Open Slots for Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton at Observatory, This Saturday, July 7

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox by Daisy Tainton, teacher of Saturday's workshop

I am very excited to announce a few open slots in this Saturday's long sold-out Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton, part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy at Observatory. Full details for the class follow; send an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list. First come, first served!

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
With Daisy Tainton, Former Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History
Date:
This Saturday, July 7
Time: 1 - 4 PM
Admission: $65

***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Rhinoceros beetles: nature's tiny giants. Adorable, with their giant heads and tiny legs, and wonderful antler-like protrusions. If you think they would be even more adorable drinking tiny beers and holding tiny fishing poles, we have the perfect class for you! In today's workshop, students will learn to make--and leave with their own!--shadowbox dioramas featuring carefully positioned beetles doing nearly anything you can imagine. An assortment of miniature furniture and foods will be made available to decorate your habitat, but students are strongly encouraged to bring any dollhouse props they would like to use. 1:12 scale is generally best.

Daisy Tainton was formerly Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, and has been working with insects professionally for several years. Eventually her fascination with insects and  love of Japanese miniature food items naturally came together, resulting in cute and ridiculous museum-inspired yet utterly unrealistic dioramas. Beetles at the dentist? Beetles eating pie and knitting sweaters? Even beetles on the toilet? Why not?

You can find out more about this class here, and more about The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy by clicking here.

Source:
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Needle-Sharing by Sex Workers Tied to Spread of Syphilis

(HealthDay News) -- Needle-sharing among drug abusers may play as big a role as risky sexual behavior in the transmission of syphilis, a new study suggests.

American and Mexican researchers interviewed more than 900 female sex workers in the Mexican border towns of Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, which are adjacent to San Diego and El Paso, Texas, respectively. The sex workers, who were also tested for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), operate legally in the two Mexican towns, which are located on major drug trafficking routes.

The researchers found that female sex workers who didn't have HIV, but tested positive for active syphilis infection, were more likely than those without active syphilis infection to inject drugs, to use illegal drugs before or during sex in the past month, and to have U.S. clients who had higher rates of drug use, including the use of injection drugs. Read more…

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/integratedmedicine

Two Drugs Safe for Rare Forms of Kidney Cancer

(HealthDay News) -- Using a combination of the drugs temsirolimus (Torisel) and Bryostatin appears to be safe in patients with metastatic kidney cancer, according to early data from 25 patients in a phase 1 trial.

The researchers said a pathway known as mTOR signaling promotes tumor cell proliferation and tumor blood vessel development. The temsirolimus-bryostatin combination blocks two portions of the mTOR signaling pathway, and the early data suggests the drugs may be active in patients with rare forms of renal cell cancer that are less likely to respond to other therapies.

"We have certainly seen sustained responses with this combination, which are encouraging," Dr. Elizabeth Plimack, a medical oncologist and attending physician at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, said in a news release from the center. Read more…

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

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15 Year Old Develops Inexpensive Test to Diagnose Pancreatic Cancer

From Dark Daily:

Jack-andraka-by-shadesofsuccess

In Maryland, a 15-year-old high school freshman developed a diagnostic assay that experts say can be developed into medical laboratory test for the detection of pancreatic cancer. The teen’s prize-winning breakthrough test could change how cancer and other fatal diseases are diagnosed and treated.

 More to the point for anatomic pathologists, this new approach to detecting pancreatic cancer is non-invasive, so it does not require a biopsy specimen. It is also inexpensive and fast. At a cost of about $3 per test, the diagnostic assay produces a result in five minutes.

Read more: High School Student Develops Diagnostic Test to Detect Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer | Dark Daily 

 

 

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Digital Pathology Association Adds Decorated New Board Member

The Digital Pathology Association (DPA), a non-profit organization that promotes education and awareness of digital pathology applications, recently welcomed Bill Spooner to the DPA Board of Directors.

Bill Spooner

Quote startI came to the DPA through networking, so the networking opportunities are one of the biggest [DPA member] benefits I think.Quote end

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) June 27, 2012

The Digital Pathology Association (DPA), a non-profit organization that promotes education and awareness of digital pathology applications, recently welcomed Bill Spooner to the DPA Board of Directors.

Spooner has been the CIO at Sharp HealthCare for the past 15 years. During Spooner’s time at Sharp HealthCare, they became an early leader in electronic health records and received several awards for their consumer website. In 2011, Spooner was named by Information Week as one of the 25 leaders driving the healthcare I.T. revolution.

“The addition of Mr. Spooner to the DPA Board of Directors adds one more dimension to the industry inclusion of the board of directors,” said Michael F. Ward, CAE, Executive Director of the DPA. “The various interfaces that a hospital I.T. department needs are important as healthcare providers continue to provide enhanced whole-slide imaging.”

Also a recipient of the 2009 John E. Gall Jr. CIO of the Year award, Spooner dedicates a lot of his time to involvement in healthcare organizations. Some of the organizations he is a member of include the Healthcare Information Systems Executive Association (HISEA), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and a Fellow in the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). Spooner was eager to get involved with the DPA because of its education and networking opportunities.

“I came to the DPA through networking, so the networking opportunities are one of the biggest [member] benefits I think,” said Spooner. “Many of the DPA members have a lot of experience and great ideas. They can share this knowledge with other members so that the best practices move along in the digital pathology industry.”

Spooner will join an already distinguished roster of individuals on the DPA’s Board of Directors that includes many experts in the digital pathology industry. He also serves on the Healthcare IT News Editorial Board and the California Hospital Association Informatics and Technology Committee. Spooner’s experience and leadership in the healthcare arena proves his perspective will be invaluable to the DPA.

About the Digital Pathology Association
The Digital Pathology Association, located in Indianapolis, IN, was founded in 2009. Its mission is to facilitate education and awareness of digital pathology applications in healthcare and life sciences. Members will be encouraged to share best practices and promote the use of technology among colleagues in order to demonstrate efficiencies, awareness, and its ultimate benefits to patient care. To learn more about the DPA and its members and membership opportunities visit: http://digitalpathologyassociation.org/membership.

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Definiens Bulletin – July 2012 – Upcoming Webinar

The novel Definiens Image Miner™ 2 is now available to accelerate image-based research and development throughout the life sciences. It dramatically facilitates data exploration and quality control and efficiently supports biomarker validation and correlation of image analysis results with data from external sources. Attend the introductory webinar next Wednesday (July 11, 8am PDT) to learn more!
 

New Product: Definiens Image Miner 2 Now Available

ImageMiner2.jpg

Definiens Image Miner™ 2 makes the wealth of information in biomedical images accessible, accelerating life sciences research and allowing for successful biomarker development. It provides researchers with the unique ability to easily switch between investigating trends and patterns in large data sets and drawing attention to subtle analysis details in single images. Using the statistic toolbox and the comprehensive visualization options, insights and new knowledge can be generated from images in an unprecedented way.

Examples from biomarker development and high content screening illustrate the benefits of a tight integration between image analysis and data mining.

Biomarker Development: Webinar Series 

Our next  webinar series will forcus on image and data analysis for biomarker development. It will start this Wednesday (July 11, 8am PDT) with an introduction of the novel Definiens Image Miner™ 2. Register today!

IM_biomarker_development_2.jpg

Integrating Data Mining with Image Analysis: Definiens Image Miner 2
(Arno Schäpe, July 11, 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 5pm CEST)

Sucessful 3rd International Definiens Symposium   

Definiens thanks all participants of the 3rd International Definiens Symposium for inspiring presentations, fruitful discussions and a stimulating atmosphere. We enjoyed meeting you and exchanging ideas during plenary sessions, workshops, coffee breaks and the evening events. Watch the recordings of plenary lectures on our new Definiens TV channel and browse through the photo gallery for impressions of the event.

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Director of Pathology Informatics Position – University of Illinois at Chicago

The Department of Pathology at University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System is currently seeking an M.D. at the Assistant/Associate/Professor level who can lead and develop a strong pathology informatics program. This person will provide direction for the Department’s laboratory information system, digital imaging program, active learning curriculum for residents and graduate students, consultative services and Outreach Program. The position requires close interaction with the University and Hospital Informatics. Current medical license, board certification in AP/CP, AP or CP as well as successful completion of a fellowship or post-doctoral training in clinical/pathology informatics is required. Special consideration will be given to those with demonstrated experience in teaching and the development of an informatics curriculum. Academic title and rank will be commensurate to experience. Direct inquiries and submit curriculum vitae to: Search Committee – Informatics, Department of Pathology (M/C 847), University of Illinois Medical Center, 840 S. Wood St., Chicago, Illinois 60612. UIC is an AA/EOE, Barbie@uic.edu.

 

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Pancreatic Cancer May Be Detected With Simple Intestinal Probe

ScienceDaily (May 21, 2012) — By simply shining a tiny light within the small intestine, close to that organ's junction with the pancreas, physicians at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida have been able to detect pancreatic cancer 100 percent of the time in a small study. The light, attached to a probe, measures changes in cells and blood vessels in the small intestine produced by a growing cancer in the adjoining pancreas.

    This minimally invasive technique, called Polarization Gating Spectroscopy, will now be tested in a much larger international clinical trial led by the Mayo Clinic researchers. The preliminary study suggests it may be possible, one day, to use a less invasive endoscope to screen patients for early development of pancreatic cancer.

    The findings were highlighted in a special address by Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Wallace, M.D., at the international Digestive Disease Week 2012.

    The pancreas is notoriously hard to reach and see due to its very deep location in the abdomen, surrounded by intestines. The study investigators theorized that there may be changes in the nearby "normal appearing" tissue of the small intestine which is much more accessible.

    "No one ever thought you could detect pancreatic cancer in an area that is somewhat remote from the pancreas, but this study suggests it may be possible," says Dr. Wallace, the chairman of the Division of Gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic in Florida. "Although results are still preliminary, the concept of detection field effects of nearby cancers holds great promise for possible early detection of pancreatic cancer."

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly of human tumors. It is only curable in 5 percent of cases, and even when it is surgically removed, 70 percent of patients have a recurrence that is fatal, Dr. Wallace says. There are no ways currently to detect the cancer early enough to cure a substantial number of patients, he says.

    Pancreatic cancer is now usually detected through an imaging scan, followed by an invasive biopsy. Tumors found in this way are usually at an advanced stage.

    In this study, the Mayo Clinic physicians tested a light probe developed by their long-time collaborators at Northwestern University.

    The light, attached to a small fiber-optic probe known as an endoscope, measures the amount of oxygenated blood as well as the size of blood vessels in tissue near the duct where the pancreas joins the small intestine. Because a growing tumor requires a heightened supply of blood, normal tissue in the vicinity of the cancer reveals evidence of enlarged blood vessels and changes in the amount of oxygen within the blood.

    Such "field effects" from cancer can be measured in other areas of the GI tract, says Dr. Wallace. "With this technology, others studies have shown that cancerous polyps can be detected more than 11 inches from the polyp itself. Early studies are evaluating if esophageal cancers can also be detected remotely," he says.

    The probe acts "a bit like a metal detector that beeps faster and louder as you get close to cancer," he says. The researchers are measuring within six to 10 inches of the pancreas in the small intestine immediately next to the pancreas.

    Dr. Wallace and his team tested the probe on 10 patients who were later determined to have pancreatic cancer, and on nine participants who did not have pancreatic cancer.

    They found that testing both measures -- blood vessel diameter and blood oxygenation -- detected all 10 pancreatic cancers. But the probe was less precise (63 percent accurate) in determining which of the healthy volunteers did not have pancreatic cancer.

    "There is room for improvement in this instrument, and our group is working on that," he says. "If the studies confirm the early results, it would make the pancreas accessible to a much simpler upper endoscope and that would be a real advance in the treatment of pancreatic cancer."

    Patients now often undergo an endoscopic examination of the upper intestine to search for the cause of heartburn or stomach pain, Dr. Wallace says. An endoscopic probe could be easily outfitted to explore for evidence of pancreatic cancer in patients at heightened risk, he says.

    Mihir Patel, M.D., a gastroenterologist who worked with Dr. Wallace on the study, says that despite of intense research, we haven't been successful in significantly improving the overall survival associated with pancreatic cancer in the past several decades. That's because we haven't been able to detect the cancer early enough. Developing a technique to screen the patients and detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage would be a potential breakthrough. In our preliminary data, this technology has shown to hold similar potential.

    The study's co-authors include Vadim Backman, Ph.D., a professor in the biomedical engineering department at Northwestern University and Hemant Roy, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Northwestern University.

    The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic.

    See Also:

     

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    Virtual Tour of Medical Museums of the Western World! Organization for Creatives with Oliver Burkeman of "The Guardian!" This Week and Beyond at Observatory

    Learn to organize with Oliver Burkeman of London's Guardian! Join Morbid Anatomy for a special Friday the 13th virtual tour of medical museums of the Western World followed by music and cocktails! Morbid Anatomy Presents this week and beyond at Observatory:

    Organization and Productivity for Creative Types with Oliver Burkeman of The Guardian
    Date: Thursday,  July 12
    Time: 8:00
    Admission: $10
    Produced by Morbid Anatomy

    Do you hunger to climb the corporate ladder with ruthless efficiency, leaving your rivals in the dust as you pursue your relentless quest for wealth and power? Hopefully not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow some tactics from such people and apply them to your own ends; to that end, this talk– by Oliver Burkeman, compulsive to-do-list-maker and journalist for London’s Guardian–will teach creatives, freelancers, and artists how to plan and manage multiple projects, better plan their time, and, in general, feel less overwhelmed by juggling a variety of projects at one time.

    Burkeman has spent much of the last few years researching and reporting on self-help culture, including the fascinating history of the “how to succeed” publishing genre, and motivational gurus from Dale Carnegie to Stephen Covey, and sifting the wheat from the chaff. (There’s a lot of chaff.) Drawing on this research, this talk will explore some fundamental principles of getting organized, managing multiple projects, overcoming procrastination, time management, and being both more productive and less stressed in the kinds of sprawling artistic/creative/freelance lives that don’t get much attention in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. No cringe-inducing motivational speeches will be given; no Magic Systems for Instant Success will be promoted. Instead, we’ll plunder from the world of the grinning gurus the bits that actually work – so that you’ll leave equipped with a toolkit of immediately usable ways to do the stuff you’re already doing, and the projects you’re planning, with greater efficiency and ease. 

    Please note: This event is a lecture adaptation of a recent popular Observatory class by the same name.

    Oliver Burkemanin a writer based in Brooklyn with an unhealthy interest in filing systems. He writes features and a weekly column on psychology for the (London) Guardian. His book The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking will be published by Faber & Faber in the fall.


    Image: Image sourced from http://www.flickr.com/photos/frettir/

    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 AnatomistJoanna 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.

    Image: Fetal Skeleton Tableau, 17th Century, University Backroom, Paris; From The Secret Museum. © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010

    Onward and upward:

    July 21: Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop: With former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
    ***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com 

    July 23: Class: Dissection as Studi
    o Practice with Real Anatomical Specimens
    : Lecture and Studio Art and Dissection Class with artist Laura Splan **Must RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com 

    August 11: Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop: With former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
    ***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com

    August 17: Taxidermy, Longing, and Beastly Allure: An Illustrated Lecture with Rachel Poliquin, author of "The Breathless Zoo" and "Ravishing Beasts"


    More on all events can be found here; hope to see you there!

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    Open Slots for Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton at Observatory, This Saturday, July 7

    Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox by Daisy Tainton, teacher of Saturday's workshop

    I am very excited to announce a few open slots in this Saturday's long sold-out Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton, part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy at Observatory. Full details for the class follow; send an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list. First come, first served!

    Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
    With Daisy Tainton, Former Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History
    Date:
    This Saturday, July 7
    Time: 1 - 4 PM
    Admission: $65

    ***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list
    This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

    Rhinoceros beetles: nature's tiny giants. Adorable, with their giant heads and tiny legs, and wonderful antler-like protrusions. If you think they would be even more adorable drinking tiny beers and holding tiny fishing poles, we have the perfect class for you! In today's workshop, students will learn to make--and leave with their own!--shadowbox dioramas featuring carefully positioned beetles doing nearly anything you can imagine. An assortment of miniature furniture and foods will be made available to decorate your habitat, but students are strongly encouraged to bring any dollhouse props they would like to use. 1:12 scale is generally best.

    Daisy Tainton was formerly Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, and has been working with insects professionally for several years. Eventually her fascination with insects and  love of Japanese miniature food items naturally came together, resulting in cute and ridiculous museum-inspired yet utterly unrealistic dioramas. Beetles at the dentist? Beetles eating pie and knitting sweaters? Even beetles on the toilet? Why not?

    You can find out more about this class here, and more about The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy by clicking here.

    Source:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

    Nanotechnology Products to Make Your Life Better

    When we hear the word nanotechnology we tend to envision tiny armies of robots or sci-fi movies, but this science that works with materials at the nano-scale level, encompasses a wide range of every day applications, all meant to create materials that offer new solutions to make your life better.

    One area where nanotech is providing money saving and sustainable benefits is in products for the home. Here are a few technologies currently available:

    1. Nansulate Home Protect - Clear liquid insulation. This patented technology, in existence since 2004, has been used on international airports and Naval bases. It offers a paint-on solution to increasing insulation and energy efficiency in an environmentally friendly nanocoating that inhibits heat transfer. Customers report saving between 20%-40% on energy costs. Pricing: 50 cents per S.F. at recommended 3-coat coverage. www. nansulate.com/homeprotect.htm

    2. Nano-Tex - High performance fabrics. This innovation in fabric technology has been available since 1998, and is used in multiple consumer items such as workout clothes that keep you dryer, stain repellent furniture fabrics, and sheet sets that keep you cool and comfortable. The innovations include moisture control, odor control, stain resistance, and wrinkle resistance. Pricing varies according to product. http://www.nano-tex.com.

    3. NanoGuard - Behr paint technology. Announced in 2007, this technology is used to provide multiple qualities to both exterior and interior paints. The Premium Plus Ultra uses an interlocking molecular structure to offer a denser, more durable paint film. When dry, the paint forms a protective shell that resists damage from sunlight, moisture, stains and dirt. Pricing: approximately 15 cents per S.F. if doing 1-coat. http://www.behr.com.

    Read the rest here:
    Nanotechnology Products to Make Your Life Better

    New medical school student sees chance to serve El Paso

    Click photo to enlarge

    First year Medical Students Travis Corgan, left, and Christine Dahlhausen wait to don their white coats during the Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony at the Plaza Theatre.

    El Pasoan Victoria Nuez smiled after putting on her white medical coat for the first time during a ceremony Saturday for the newest class of students at El Paso's medical school.

    Nuez is one of the 80 students in the fourth class to enter the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Nuez is among 12 El Pasoans in the medical school's Class of 2016.

    The new students were given the coats, which are symbolic of the medical profession, during a White Coat Ceremony at the Plaza Theatre. The White Coat Ceremony is a milestone that marks entering the medical field and signifies the responsibility to take care of patients.

    Nuez, a graduate of Americas High School and the University of Texas at Austin, said she was happy to attend medical school in her hometown.

    "It means so much," Nuez said. "I still have family here. I have that support network from my family. I can give back to my community."

    Nuez said she was inspired to become a doctor by her grandfather, Dr. Germinal Nuez, who was a doctor in El Paso before he retired, and her aunt, Dr. Lourdes Nuez of Miami.

    Medical school leaders said the new group of students were selected from 2,900 applicants. The school now has 260 students, including the newest class.

    The school's first class will graduate next May in what will be a milestone for the medical school, which for decades was only a dream for El Paso, said Dr. J. Manuel de la Rosa, the medical school's founding

    Go here to see the original:
    New medical school student sees chance to serve El Paso

    New singing group for dementia sufferers

    New Croydon singing group for dementia sufferers

    12:30pm Sunday 8th July 2012 in News By Hannah Williamson

    Lady Mayoress Liz Wootton opened the group

    A new singing group for dementia sufferers has been launched by the Alzheimer's Society.

    Singing for the Brain Croydon is one of three groups being funded by the Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation, and was officially opened by the Lady Mayoress Liz Wootton, last Friday.

    The group, aimed at the 3,400 people living with dementia in Croydon, consists of twelve weekly sessions for people with dementia to attend with their carers.

    The programme was developed by music specialists to specifically help people with dementia to sustain mental and psychological well-being.

    This is achieved through stimulating and challenging singing and gentle psychical activity.

    Mashhmood Ahmed, Alzheimer's Society Support Services Manager in Croydon, said: "Singing for the Brain provides an opportunity to build friendships, gain support and share experiences with people who understand the issues surrounding living with memory problems and dementia.

    "I have seen people who are barely able to speak, be transformed by the music, singing along to tunes from their past as if their old memories are suddenly unlocked."

    See original here:
    New singing group for dementia sufferers

    YPSILANTI: EMU Autism Collaborative Center to make a 'SPLASH' with summer camp

    Many children look forward to attending camp during the summer but for children with autism, finding an appropriate day camp can be difficult.

    The Autism Collaborative Center (ACC) at Eastern Michigan University offers a special summer camp, called Sensory, Play & Music, Language, Art,Social Learning, Health Fun, designed for children on the autism spectrum.

    Children attending SPLASH are exposed to socially engaging, sensory rich and creative recreation opportunities. The week-long camps run July through August. Each week incorporates a new theme.

    Week 1: July 9 -13 Who's Your Hero?

    Week 2: July 16 - 20 The Mad Scientist

    Week 3: July 23 - 27 Author's Week

    Week 4: July 30 - Aug. 3 Disney Across the Ages

    Week 5: Aug. 6 - 10 Olympics 2012

    Week 6: Aug. 13 - 17 Wacky Holiday Week

    Last year, the program hosted more than 70 children and administrators hope to see that number increase. Continued...

    Continue reading here:
    YPSILANTI: EMU Autism Collaborative Center to make a 'SPLASH' with summer camp

    YPSILANTI: EMU Autism Collaborative Center to make a ‘SPLASH’ with summer camp

    Many children look forward to attending camp during the summer but for children with autism, finding an appropriate day camp can be difficult.

    The Autism Collaborative Center (ACC) at Eastern Michigan University offers a special summer camp, called Sensory, Play & Music, Language, Art,Social Learning, Health Fun, designed for children on the autism spectrum.

    Children attending SPLASH are exposed to socially engaging, sensory rich and creative recreation opportunities. The week-long camps run July through August. Each week incorporates a new theme.

    Week 1: July 9 -13 Who's Your Hero?

    Week 2: July 16 - 20 The Mad Scientist

    Week 3: July 23 - 27 Author's Week

    Week 4: July 30 - Aug. 3 Disney Across the Ages

    Week 5: Aug. 6 - 10 Olympics 2012

    Week 6: Aug. 13 - 17 Wacky Holiday Week

    Last year, the program hosted more than 70 children and administrators hope to see that number increase. Continued...

    Continue reading here:
    YPSILANTI: EMU Autism Collaborative Center to make a 'SPLASH' with summer camp

    Grand Haven professor to serve on Michigan Autism Council

    LANSING, MI A Grand Haven woman is one of the inaugural members of the statewide council focused on autism in Michigan.

    Amy Matthews, an associate professor of psychology at Grand Valley State University, was appointed to the recently created Autism Council, a group charged with advising and assisting in the development of a statewide plan to help individuals with autism spectrum disorders reach their potential.

    Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointments to the 12-member council this week. The formation of the council, which will operate within the state Department of Community Health, was announced in June.

    Matthews is set to represent state-funded initiatives for a three-year term ending Sept. 30, 2015. She focuses on autism and intellectual and development disabilities in her work for Grand Valley State. A licensed psychiatrist, Matthews also is director of the Statewide Autism Resources and Training Project.

    Executive Order 2012-11 created the council as an advisory body to review, adopt and implement the Autism Spectrum Disorders State Plan. The plan will provide for comprehensive lifespan supports to individuals with autism and their families through access to information and resources, coordination of services and implementation of evidence-based practices. The council must also update the plan every year.

    Based on the executive order, the governor wants to encourage early identification of children with autism spectrum disorders in order to provide early intervention services for children. The order also stated the goal of maximizing the potential for children and adults with autism.

    The Michigan Autism Council will help coordinate our state plan and help make sure individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families can live better lives, Snyder said. I thank the appointees for their willingness to serve and eagerness to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

    After the initial appointments, members of the council will serve four-year terms.

    Eric Gaertner covers government, politics and the outdoors. He can be reached via email at egaertne@mlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricGaertner1.

    Link:
    Grand Haven professor to serve on Michigan Autism Council

    Morbid Anatomy Library Gala Recap and Thanks

    Thanks so very very much to all of you who came out and supported The Morbid Anatomy Library at RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library on the sweltering evening of June 30th. The benefit was a great success, and my sincere thanks to all of you--contributors, artists, performers, volunteers, drink makers, DJs, art collectors, and attendees--for making it so.
    For those of you who were unable to make it--or who want to relive it in all its glory--journalist Jed Lepinski has written a lovely recap and review of the event for Capital New York, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here. Photos above are taken by my cousin Sklyer Fox, good friend and supporter Christine Colby, and MC and verbal pyrotechnic Mark Dery. You can see more photos by clicking here, here and here.
    Thanks again, everyone, and hope to see you at next year's iteration!

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    NASA Mars Program Offical Discusses New Era Of Space Exploration

    Media representatives are invited to a briefing on Tuesday, July 10 at 9 a.m. BST at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, England. NASA and industry officials will discuss the importance of the space program and the role of cost-efficient product development in the emerging new era of space travel and exploration.

    Doug McCuistion, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington, and Siegfried Russwurm, CEO of Siemens Industry Sector, Erlangen, Germany, will provide details and answer questions about the importance of government and industry collaboration to maximize productivity and efficiency in space exploration. The briefing will take place the Hendon Room in the airshow's media center.

    Siemens software contributed to the development of NASA's most advanced planetary rover, Curiosity, which will land on the surface of Mars on Aug. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EDT. This mobile science laboratory will assess whether the past or present Martian environment could support life. The software was used for modeling during development of the rover.

    Media representatives attending the air show that would like to participate in the briefing should register online at: https://www.industry-meeting.com/event/microsite/22/sign-up/

    The Farnborough International Airshow is an annual event featuring a host of activities, exhibits, and static and aerial demonstrations by aerospace companies worldwide.

    For information about NASA's Curiosity rover, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

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    Continued here:

    NASA Mars Program Offical Discusses New Era Of Space Exploration

    New Mars Exploration Rover Image Released By NASA [PHOTO]

    By Jeff Stone | Jul 07, 2012 11:33 PM EDT

    NASA released this week a stunning image produced by combining 817 photographs it was able to capture via the panoramic camera, or Pancam, on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity between Dec. 21 and May 8.

    North is at the center of the so-called Greeley Panorama image, and south is at both ends, according to NASA.

    "During the recent four months that Opportunity worked at Greeley Haven, activities included radio-science observations to better understand Martian spin axis dynamics and thus interior structure, investigations of the composition and textures of an outcrop exposing an impact-jumbled rock formation on the crater rim, monitoring the atmosphere and surface for changes, and acquisition of this full-color mosaic of the surroundings," NASA reported.

    "The panorama combines exposures taken through Pancam filters centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet)." NASA said. "The view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see."

    Opportunity has been working on Mars since January 2004.

    The so-called Greeley Panorama was produced by combining 817 photographs NASA was able to capture via the panoramic camera, or Pancam, on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity between Dec. 21 and May 8.

    Go here to read the rest:

    New Mars Exploration Rover Image Released By NASA [PHOTO]

    Silver Stars-Liberty Preview

    The surging San Antonio Silver Stars are playing their best basketball of the season. If their recent efforts against the New York Liberty are any indication, however, keeping things going could prove difficult.

    Looking to extend its longest winning streak in four seasons, San Antonio tries to avoid a sixth consecutive loss to New York as the teams meet at the Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon.

    Since a 2-4 start, the Silver Stars (10-5) have proven nearly unbeatable. San Antonio has won six in a row by an average of 10.8 points and eight of nine overall.

    The Silver Stars continued their recent prowess Friday with a 78-73 win at Washington. Sophia Young had 18 points while ex-Liberty guard Becky Hammon added 17 for San Antonio, which shot 52.6 percent from the floor.

    "Right now we're just playing really well together," said Hammon, who leads the league with 5.7 assists per game. "We're moving the ball. We had 20 assists on 30 field goals. That's really moving the ball."

    San Antonio, which hasn't posted seven consecutive victories since June 28-July 11, 2008, now looks for its momentum to carry over versus New York (6-9).

    The Liberty have had their way with the Silver Stars of late, pulling out five straight wins - the last four of which have come by six or fewer points.

    New York has posted back-to-back victories after dropping four of five, beating Seattle 77-59 on June 30 and winning 64-59 at Chicago six days later. Four-time All-Star Cappie Pondexter scored a team-high 19 points for the Liberty, who managed to prevail despite shooting 38.6 percent and getting outrebounded 45-30.

    "We just told them to win it on defense and rebounding," said coach John Whisenant, whose team has been outrebounded by an Eastern Conference-worst 5.4 boards per game. "We had trouble scoring and I knew it would be that way. We missed some baskets that were easy, but so did they. They missed some putbacks. I'll take the way it was."

    New York could be without leading rebounder Kia Vaughn for a second consecutive game. The 6-foot-4 center, averaging a team-high 5.8 boards, is dealing with a concussion she suffered versus the Storm.

    Excerpt from:

    Silver Stars-Liberty Preview