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Madonna Dolorosa, Mater Dolorosa, or Lady of Sorrows: Naples, Italy

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

More from Italy, as I sort through my thousands of photographs: I don't know much about the top piece, but I am guessing it is a 18th or early 19th century Madonna Dolorosa, Mater Dolorosa, or Lady of Sorrows, a popular motif in Naples; we spotted it at one of the many antiques shops we popped into on our trip. The bottom image is my own Madonna Dolorosa, made by the workshop of Giuseppe and Marco Ferrigno, a studio which continues to create--by hand!--fine Baroque-style crèches and terracotta figures of the sort for which Naples is still, rightrully, renowned.

Click on images to see much larger, finer images.

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Coney Island USA's Amazing Annual Spring Gala! This Saturday, March 24; Special Prizes for Morbid Anatomy Readers!

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

I am very excited to draw your attention this year's annual Coney Island USA Spring Gala, fast approaching and taking place this Saturday, March 24th! Last year's iteration was amazing; these folks really really know how to put on a party. The $100 ticket gets you not only an evening of performance, music, burlesque and spectacle, but also free booze from 7-11, hors d'oeuvres and exclusive access to the VIP balcony where you and hide from the throngs if so desired; you are also supporting the wonderful cause that is Coney Island USA.

I will definitely be there; hope to see you there, too! Also, please note: as a special incentive, if you type "Morbid Anatomy" in the notes field on the ticket site, you will recieve a free Morbid Anatomy totebag from your friends here at the blog!

Full info follows; hope very very much to see you there!

CONEY ISLAND USA SPRING GALA 2012: CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MERMAID PARADE!
SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH
7PM - 11PM
WEBSTER HALL
125 EAST 11 ST (BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH AVE.)
NEW YORK, NY 10003
Join Coney Island USA as we invade Manhattan at New York’s oldest nightclub, Webster Hall, and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Mermaid Parade at our annual Spring Gala. All proceeds of the Spring Gala go directly towards funding Coney Island USA's innovative arts programming such as The Coney Island Circus Sideshow, The Mermaid Parade, The Coney Island Museum, Burlesque at the Beach and the Coney Island Film Festival to name just a few. Coney Island USA also fights to preserve and revitalize Coney Island’s historic amusement district.
This year’s gala event will feature a dazzling display of daring feats executed by the cast of Sideshows by the Seashore, some of New York’s most talented and titillating burlesque performers, a glorious gamut of go go gals and guys, as well as special musical guests for your auditory pleasure. And be on the lookout for all kinds of surprises!
Scheduled to perform:
From the cast of The Coney Island Circus Sideshow: Insectavora, Kryssy Kocktail, Princess Pat, Serpentina, Scott Baker
Fire Dancing by: Sasha Fire Gypsy
Burlesque By: Miss Coney Island 2012 - BB Heart, Bambi the Mermaid, Bunny Love, *World Famous Bob*, The Go Go Stylings of: Amelia Bareparts, Apathy Angel, Dottie Dynamo, Evelyn Vinyl, Go Go Harder, Jezebel Express, Justina Flash, LaMaia, Magdalena Fox, Raven Twin, Rosey La Rouge, Sara Hassan, Sizzle Dizzle
Mermaid: Angela
Magic by: Cardone
Juggling by: Kyle Petersen
Musical Guest: Alison Gordy
Accordion: Matt Dallow
Multi Talents: Kyle Petersen, Jonathan Burns, Mark Hayward
Strongman: Chris Schoeck
Lasers By: S&M Visuals
Performance DJ: Ron-Fresh Prince of Darkness
Ambient DJ: Lemar Soulflower
Live Body Painting by: Dr. Flux
The Voice of The Mermaid Parade: Chris T.
Hosted by: Adam The First Real Man & *World Famous Bob*
Stage Sidekick: Brian Fisherman
With VIP Host and Hostesses: Creamy Stevens, Kat Mon Dieu, Marni Halasa, Tigger, Noah D’Klein, Little Brooklyn, Alfie Bunz,
Kita St. Cyr, Hazel Honeysuckle, Beelezebabe, Ginger Brown, Bambi The Mermaid, Bunny Love, Cherry Delight, Glenn Marla
Crew: Tony, LaMaia (Kitten), Pat Bresnan, Ron Garcia-Vidal
Also expect Special Guests from over 30 Years of Mermaid Parades, including former Royalty - Joe Franklin, Phoebe Legere, Alison Gordy, Fred Kahl, *World Famous Bob*, Kiva, Ron Kuby, Reverend Billy, Savitri D.
Auction Items at the gala include:
Two seats on the reviewing stand with the King and Queen for 30th Anniversary Mermaid Parade
Darren Aronofsky signed copy of his 'Noah' graphic novel
Tickets to Monster Jam
Fire Breathing Lessons
Golf foursome
Dinner for four at Gossip Bar
Christmas Day visit from Santa
WWOW Radio: pair of tickets for any performance April – June
Set of Shocked and Amazed from James Taylor and Full Congress Pass
One Hour Burlesque lesson from World Famous *Bob*
Full behind the scenes tour of the New York Aquarium
Full Film Festival Pass with collection of Film Fest posters
Freak Bar Party - - - (10 tickets to the Freaks Show and a dedicated
area at the Freak Bar) *date restrictions apply
Marie Roberts Mermaid Banner
Plus more to be announced!
AND (IF THAT ISN’T ENOUGH!) ALL OF OUR GUESTS WILL BE INVITED TO STAY AT WEBSTER HALL FOR A VERY SPECIAL CIRCUS AFTER-PARTY BEGINNING AT 11PM!
Check out photos from prior galas here.
TICKETS:
ALL advance online ticket buyers will be entered into a drawing for TWO seats on the judges stand for this years 30th Anniversary Mermaid Parade on June 23rd (a $300 dollar value), to be given away at the Spring Gala. So get your tickets online now, and you could be our lucky winner. Advance online sale ends Friday, March 23rd at 11pm.
Spring Gala V.I.P.Ticket, $250 (includes open bar from 7-11pm, signature cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, exclusive seating with our V.I.P.’s and Gift Bags),
Click here to order.
Spring Gala Supporter, $100 (includes special signature cocktails, beer and wine from 7-11, hors d'oeuvres and exclusive access to the VIP balcony where you can interact with past Royalty, Celebrities and Coney Island USA’s core supporters), Click here to order.
General Admission (Entry Only) Tickets, $60, Click here to order.
Advance sale ends Friday, March 23rd at 11pm. Tickets may be purchased at Webster Hall night of the gala (March 24th).
Please Note: There are no restrooms on the main level and no elevator access to the restrooms, however, venue staff is prepared to carry any wheelchairs or assist in getting patrons into the venue and to the restrooms, if necesssary. You must let us know if you have special needs.
How else can I help support Coney Island USA?
Join the Host Committee! Co-Chaired by Darren Aronofsky!
Joining the Host Committee is a great way to get involved and help make this amazing event happen. Host Committee members sell or purchase 5 Gala Supporter Tickets or 3 V.I.P. Tickets and receive a free admission for themselves so they can host their friends in return! Committee members are invited to a private dinner in recognition of their support and will have their names printed in the Gala Journal that will go to all of our guests.
For further Host Committee info, contact Tim Pendrell
e-mail: tim@coneyisland.com phone: 718-372-5159

You can buy your tickets by clicking here.

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Call for Papers:" Art and Science: Knowledge, Creation and Discovery" Conference, Linnean Society, London, June 28-29

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

This very exciting call for papers just in from Morbid Anatomy reader Arlene Leis:

AAH Summer Symposium 2012
Art and Science: Knowledge, Creation and Discovery
28 – 29 June 2012
The Linnean Society, London
Call for Papers
Although their academic paradigms may at first seem diametrically opposed, the association between arts and sciences has survived renaissances, revolutions and beyond.
This intellectual conjunction has motivated artistic practice and production throughout history, forming the conceptual nucleus of some of the most stimulating forms of creative expression. By engaging with this inter-relationship, we hope to address the assumed divisions that have kept the arts and sciences as separate areas of academic enquiry, whilst at the same time questioning if such an alliance is necessary or profitable for either discipline.
As well as considering general ideas of artistic and scientific collaboration, this year’s Summer Symposium will investigate the interaction between art and science throughout artistic practice, theory and history. Topics for papers could include, but are not limited to:
Artists who work directly or indirectly with science
Medical and anatomical images, diagrams, and the art of science
Architecture and the body
Histories of collection, taxonomies, display and acquisition in the arts and sciences
The role of the science of perception in the development of perspective, figuration and abstraction
The idea of the modern as related to science and technology
The figure of the polymath
Neuroscience and histories of vision
Photography between science and art
Mathematics and beauty – the Golden Section
Technology and the evolving dissemination of art history
Science in art historical conservation and research
Papers should be 20 minutes in length and abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted with a brief biography to: aah.art.science@gmail.com by 29 April 2012.
The conference is open to all, but speakers need to be student AAH members.
Symposium Organisers
Arlene Leis, University of York
Rebecca Norris, University of Cambridge
Freya Gowrley, University of Edinburgh
Keynote speakers
Dr Craig Ashley Hanson, (Calvin College)
Dr Petra Lange-Berndt, (UCL)

To find out more, click here.

Image from call for papers PDF; Rebecca Nichols, Arbor Vitae (2007), more here.

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"Does the Brain’s Wiring Make us Who we Are?" April 2, NYC

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

This wonderful looking event just in from friend, former Observatory lecturer, and author of the lovely Portraits of the Mind: Visualizing the Brain from Antiquity to the 21st Century Carl Schoonover; hope very much to see you there!

Does the brain’s wiring make us who we are?
Two leading neuroscientists debate maps, minds and the future of their field.
Date: Monday, April 2, 2012
Time: 6:30 pm, cocktails. 7 pm, program.
Location: Havemeyer Hall 309, Columbia University, Broadway @ 116th St
Sebastian Seung (MIT)
Professor of Computational Neuroscience, MIT; Author of Connectome: How the Brain’s Wiring Makes Us Who We Are
vs. Anthony Movshon (NYU)
Professor and Director, Center for Neural Science, NYU
Moderators: Robert Krulwich of NPR’s Radiolab and Carl Zimmer, science journalist (NYTimes, Discover, NPR)
FREE AND OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
What will be the next big breakthrough in neuroscience? What will finally explain how brains work, how they fail in disease, and what makes us each unique? Some neuroscientists believe that research would be radically accelerated by finding and deciphering “connectomes,” maps of connections between neurons. Funding agencies are wagering millions of dollars on the idea that connectomics will be as fundamental to neuroscience as genomics is to molecular biology.
But others disagree, arguing that maps of the brain by themselves cannot offer much insight into how this remarkable organ does its job. Just as a genome by itself is only a blueprint with little power to explain how an organism works, a connectome is at best a framework with little power to explain brain function. Should neuroscience make it a priority to launch a significant connectomics program, diverting human and financial resources from other worthy goals?
Join us as leading “connectomist” Dr. Sebastian Seung defends his position in public against the formidable neurophysiologist Dr. Anthony Movshon. Award-winning science writer Carl Zimmer teams up with co-creator of NPR's Radiolab, Robert Krulwich, to moderate this debate on neural cartography, guiding the audience through both known and unknown territory as we ask the question: Are brain maps the future of neuroscience or an empty promise?
Seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved beginning March 12 at Noon.
Questions: neuwrite@gmail.com
NeuWrite is a collaborative working group for scientists and writers.
Image credit: A. Zlateski based on images of K. Briggman, M. Helmstaedter, and W. Denk.

More can be found here.

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New Lot of the Beautiful Book "Musical Machines and Living Dolls" The Guinness Collection at The Morris Museum

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

The Murtogh D. Guinness Collection at the Morris Museum is an astounding collection of automata (mechanical toys popular in the 18th and 19th century) and mechanical musical instruments that can be visited in--of all surprising places--Morristown, New Jersey. The collection is mind-blowingly vast; it is, in fact, the largest such public collection in the U. S. and one of the largest in the world, with around 700 automata and mechanical musical instruments and over 5,000 programmed media, nearly all of which are were produced in the 19th Century.

The highlight of the Morris Collection--in my opinion, at least!--is its extensive lot of fine 19th Century European automatons. Most of the pieces are in excellent repair and still able to go through their uncanny motions, and the scale, quality, and range of the collection are simply flabbergasting, the kind of thing you might consider yourself lucky to find in France (where many automata producers were based) but certainly not here on the East Coast of the United States.

The Morris Museum has just published a new book devoted to this collection, and I currently have 10 copies of the book in stock. Entitled Musical Machines and Living Dolls: Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata from the Murtogh D. Guinness Collection, this book is a lovely little gem all its own; it is hardcover, full color throughout, beautifully printed, and well-researched. It also includes a well-researched overview of the history of automata from ancient times to the present and a biography of Murtogh D. Guinness, the heir to the Guinness beer fortune who amassed this collection and ultimately bequeathed it to the Morris Museum.

The book also--luckily for me!--features extensive text and scores of images (all images above are drawn from the book!) devoted to many of my favorite pieces in the collection, such as a number of 18th Century-style monkey dandies engaging in human activities (images 2, 3 & 4), 3 cats playing cards (image 5), a lute-playing Mephistopholes (image 7), an asp-suiciding Cleopatra (!!!) (image 6), performing tightrope walkers with orchestral accompaniment (image 9), a hookah-smoking Turk, singing birds, strutting peacocks, performing magicians, street vendors peddling their wares, and much, much more.

To give you a taste of the style and level of research to be found in this book, I include here the entire entry for the fascinating piece you see 6 images down, a late 19th century automaton entitled "The Suicide of Cleopatra":

The Suicide of Cleopatra
About 1880-90
Phalibois, Paris, France
37" x 45 1/2" w x 12 1/2" d
2003.18.236a-c
Surrounded by a massive gilt frame, this animated scene would have dominated most parlors of the time. It depicts a highly sensual version of Queen Cleopatra of Egypt's supposed suicide in 30 B.C. When activated, her breast heaves, her eyelids blink--and an asp strikes.
Although made in the late 1800s, the scene reflects a long-standing Western fascination with Egypt, which had been renewed by Napoleon Bonaparte's occupation of the country at the turn of the nineteenth century. Along with tens of thousands of troops, Bonaparte brought with him scientists and scholars who recorded all that they saw. The Description de l'Egypte, which emerged from their research, became a source for artists, designers, architects, and others, and the ensuing widespread fascination spread from everything from furniture to parlor entertainment.

Morbid Anatomy is delighted to be assisting The Morris Museum in the distribution of this lovely and informative book, which contains images and information to be found nowhere else. The cost of the book is $40; shipping and handling within the United States is $5 and shipping and handling for international orders is $20. The book is 10 1/2" X 8 1/2" and runs to about 140 pages. As I am unable to get these books listed on Amazon.com, those interested in ordering a copy can contact me directly at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

You can find out more about the Morris Museum--including how to visit the collection in person!--by clicking here. Also, stay tuned for a soon-to-be-announced second field trip to visit the collection. If interested in receiving an alert, subscribe to the Morbid Anatomy mailing list by adding your email address on the upper left-hand side of this blog under the header "Mailing List of Events, Happenings, and The Like."

All images are drawn from the book and picture, from top to bottom:

Book Cover
Barrel Reed Organ with Monkey Automata, about 1865
Monkey Violinist, about 1855
Monkey Dandy, about 1880
Cats Playing Cards, about 1900
Suicide of Cleopatra, about 1880-1890
Mephistopholes (Model No. 1), about 1886-1900
Barrel Organ with Animated Figures, about 1820-1840 (detail)
Tightrope Dancer and Musicians, about 1875-1885 (detail)

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Selling the Dead: Anatomy as Business in the Dutch Golden Age, Lecture this Friday by Daniel Margocsy at Observatory

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

This Friday at Observatory! Hope to see you there.

Selling the Dead: Anatomy as Business in the Dutch Golden Age
An Illustrated Lecture with Daniel Margocsy of Hunter College
Date: Friday, March 23rd
Time: 8:00
Admission: $5
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
What can dead bodies tell you about the secret of life? And how can you make money from investigating these secrets? This lecture takes us back to the Dutch Golden Age when anatomists busily engaged with cutting up cadavers, orangoutans and exotic toads to study the circulation of blood, sweat and tears. Sumptuous paintings, color prints, illustrated atlases, wax preparations and bottled embryos showcased and touted the latest discoveries about the human body.
It was a good business to do anatomy. Immortalized by Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson, Dr. Tulp was one of the richest men in Amsterdam, and Frederik Ruysch amassed a fortune from selling his anatomical specimens to the Russian czar. The talk reveals the entrepreneurial life of Dutch physicians, surgeons and apothecaries who transformed decaying cadavers into material wealth.
Daniel Margocsy is assistant professor of early modern history at Hunter College – CUNY. He received his PhD in the history of science from Harvard University in 2009. He has published articles in the Journal of the History of Ideas, the British Journal for the History of Science and the Netherlands Yearbook of Art History, and is currently working on the book Commercial Visions: Science, Trade and Visual Culture in the Dutch Golden Age.
Image: Frederik Ruysch tableau utilizing fetal skeletons and other human remains, from a 1744 etching

More on Observatory can be found here. To sign up for events on Facebook, join our group by clicking here. To sign up for our weekly mailer, click here.

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The Body of San Giovanni Leonardi, Patron Saint of Pharmacists, Rome, Italy

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

Incorruptible? Effigy? There is definitely some wax involved. The caption next to this figure in his space age crystal coffin read:

Corpo di San Giovanni Leonardi (Diecimo-Lucca 1591-Roma 1609) Fondatore dell'Ordine della Madre di Dio Cofondatore del Collegio di Propaganda Fide, Patrono dei Framacisti." (Or, as translated by Google, "Body of St. John Leonardi (Diecimo Lucca-1591-Rome 1609) Founder of the Order of the Mother of God, co-founder of the College of Propaganda Fide, Patron of Pharmacists.)

As seen at--if I remember correctly--his shrine at Santa Maria of Campitelli church in Rome. More on this saint can be found here. More from Italy to come very soon.

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Stem cell therapy could repair some heart damage: Study

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

Published on Mar 25, 2012

CHICAGO (AFP) - Patients with advanced heart disease who received an experimental stem cell therapy showed slight improvements in blood pumping but no change in most of their symptoms, United States researchers said on Saturday.

Study authors described the trial as the largest to date to examine stem cell therapy as a route to repairing the heart in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

Previous studies have established that the approach is safe in human patients, but none had examined how well it worked on a variety of heart ailments.

The clinical trial involved 92 patients, with an average age of 63, who were picked at random to get either a placebo or a series of injections of their own stem cells, taken from their bone marrow, into damaged areas of their hearts.

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Stem cell therapy could repair some heart damage: Study

Stem cell, heart heath study

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

HOUSTON -

Doctors from the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital have found that patients with heart failure may be able to repair the damaged areas of the heart with stem cells from the patient's own bone marrow.

Doctors presented the findings at the American College of Cardiologys 61st Annual Scientific Session Saturday.

The results are from a multi-center clinical study that measured the possible benefits of using a patients own bone marrow cells to repair damaged areas of the heart suffering from severe heart failure, a condition that affects millions of Americans.

The study, which was the largest such investigation to date, found that the hearts of the patients receiving bone marrow derived stem cells showed a small but significant increase in the ability to pump oxygenated blood from the left ventricle, the hearts main pumping chamber, to the body.

The expectation is that the study will pave the way for potential new treatment options and will be important to designing and evaluating future clinical trials.

This is exactly the kind of information we need to move forward with the clinical use of stem cell therapy, said Emerson Perin, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Research for Cardiovascular Medicine at THI, and one of the studys lead investigators.

The bone-marrow derived stem cells are helpful to the injured heart when they are themselves biologically active, added Dr. James T. Willerson, the studys principal investigator and President and Medical Director of THI.

This study moves us one step closer to being able to help patients with severe heart failure who have no other alternatives.

The study was conducted by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network, the national consortium to conduct such research funded by the National Institutes of Healths National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Read more from the original source:
Stem cell, heart heath study

Stem cell treatment could repair heart damage

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

CHICAGO - Patients with advanced heart disease who received an experimental stem cell therapy showed slightly improved heart function, researchers said at a major U.S. cardiology conference on Saturday.

The patients all had chronic heart disease, along with either heart failure or angina, and their left ventricles were pumping at less than 45 per cent of capacity.

All the participants in the study were ineligible for revascularization surgery, such as coronary bypass to restore blood flow, because their heart disease was so advanced.

Those who received the stem cell therapy saw a small but significant boost in the heart's ability to pump blood, measuring the increase from the heart's main pumping chamber at 2.7 per cent more than placebo patients.

"This is the kind of information we need in order to move forward with the clinical use of stem cell therapy," said lead investigator Emerson Perin, director of clinical research for cardiovascular medicine at the Texas Heart Institute.

Perin's research, which was conducted between 2009 and 2011 across five U.S sites, was presented at the annual American College of Cardiology Conference in Chicago.

The technique involved taking bone marrow samples from the patients and processing the marrow to extract stem cells. Doctors then injected the cells via catheter into the heart's left ventricle.

The injections, comprising some 100 million stem cells in all, were specifically targeted at damaged areas, identified by real-time electromechanical mapping of the heart.

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Stem cell treatment could repair heart damage

Mr. Universe from 1952 shares keys to longevity

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

In this Friday, March 16, 2012 photo, Indian body builder Manohar Aich flexes his muscles as he poses for a photograph in a gymnasium in Kolkata, India. Aich, who is only 4 foot 11 inches (150 centimeters) tall, won the Mr. Universe title in London way back in 1952. Happiness and a life without tensions are the key to his longevity, said Aich, who turned 100 on March 17. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Mr. Universe from 1952 shares keys to longevity

Bodybuilding Centenarian endorses simple diet, lifestyle.

Kolkata, India A former Mr. Universe who has just turned 100 said Sunday that happiness and a life without tensions are the key to his longevity.

Manohar Aich, who is 4 feet 11 inches tall, overcame many hurdles, including grinding poverty and a stint in prison, to achieve bodybuilding glory.

His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered last Sunday in the eastern city of Kolkata to celebrate his birthday the day before.

Hindu priests chanted prayers while a feast was laid out to honor Aich, winner of the 1952 Mr. Universe bodybuilding title.

Rippling his muscles and flashing a toothless grin, Aich says his ability to take his troubles lightly and remain happy during difficult times are the secrets to his long life.

That, and a simple diet of milk, fruits and vegetables along with rice, lentils and fish have kept him healthy.

He does not smoke and has never touched alcohol, he said.

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Mr. Universe from 1952 shares keys to longevity

RFA sophomore wins regional science fair

Posted on March 25, 2012 by ev1

Mary Ann Bulawa, a sophomore at Rome Free Academy, took top honors at Utica Colleges 34th annual Regional Science Fair Saturday.

Her project, Optimizing Algae Growth, garnered the senior level grand prize, which includes two years of half tuition at Utica College, along with an all-expense paid trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh in May.

The senior level runner-up was Grace Atik from Clinton, a ninth-grade student, for her project, We Didnt Start the Fire. She will be eligible for a one-year, half-tuition scholarship at Utica College.

Taking top honors in the junior level were Neila Rekic and Katelyn Zaleski, eighth-grade students from John F. Kennedy Middle School in Utica, for their project, The Electrolyte Challenge.

Local students in grades 7 through 12 from Oneida and Chenango counties presented their research and experiments in categories ranging from behavioral and computer science to microbiology and engineering.

Schools participating this year were: Clinton, Donovan Middle School, John F. Kennedy Middle School, New Hartford, Perry Junior High, Poland, Rome Catholic, Rome Free Academy, Strough Junior High, Proctor and Whitesboro.

Entrants competed in either the senior level (grades 9-12) or junior level (grades 7-8) for cash prizes, tuition scholarships, and select special prizes awarded by organizations such as the American Meteorological Association, Intel, the U.S. Army and many others.

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RFA sophomore wins regional science fair

Cell therapy using patient’s own bone marrow may present option for heart disease

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 24-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kristin Wincek kwincek@mhif.org 612-863-0249 Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation

CHICAGO Cell therapy may present an option for patients with ischemic heart disease to use their own bone marrow cells to repair the damaged areas of their hearts, and may pave the way for future treatment options, according to the FOCUS trial, which will be presented as a late-breaking clinical trial March 24 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

This is the largest study to date to look at stem cell therapy, using a patient's own stem cells, to repair damaged areas of the heart in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Researchers found that left ventricular ejection fraction (the percentage of blood leaving the heart's main pumping chamber) increased by a small but significant amount (2.7 percent) in patients who received stem cell therapy. The study also revealed that the improvement in ejection fraction correlated with the number of progenitor cells (CD34+ and CD133+) in the bone marrow; and this information will help in evaluating and designing future therapies and trials.

"FOCUS is an incredibly important trial, as it has informed the cell therapy community how to better treat this high-risk patient population, and allows us to enter into an exciting, next generation of stem cell therapy armed with more data," said study investigator Timothy D. Henry, MD, an interventional cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute (MHI) at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and director of research with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

This multicenter study was conducted by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN), which is supported through a research grant from the National Institutes of Health's National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), with the goal to evaluate novel stem cell-based treatment strategies for individuals with cardiovascular disease.

FOCUS will be presented at ACC.12 by its lead investigator Emerson C. Perin, MD, PhD, director of clinical research for cardiovascular medicine at the Texas Heart Institute, one of the five sites in the CCTRN. The Minneapolis Heart Institute is another site of the five in the network, and a large number of CCTRN patients were enrolled in Minnesota.

For this study, which took place between April 2009 and April 2011, the five sites randomly selected 92 patients to receive stem cell treatment or placebo. The symptomatic patients, with an average age 63, all had chronic ischemic heart disease and an ejection fraction of less than 45 percent (baseline 34 percent) along with heart failure and/or angina and were no longer candidates for revascularization. "These patients had no other options, as medical management failed to improve their symptoms," explained the study's co-investigator Jay Traverse, MD, an interventionalist cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and physician researcher with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

Bone marrow was aspirated from the patients and processed to obtain just the mononuclear fraction of the marrow. In patients randomly selected to receive stem cell therapy, physicians inserted a catheter into the heart's left ventricle to inject 100 million stem cells in more than 15 sites that showed damage on the electromechanical mapping image of the heart.

"Studies such as these are able to be completed much faster because of the team approach of the network" said Sonia I. Skarlatos, PhD, NHBLI's deputy director of the division of cardiovascular sciences and program director of CCTRN.

More:
Cell therapy using patient's own bone marrow may present option for heart disease

Tentative county fire pact calls for 2-year pay freeze, end to longevity bonus

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

By Joe Schoenmann (contact)

Friday, March 23, 2012 | 4:04 p.m.

Future hires by the Clark County Fire Department will not be eligible for longevity pay, an incentive used to keep employees from leaving their job for other opportunities.

In addition, a contract worked out between the firefighters union and Clark County management calls for a wage freeze for the next two years. The contract must be ratified by the Clark County Commission before it can take effect.

The three-year contract, which will run from July 1 through June 2015, allows the salary schedule to be opened for negotiation in the third year.

County administrators estimate the longevity concession will save $60 million over the next 25 years.

"The local 1908 has come to the table and demonstrated a sincere willingness to address the short- and long-term financial issues the county faces, Assistant County Manager Ed Finger said. There have been some past challenges, but their assistance and partnership is real and deserves recognition."

The quick contract resolution marks a change from two years ago, when negotiations stalled until an independent arbitrator was called in to decide on a contract. Both county administrators and firefighters are looking ahead to 2014, when voters will be allowed to decide if they want to extend a 5.27 cent property tax, per $100, that helps the Fire Department pay capital and operational expenses.

The County Commission will consider the agreement on the April 17 agenda.

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Tentative county fire pact calls for 2-year pay freeze, end to longevity bonus

Understanding biology of the largemouth is key to catching them

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

A professor holds plastic bait next to an aquarium containing largemouth bass. ( MCT file photo )

After a frustrating day on the water, many fishermen return to the dock and make the bass out to be the Ph.D of the fish world.

But here's some news for you: The largemouth isn't nearly as smart as it might seem.

"Some fishermen give the bass far too much credit," said Keith Jones, who is in charge of research at the Berkley Fish Research Station in Iowa. "The bass doesn't have the ability to reason. As soon as it hatches, it is genetically pre programmed to follow certain behavior.

"It relies on its senses to guide its actions. Its vision, hearing, sense of smell and taste . . . . that all plays a part. It's a sensory machine, and the sooner we as fishermen learn how those senses guide the bass's behavior, the more fish we will catch."

When it's time to feed, that sensory machine is fully operational.

The bass relies on its vision as its No. 1 asset. It has eyes that are specially adapted for underwater use, allowing for a wide range of vision. Jones said the bass has a maximum viewing distance of about 50 feet. But it has small binocular fields for close-up viewing to scrutinize its prey.

"We have seen many times in our research where a bass will rush across a tank at something, then stop to study it, then it will veer off," said Jones, who wrote the book

Whatever the case, the bass' s eyesight isn't nearly as sharp as a human's.

"The sharpness of their vision is only 10 percent of ours," Jones said. "When they look at an object, they don't see nearly the detail we do." That's why bass often rely on their unique hearing system to help. They have a lateral line that runs across the body to pick up vibrations.

Originally posted here:
Understanding biology of the largemouth is key to catching them

Huffines Discussion fostering healthy dialogue through event

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

Dr. Noah Dean delivers his speech, Avoiding Gimmicks in Health and Fitness, Friday at the Huffines Discussion at Rudder Theatre.

People are often told that the key to a successful performance is focusing, but the real stickler is focusing on the right thing, said Jacques Dallaire, an exercise physiology expert who works with professional athletes and entertainers who want to be the best in their business.

"The issue is not focusing harder," he said. "It's focusing correctly."

Dallaire was one of eight speakers Friday at the second annual Huffines Discussion who gave 15-minute presentations on their expertise in the field of sports medicine.

The event was organized by the Texas A&M Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, a group aiming to connect exercise scientists, practitioners and the public in hopes of increasing health.

Giving an example of when focusing can be used the wrong way, Dallaire pointed to basketball players who miss shots because they're thinking about the previous shot they missed.

"If you want the results to be as good as possible, stop thinking about the results," he said. "Be the boss of your own mind. Choose to exercise that control and direct your focus correctly."

Topics weren't just limited to sports and sports medicine, but appealed to anyone with a general interest in health or fitness and were meant to help people in their everyday lives, said Tim Lightfoot, a professor of kinesiology and institute director.

Wendy Kohrt, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, gave advice about keeping bones strong to prevent osteoporosis -- a condition typically diagnosed in older people who have lost bone density, causing their bones to become weak and easily fractured.

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Huffines Discussion fostering healthy dialogue through event

Huffines Institute fostering healthy dialogue through event

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

Dr. Noah Dean delivers his speech, Avoiding Gimmicks in Health and Fitness, Friday at the Huffines Discussion at Rudder Theatre.

"The issue is not focusing harder," he said. "It's focusing correctly."

Dallaire was one of eight speakers Friday at the second annual Huffines Discussion who gave 15-minute presentations on their expertise in the field of sports medicine.

Giving an example of when focusing can be used the wrong way, Dallaire pointed to basketball players who miss shots because they're thinking about the previous shot they missed.

"If you want the results to be as good as possible, stop thinking about the results," he said. "Be the boss of your own mind. Choose to exercise that control and direct your focus correctly."

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Huffines Institute fostering healthy dialogue through event

My Nutrition – Biggest Loser SlimCoach

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

Here is what the main screen for the interface looks like. You can easily get to any day you've used the system for, and see these stats for any day.

So in this case I had a shake for breakfast, a salad with lemonade for lunch, and an omelet with water for dinner. This is a nice mix of pre-made items and personal recipes to demonstrate how the system works.

For pre-made items like the shake, you search their system to find the entry. The system has thousands of items in it and has pretty much anything pre-made. So I found this and selected it. Easy. Now it's one of my 'favorites' so I can easily add it in going forward without searching for it.

For the salad and omelet, I added those as recipes. Adding a recipe is also easy. You make your list of ingredients and it already knows the calories in, for example, grape tomatoes. So you just tell it the quantity and it does the rest. You can save those recipes and even share them with others. And again it then is easy to select them going forward.

Once you've gone that, it shows you all the carbs, protein, fat, and calories, and even other values like sodium and vitamin A, on these easy to use screens. So you can scan your menu and see what is good and what might need to be adjusted. You can see how you're doing for calorie count and carb count.

I definitely like the My Nutrition area of the SlimCoach system, and find it quite useful. No matter what your weight and health desires, it's good to know what you're ingesting and how it's affecting you!

My one minor complaint here is that it shows all the top numbers in red if they're below whatever level you set. So say I set my carbohydrate level to be 25% of my daily intake of calories. I want to stay below 25%. So a low number is GOOD. However, the system shows it as red. I should be able to indicate that I think low numbers are good in some areas.

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My Nutrition - Biggest Loser SlimCoach

Pride of the Pine Belt: Sacks Outdoors

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -

Longevity is often intangible for businesses these days, but Sacks Outdoors in downtown Hattiesburg has made it through 61 years and is still going strong.

Forjust as many yearsbusinesses have come and gone in downtown Hattiesburg.

"The changes were meant to be I guess. People trying to find other sources other ways of making themselves feel new," said owner of Sacks Outdoors, David Sackler.

Sackler says he and his family never wanted to move the business anywhere else.

"I always thought downtown was the place for me," said Sackler.

That dedication is exactly why the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association made Sackler the recipient of the inaugural "Making It Happen" award.

Sackler was born in Poland, and his family relocated to Mississippi in 1948. In 1951 Sackler's father started the family operation.

"It was spread from just aclothing store to a sporting good store. Now we have a variety of other items," said Sackler.

Now, a third generation of the Sackler familyhas taken over. David's son Aaron .

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Pride of the Pine Belt: Sacks Outdoors

County Reaches Tentative Deal With Firefighters Union

Posted on March 24, 2012 by ev1

Posted: Mar. 23, 2012 | 3:39 p.m.

Clark County firefighters reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with county officials Friday afternoon that is expected to save the county about $60 million over 25 years.

The deal, which runs from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2015, eliminates longevity pay for new hires, where county staff members expect to reap most of the savings, and freezes cost of living adjustments for the first two years with the option of allowing either party to renegotiate the third year.

County officials have said they spend about $25 million a year on overall longevity pay, originally used as a recruitment tool to attract employees and reward them annually for their years of service after eight years.

According to the most recent annual employee compensation report, longevity pay made up about 8 percent of firefighter pay and 15 percent of battalion chief pay.

The report also showed that fire payroll has decreased by more than $11.3 million, 12 percent, over the past two years because of collective bargaining concessions and operational changes. County officials also reported the average salary and benefits for firefighters falling to $175,000 in fiscal year 2011 from $189,000 in fiscal year 2010.

"The Local 1908 has come to the table and demonstrated a sincere willingness to address the short- and long-term financial issues the county faces," Assistant County Manager Ed Finger said. "There have been some past challenges, but their assistance and partnership is real and deserves recognition."

Union members are slated to vote on the agreement April 10-12. The County Commission is expected to ratify the agreement at its April 17 meeting.

"It's a great deal for both sides," said Ryan Beaman, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1908. "We were responsive to county and taxpayer needs. When both sides come to the table and negotiate, and are open and willing to work together, the negotiations process works."

Beaman added that firefighters have taken a 10.5 percent decrease in pay over the past two years.

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County Reaches Tentative Deal With Firefighters Union

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