Select Page ::

Black raspberries prevent colorectal cancer

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

by: David Gutierrez

Black raspberries contain natural compounds that may significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Ohio State University and published in the journal Cancer Prevention.

Researchers genetically engineered mice to develop either intestinal tumors or a type of colon inflammation, colitis, known to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. They then fed all the mice a high-risk diet low in calcium and vitamin D and high in saturated fat for 12 weeks. Some of the mice were fed 10 percent of their daily calories from freeze-dried black raspberry powder.

Among the mice engineered to get colitis, black raspberry powder significantly reduced inflammation and cut both the number of new and total tumors by 50 percent. Among mice engineered to get intestinal tumors, black raspberry powder reduced the number of new tumors by 45 percent and the number of total tumors by 60 percent. The effect appeared to be produced, in part, by the suppression of a protein that binds to the artificially modified gene. Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

Source:
http://anti-aging-for-today.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Volunteer Week 2012

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Serving By Doing- Honors College Volunteer Week 2012!
Attention UA Students: Want a fun and interactive way to support the community you live in? Looking for a way to interact with fellow students while assisting the less fortunate? The UA Honors College is hosting their first annual volunteer week entitled “Serving by Doing” from February 27th-March 3rd. There will be a variety of activities including the following:
•Monday: BorderLinks Awareness Event (12pm-2pm, UA Mall)
•Tuesday: Blood Drive at UA Main Library (10am-3pm, UA Main Library)
•Wednesday: Project Linus Blankets for Children in Need (6:00-8:00pm, Honors College)
•Thursday: Crafts for Kids for Project Sunshine (5:30pm-6:30pm, Honors College)
•Friday: Ben’s Bells (10am-1pm, Ben’s Bells on University)
•Saturday: Cats in the Community (10:30am-2:00pm, World Care Center)
**Advanced registration required by Feb. 16th for Cats in the Community, http://catsincommunity.arizona.edu/2012_volunteer_registration.
** Register with Honors Student Council, from 10:45-2pm, and bring the waivers to the Honors College before February 15th!
Register for Service Week online at HonorsStudentCouncilAZ.com and direct any questions: to HonorsStudentCouncil@gmail.com. Everyone is invited and those who participate in at least 3 events win a FREE T-Shirt!!! (*while supplies last) Registration opens February 12th at HonorsStudentCouncilAz.com !!!! The events are open to ALL students, including non-honors students. We look forward to seeing you!
Tamara Armstrong
University of Arizona
Honors College
Physiology Major
French Minor
Biology Minor
Honors Student Council Philanthropy Chair
Blue Chip Pima Lodge Programming Assistant

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

Sports Business Industry:

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Know a student looking for a career in the sports business industry? The Sports Marketing Association (SMA), a student run organization on the University of Arizona campus is holding a day long educational, networking, and interviewing event! This Friday, February 24th from 11AM to 5PM, SMA will be hosting 20+ speakers in the sports industry at the MAC Gym in the University of Arizona Rec Center. The MAC Gym is right outside the weight room and south of the sand volleyball courts in the rec center. Students will have the opportunity to listen to professionals discussing current topics and trends in the sports industry by attending any (or all!) of the discussion panels shown below. The event is free for students and there is no RSVP needed to attend. However, we ask all attendees to dress in business professional attire.
Come as you want. If you want to stay for the entire event, we'd love that! But if a certain panel catches you're interest, come to that! Whatever fits in your schedule!
Check out our Facebook event page here! Post questions, insights on companies or just to check out more details!
What: Third Annual SMA Sports Media and Career Symposium
When: Friday, February 24th 2012 from 11AM to 5PM
Where: MAC Gym at the University of Arizona Recreation Center
Attire: Business Professional
Cost: Free - NO RSVP Needed
The schedule for the day:
11 am to 12 pm - How Brands Use Sports Media to Reach Their Fans
Major League Soccer - Dan Courtemanche
Team One Advertising - Darian Areyan
The Lavidge Company - Bryan Perleberg
Octagon - Bo Heiner
JFG Consulting - Jeff Golner
12-12:30pm - Networking/Lunch Break - FREE Food!
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm – The Impact of Media and Technology on College Athletics
Learfield Sports - David Soble
Fiesta Bowl - Adam Lehe
Rose Bowl - Gina Chappin
Fox Sports Arizona - Ed Olsen
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm – From SMA to Getting Paid – Stories from alumni in the sports world moderated by Mark Tudi, Sports Search
Arizona Diamondbacks - Kristie Van Engelen
Phoenix Coyotes - Brittany Grant
Phoenix Suns - Bob Hamer
Tucson Padres - James Jensen
Fox Sports/Scout.com - Inna Lazarev
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Roundtable Sessions
Each speaker will host their own roundtable where students can ask questions about the respective company and receive information on internships and entry-level opportunities.
Other roundtable attendees include:
Univ. of Arizona Athletic Dept. - Alixe Holcomb
Wildcat Club - Tom Theodorakis & Victor Yates
Phoenix Suns - Chris Moran & David Baldwin
Phoenix Coyotes - Kevin West
Univ. of Arizona Alumni Assoc. - Nick Pierson
For questions, please email uofa.sma@gmail.com
Andrew Price
President
Sports Marketing Association
University of Arizona Marketing Major
602.826.3246
adprice@email.arizona.edu

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

Visiopharm Introduces APPsolute Digital Pathology

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Cloud computing and models using software as a service are increasingly being used on a "per use" or "per case" basis as similar stories related to cloud computing on this blog have appeared.

It is getting increasingly harder to talk about software with folks without being asked "Is there an app for that?" The reasons for this are many - lower cost, ease of use, minimal development needed and ready "out of the box" as well as potentially increased portability on small screen mobile devices, tablets and pads.

Now comes word from Visiopharm their entrance into this space with some patent pending technology to facilitate image analysis with free trial, low cost and lowered upfront costs to implement software locally and maintain.

Icon-140-appcenter

For the clinical market, "per-click" models have been attempted on the hardware side in the past. These models may create a

disincentive to use versus a larger initial investment as folks get charged per case, per slide or per view. For software such as image analysis, however, this model makes a lot of sense. Use what you need when you need it that is proven and reliable from a library of tried and true algorithms.

If you need to customize, you can create on demand with lower cost, risk and demonstration of performance as you need it.

Dr. Grunkin's quote below pretty much sums this up by lowering many barriers to entry.

For more information on this new offering leverage hosted computing and per analysis offering, check out Visiopharm's webinar mentioned at the end of the below press release and their booth at the upcoming USCAP meeting.

APPsolute Digital Pathology offers a novel approach to Quantitative Digital Pathology. Powered by CloudAnalysis and the APPCenter; currently featuring over 25 ready-to-use Analysis Protocol Packages (APPs).

APPsolute Digital Pathology is a novel approach to Quantitative Digital Pathology (QDP); costs are reduced, the learning curve is minimized, and the common risks of adoption are eliminated. The Visiopharm APPCenter provides access to a library of solutions that are ready-to-run and can be used with minimum training. Analysis Protocol Packages (APPs) can be tested free of charge before investing, productivity is achieved immediately, the upfront costs are low, and solutions can be scaled to fit customer needs.

A Pay-As-You-Go Solution: Low upfront costs

CloudAnalysis and APPs provide a low cost, easy to budget solution for customers who need access to sophisticated image analysis capabilities for a specific amount of time. Whether it is a week, a month, or longer you only pay for analysis when you need it.

Michael Grunkin, PhD, President of Visiopharm, stated "Currently, the cost structure of commercially available deployed Quantitative Digital Pathology solutions prevents the majority of researchers from benefitting from this increasingly important technology. This has to change. With our CloudAnalysis the upfront investment can be reduced to a fraction of any existing deployed solution. With CloudAnalysis there is always access to the most recent software version, studies can be run from anywhere, and technical deployment issues are eliminated."

The patent pending APPCenter provides customers with easy access to an extensive library of ready-to-run APPs. Each APP includes detailed descriptions, references to scientific literature, illustrated examples, webinars, and more. There is no need to become an expert in image analysis; APPs are created and validated in collaboration between experts in the field and Visiopharm’s application scientists and programmers.

Customers try an APP free of charge, before investing, to make sure that 1) the APP is working according to specifications, 2) the APP provides useful results, and 3) the APP can be understood and operated.

APPs are purchased for a low fixed cost, are yours to keep, and will work with both Visiopharm’s DeployedAnalysis and CloudAnalysis solutions. Custom APPs can be developed upon request, at a fixed known cost, and are also risk free with a complimentary trial.

"In a research project involving 300 patients, we worked with Visiopharm’s Image Analysis APPs developed for five different biomarkers. We could work seamlessly on the cloud, we were productive within an hour or two of training, and were able to complete and review the analysis of 5 x 300 tissue specimens in less than a week. The results we achieved were at least as good as manual scoring, and in several cases significantly better. The speed, convenience, and cost structure offered by CloudAnalysis and Image APPs makes Quantitative Digital Pathology an efficient, affordable, and attractive research tool", says Dr. Lars D. Andersen, Associate Professor, Group Leader, Center for Molecular Clinical Cancer Research, Department of Molecular Medicine (MOMA).

Built on leading technology

CloudAnalysis provides instant access from work, home, or from anywhere to the complete suite of Visiopharm software solutions; including advanced image analysis and stereology. Simply log in to your secure account and start to analyze your slides locally or in the cloud.

CloudAnalysis is built upon proven Whole Slide image analysis technology. Johan Doré, CTO at Visiopharm says, "Our solutions have been stress-tested over the last 10 years in the most demanding environments when it comes to capabilities, automation, and throughput. The feedback we consistently get from the world’s most experienced and sophisticated Digital Pathology users is, that we provide solutions with a lower learning curve, lower cost of ownership, by far the lowest computational costs, while providing high quality results."

Visit Visiopharm’s new website at http://www.visiopharm.com to learn more about APPsolute Digital Pathology and [register] for an introductory webinar on March 14, 2012 at 11 AM EST titled “Squaring the Circle of Quantitative Digital Pathology: instant implementation, while increasing productivity and achieving a return on investment." In this webinar Visiopharm will demonstrate this new generation of software for Quantitative Digital Pathology with a flexible, affordable method of delivery in the Cloud.

About Visiopharm

Over the past 10 years, Visiopharm image analysis and stereology software has become the preferred Quantitative Digital Pathology solution for leading biopharmaceutical companies, clinical researchers, and academic researchers all over the world. Visiopharm has more than 300 deployed systems worldwide and a large network of distribution and support partners, and is featured in over 400 scientific publications.

Source: Visiopharm

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

Attend APF’s Spring Conference Next Week

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

American Pathology Foundation's

2012 Spring Conference

"Charting a New Course for Pathology;

Navigation and Leadership In Turbulent Times"

February 29 - March 2, 2012, Marriott Marquis, San Diego

LAST WEEK TO REGISTER!

Make plans to join the American Pathology Foundation next week in San Diego, CA for our 2012 Spring Conference. Attendees can look forward to three full days of informative sessions on best practices in the business of pathology and plenty of practical, "take home" ideas for better managing their time and resources.

APF conferences set the standard for pathology business and management education. Our programs provide ample opportunities for you to collaborate and share experiences with your colleagues. The Spring Program has been carefully crafted to include the most timely topics and knowledgeable speakers to help you address critical practice management issues and is designated for 20.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

In light of recent regulatory changes - YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS -these valuable sessions that will help you protect your practice, improve your bottom line and prepare for the future.

2012 Spring Conference Speakers & Topics Include:

Navigating a Perfect Storm in Pathology - George Lundberg, MD
Sink or Swim with Accountable Care Organizations -James Crawford, MD, PhD
Key Compliance and Regulatory Issues Update - Rick Cooper, Esq.
2012 Coding Issues Update - Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA
Ensuring the Delivery of Vendor Obligations - Eric Carbonneau, John Allen, MBA
LIS Implementation in Academic Health Systems-Joe Rondinelli, Raj Dash, MD
Avoiding Common Lab Inspection Issues - Gerald Hoeltge, MD
Improving Quality in CP/AP-LEAN Production Systems-Richard Zarbo,MD
Leadership Development for Today and Tomorrow - CPT. Mark Brouker
Choose Your Crew-Leadership Culture Drives Performance- Larry Siedlick, CEO
2012 Pathology Legal and Risk Management Update - Jane Pine Wood, Esq.
PAP vs HPV Screening - What Does the Data Show? - Walter Kinney, MD
Implementing New Molecular Tests and Controlling Costs- Samuel Caughron, MD
Virtual Pathology -What is on the Horizon? -Gary Tearney, MD, PhD
Creating Pathology Reports that Market Your Practice - Eric Glassy, MD

For online conference registration visit: http://www.apfconnect.org

You may also register over the phone by calling the

APF National Office toll-free at: 877-993-9935, ext. 202

Reserve your room at the Marriott Marquis San Diego

Contact hotel reservations toll-free at: 1-800-266-9432

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

Corista inks deal with MGH and Partners Healthcare

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Corista to provide platform for Massachusetts General Hospital's Pathology Network

The Massachusetts General Hospital Pathology Service has chosen Corista's Digital Image Management Platform (DP3) to support its goal of providing clinical review of pathology cases with a digital platform. This new capability will allow MGH clinical experts to extend their reach to remote patients and their physicians for second opinions in real time.

"Recent technological advances have enabled immediate and widespread access to highly specific pathology expertise, speeding up both diagnosis and the start of treatment," said David Wilbur, MD, Director , Clinical Imaging -Pathology Services at MGH and Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School. "The key is having an image-centric platform that provides access together with the tools needed to respond and interact with multiple systems in the community."

Corista’s CEO, Elizabth Wingard said , "We’re pleased to be working with MGH and Partners Healthcare to extend the reach of the hospital’s expertise in pathology to physicians and patients in communities near and far. The Corista platform provides an intuitive case management dashboard that manages workflow and patient cases with digital images, and which can be integrated with existing hospital information systems," Wingard said. "In accessing specialists online and getting an immediate response, remote patients and hospitals can improve patient care with expertise that would have been delayed by days using couriers and FedEx. Eliminating the delay improves the patient’s care by enabling providers to initiate the appropriate treatment plan immediately."

Corista provides Pathologists with a single point of access to read and manipulate patient images with an extensive toolset for analysis, collaboration, diagnosis and report generation. With Corista's platform, MGH will be able to improve the process and quality of pathology medicine while extending real time clinical support for remote patients.

About Corista

Since 2005, Corista has been developing its image-based processing software and proprietary browser-based software platform. The patent-pending platform, DP3, provides a comprehensive solution for pathology practices that includes: a universal viewer that reads images from any whole slide imaging platform; secure local and remote image viewing and navigation, image management, on-demand colleague consultation, annotation, measurement diagnoses; notifications to physicians of new cases or consults to be reviewed, and a centralized Physician Dashboard integrating in-house and remote patient cases into a single view for physicians. DP3 can integrate with existing hospital information systems, is hardware agnostic and supports a complete range of physician devices including high resolution monitors, tablets and touchscreens.

Full size image

Source: Corista

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

Aurora to DICOMize Digital Pathology Images for Inclusion in PACS

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Exciting news from Aurora Interactive mentioning inclusion of a DICOMizer within their functionality adding another needed piece to integration of pathology images into the PACS and electronic health record (EHR).

Aurora Interactive is including this new functionality in its mScope suite of products to allow a better integration of digital pathology images with radiology images and to simplify the inclusion of digital pathology images in the electronic health record (EHR)

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA- FEBRUARY 22, 2012 – Aurora Interactive announced today that it has added a DICOMizer to its mScope digital pathology product. This tool will make the inclusion of report images in the hospital PACS possible which will allow the inclusion of these images in the electronic health record (EHR) where the PACS and the EHR are integrated.

“Aurora continues to reinforce its commitment to universality, interoperability, our client’s strategic flexibility and service. We believe in supporting our client’s in their efforts to deliver pathology diagnosis information to all diagnostic stakeholders through whatever means they choose.” stated Pierre Le Fèvre, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aurora Interactive.

About Aurora Interactive Ltd.

Aurora Interactive has developed the leading web based software platform (mScope) for simplification, productivity and ease of communications. mScope’s Universal Web Viewer has collaborative tools to view medical slides and images anytime, anywhere, regardless of file format. The software has four applications to aid digital pathology web based communications needs: mScope Education, mScope Clinical, mScope Research and mScope Universal Viewer. Aurora’s mission is to improve patient outcomes and help members of the medical community achieve their full potential by eliminating the learning, diagnostic and collaborative restrictions imposed by time and space. http://www.aurorainteractive.com

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

AMA and AT&T Combine Care Management Platforms to Improve Collaboration Among Caregivers Nationwide

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Perhaps in the end this "strategic alliance" aka acquisition of AMA's physician portal by AT&T could be a good thing but commercial ventures by the AMA in the past of this sort have not ended well. Not sure this impacts pathology to a great degree, perhaps laboratory medicine in the general sense but AMA, in my opinion has not done terribly much on behalf of pathologists or the greater public health and why a majority of physicians are not members of the AMA. Time will tell if this "alliance" between two widely recognized brands will benefit patients and providers and offer a more robust and flexible health information exchange platform. Meaningful use incentives while important for primary care providers, again, do not impact pathology or laboratories, both in terms of incentives or penalties. This thanks to recent efforts by CAP to amend meaningful use penalties. This of course would not have come about if the original legislation excluded laboratories and pathologists from the reporting requirements recognizing that while we manage a huge amount of data often times the outcome assessment cannot be complete without missing corresponding clinical information collected by the clinical provider at the point of service of clinical services. In any event, pathologists are now neither eligible for incentives and won't be penalized for not being able to do it. Meanwhile, physician organizations can focus on working with communication companies to faciliate transfer of lab order and results so non-laboratory providers can be compensated for "meaningful use".

How about some "incentives" for reporting accurate timely data that is used to meet meaningful use?

AMA Press Release:

Strategic Alliance Helps Thousands of Physicians Modernize Practices

Chicago and Dallas – In a union of two iconic American brands, the American Medical Association (AMA) and AT&T* have formed a strategic alliance that will enable hundreds of thousands of physicians, physician organizations and medical societies nationwide to connect and collaborate with hospitals, payers and patients to help enhance patient care and reduce costs.

The organizations will integrate AMA's AMAGINE™ physician community portal for physicians with AT&T Healthcare Community Online, creating an advanced collaborative care and Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) platform. By combining the platforms, both powered by Covisint, physicians will have more tools at their fingertips to modernize the management of their practices.

AMA and AT&T will advance the adoption of health information technology (health IT) across the healthcare ecosystem by enabling customers that use the platforms – physicians, hospitals, payers and patients – to access health IT applications and exchange highly-secure clinical and administrative data. The alliance will create one seamless solution that will enable highly-secure, virtually anywhere, anytime access to advanced applications, aggregated clinical information and data analytics that enable the coordination and management of patient care and population health.

The relationship will expand the functions and capabilities of the AMAGINE physician community portal that was created to help physicians easily integrate health IT into the management of their practices through a single source with affordable choices. AT&T Healthcare Community Online provides the foundation for a fully clinically integrated system across the entire care team and helps improve collaboration, reduce paperwork and potential errors, and ultimately improve the quality of patient care.

Together, the combined platform will:

Increase caregiver collaboration by connecting AMAGINE customers with AT&T Healthcare Community Online customers
Provide access to AT&T's patient care and clinical integration solutions that help bring evidence-based information to the point of care
Enable access to important applications such as clinical decision support, e-prescribing, care management and electronic medical records
Improve workflow efficiency and streamline processes associated with physician orders and referrals, lab orders and results, medications and discharge planning
Help physicians to take further advantage of "meaningful use” incentives

"This alliance with AT&T makes the combined product offering that much stronger and more beneficial to physicians,” said Robert Musacchio, Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the American Medical Association. "With the AMA's extensive knowledge of physician and patient needs, and AT&T's proven track record delivering technology solutions to clients, we expect that physicians and their patients will be able to enjoy the benefits of advanced health IT sooner and with more dramatic results.”

AT&T will own and operate the combined platform as AT&T Healthcare Community Online and lead efforts to evolve technology solutions and bridge clinical and information needs across patients, physicians, hospitals and ancillary organizations. AMA will remain actively engaged and will collaborate with AT&T on business strategies to expand availability and accessibility of health IT for physicians and practices.

"If caregivers across the country aren't connected, they can't collaborate effectively as a team. By joining forces with the nation's largest physician organization, we're providing a seamless solution to meet the "last mile' of connectivity across the entire healthcare ecosystem,” said Randall Porter, Assistant Vice President, AT&T ForHealth, AT&T Business Solutions.

Both organizations will be discussing the alliance at booth #3829 at HIMSS12 in Las Vegas from Feb. 20 - Feb. 24, 2012.

###

For more information contact:

Robert J. Mills
American Medical Association
312-543-7268
robert.mills@ama-assn.org

Wendi Fuller
AT&T Corporate Communications
214-373-0118
wendi.fuller@att.com

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

Hopkins Pancreas App

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

The pancreas folks over at Johns Hopkins recently updated their already fantastic pancreas pathology app within the past week. Search for "pancreas" in the app store and you would be hard pressed to find more than a couple of apps.

If you have any interests in pancreatic pathology, be it student or practioner, this is a must have app. Stunning images in the atlas, teaching algorithm derived from the AFIP fascicle and a quiz for self-study. The over 1400 images in the atlas are high resolution color images of awesome quality with captions covering over 100 entities. A top notch app which can be found here:

Description provided by developers:

This app is a teaching tool for medical residents, fellows, and practicing pathologists.

The Atlas of Pancreas Pathology is comprised of three modules: an interactive teaching algorithm, a search-able image atlas, and an image-based quiz. Viewing multiple examples of the same entity or feature from this large, rich image atlas will strengthen your diagnostic skills.

Teaching Algorithm. The teaching algorithm is a tool to teach the diagnostic criteria for the most common neoplasms of the pancreas. The algorithm consists of a series of usually dichotomous decision points, starting with determining if the tumor is solid or cystic, which end in specific diagnoses. Gross and microscopic photographs, together with didactic illustrations created by medical illustrator Bona Kim, support the instructional design of the algorithm. The algorithm was adapted with permission from RH Hruban, MB Pitman, and DS Klimstra, Tumors of the Pancreas. Washington D.C.: American registry of Pathology; 2007. Atlas of Tumor Pathology; 4th series, fascicle 6.

Image Atlas. The image atlas contains over 1,400 high resolution color images with captions authored by a leading expert, and covers 115 diagnostic entities. These gross and microscopic photographs can be viewed together or separately, and two entities can be compared, side by side. The atlas can be viewed by diagnosis or by features (these features re-enforce the diagnostic features used in the algorithm), and the atlas can be searched using a key word search. You can create your own albums and add images you select from from the atlas to these albums.

Quiz: The Quiz contains 166 multiple choice questions for self-study.

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

Lost Libraries and Fake Catalogs: A Renaissance Trope Explained

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Musaeum Clausum (the hidden library) is a fake catalogue of a collection that contained books, pictures, and artefacts. Such collections (and their elaborate indices) were a common phenomenon from about 1500 to 1700 and after. Gentlemen and the nobility collected as a matter of polite engagement with knowledge and as a way of displaying wealth and learning; savants made arrays of plants, animals, and minerals as museums or ‘thesauruses’ of the natural world to record and organise their findings; imperial and monarchical collections were princely in their glamour, rarity, and sheer expenditure: these might contain natural-historical specimens but also trinkets and souvenirs from far-flung places, curiosities of nature and art, and historically significant items. For example, taxidermically preserved basilisks shared room with a thorn from Christ’s crown and feathered headdresses and weapons belonging to native American tribes. Browne takes these traditions of assemblage and makes a catalogue of marvellous things that have disappeared...

Read the whole fascinating article about fake catalogues of fictional collections--a common trope, as the article explains, from around 1500 to 1700--on the Public Domain Review website by clicking here.

Image: Engraving from the Dell'Historia Naturale (1599) showing Naples apothecary Ferrante Imperato's cabinet of curiosities, the first pictorial representation of such a collection.

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

Théodore Géricault's Morgue-Based Preparatory Paintings for "Raft of the Medusa," A Guest Post by Paul Koudounaris

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

When I was in Los Angeles last week, I had a really fascinating conversation with my friend (and former Observatory presenter) Paul Koudounaris, author of the beautiful and essential book The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses. I asked him to do a guest post on the topic of our conversation--a series of relatively unknown preparatory paintings for Géricault's Raft of the Medusa that were based on human remains checked out, library like, from the illustrious Paris Morgue; following is Paul's writeup; really fascinating stuff!

Despite being among the finest early nineteenth-century macabre-themed paintings, Théodore Géricault’s various versions of still lifes with human body parts have remained little known and commented upon. Géricault is best remembered as a pioneering French Romantic and the auteur of the massive Raft of the Medusa [see bottom image]—an over-life-sized painting of the survivors of a shipwreck which had been a tabloid sensation in France in the 1810s. While Géricault’s public personae was that of a hard-living, chaotic, and tempestuous personality, as an artist he maintained an often obsessive dedication. The ship known as the Medusa sank in June of 1816, and Géricault soon began preparatory studies for his painted version, including interviews with survivors, and the construction of a scale model of the raft on which they escaped.
At the same time, Géricault also became increasingly interested in the naturalistic rendering of distressed anatomy, and started making frequent trips to morgues—in particular, that of the Hospital Beaujon in Paris. Initially these trips were intended simply to sketch body parts, but Géricault eventually found beauty in the severed limbs and heads he was studying, and began rendering them as subjects in their own right. At the time, there were programs in local morgues to lend human remains to art students for anatomical study—something like a lending library of body parts. Géricault would take them home to study them as they went through states of decomposition. He was known to stash various heads, arms, and legs under his bed—or alternately store them on his roof—so he could continue to render them in increasingly putrid states and in various angles. The upper torso in the so-called Head of a Guillotined Man in the Art Institute of Chicago (the title is misleading—the head is not guillotined) is one of those which is recognizable from multiple paintings, and is believed to be a thief who died in the insane asylum of Bicêtre; Géricault painted this head from multiple viewpoints over the two week period he kept it in his studio. In particular, the artist seems to have been fascinated by the subtle gradations of color body parts attained as they rotted.
He delighted in playing the morbid tones of putrefying flesh against a warm chiaroscuro which fades into a dark background and seems timeless and quiet, giving these anatomical fragments a presence that is almost iconic. Géricault made frequent jokes about the reaction of his neighbors to this kind of study—not surprisingly, they were displeased, especially with the smell emanating from his studio. Most of these paintings date to the later half of the 1810s. They were apparently entirely for the artist’s own edification—they were not sold to collectors, and most remained in his studio when he died at the age of 32 in 1824, and were offered as lots in his estate sale.
Perhaps the reason that Géricault’s still lifes with body parts have so frequently been overlooked is that they seem to defy interpretation, or lack any kind of editorial intent on the part of the artist. In that sense, they have always seemed perverse. Other, contemporary Romantic artists won great fame for their macabre scenes, but those scenes provide a context to guide the viewer’s reaction. In the Disasters of War by Goya, for example, severed body parts are placed within a moralizing relationship of cause and effect—war produces casualties, and the viewer is invited to disapprove of war itself as futile and barbaric. In various versions of the painting Nightmare by Henri Fuseli, macabre motifs such as demons are menacing, implying the threat of paralysis and loss of free will. But Géricault’s version of the macabre lacks this kind of interpretive framework—he presents his dismembered remains to the viewer simply as collections of objects, nothing more. His insistence on depriving his body parts of any identifiable context has ensured that they remain elusive, and thus marginalized in the history of art. But it is this same lack of context which has preserved them as unique objects of beauty.

To find out more about Paul's work, you can visit his website by clicking here; you can purchase a copy of his book (highly recommended!) from the Morbid Anatomy Giftshop by clicking here. Paul will also be participating in this years's iteration of The Congress for Curious People at The Coney Island Museum, so stay tuned for more on that!

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

Nutrition program

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Select a Publication: N E W S P A P E R S ---------------------------------------------- ---Alberta--- Airdrie - Airdrie Echo Banff - Banff Crag and Canyon Beaumont - Beaumont News Calgary - The Calgary Sun Camrose - Camrose Canadian Canmore - Canmore Leader Central Alberta - County Market Cochrane - Cochrane Times Cold Lake - Cold Lake Sun Crowsnest Pass - Crowsnest Pass Promoter Devon - Dispatch News Drayton - Drayton Valley Western Review Edmonton - Edmonton Examiner Edmonton - The Edmonton Sun Edson - Edson Leader Fairview - Fairview Post Fort McMurray - Fort McMurray Today Fort Saskatchewan - Fort Saskatchewan Record Grande Prairie - Daily Herald Tribune Hanna - Hanna Herald High River - High River Times Hinton - Hinton Parklander Lacombe - Lacombe Globe Leduc - Leduc Representative Lloydminster - Meridian Booster Mayerthorpe - Mayerthorpe Freelancer Nanton - Nanton News Peace Country - Peace Country Sun Peace River - Peace River Record Gazette Pincher Creek - Pincher Creek Echo Sherwood Park - Sherwood Park News Spruce Grove - Spruce Grove Examiner Stony Plain - Stony Plain Reporter Strathmore - Strathmore Standard Vermilion - Vermilion Standard Vulcan - Vulcan Advocate Wetaskiwin - Wetaskiwin Times Whitecourt - Whitecourt Star ---Manitoba--- Altona - Alton Red River Valley Echo Beausejour - Beausejour Review Carman - Carman Valley Leader Gimli - Interlake Spectator Lac Du Bonnet - Lac Du Bonnet Leader Morden - Morden Times Portage la Prairie - Portage Daily Graphic Selkirk - Selkirk Journal Stonewall - Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Winkler - Winkler Times Winnipeg - The Winnipeg Sun ---Ontario--- Amherstburg - Amherstburg Echo Bancroft - Bancroft this Week Barrie - Barrie Examiner Barry's Bay - Barry's Bay this Week Belleville - Intelligencer Bradford - Bradford Times Brantford - Expositor Brockville - The Recorder & Times Chatham - Chatham Daily News Chatham - Chatham This Week Chatham - Today's Farmer Clinton - Clinton News-Record Cobourg - Northumberland Today Cochrane - Cochrane Times Post Collingwood - Enterprise Bulletin Cornwall - Standard Freeholder Delhi - Delhi News-Record Dresden - Leader Spirit Dunnville - Dunnville Chronicle Elliot Lake - Standard Espanola - Mid-North Monitor Fort Erie - Times Gananoque - Gananoque Reporter Goderich - Goderich Signal-Star Grand Bend - Lakeshore Advance Haliburton - Haliburton Echo Hanover - The Post Ingersoll - Ingersoll Times Innisfil - Innisfil Examiner Kapuskasing - Kapuskasing Northern Times Kenora - Kenora Daily Miner and News Kenora - Lake of the Woods Enterprise Kincardine - Kincardine News Kingston - Frontenac This Week Kingston - Kingston This Week Kingston - Kingston Whig Standard Kirkland Lake - Northern News Leamington - Leamington Post Lindsay - The Lindsay Post London - The London Free Press London - The Londoner Lucknow - Lucknow Sentinel Midland - Free Press Minden - Minden Times Mitchell - Mitchell Advocate Napanee - Napanee Guide Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara Advance Niagara Falls - Review Niagara Falls - Niagara Shopping News Niagara Falls - W. Niagara Community Newspapers North Bay - North Bay Nugget Northumberland - Northumberland Today Norwich - Norwich Gazette Orillia - Packet and Times Ottawa - The Ottawa Sun Owen Sound - Sun Times Oxford - Oxford Review Paris - Paris Star Online Pelham - Pelham News Pembroke - Daily Observer Peterborough - Peterborough Examiner Petrolia - Petrolia Topic Picton - County Weekly News Port Colborne - Inport News Port Hope - Northumberland Today Port Elgin - Shoreline Beacon Sarnia - Observer Sarnia - Sarnia This Week Sault Ste Marie - Sault Star Sault Ste Marie - Sault This Week Seaforth - Seaforth Huron Expositor Simcoe - Simcoe Reformer St. Catharines - St. Catharines Shopping News St. Catharines - Standard St. Thomas - St. Thomas Times-Journal Stirling - Community Press Stratford - The Beacon Herald Strathroy - Strathroy Age Dispatch Sudbury - Sudbury Star Thorold - Thorold News Tillsonburg - Tillsonburg News Timmins - Daily Press Timmins - Timmins Times Toronto - The Toronto Sun Trenton - Trentonian Wallaceburg - Wallaceburg Courier Press Welland - Tribune Welland - Welland News West Lorne - The Chronicle Wiarton - Wiarton Echo Woodstock - Sentinel Review ---Saskatchewan--- Meadow Lake - Meadow Lake Progress Melfort - Melfort Journal Nipawin - Nipawin Journal MAGAZINES & SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS --------- Biz Magazine Business London Cottage Home and Property Showcase Food and Wine Show Georgian Web Hamilton Halton Weddings Hamilton Magazine InterVin International Wine Awards Kingston Life London Citylife Muskoka Magazine Muskoka Trails Niagara Food and Wine Expo Niagara Magazine Ontario Farmer Ontario Golf Sault Bride Guide Sault Dining Sault Good Life Simcoe Life
Sudbury Bride Guide The Home Show Vines Magazine What's Up Muskoka

Go here to see the original:
Nutrition program

Organic fertilisers cut input costs, raise crops' life

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Kolkata, Feb 25 (IANS) A senior professor at IIT Kharagpur says the use of organic fertilisers not only can reduce the production cost of the farmers but also increase the longevity of crops.

"Organic fertilisers are much better than chemical fertilisers. The usage of organic crops can not only reduce the cost of crop production but can also increase its longevity to a large extent. It can reduce dependence on cold storage," said B.C. Ghosh, professor in the department of agricultural and food engineering.

Ghosh said he was currently training farmers in various parts of West Bengal to create an organic village.

"Organic village means farmers learn how to create organic fertilizers, then they will create it on their own in their own houses. Then they will use that organic fertilizer in their own agricultural fields."

Ghosh said organic fertilisers could be used in crop production just like chemical fertilisers.

"The product which we will get at the end will be organic product. In this way, we not only can reduce the environment pollution but can also increase the quality of crops to a large extent," Ghosh told IANS on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Heritage Institute of Technology.

Ghosh pointed out that initial usage of organic fertilisers can reduce crop production but after three years the production will not only be better in terms of quality but will also yield the same amount of crops.

Follow this link:
Organic fertilisers cut input costs, raise crops' life

DNA clue to Wanda Beach murders

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Police scour Wanda Beach following the murders, 1965. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Marianne Schmidt in undated family photo, who was found murdered along with friend Christine Sharrock at Wanda Beach in Sydney in 1965. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Cold Case: Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Christine Sharrock in undated family photo, who was found murdered along with friend Marianne Schmidt at Wanda Beach in Sydney in 1965. Source: The Daily Telegraph

A NEWLY discovered blood spot may hold vital DNA evidence that could solve one of Sydney's most enduring mysteries.

The blood, taken from the scene of the Wanda Beach murders 47 years ago, belongs to an unknown male and was gleaned from crime scene boxes after cold case detectives revisited the case.

Now police hope new testing methods will give them a fuller profile and provide a breakthrough in the case.

Murders that still haunt our state

Teenagers Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock were found stabbed and bashed to death in the sand dunes at Wanda beach, in Sydney's south, in January 1965. Despite a number of investigations over the years no one has ever been arrested for the murders of the two 15-year-olds from Ryde.

The Cold Case Squad was told to reinvestigate the case by Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione in 2007.

The Cold Case Justice program located clothing belonging to the Wanda Beach victims, had crime scene negatives reprinted and reviewed all the evidence.

A button and zipper were removed from one of the victim's shorts and a sub sample sent to New Zealand for DNA testing but the profile which came back belonged to one of the victims.

Surprised that DNA profiles could still be obtained from a sample so many years old, officers decided to test a blood mark on the shorts that could be a knife wipe mark. A weak male profile was found.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Sweeney, head of the forensic group, said: "We are optimistic that when enhanced with new techniques the DNA could be used against a number of known suspects. What it shows is DNA can be successfully extracted nearly 50 years later and science used to investigate new and old crimes."

Police are being cautious and at the moment it is believed the DNA markers are not strong enough for a conclusive comparison. However, testing methods are improving and the sample will undergo further tests as the technology becomes available. Police won't say if they have a suspect in mind to match the DNA against.

However, other sources have revealed a number of suspects are still alive.

"There is one in particular that I would love to see matched against any DNA we may get in the future," the investigator said. "Luckily he is incarcerated interstate and will never be released." Last year the Cold Case squad cleared more than 33 sex assaults and several murders committed as far back as the early 1980s.

See more here:
DNA clue to Wanda Beach murders

Book Review: The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

I think it's fair to say that cooking and eating have been topics of conversation for as long as humans have been engaging in such activities. That is, forever. It's trendy to think that we are the first to try a 10-day fast or to cut out carbs or to ponder the link between sex and food. But, as we read in The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy (2011, Vintage), these things are at least as old as the French Revolution. Written in 1825 by the French judge Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin and in continuous print ever since, The Physiology of Taste is a 444-page tome on all things food-related.

After spending a brief time in the United States in exile during the Revolution, Brillat-Savarin returned to his native France to gather a lifetime of food obsession and observation in this book. He does a fair amount of what might be interpreted as pretentious posturing, but this is balanced with an equal amount of self-deprecating humor. He somewhat pompously refers to himself as "The Professor," even originally publishing this title anonymously as such, but he also is very quick to point out the unflattering elements of his appearance, for example. This back and forth is key to this work being relatable to today's reader instead of slipping into the realm of dead documents. Brillat-Savarin is writing about the pleasures of the table and having fun doing so.

He opens with twenty succinct aphorisms, "tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are" being the most famous among them. The rest of the work, however, is not nearly so succinct. Like much nineteenth century writers, Brillat-Savarin can be long-winded, but I came to appreciate his attention to detail as he recounted each course of a dinner party, the demeanor of all those present, or his method for steaming an extremely large fish. All of these small elements come together to paint a very vivid picture of the experience of cooking and eating almost 200 years ago. His description of the perfect piece of toast, for example, made me want to go directly to the kitchen to make some.

In her 1949 translation, M.F.K. Fisher, a well-known food writer in her own right, provides not only a guide to the life and times of "The Professor," but also a gentle lens through which to view him. She is admittedly smitten with the man and helps the reader to reach past his sometimes belabored points in order to see the witticisms nestled within. It is with her help that we can see how relevant this work is today and her notes truly do add much to the work.

View the original article on blogcritics.org

Continued here:
Book Review: The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

World-famous body builder visits Complete Nutrition grand opening

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

POSTED: Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 6:30pm

UPDATED: Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 11:56pm

TYLER —
Complete Nutrition held it's grand opening Saturday in Tyler.

World famous body builder and eight times Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman signed autographs for a line of east Texas fans.

Many parents brought their children to meet the champ.

KETK'S Jessica Wilson asked him to share his thoughts on the importance of nutrition.

Coleman says when he first started training, nearly three decades, ago he new nothing about weight lifting.

"So what I did was, I was able to get a nutritionist who guided me along the way and a personal trainer to help guide me along the way," Coleman said. "They showed me how to properly eat and how to properly workout, and that's what this is all about: eating right and working out right."

Another fun fact: Coleman says his degree is in accounting.

He and his wife Christine live in Dallas.

Continued here:
World-famous body builder visits Complete Nutrition grand opening

Decision on Bt. Brinjal not influenced by NGOs: Jairam

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Home > News > india-news

Kochi, Feb 25: In the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh questioning the role of foreign-aided NGOs in opposing use of genetic engineering, union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh Saturday stressed that the decision to stay commercial use of Bt. Brinjal was not influenced by any NGO.

Answering queries from media persons on his visit here, Ramesh said his decision on Bt Brinjal was based on wide consultations with stakeholders, adding that the use of bio-technology for the crop to be consumed by humans needed to be carefully evaluated.

"No NGO influenced my decision," said Ramesh, who had decided to put on hold the commercial release of the Bt. Brinjal in February 2010 when he was union environment minister.

Ramesh's remarks assume significance in the wake of prime minister's interview to a science journal saying that India must make use of genetic engineering technology to increase agricultural productivity, and NGOs funded by the US and Scandinavian countries were not fully appreciative of the country's development challenges.

Ramesh said that the decision to put a moratorium on the commercial release of Bt. Brinjal was taken after seven months of consultations with the public, various stakeholders including the states, farmers and NGOs. He said he had written on the issue to the chief ministers of all states.

Bio-technology in agriculture was not merely a scientific issue but "political issue" as it affects human safety, he said.

Referring to his decision on Bt Brinjal, Ramesh said Greenpeace had accused him of propagating the line of genetic engineering firm Monsanto during a public hearing in Bangalore.

"So on Bt Brinjal, since I was directly involved, I can confidently say no NGOs influenced my views," he said.

The minister said that there was no scientific consensus on Bt. Brinjal, the full protocol on the test has not been completed and there was no independent professional mechanism to instil confidence in the public.

"I did not ban Bt Brinjal. I decided lets put moratorium (on it)," Ramesh said and added he could not have ignored opinion of chief ministers who opposed it.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who supports Bt Cotton, did not support the move on Bt Brinjal, he noted.

"I cannot ignore states. Ultimately in agriculture, we have to take states along with us," he said. (IANS)

Share this article at

Yearly Horoscope of 2012 for the Zodiac Sign:

Sagittarius Scorpio Libra Virgo Leo Cancer Gemini Taurus Aries Pisces Aquarius Capricon

Bt.Brinjal decision not influenced by NGOs, asserts Jairam

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

Kochi, Feb 25 (IANS) In the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh questioning the role of foreign-aided NGOs in opposing use of genetic engineering, union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh Saturday stressed that the decision to ban commercial use of Bt. Brinjal was not influenced by any NGO.

'No NGO influenced my decision,' said Ramesh, who had decided to put on hold the commercial release of the Bt. Brinjal in February 2010 when he was union environment minister.

Bio-technology in agriculture was not merely a scientific issue but 'political issue' as it affects human safety, he said.

Referring to his decision on Bt Brinjal, Ramesh said Greenpeace had accused him of propagating the line of genetic engineering firm Monsanto during a public hearing in Bangalore.

'So on Bt Brinjal, since I was directly involved, I can confidently say no NGOs influenced my views,' he said.

'I did not ban Bt Brinjal. I decided lets put moratorium (on it),' Ramesh said and added he could not have ignored opinion of chief ministers who opposed it.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who supports Bt Cotton, did not support the move on Bt Brinjal, he noted.

'I cannot ignore states. Ultimately in agriculture, we have to take states along with us,' he said.

View post:
Bt.Brinjal decision not influenced by NGOs, asserts Jairam

Bill Calls for DNA Sampling Upon Arrest

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

By FRED CONNORS - Senior Staff Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register

CHARLESTON - Controversial legislation that is gaining traction in statehouses across the country has found its way to Charleston.

House Bill 2858 calls for mandatory pre-trial collection of DNA samples from anyone arrested for a felony but not yet convicted. The bill provides for an expungement procedure if the felony charge is dismissed or in the event of an acquittal. Current West Virginia law mandates DNA collection only upon conviction.

"Katie's Law," also known as the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act of 2010, prompted the national movement. It is a federal statute providing financial incentives to states implementing enhanced DNA collection processes for felony arrests.

Delegate John R. Frazier, D-Mercer, introduced the bill in West Virginia.

"It is a way for the state to build a larger DNA database," he said. "It is not very invasive and it will help police in their investigations."

Delegate Michael Ferro, D-Marshall, a co-sponsor of HB 2858 said, "It increases the state database and adds to law enforcement's ability to investigate and prosecute serial criminals, and to prevent future crimes."

Both lawmakers are on the House Judiciary Committee where the proposal currently resides. Frazier said the bill is a carry-over from last year and he is not sure if it will clear committee and make it to the floor during this legislative session. According to the Legislature's rules, the bill must clear House Judiciary today or it will be done for the session.

While proponents view the measure as being tough on crime, opponents see it as an invasion of civil rights.

Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith favors DNA sampling of those arrested for felonies but believes it should be limited to alleged violent offenders.

"I would limit it to those who are arrested for certain felonies such as violent crimes, sexual assault and burglary," he said. "People who engage in those types of crimes are more likely to be involved in other criminal activities; and it is more likely that a statute that is limited in its scope can pass constitutional tests. A statute limited to those crimes is targeting people who may be serial killers, serial rapists and pedophiles and is not simply targeting all persons arrested for a felony."

Smith said if lawmakers are considering the bill, they should include increasing funding for DNA testing.

"We already have a backlog in DNA processing and this will increase the burden," he said.

Joseph Giacalone, a retired detective sergeant and former commanding officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad in New York City, said the legislation "is a huge win for law enforcement and cold case detectives. Expanding the database provides them with the opportunity to close even more cases and apprehend suspects faster. It prevents further victimization and exonerates the innocent. Since most cases are pleaded out to lower charges, offenders often skirt the DNA sample measure because their felony gets reduced to a misdemeanor."

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine noted a similar bill was signed into law last year in Ohio.

DeWine said, "132 cold case crimes now have a prime suspect through a DNA match made possible only because of (Ohio) Senate Bill 77 requiring DNA collection on all felony arrestees. With seven months of data, we now see how SB 77 is helping us identify more bad guys who just might have gotten away with their crimes had it not been for the new law."

Some Wheeling criminal defense attorneys take issue with HB 2858.

"I find it appalling that the government can get a DNA sample based upon an accusation," said attorney Robert McCoid.

He said collection of DNA upon arrest constitutes an invasion of privacy that is subject to analysis under the Fourth Amendment, which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.

"This is Orwellian and reeks of '1984,'" McCoid said.

McCoid also finds fault in the DNA expungement process if charges are dropped.

"It says a person may apply for expungement; and that pre-supposes that it can be denied," he said. "And, when you consider filing fees, court costs and attorney fees, it could cost a person up to $1,000 for something he didn't do."

The expungement process is not included for defendants who cannot afford a private attorney. Shane Welling, chief defender for the First Judicial Circuit Public Defenders Corp., said "expungement is a civil matter and is not something we do."

"My concern is that we are going to have people getting arrested for no other reason than to get their DNA in a database," said attorney Martin Sheehan. "The government just wants data."

He said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement has a right to document observable characteristics such as height, weight and eye color, and to ask for a person's name, address, age and date of birth without violating his Miranda rights.

"DNA sampling upon arrest raises an issue of how much of an intrusion law enforcement is allowed to make into your body," Sheehan said. "Everybody has a right to be left alone. This is an erosion of civil liberties not consistent with the Constitution."

While 26 states and the federal government have enacted similar statutes, the laws are not uniform among the states. Several require a probable cause hearing before DNA samples can be loaded into a database, some pertain to arrest for any felony and others apply to only violent offenses. States laws also vary on whether juvenile arrestees must submit.

According to the National Institute of Justice, all states with laws allowing DNA sampling upon arrest provide a way to expunge profiles if an arrest does not result in a conviction. Nine states automatically expunge a DNA profile if there is no conviction. Others require the person to request expungement.

NIJ also reports the legislation has raised concerns that crime laboratories may be unable to manage an influx of samples from a new source.

Continue reading here:
Bill Calls for DNA Sampling Upon Arrest

DNA Testing Of Suspected Felons Upheld In California

Posted on February 26, 2012 by ev1

February 25, 2012

A ruling by a federal appeals court on Thursday will allow California law enforcement officers to continue collecting DNA samples from adults who were arrested for felonies.

A panel of judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a 2004 California law requiring officials to collect the DNA samples does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s ban on unreasonable searches.

“DNA analysis is an extraordinarily effective tool for law enforcement to identify arrestees, solve past crimes, and exonerate innocent suspects,” Judge Milan Smith wrote in the decision.

The DNA samples are analyzed for certain identifying markers, and the information is stored in a nationwide database.

A person who is tested and not convicted is able to have the sample destroyed and their DNA profile removed from the database.

In 2009, four California residents asked the court to issue an order barring the state from collecting DNA samples from people who were arrested but not convicted. The district court rejected the request during that time, and the 9th Circuit upheld that decision.

However, Judge William Fletcher disagreed, saying fingerprints are taken to identify a person upon arrest, whereas DNA samples “are taken solely for an investigative purpose, without warrant or reasonable suspicion.”

Michael Risher, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who represented the plaintiffs, said that the majority allows the government to treat arrestees as if they have been convicted of some sort of crime.

The law was part of a 2004 ballot measure that took effect in 2009, requiring police to swab an inner cheek of all felony arrestees for DNA. The previous law required DNA samples from convicted felons.

Risher said in a statement that the state has no evidence that “taking (DNA) from people who are not convicted does anything to solve crime.”

—

On the Net:

Source: RedOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

Link:
DNA Testing Of Suspected Felons Upheld In California

Select Page ::