leadership in IT is an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the US to look past election-year rhetoric. 


34th time is a charm, no the 35th is, or the 36th...


33 times - that is the number of times the GOP in Congress has tried to repeal the healthcare law. Obviously, this creates unnecessary pall over the healthcare industry, ranging from traditional pharma and medical companies to new and innovative Health 2.0 companies. Over the long term, this could only get worse. Surprisingly, having sided with the GOP on the immensely disastrous attempt to repeal the law, now, on the verge of benefiting from all the effects that ACA will have, I am sure, the industry is tearing its hairs apart over all the uncertainties this constant invective on "Obamacare" is causing to future profits and the very fundamentals of growth in the healthcare industry.


Who will win? India, the US or someone else?


India should take a real close look and see how they have managed to water down a major business bonanza into $22bn or worse $5.4bn. True leadership would mean India turning herself into a leader and direct rather than follow world IT by simply serving as the Global IT bellhop. This might mean fostering indigenous entrepreneurship, doing away with the listless Congress Government, giving the BJP a stern warning that they will go the same route if they don't liberalize; importing Indian talent that has left shores, creating an environment where others would like to come and play - look at Start-Up Chile! There is much work to be done, none of which should involve a lengthy, strategic plan to grovel to others.

As for the US, the democrats need to tout their successes over the past four years, get over the election hoopla and look for true action - reforming legal immigration, realizing that low cost outsourcing is here to stay and fostering innovation. The ACA is only the first step. They should work to put a lid on all the nonsensical lobbyists, stop pussyfooting on efforts to strengthen the FDA and enact other laws key to creating a truly lasting, healthcare solution. Otherwise, if it is not India, it will be someone else!


Look out for more posts on the US and India...


Reference:


http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-03/news/32523799_1_healthcare-sector-healthcare-insurance-captive-bpo-unit?utm_source=Digital+Medicine+India&utm_campaign=516ff60956-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

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Olympus Licenses Digital Pathology Patents to Zeiss

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., July 12, 2012  - Olympus America Inc. and Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Jena, Germany, have signed a nonexclusive worldwide licensing agreement allowing Zeiss to access an extensive portfolio of patents held by Olympus in the field of digital pathology and virtual microscopy. The patents included in the licensing deal cover methods and equipment for creating, storing and delivering virtual microscopy slides. The technology enables individuals to view and share high-resolution virtual microscopy images over the Internet.

"Global adoption of digital slide scanning continues to expand into new medical and scientific applications," said Brad Burklow, Executive Director Business Development, Scientific Equipment Group, Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "Olympus is the holder of many important patents in this area, and we feel it is vital to allow broad access to these technologies in order to advance the field of pathology and medical research. We are confident that leveraging these technologies will enhance healthcare for patients around the world."

"The handling of digital data has become a major driver of the development of modern microscopy," said Dr. Bernhard Ohnesorge, Member of the Board and General Manager BioSciences Division of Carl Zeiss Microscopy. "Integrating the virtual slide functionality into our research microscope systems will enable our customers to become more efficient and to explore new scientific approaches. This will help them to better understand the root causes of the most challenging diseases."

The companies are not making specific terms and conditions of the agreement public.

About Olympus America Inc., Scientific Equipment Group

Olympus America Scientific Equipment Group provides innovative microscope imaging solutions for researchers, doctors, clinicians and educators. Olympus microscope systems offer unsurpassed optics, superior construction and system versatility to meet the ever-changing needs of microscopists, paving the way for future advances in life science.

About Olympus

Olympus is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering innovative solutions in its core business areas: Medical and Surgical Products, Life Science Imaging Systems, Industrial Measurement and Imaging Instruments and Cameras and Audio Products. Olympus works collaboratively with its customers and affiliates worldwide to leverage R&D investment in precision technology and manufacturing processes across diverse business lines. These include:

Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products;

Advanced research, clinical and educational microscopes and research and educational digital imaging systems;

Industrial research, engineering, test, inspection and measuring instruments; and

Digital cameras and voice recorders.

Olympus serves the healthcare field with integrated product solutions and financial, educational and consulting services that help customers to efficiently, reliably and more easily achieve exceptional results. Olympus develops breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality for the consumer and professional photography markets, and also is the leader in gastrointestinal endoscopy and clinical and educational microscopes. For more information, visit http://www.olympusamerica.com .

About Carl Zeiss

Carl Zeiss

The Carl Zeiss Group is an international leader in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In fiscal year 2010/11 the company's approx. 24,000 employees generated revenue of about 4.237 billion euros. In the markets for Industrial Solutions, Research Solutions, Medical Technology and Consumer Optics, Carl Zeiss has contributed to technological progress all over the world for more than 160 years. With its innovative technologies and leading-edge solutions, Carl Zeiss is successful in the fields of Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Metrology, Microscopy, Medical Technology, Vision Care and Consumer Optics/Optronics. Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation).

Microscopy

The Microscopy business group at Carl Zeiss is the world's only manufacturer of both light and electron microscopes. The company's extensive portfolio enables research and routine applications in the life and materials sciences. The product range includes light and laser scanning microscopes, electron and ion microscopes and spectrometer modules. Users are supported for software for system control, image capture and editing. The Microscopy business group has sales companies in 33 countries. Application and service specialists support customers around the globe in demo centers and on site. The business group is headquartered in Jena. Additional production and development sites can be found in Oberkochen, Gottingen and Munich, as well as in the UK and the USA. The company has around 2,500 employees and generates revenue of 620 million euros.

Source: Olympus America Inc.

 

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Quantitative histopathology services in neurodegenerative disease and neurotoxicity

Stereological and classical image analysis approaches help to more accurately quantify neuropathology and model treatment efficacy.

Westminster, CO — July 9, 2012 — Flagship Biosciences, a leading provider of tissue analysis for pharmaceutical and medical device development, has expanded services with dedicated staff and novel techniques in neuroscience pathology services.

The central nervous system is a fundamental part of the human body’s response system. As life expectancy lengthens, a wide range of disorders (including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, MS, dementia and depression), are becoming increasingly widespread in the population creating an ever greater need for new pharmaceutical therapies.

The ability to measure changes associated with these disorders relies on two dimensional observations taken from histology sections and observed by trained scientists or pathologists. Flagship’s brightfield and fluorescence whole slide imaging, combined with powerful custom image analysis techniques increases throughput, decreases variability and allows the evaluation of changes to both labeled and unlabeled neuronal and non-neuronal cells.

To drive Flagship’s expansion in the neurodegenerative disease area, Dr. Anthony J Milici has joined the company as Director of Neurosciences and Inflammation. Dr. Milici was previously head of a neuroscience imaging lab with Pfizer, where he directed a team of researchers and novel histopathology imaging techniques in neuroscience, oncology, and inflammation areas. He is a well-respected leader in histopathology imaging in the neurosciences community with his work on amyloid plaque quantitation presented at multiple conferences.

“It is exciting to apply Flagship’s novel whole tissue section mapping software to neurodegenerative and neurotoxicological problems,” said Dr. Milici. “The ability to utilize automated computer-based algorithms in applying the most appropriate image analysis or stereological technique has the potential to open up a greater understanding of the pathological basis of disease.”

“The critical piece in delivering excellence in a disease area like neuroscience is the biological domain expert scientist and leader who can bring together the strengths of pathology, histology, image analysis, and biostatistics,” said Dr. Steven Potts, CEO of Flagship Biosciences. “Dr. Milici has been a leader and pioneer in the application of new whole slide imaging techniques in neurobiology for a number of years, and we are honored to have him join our team.”

In addition to quantitative tissue assays like plaque load, tau, Huntingtins, astrocyte or microglial activation, Flagship is also developing a number of new approaches utilizing cross-sectional cell mapping to quantify endpoints such as cerebral microhemorrhage, vascularity changes, cell loss and synaptic changes. These assays will assist small molecule and biological drug development programs in the evaluation of efficacy and toxicity

With the recent acquisition of IHCtech histology services, Flagship adds a strong capability in neurological sectioning and immunohistochemistry techniques. IHCtech has optimized over 350 IHC research antibodies for use in research areas of neurology, oncology, inflammation, diabetes and other areas.

Flagship Biosciences is a fast-growing histopathology services firm staffed with world-class talent in image analysis, MD and veterinary pathology, and pharmaceutical science. Flagship supports multiple ongoing projects in the area of tissue-based companion diagnostics development.

AngioMapMolecular ProfilingHetMapFlorescenceLayer MorphometricsRT-PCR ProfilingMultiplexingCell LocalizationIHC Map

 

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JPMorgan Chase unit to acquire M-Modal in $1.1 billion transaction

In what is by far the biggest venture capital deal in health IT this year, One Equity Parters, the equity investment branch of JPMorgan Chase, has agreed to take M-Modal (NASDAQ:MODL) private, buying all of its shares for $1.1 billion in cash.

M-Modal, which offers a cloud-based voice recognition program that uses natural language processing (NLP), recently announced a new product that it said could convert doctors' dictation into discrete data in electronic health records. The "speech-to-text platform," called Fluency, is a refinement of its earlier NLP software.

Two EHR vendors, Allscripts and Greenway, have announced they will use M-Modal's platform to make it easier for physicians to document findings in their EHRs. Allscripts has already integrated the application into its Sunrise acute-care EHR. Another vendor, eClinicalWorkstoldInformationWeek Healthcare that it is developing a new EHR feature that does the same thing, using Nuance's NLP engine.

Another area where NLP is gaining ground is in computer-assisted coding (CAC), used in a growing number of hospitals. M-Modal recently signed a licensing agreement with 3M Health Information Systems that allows 3M to interface M-Modal's CAC solution with the 3M Coding and Reimbursement System.

Medquist, a medical transcription company based in Franklin, Tenn., purchased M-Modal last August for $130 million and assumed M-Modal's name. The company began trading its stock on NASDAQ in January.

Under terms of the agreement with One Equity Partners, that firm will make a tender offer for all shares of M-Modal no later than July 17. The M-Modal board has unanimously recommended that all shareholders accept the offer.

In a statement, the JPMorgan Chase subsidiary explained why it's buying the company. "M-Modal presents a unique opportunity to acquire a market leader in clinical documentation at a time when the company has successfully released its new generation of speech understanding solutions for healthcare," said Dick Cashin, managing partner of One Equity Partners.

To learn more:
- here's the announcement about the acquisition
- read the InformationWeek Healthcare article

Related Articles:
ICD-10 triggers computer-assisted coding adoption
3M, Nuance partner to create computer-assisted physician documentation

 

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Abbott Introduces OneLab, a Novel Integrated Web-Based Software Platform to Manage the Vast Amounts of Information Flowing Through the Lab

New laboratory informatics solution goes beyond simple systems integration to improve laboratory operations, productivity and quality of care.

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As health care systems around the world face challenges such as labor shortages, increased regulation and budget constraints, they rely on technology to help manage the impact. To assist in addressing these challenges, today Abbott ABT +0.09% announced OneLab, a new, Web-based, integrated laboratory informatics solution. OneLab is a highly-configurable platform that allows labs of any size to standardize processes across multiple locations and automate routine procedures such as sample management and tracking, as well as test result review and approval. This new information management capability can improve efficiency and productivity while reducing errors, which is important for patient safety.

"The essence of diagnostic testing is accurate medical information and, most importantly, the ability to provide it to clinicians when, where and how they need it," said Brian Blaser, executive vice president, Diagnostics Products, Abbott. "Our customers are processing large volumes of tests for physicians. OneLab allows labs to address these operational challenges without sacrificing quality or efficiency."

Informatics refers to the processing, management and retrieval of information, which is critical for making clinical decisions. In the laboratory, clinical decision-making requires access to timely and accurate information. OneLab unites most of a laboratory's information and decision tools into one easy-to-use system, allowing labs to manage data with a single user interface. The solution is comprised of three applications: Smart Center, Inventory Manager, and Decision Center.

Smart Center is a Web-based laboratory process management and control application and the heart of the OneLab platform. It provides robust connectivity to instruments and a single point for consolidated information. The built-in functionality enables the automation of complex clinical laboratory protocols, leading to greater productivity and standardization of best practices. Together, all these capabilities and benefits support the quality of care.

Inventory Manager is an inventory tracking and order management system that utilizes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Inventory Manager provides an automated solution to improve the accuracy of order entry, inventory count and usage, while reducing labor required to track supplies.

Decision Center is a business performance application that utilizes sophisticated tools to bring together data from different sources to optimize decision-making. Using advanced database technology, data can be integrated from multiple sources and quickly structured into visually accessible formats.

"No matter where they are located, laboratories around the world all share common challenges - increasing test loads, staff shortages and mounting pressure to do more with less while improving quality," said Ulf Oesinghaus, deputy pharmacy manager, laboratory director of strategic purchasing, University of Medicine Gottingen, Germany.

"To address challenges posed by cost pressures and staff shortages, labs want informatics solutions that help them expedite test result processing and transmit clinical information clearly and rapidly to physicians. A reliable and easy-to-use informatics system can achieve productivity, clear communication between the laboratory and clinicians, and cost and labor savings to improve the laboratory's efficiency and performance within any health care setting," he said.

Abbott introduced OneLab in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Spain. Additional launches, including the United States, are scheduled for later in 2012 and 2013.

About Abbott Diagnostics

Abbott is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics and offers a broad range of innovative instrument systems and tests for hospitals, reference labs, molecular labs, blood banks, physician offices and clinics. With more than 22,000 customers in more than 100 countries, Abbott's diagnostic products offer customers automation, convenience, bedside testing, cost effectiveness and flexibility. Abbott has helped transform the practice of medical diagnosis from an art to a science through the company's commitment to improving patient care and lowering costs.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 91,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's information and news releases are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com .

SOURCE Abbott

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved 

 

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Review of MyDermPath – First Comprehensive Mobile Dermatopathology Resource

Mydermpath ipad screen1MyDermPath is the first comprehensive resource for dermatopathology with clinical correlation built specially for mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad co-authored by Drs. Singh, Elston and Ferringer. The entire subject matter has been presented in a novel algorithmic format prompting the user to answer multiple questions and thus come to a final diagnosis. The final diagnosis page gives a short but complete histological and clinical description of each entity along with a histological and clinical image. A link to PubMed at the bottom of the page will take the user directly to Pubmed with a list of all references on that topic. Of the approximately 1100 entities described most also have a link to a virtual slide stored on the cloud. The user also has the ability to take is own notes on each topic by clicking on myNotes and storing them on the mobile device, thus making the app as a constantly updating tool. The app also has algorithms for immunohistochemistry, special stains and immunofluorescence.

In the immunohistochemistry section each immunostain has a brief description of where it is most useful, along with an illustration of the stain. This section also has an algorithm that suggests immunomarkers through a multitude of real-life diagnostic dilemmas. There are algorithms that address commonly asked questions such as which immunostains to use in spindle cell neoplasms, epithelioid neoplasms or round cell neoplasms.

The immunofluorescence section provides a list of the various diagnoses in which immunofluorescence has value. Each entity is discussed in detail, including histological and immunofluorescence findings and supplemented with an immunofluorescence image.  In addition, there is an algorithm of the different patterns of immunofluorescence, allowing you to arrive at a diagnosis based on the answer to patterns visualized.

Mydermpath ipad screen8 QuizThe Special stain page contains a list of the common special stains typically used in dermatopathology. Once you know what you are looking for, the app can help in deciding what stains to use and also show an image as to how the stain will look.

If the user wants to go directly to a diagnosis and not use the algorithm, the Search by Diagnosis button will enlist all the entities in the app like the index of a book. A quick click will take the user directly to the diagnosis.

For the beginner a glossary of terms provides a list of all the common terms used in dermatopathology with a concise description and image. An animated video also walks the user through the normal histology of the skin along with descriptions of the desmosomes and basement membrane structure.

Finally, a Pop Quiz randomly selected images from the data base of more than 2000 static images and presents them in a multiple choice format.                                                        Download from iTunes

This app is the first of its kind not only in dermatopathology, but also in Pathology. Future versions will have a host of additional features making it a great resource to have in your pockets and literally on your fingertips. It will be useful for all dermatologists and pathologists, especially who see skin cases in their practice. Besides plastic surgeons, podiatrists, family practitioners who see dermatology patients can also benefit from the information provided in the app. For the medical student it is a good tool to get a good overview of dermatology and learn how to approach patients with clinicopathological correlation.

Download from iTunes

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Diagnostic reproducibility of tumour budding in colorectal cancer: a multicentre, multinational study using virtual microscopy

Diagnostic reproducibility of tumour budding in colorectal cancer: a multicentre, multinational study using virtual microscopy
Aims:? Despite the established prognostic relevance of tumour budding in colorectal cancer, the reproducibility of the methods reported for its assessment has not yet been determined, limiting its use and reporting in routine pathology practice.
Methods and results:? A morphometric system within telepathology was devised to evaluate the reproducibility of the various methods published for the assessment of tumour budding in colorectal cancer. Five methods were selected to evaluate the diagnostic reproducibility among 10 investigators, using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and AE1-3 cytokeratin-immunostained, whole-slide digital scans from 50 pT1-pT4 colorectal cancers.The overall interobserver agreement was fair for all methods, and increased to moderate for pT1 cancers. The intraobserver agreement was also fair for all methods and moderate for pT1 cancers. Agreement was dependent on the participants' experience with tumour budding reporting and performance time. Cytokeratin immunohistochemistry detected a higher percentage of tumour budding-positive cases with all methods compared to H&E-stained slides, but did not influence agreement levels.
Conclusions:? An overall fair level of diagnostic agreement for tumour budding in colorectal cancer was demonstrated, which was significantly higher in early cancer and among experienced gastrointestinal pathologists. Cytokeratin immunostaining facilitated detection of budding cancer cells, but did not result in improved interobserver agreement.

Histopathology. 2012 Jul 5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2012.04270.x. [Epub ahead of print]

Puppa GSenore CSheahan KVieth MLugli AZlobec IPecori SWang LMLangner CMitomi HNakamura TWatanabe M,Ueno HChasle JConley SAHerlin PLauwers GYRisio M.

© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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Digital pathology receives support from Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency)

Courtesy of LiU-News:

Pathology is central to health and medical care, not least to cancer patients, yet the field today faces serious challenges due to an excessive workload. The digitalisation of microscopy images opens up new possibilities.

A consortium led by the Centre for Medical Imaging and Visualisation (CMIV) at Linköping University (LiU) has just been granted Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency) funding for research and development in image-based pathology. The aim is to create new, efficient workflows and IT tools, partly through advances in image analysis and visualisation.

In addition to CMIV, the consortium includes:

The grant of just over SEK 9 million comes from Vinnova’s call for “Challenge-driven innovation”, and the project is one of 30 granted funding in competition with projects from all over the country.

 

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Phase Focus raises £3.2 million for new imaging and microscopy technology

Sheffield, United Kingdom -- Phase Focus Limited has announced that it has raised £3 million from the Ombu Group and £220k from Fusion IP plc in an equity based funding round to accelerate revenue generation of its revolutionaryimaging and microscopy technology – the Phase Focus Virtual Lens.

The Phase Focus Virtual Lens aims to eliminate the limitations and imperfections of conventional lenses, and reveals with high fidelity and accuracy an additional dimension of information about the specimen that is otherwise usually hidden. The Virtual Lens technology transfers the task of image-creation from a lens to a sophisticated computer program. It can be integrated inside existing microscopes, and can also be used as the basis for next-generation microscopy products. Currently being used for the analysis of specimens that are conventionally difficult to measure, such as transparent soft contact lenses and unstained living cells, the Virtual Lens is expected to revolutionize the viewing of atomic-scale features.

This new investment will allow Phase Focus to accelerate the commercialization of its technology across its existing application areas as well as invest in R&D to develop new tools and applications.

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Major technological advance (Telepathology) improves cancer treatment at Kuwait Cancer Control Center

The University Health Network (UHN) in partnership with the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) and the support of the Ministry of Health, have installed cutting-edge telepathology equipment in the KCCC laboratories

This story illustrates in a nutshell, make more significant by the transatlantic referral, the value proposition for telepathology.  The right diagnosis on the right patient and the right time without delays in slide handling while protecting patient health information between those who need it. Another win for Pathology 2.0.

Telepathology is defined as the "practice of pathology at a distance using telecommunications technology to make it possible to transfer image-rich pathology data between distant locations for the purposes of diagnosis, education, and research." UHN is a leader in the field of telepathology. 

The Chief Pathologist at the Kuwait Cancer Control Centre (KCCC), Dr Salah Al-Waheeb, was asked by a colleague from a nearby hospital to look at microscope slides of a tissue specimen from a Kuwait citizen that he thought had a rare type of cancer. 

Usually, when this type of situation arises; a biopsy is done to get a specimen from a mass found in the body. This specimen is then placed on microscope slides to be reviewed by a pathologist to confirm the type of cancer and its changes of malignancy. Specialists would then be able to prescribe the correct treatment for the diagnosed cancer. 

Dr Salah Al-Waheeb looked at the microscope slides and requested that they be sent for review by his Canadian colleague, a specialist pathologist located at UHN in Toronto, Canada

Ordinarily referring a case like this would mean that the microscope slides would have to be shipped by priority courier, a process that can take at least 3-4 days for travelling only. 

This time, all Dr Salah Al-Waheeb had to do was press a button on his computer, and high-quality digital images were transmitted to University Health Network in Toronto using a process that has advanced security features designed to protect patient privacy. 

In Toronto, Dr Danny Ghazarian examined the digital images on his computer, and on Friday, in less than 24 hours after Dr Salah Al-Waheeb had first received a request for consultation, he had the answer. This state-of-the-art technology brought highly specialized pathological expertise to KCCC within 24 hours.

Dr Salah Al-Waheeb reports that this is an excellent example of how KCCC is greatly improving the quality and timeliness of service to their patients. Adil Khalfan, Regional Director, UHN Kuwait agrees, saying that with the introduction of this new technology, "KCCC has rapid access to expert opinion without the time delays and risks associated with shipping glass microscope slides."

Khalfan further stated "Activation of this system is a huge step forward in the provision of accurate diagnosis and treatment of patients at KCCC. The Ministry of Health should be applauded for their efforts in providing state-of-the art care, equipment, and systems of treatment to the people in Kuwait." 

The introduction of telepathology is just one of many benefits of the UHN and KCCC Partnership, enhancing joint learning between Kuwait pathologists and UHN Pathologists. It provides those living in Kuwait with access to world class pathology services without having to leave their family and friends. In addition, this technology reduces the wait time for results to be viewed. In the treatment of cancer, timely and accurate diagnosis is key to successful treatment and management of the disease.

Source: AMEinfo.com

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Fella, can you spare 5 bucks?

The Association of Pathology Informatics (API) sponsors an annual travel award to pathology trainees on a competitive basis which provides funding for the recipients to attend the annual Pathology Informatics meeting (http://www.pathinformatics.pitt.edu/).

This year, API has received 38 applications for the award.  Last year, there were 16…an over 200% increase.  This is VERY exciting news.  Unfortunately, the API currently has funding for only 20 applicants despite efforts to attain additional funding from other resources.

Therefore, API has started the API Five ($5) Drive.  If you can spare $5, consider giving it to the API Travel Award Fund.  The API is a non-profit charitable organization as approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) entity.  All donations to the travel award fund are tax-deductible.

Donating is fast, easy and convenient via the API website at http://www.pathologyinformatics.org/content/api-travel-award-fund (click “To Make a Donation” at the bottom of the page).

Here are some more reasons to donate:
·                     Pathology informaticists are critically important to the long-term success of information technology deployment in the laboratory.
·                     There are currently too few pathology informaticists.  Award recipients gain additional (or sometimes their only) exposure to pathology informatics.
·                     A significant percentage of previous award recipients have become full-time pathology informaticists.
·                     Donors will be recognized on the API website, and donors who attend the upcoming Pathology Informatics 2012 meeting will be recognized at the meeting itself.
More information about the travel award can be found at http://www.pathinformatics.pitt.edu/content/travel-awards.

Courtesy of: Pathology Informatics from the Trenches

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This Friday the Thirteenth: A Highly Illustrated Virtual Tour of Medical Museums of the Western World by Morbid Anatomy at Observatory!

Just a friendly reminder: if you are looking for a way to celebrate this upcoming Friday the 13th--and who isn't, really?--why not come down to Observatory for a special event: a highly illustrated and subjective tour of medical museums of the Western World by Morbid Anatomy's Joanna Ebenstein, followed by music and delicious artisanal cocktails compliments of Friese Undine?
Why not, indeed!
Full details follow; hope very much to see you there!

Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig
A heavily illustrated lecture by Morbid Anatomy founder Joanna Ebenstein, followed by afterparty featuring thematic music and specialty cocktails by Friese Undine
Date: Friday, July 13
Time: 8:00
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy 

Since 2005, artist, independent scholar and Morbid Anatomist Joanna Ebenstein has travelled the world seeking out--and photographing whenever possible--the most fascinating, curious, and overlooked medical collections and wunderkammern, backstage and front, private and public. In the process, she has amassed not only an astounding collection of images but also a great deal of knowledge about the history and cultural context of these fascinating and uncanny artifacts.  

This Friday the Thirteenth, please join us for a heavily illustrated lecture based on this research, followed by a thematic afterparty. In her lecture "?Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig," Ebenstein will lead you on a highly-illustrated tour of medical museums and introduce you to many of their most curious and enigmatic denizens, including the Anatomical Venus, the Slashed Beauty, the allegorical fetal skeleton tableau (as seen above), the flayed horseman of the apocalypse, and three fetuses dancing a jig. Ebenstein will contextualize these artifacts via a discussion of the history of medical museums and modeling, a survey of great artists of the genre, and an examination of other death-related arts and amusements which made up the cultural landscape at the time that these objects were originally created, collected, and exhibited. Following, please stick around for an afterparty featuring thematic tunes and inventive artisanal cocktails complements of the omni-talented Friese Undine.  

Joanna Ebenstein is a multi-disciplinary artist with an academic background in intellectual history. She runs the Morbid Anatomy blog and related open-to-the-public Brooklyn-based Morbid Anatomy Library. She is also the founding member of Observatory, a Brooklyn based arts and events space devoted to the revival of the 18th century notions of the dilettante and rational amusements. Her recent work—which includes photography, curation, installation, blogging, museum consulting, lecturing and writing—centers on anatomical museums and their artifacts, collectors and collecting, curiosities and marvels, 18th and 19th Century natural history and, as the subtitle of her blog states, “surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture.” She has lectured at a variety of popular and academic venues, and her work has been shown and published internationally; she is the current Coney Island Musuem artist in resident, and recent solo exhibitions include The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre. You can find out more at her at her website astropop.com and her blog Morbid Anatomy; you can view much of her photography work by clicking here. She can be reached at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

You can find out more about this event here.
Images top to bottom, as drawn from my recent photo exhibitions The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre:
  1. "Fetal Skeleton Tableau, 17th Century, University Backroom, Paris; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  2. Skeleton and hand models for "la médecine opératoire" Musée Orfila, Paris. Courtesy Université Paris Descartes; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  3. Plaster Models in Pathological Cabinet, The Museum of the Faculty of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010
  4. Wax Anatomical Models in Rosewood and Venetian Glass Boxes, The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2007
  5. "Slashed Beauties" in Rosewood and Venetian Glass Boxes, The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria; © Joanna Ebenstein, 2007

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"Morbid Anatomy: Exploring the Art of Death" OR New Morbid Anatomy Episode of "The Midnight Archive"

Episode 2, Season 2 of The Midnight Archive--that wonderful web-based documentary series centered around Brooklyn's Observatory--has just gone live! Entitled "Morbid Anatomy: Exploring the Art of Death," it features my work with Morbid Anatomy, The Morbid Anatomy Library and the Morbid Anatomy Presents series at Observatory, as well as my work photographing curious collections--public and private, front stage and back--around the world.

To watch the episode, simply press play in the viewer above. More on the episode, in the words of director/creator Ronni Thomas:

It is an honor to present in this episode my friend and a huge inspiration to me - Joanna Ebenstein whose Morbid Anatomy blog (morbidanatomy.blogspot.com) is sort of the online Bible of the macabre and the sublime (making Mademoiselle Ebenstein - as i call her - the Patron Saint of Odd).  Here she discusses the thinking behind her research, her views on death and beauty and the institution she has created.  If you are not already a huge fan - make sure to visit morbidanatomy.blogspot.com AND check out more amazing photography from our girl at astropop.com/secretmuseum and astropop.com/anatomical

For more on the series, to see any of the episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list and thus be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and be alerted in this way--by clicking here. If you are interested in medical museums and their curious denezins, be sure to stop by Friday night to grab a drink and see my lecture "Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig" at Observatory this Friday; more on that can be found here.

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Lee Judge Simpson says he's still effective justice despite Parkinson's disease

Photo by David Ahntholz .da

Joe Simpson

FORT MYERS A Lee circuit judge who hasn't presided over a hearing for a year, but reviews cases and signs orders in an office, contends Parkinson's disease doesn't prevent him from working as a judge and calls his critics misinformed or swayed by stereotypes.

Judge Joseph Simpson, seeking a second six-year term, says it wasn't his choice to be removed from the courtroom last July and given a handicap-accessible office, where he works on a paperwork docket, reviewing domestic violence petitions for temporary injunctions, uncontested divorces, probate files and orders.

"I have been asked why run for re-election and be subjected to ridicule for carrying out my judicial duties with Parkinson's, especially after having spent thousands of dollars to be defended against claims of inability to sit as judge," Simpson wrote in a letter to the Daily News, noting that his mind is still sharp and he uses aids to ensure his voice is clear.

"It is my sincere belief that the public suffers when a judiciary does not include persons with disabilities, with the insight, common sense and experience they bring to the bench," he wrote. " My ability to handle complex legal matters and render sound decisions remains constant."

Simpson detailed his situation in a recent five-page letter to Daily News after the newspaper published a story May 13 about how lawyers and others couldn't understand him, his lack of a hearing docket and the burden it places on judges who share his caseload.

Neither Simpson nor his judicial assistant agreed to interviews for the May 13 story. A Daily News reporter was unable to find or see him because his office isn't accessible without an escort, which wasn't provided.

Circuit Chief Judge Jay Rosman has called Simpson's docket "valuable work" that provides more time for other judges, an accommodation beneficial to the community, the judiciary and Simpson.

But it comes at a time when the state reduced Lee's request for three additional circuit judges to two this year. Lee's circuit civil and probate cases totaled 1.17 million last fiscal year, not including thousands of criminal cases circuit judges hear.

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Lee Judge Simpson says he's still effective justice despite Parkinson's disease

Lee Judge Simpson says he’s still effective justice despite Parkinson’s disease

Photo by David Ahntholz .da

Joe Simpson

FORT MYERS A Lee circuit judge who hasn't presided over a hearing for a year, but reviews cases and signs orders in an office, contends Parkinson's disease doesn't prevent him from working as a judge and calls his critics misinformed or swayed by stereotypes.

Judge Joseph Simpson, seeking a second six-year term, says it wasn't his choice to be removed from the courtroom last July and given a handicap-accessible office, where he works on a paperwork docket, reviewing domestic violence petitions for temporary injunctions, uncontested divorces, probate files and orders.

"I have been asked why run for re-election and be subjected to ridicule for carrying out my judicial duties with Parkinson's, especially after having spent thousands of dollars to be defended against claims of inability to sit as judge," Simpson wrote in a letter to the Daily News, noting that his mind is still sharp and he uses aids to ensure his voice is clear.

"It is my sincere belief that the public suffers when a judiciary does not include persons with disabilities, with the insight, common sense and experience they bring to the bench," he wrote. " My ability to handle complex legal matters and render sound decisions remains constant."

Simpson detailed his situation in a recent five-page letter to Daily News after the newspaper published a story May 13 about how lawyers and others couldn't understand him, his lack of a hearing docket and the burden it places on judges who share his caseload.

Neither Simpson nor his judicial assistant agreed to interviews for the May 13 story. A Daily News reporter was unable to find or see him because his office isn't accessible without an escort, which wasn't provided.

Circuit Chief Judge Jay Rosman has called Simpson's docket "valuable work" that provides more time for other judges, an accommodation beneficial to the community, the judiciary and Simpson.

But it comes at a time when the state reduced Lee's request for three additional circuit judges to two this year. Lee's circuit civil and probate cases totaled 1.17 million last fiscal year, not including thousands of criminal cases circuit judges hear.

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Lee Judge Simpson says he's still effective justice despite Parkinson's disease

Alumni basketball fundraiser for man with multiple sclerosis

RACINE An alumni basketball tournament fundraiser for Jermaine Sheppard, a 30-year-old Racine native who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, will be held at 6 p.m. July 21 at the George Bray Center, 924 Center St. Admission is $2.

Alumni from Park and Horlick high schools will compete, and then alumni from St. Catherines and Case high schools will compete. Caron Butler, a small forward for the Los Angeles Clippers and a Racine native, will be in attendance.

Sheppard and the Rev. Walter Hermanns, a pastor emeritus at Holy Communion Lutheran Church who has also been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, will share their stories as a way to encourage others with chronic illness.

A raffle will be held. Tickets will cost $2.

Proceeds from the raffle and a portion of the proceeds from admission will go to Sheppard to help him pay for medical bills.

Donations can also be made to the Jermaine Sheppard Benefit Fund at Educators Credit Union, 1400 Newman Road.

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Alumni basketball fundraiser for man with multiple sclerosis

Stress Management Prevents Brain Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis

By Traci Pedersen Associate News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 15, 2012

Patients with multiple sclerosis who receive stress management training experience less new disease activity, according to a study published in Neurology.

Half of the 121 participants in the study received stress management training, which included meeting with a therapist for 16 individual 50-minute sessions over five to six months.

They learned problem-solving skills, relaxation techniques, and how to increase positive activities and enhance social support. They were also given the option to choose extra sessions on topics such as fatigue management, anxiety reduction, pain management and insomnia treatment.

After the treatment ended, the stress management group was followed for another five to six months. The remaining participants were put on a waiting list as a control group. After 10 months, they attended a five-hour workshop on stress management.

During the treatment period, 77 percent of those in the stress management training group had no new lesions, or brain damage that indicates disease activity, compared to 55 percent of those in the control group.

The size of the effect is similar to other recent phase II trials of new drug therapies for MS, said study author David C. Mohr, PhD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

While its premature to make any specific recommendations about using this type of stress management training to manage MS disease activity, it will be important to conduct more research to identify specifically how this treatment is benefiting people with MS.

Furthermore, questionnaires revealed that those receiving the training had greater reductions in their stress levels than did those in the control group.

Interestingly, the positive effects of the training did not continue after the treatment period.

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Stress Management Prevents Brain Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Patients Could `Benefit From Stress Management

Editor's Choice Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis Also Included In: Anxiety / Stress Article Date: 13 Jul 2012 - 9:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Multiple Sclerosis Patients Could `Benefit From Stress Management

3.75 (4 votes)

The study, published online in the medical journal Neurology, involved 121 people with MS.

The researchers assigned 50% of the study participants to receive the stress management program, while the remaining participants were put on a waiting list as a control group.

Over a 5-6 month period, participants assigned to the program had 16 50-minute sessions with a therapist. During each session, patients learned about relaxation, problem-solving skills, improving their social support and increasing positive activities. In addition, patients were given the choice of addition sessions on topics, such as insomnia treatment, fatigue management, pain management, and anxiety reduction. Patients received follow-up for up to six months. Patients in the control group attended a five-hour workshop on stress management.

The researchers found that 77% of participants assigned to the stress management program did not develop new lesions, or brain damage that indicates disease activity, versus 55% of patients assigned to the control group.

David C. Mohr, Ph.D., of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, explained:

Furthermore, the team found that participants receiving training had lower stress levels than patients in the control group, although the positive effects of the program diminished following the treatment period.

Mohr said:

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Multiple Sclerosis Patients Could `Benefit From Stress Management