New Heart Valve Repair System Tested for Safety

(HealthDay News) -- A new method of repairing leaking mitral heart valves appears safe, a small study shows.

In the new study, researchers tested a reversible implant called the Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Annuloplasty (PTMA) system, which is installed via a catheter.

In the heart, the mitral valve controls the flow of blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle (from the upper left chamber into the lower left chamber). A leaking mitral valve causes blood to flow back into the left atrium. This condition can worsen existing heart failure or cause congestive heart failure, according to a news release from the American Heart Association.

Currently, mitral valve repair requires opening the chest and putting the patient on a heart-lung machine. This method increases the risk of heart attack and stroke during surgery, as well as post-surgery risks such as lung problems, irregular heartbeat and infection, the news release noted.

The PTMA system changes the shape of the mitral annulus (a fibrous ring encircling the mitral valve) and prevents blood leakage by allowing the valve's two leaflets to close more tightly. Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

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The University of Arizona Medical Center South Campus

Pre-Med ED Volunteer Program:
Are you a junior or senior pre-medical student looking for clinical experience?
Volunteer Services at UAMC South is recruiting for its pre-med volunteer program to accommodate their new Emergency Department.
Applications are now open and will be accepted until January 31st.**
Go to http://www.uahealth.com – South Campus “Volunteer Opportunities” to apply.
What does it involve?
Students accepted into the program will be trained at the start of the Spring 2012 semester and are expected to serve a minimum of four hours a week in the Emergency Department. Volunteers will become part of the healthcare team. In addition to assisting ED staff and improving patient care, participants will have the opportunity to further their education through clinical observation, a variety of workshops, and interactions with the community.
Who should apply?
Junior and senior undergraduate students with intentions of applying to medical school and taking MCATS. We are looking for students who show initiative and potential as leaders in the healthcare field. You must be willing to serve a minimum of 100 hours as a volunteer.
How does this differ from other pre-med clinical experiences?
The basis for this program is to benefit the volunteers, as well as the hospital, patients, and staff by focusing on fostering cultural awareness and sensitivity—principles outlined by the FACES student organization. The Pre-Med program also involves a system of student leadership to give volunteers the opportunity to challenge themselves, foster educational relationships, and prepare themselves for future clinical practice.
Questions?
Contact: Maureen Shea, Manager of Volunteer Services at UAMC-South Campus
Maureen.Shea@uahealth.com • (520) 874-2596

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Last Chance to Register for PathXL Simulator Webinar

PathXL Simulator: Prebuilt Simulations for Pathology Training

Image002-1

18th January 2012 – two time slots are available: 

Session 1 - 10.15am GMT / 11.15am CET / 05.15am EST / 02.15am PST
Session 2 - 4.15pm GMT / 5.15pm CET /11.15am EST  / 08.15am PST

PathXL Simulator is a comprehensive set of training modules designed for early stage training by residents in Pathology and Biomedical Scientists.

Customers include Thames and Medway Training Schools, Liverpool Training School, South West Deanery Training School and the RCPA (Royal College of Pathologists of Australia) and Astra Zeneca.

Guest Speakers:

Professor Chris Womack, Astra Zeneca

Dr Jim Diamond, PathXL

Click here to register

Why Attend?

  • Learn about PathXL Simulator and modules available
  • Listen to other users experiences
  • Join a Q&A session

Modules available

Breast Cytopathology (PAP)

Breast Cytopathology (Giemsa)

Breast Histopathology

Cervical Histopathology

Neuropathology

Prostate Cancer

Urine Cytopathology

Salivary Gland Tumours

Skin Squamous Malignancy

Skin Melanocytic Lesions

Colon Polyp

Bowel Polyp

Image002-1

 

 

 

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Human Genome for $1000

RTR2W34S_194310The Wall Street Journal (1/10, A2, Winslow, Wang, Subscription Publication) reports that Life Technologies Corp, developer of the Ion Torrent sequencing platform, is planning to offer the sequencing of a human genome for $1,000 by the end of 2012. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) set the goal of a $1,000 genome in 2004, and the Journal notes that the initiative has already helped lower the cost of sequencing a human genome. However, American Society for Clinical Pathology spokeswoman Karen Kaul points out that understanding the biological or medical implications contained with genomic sequences will require far more research. Similarly, NHGRI director Eric Green was quoted as saying, "We can sequence the genome for dirt cheap... but we don't know how to deal with the data. We've got to work on that."

According to Reuters (1/10, Begley), researchers pointed out that it is unclear how much medical benefit could be derived from whole-genome sequencing, noting that many mutations only slightly increase the risk of certain conditions, or may have different effects in combination with other genetic variants. In addition, a study that is to be published in the European Journal of Human Genetics found that family medical history was a more accurate predictor of breast, colon and prostate cancer than DNA sequencing, which they attribute to sequencing analysis looking at too few genes.

In continuing coverage, the Los Angeles Times (1/11, Brown) "Booster Shots" blog reports Illumina Inc. and Life Technologies Corp. both "said Tuesday that they would soon offer machines capable of sequencing a human genome in about a day, at a cost of less than $1,000," which "would come to market in the second half of this year." The common notion was "that once the price drops to that point, it might become affordable for doctors to deliver 'personalized medicine' -- to study patients' genomes to make diagnoses and perfect medical care." One expert says that it will "most likely...affect researchers and physicians treating cancers."

"The machines, called sequencers, allow scientists to identify the arrangement of the 3 billion chemical 297068120-10172151 building blocks that make up someone's DNA," the AP (1/11, Ritter) explains. "Whether genomes from the new machine will actually cost exactly $1,000 will depend on how one calculates that figure," Chad Nussbaum, co-director of the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Program at the Broad Institute said.

Bloomberg News (1/11, Cortez, Langreth) reports, "Life Technologies, based in Carlsbad, California, today said it is taking orders for its benchtop Ion Proton Sequencer," which is "available for $149,000, [and] is designed to provide a full transcript of a person's DNA in a day for just $1,000. Illumina, of San Diego, said its HiSeq 2500 will be available in the second half of the year. It didn't reveal the price."

Reuters (1/11, Begley) reports that the cost may actually be higher than $1000 since a genetic counselor would have to explain the person's genomic results, adding additional costs. But the sequencing of one's genome would help determine which drug is effective for each patient.

Despite the advantages of having your genome sequenced, "increased speed and access could make for some knotty ethical concerns," the Hartford (CT) Courant (1/11, Weir) adds. "Some worry that insurance companies and employers could discriminate against people whose genetic profile reveals serious and costly health risks." Also covering the story are the BBC News (1/11, Briggs) and the UK's Telegraph (1/11, Bloxham).

 

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January Case of the Month from CAP

2012 — January Case of the Month

Posted January 10, 2012

CLINICAL SUMMARY: Jejunum 

CAP Foundation December 2011 Online Case of the Month

View case with:
PC users: ImageScope
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Click on plus sign or the link to expand the sectionWhy use ImageScope?

ImageScope offers many additional features including:

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A 78-year-old man presented with small bowel obstruction. A partial small bowel resection was performed. The 15.0 cm resected portion of bowel contained a 5.5 cm ulcerated, polypoid mass. Tumor cells were immunoreactive for CD138 and kappa light chain (lambda negative).

The master list with the correct answer

  • Extranodal marginal zone B-cell (MALT) lymphoma
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
  • Malignant melanoma
  • Plasmacytoma
  • Undifferentiated carcinoma

Access Case Critique to view:

  • Appropriate diagnosis
  • Critique
  • References


Your input is valued - please submit your feedback so that we may continue to optimize this program.

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New Articles Published in Journal of Pathology Informatics

 

Telecytology: Clinical applications, current challenges, and future benefits
Michael Thrall, Liron Pantanowitz, Walid Khalbuss
J Pathol Inform 2011, 2:51 (26 December 2011)
[ABSTRACT]   [HTML FULL TEXT]   [PDF]   [Mobile HTML Full text ]   [EPub]

 

An open-source software program for performing Bonferroni and related corrections for multiple comparisons
Kyle Lesack, Christopher Naugler
J Pathol Inform 2011, 2:52 (26 December 2011)
[ABSTRACT]   [HTML FULL TEXT]   [PDF]   [Mobile HTML Full text ]   [EPub]

 

Heterogeneity of publicly accessible online critical values for therapeutic drugs
Colt M McClain, Richard Owings, Joshua A Bornhorst
J Pathol Inform 2011, 2:53 (26 December 2011)
[ABSTRACT]   [HTML FULL TEXT]   [PDF]   [Mobile HTML Full text ]   [EPub]
Source (click image to go to full journal):
Jpicover

 

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Health Discovery Corporation Enters into Worldwide Licensing Agreement with NeoGenomics

BusinessWire · Jan. 9, 2012

Health Discovery Corporation (OTCBB: HDVY), a molecular diagnostics leader in the use of patent protected advanced mathematical techniques for personalized medicine, has entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with NeoGenomics, Inc. (OTCBB: NGNM) for laboratory developed tests (LDT’s) in the Field of hematopoietic and solid tumor cancers excluding breast cancer, which was previously licensed to Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) and Smart Personalized Medicine and excluding cancer of the retina which was previously committed to Retinalyze, LLC. HDC retains all rights to in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) test kit development in cancer. In addition, HDC’s pre-existing licenses remain in effect.

Under the terms of the Agreement, NeoGenomics paid $1 million in cash and issued 1,360,000 (one million three hundred and sixty thousand) shares of NeoGenomics common stock to HDC in upfront licensing fees. In addition, NeoGenomics will make milestone payments, in cash or stock, based on sublicensing revenue and revenue generated from products and services developed as a result of the Agreement. Milestone payments will be in increments of $500,000 for every $2 million in revenue recognized by NeoGenomics up to a total of $5 million in total milestone payments. After $20 million in cumulative revenue has been recognized, NeoGenomics will pay a royalty of 6.5% on product sales and will share profits from sub-licensing arrangements. In addition, NeoGenomics will pay a royalty of 50% of the revenue recognized from any sub-licensing arrangements for the Cytogenetics Interpretation System and the Flow Cytometry System.

NeoGenomics, Inc. is a high-complexity CLIA–certified clinical laboratory that specializes in cancer genetics diagnostic testing, the fastest growing segment of the laboratory industry. The company’s testing services include cytogenetics, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, morphology studies, anatomic pathology and molecular genetic testing. Headquartered in Fort Myers, FL, NeoGenomics has labs in Nashville, TN, Irvine, CA, Tampa, FL, and Fort Myers, FL. NeoGenomics services the needs of pathologists, oncologists, urologists and other clinicians, and hospitals throughout the United States.

“This License Agreement with NeoGenomics with their high complexity CLIA certified clinical laboratory represents a tremendous opportunity to complete the LDT development and commercialization of HDC’s cancer related products including tests for prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer, as well as, the cytogenetics and flow cytometry interpretation software,” stated Stephen D. Barnhill, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Health Discovery Corporation. Dr. Barnhill added, “As a requirement of this Licensing Agreement, we are very excited that Dr. Maher Albitar will be the Chief Medical Officer and Director of Research and Development at NeoGenomics and will personally direct the final development and commercialization of these cancer products at NeoGenomics.”

Dr. Barnhill continued, “Under the terms of the License Agreement, NeoGenomics has agreed to use its best efforts to complete the development of these tests and have a first commercial use of products in the next 12 months, subject to extensions if required.”

Herbert A. Fritsche, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer at Health Discovery Corporation and recently retired Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Chief of the Clinical Chemistry Section at The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, stated, “Now that we have our cancer products poised for final development and commercialization in the NeoGenomics CLIA certified clinical laboratory under the direction of Dr. Maher Albitar, we can now focus our attention to finalization and commercialization of our Retinalyze product for macular degeneration, as well as, move into product development for non-cancer diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementias, cardiac diseases and others. We will also be moving forward on using our SVM pattern recognition tools for radiologic interpretation techniques.”

About Health Discovery Corporation

Health Discovery Corporation is a molecular diagnostics company that uses advanced mathematical techniques to analyze large amounts of data to uncover patterns that might otherwise be undetectable. It operates primarily in the emerging field of personalized medicine where such tools are critical to scientific discovery. Its primary business consists of licensing its intellectual property and developing its own product line of biomarker-based diagnostic tests that include human genes and genetic variations, as well as gene, protein, and metabolic expression differences and image analysis in digital pathology and radiology. For more information, see http://www.healthdiscoverycorp.com.

Source: financialpost.com

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Register Now for Early Bird Rates for APF Spring Conference

For online conference registration visit:

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

 

ONE MONTH REMAINING FOR
EARLY REGISTRATION RATES! 
 

Make plans to join the American Pathology Foundation in San Diego for our 2012Spring Conference.  Attendees can look forward to three days of information-rich sessions on best practices in the business of pathology and plenty of practical "take home" ideas for better managing their time, practice and resources.
The APF Program Committee has worked to  select timely topics and knowledgeable speakers to help you address critical practice management issues.  Half-day program blocks will focus on regulatory and legal issues, fiscal tools and tactics to position your practice for the future, improving your leadership and management skills, as well as personalized medicine and emerging pathology / laboratory technology. APF National Conferences provide ample opportunities for you to network, share experiences and craft solutions with your colleagues.

 

For online conference registration visit:

 

You may also register over the phone

by calling the APF National Office toll-free at:

877-993-9935, ext 202 

 

A complete conference brochure and registration form

 can be downloaded by clicking on the image below:   

APF 2012 Spring Conference

  

2012 Spring Conference Events Include:

 

            Medical Coding"2012 Practical Pathology Coding Pre-Conference"

Wednesday, February 29  - SPACE IS LIMITED! -

Participants in the 2012 "Practical Coding" Pre-Conference will gain a thorough understanding of the CPT, ICD9 and ICD10 coding issues specific to pathology.  Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA is the primary presenter for this full-day course which will cover common coding dilemmas, present strategies to implement change and maximize reimbursement. The pre-conference will also cover critical aspects of coding for molecular and special tests and a primer on confronting and correcting claims denials.  
 
 Hot Topics Breakfast Roundtable Sessions
Friday, March 2
breakfast
Get your day off to a great start with a full breakfast and a chance to discuss hot topics of the day with Spring Conference faculty and your colleagues.   Due to thepopularity of these sessions, additional  discussion groupshave been added for this year.  Topics will include:  Legal Issues,  Pathology Billing, Voice Recognition Technology, Lab Inspection and Mergers and Acquisitions.
     
              Exhibitor Showcase: February 29 - March 2, featuring:
                      APS Medical Billing                      NovoPath             
                     ARUP Laboratories                Orchard Software
                              ASCP                                  PathCentral  
                               APC                                  Pathology Inc. 
                           BilAmerica                              PhenoPath
                            CBLPath                                  PIMS, Inc.
                             Clarient                                      PSA
                              Cortex                               Sakura Finetek
                             Kellison                                     Telcor
                             LigoLab                                   Ventana
                           McKesson                               Voicebrook
                                                NeoGenomics
 
      Exhibit Hall Networking past, present, future Lunch  
Join us for special events planned each day; including our signature wine tasting at Wednesday's Welcome Reception, Thursday's "Treasure Island" Reception, and the Foundation's 6th Annual Russell J. Eilers Fund Silent Auction
benefiting pathology resident education.
  
APF logoSan Diego Marriott    
  We Look forward to Seeing YOU 

                   in San Diego 

 at the APF 2012 Spring Conference!

      

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"Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig," Morbid Anatomy Lecture, The Velaslavasay Panorama, Los Angeles, Feb. 9










For those of you in the greater Los Angeles area: I would love to see you next month at at one of my very favorite Los Angeles attractions--The Velaslavasay Panorama--where I will be giving a lecture entitled "Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig: A Journey into the Curious World of the Medical Museum." The images above--drawn from my recent photo exhibitions The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre--constitute a tiny sampling of the many images I will be showing in the presentation.

Full details follow; very much hope very much to see you there.

Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig:
A Journey into the Curious World of the Medical Museum
An Illustrated Lecture by Joanna Ebenstein
_______

The Velaslavasay Panorama
1122 West 24th Street, Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
8 o’clock PM
Tickets $10 {$8 VPES Members, Students, Seniors}
Advance Tickets Available here:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/221012

The Velaslavasay Panorama welcomes photographer and researcher Joanna Ebenstein, who will be here Thursday, February 9th at 8 pm to present an illustrated lecture entitled Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig: A Journey into the Curious World of the Medical Museum. Abounding with images and insight, Ms. Ebenstein’s lecture will introduce you to the Medical Museum and its curious denizens, from the Anatomical Venus to the Slashed Beauty, the allegorical fetal skeleton tableau to the taxidermied bearded lady, the flayed horseman of the apocalypse to the three fetuses dancing a jig. Ebenstein will discuss the history of medical modeling, survey the great artists of the genre, and examine the other death-related arts and amusements which made up the cultural landscape at the time that these objects were originally created, collected, and exhibited.

Joanna Ebenstein is a New York-based artist and independent researcher. She runs the popular Morbid Anatomy Blog and the related Morbid Anatomy Library, where her privately held cabinet of curiosities and research library are made available by appointment. Her work has been shown and published internationally, and she has lectured at museums and conferences around the world. For more information, visit http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com

Tickets available here. You can find out more about the panorama (one of my favorite spots in LA! highly recommended!) by clicking here.

Images top to bottom, as drawn from my recent photo exhibitions The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre:

  1. "Anatomical Venus" Wax wodel with human hair and pearls in rosewood and Venetian glass case, "La Specola" (Museo di Storia Naturale), Florence, Italy, Probably modeled by Clemente Susini (around 1790)
  2. "Slashed Beauty" Wax wodel with human hair and pearls in rosewood and Venetian glass case, "La Specola" (Museo di Storia Naturale), Florence, Italy, Probably modeled by Clemente Susini (around 1790)
  3. "Anatomical Venuses," Wax Models with human hair in rosewood and Venetian glass cases,The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria
  4. The Mütter Museum : Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pathological model; 19th Century?
  5. Wax Model of Eye Surgery, Musée Orfila, Paris. Courtesy Université Paris Descartes
  6. Wax Anatomical Models in Rosewood and Venetian Glass Boxes, The Josephinum, Workshop of Clemente Susini of Florence circa 1780s, Vienna, Austria
  7. Wax moulages; Probably by Carl Henning (1860-1917) or Theodor Henning (1897-1946); Early 20th Century; Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum (Pathologisch-anatomisches Bundesmuseum): Vienna, Austria, Austria
  8. Plaster Models in Pathological Cabinet, The Museum of the Faculty of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow
  9. Skeleton and hand models for "la médecine opératoire" Musée Orfila, Paris. Courtesy Université Paris Descartes

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"Death In The Closet: The Morbid Anatomy Library in Brooklyn Breaks Today’s Taboos," The Toronto Standard



Once, walking back from school, I found a dead sparrow and took it home with me. My mom screamed when she found it lying on the floor of my pink-and-white bedroom. The bird was buried in the backyard.

Joanna Ebenstein did the same thing when she was growing up, but her dad gave her a bottle of formaldehyde and her bedroom filled with animals in jars. Her collection has only grown since then, becoming what’s now the Morbid Anatomy Library: a cramped studio in Brooklyn, New York, filled with emu feet, mummified frogs, a human skeleton, and books upon books about death, medicine and science...

--"Death In The Closet: The Morbid Anatomy Library in Brooklyn Breaks Today’s Taboos," Laura Trethewey, The Toronto Standard

You can read the whole nuanced, thoughtful and spot-on piece--one of my favorite articles yet written about the Morbid Anatomy Library--by clicking here. You can find out more about the Morbid Anatomy Library by clicking here.

Photos: Installation views of the Morbid Anatomy Library by Shannon Taggart.

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Gabba Gabba Hey! Ramones Night at Observatory TONIGHT, Friday January 13 at 8:00

Tonight at Observatory! Hope to see you there.

Gabba Gabba Hey! Ramones Night at Observatory
A screening of End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
out-takes and Q&A with filmmakers Jim Fields, Michael Gramaglia and John Gramaglia
Date: Friday, January 13th
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $8
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

In 2003, the documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones was released to great critical and popular acclaim after much legal finagling with The Ramones and their managers. On Friday the 13th of January, join the team behind the film--directors Jim Field and Michael Gramaglia and editor John Gramaglia--for an evening that takes up where the film left off. The night will feature screenings of numerous out-takes from the film, as well as anecdotes about the trials and tribulations of getting the film made. Following that, the team will take questions from the audience.

Jim Fields is a doc filmmaker and co-director of "EOTC" with Michael Gramaglia. He's currently a staff video journalist for Time.com.

Michael Gramaglia is a filmmaker living in Queens. His current project is a feature film about Graham Parker.

John Gramaglia is a freelance editor for documentaries and TV commercials.

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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"Object Migration" Opening Reception, Proteus Gowanus, Tomorrow Night (January 12), 7pm


I have gotten a sneak peek of the new exhibition "Object Migration" at Proteus Gowanus, which officially opens with a reception tomorrow night at 7 PM. From what I have seen thus far, this is a pretty exciting exhibition, a real ode to material culture with lots of intrigue and surprises. Hope to see you at the opening, for which full details follow:

Proteus Gowanus
Thursday, January 12
7pm
543 Union Street Brooklyn

Join us for wine and conversation at the opening of the Object Migration exhibition. This show is a transitory museum of terrestrial transitions with over 50 objects and their migratory stories brought to us by you, our friends and collaborators. Some objects speak of intensely intimate moments while others tell geologic tales of perfect indifference.

When we think about migration (as we have been doing all year), we tend to focus on people and creatures, the mobile inhabitants of the planet. But life and motion create products and byproducts: tools, waste, the implements of culture. These are often the things that drive us onward in our migrations. Their stories are ineluctably connected with our own. At the points where our stories intersect with objects, much is revealed, not only about our personal trajectories but also about our precarious relationship with the environment.

We sent out the following message: “Do you have an object whose story you would like to share? An heirloom, an artwork, a toothbrush, a stone? An object which has inspired you, dominated you, educated you, exalted or degraded you? For our second exhibition of the Migration year, we invite you to lend us your object and include with it everything you know about it. We are especially interested in the part of the story that is the object’s alone: it’s history as material, as an economic entity, as waste, or as the impetus for other migratory tales.”

This query brought us over 50 objects which are the jumping off point for a three-month exploration of Object Migrations.

The objects on display range from a 50 million year old “dinosaur fart” (or gas bubble) to a collection of wild bird’s stomach contents collected in the early 20th C for “scientific” purposes. There are also talismans, mundane objects with secret meanings, things of beauty and much more.

We will view them as independent beings with stories of their own, stories that began before the object’s encounter with its current owner and that will likely continue long after they part. The stories may migrate into the economic, the industrial, the political, the historical, the geologic, the environmental and so on as visitors add to the stories on display with information they may have about the object in question.

    More can be found here.

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    “The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini," Lecture by Rebecca Messbarger, New York Academy of Medicine, Jan. 19



    Next Thursday, Rebecca Messbarger--author of the lovely and fascinating The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini--will be speaking at The New York Academy of Medicine about the life and work of this rare 18th century female anatomist and master wax modeller, whose wax self portrait--where she depicts herself in the act of dissecting a brain!--you see above.

    Full details below; very much hope to see you there!

    “The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini”
    The 2012 Malloch Circle Lecture and Reception
    Date: January 19, 2012
    Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

    Speaker(s): Rebecca Messbarger, PhD, Associate Professor of Italian, Washington University
    Location: The New York Academy of Medicine
    1216 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029

    The Malloch Circle, a special group of friends who are interested in the history of medicine and support the historical programs at NYAM, is hosting a lecture about Anna Morandi Manzolini, an illustrious 18th century anatomical modeler. This is a special introduction to the Malloch Circle, whose members are invited to dinner events featuring presentations of historical and bibliographic interest, exhibitions of relevant notable rare books, and private behind the scenes tour of the Rare Book Room.

    Anna Morandi Manzolini was an illustrious 18th century anatomical modeler who, with her husband, Giovanni Manzolini, held anatomy lessons in their Bologna home. The artistry and accuracy of her wax models made her widely known as a leader in the field, and brought powerful supporters, including the Royal Society of London, Doge Moccenigo of Venice, and Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. Long forgotten, her story has been disinterred and developed through the research of Dr. Rebecca Messbarger. Professor Messbarger earned her PhD from the University of Chicago. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Philosophical Society. She is director of undergraduate studies in Italian, founder and co-convener of the 18th Century Interdisciplinary Salon, and an executive board member of the Society for 18th Century Studies. Her most recent book The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini, examines the details of Morandi’s remarkable life, tracing her intellectual trajectory from provincial artist to internationally renowned anatomical wax modeler for the University of Bologna’s famous medical school.

    The Friends of the Rare Book Room is a special group of contributors who for sixty years have supported public programs in the history of medicine, the acquisition and cataloging of historical scholarly material, and activities that make the Malloch Rare Book Room a center for scholarship in the history of medicine and public health and for the study of books and printing. The Malloch Circle is composed of special Friends of the Rare Book Room who support this work at a level of $1,000 annually. The Malloch Circle is named for Archibald Malloch, a protege of William Osler, who served as the Academy's Librarian from 1926 to 1949. The continuing support of the Malloch Circle will dramatically improve the library's efforts to enhance its collections through full cataloguing and archival processing, digitization, and conservation treatment. The Malloch Circle meets several times a year for dinner and conversation, with special presentations of bibliographical and historical interest, and for private tours of notable rare book collections.

    Registration Information
    Cost: $35

    You can find out more--and order tickets!--by clicking here. To find out more about Rebecca Messbarger's book The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini, click here.

    Image: Wax self-portrait of 18th-century wax modeler and anatomist Anna Morandi Manzolini dissecting a human brain; Palazzo Poggi, Bologna; found here.

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    "Hypnotik: The Seer Will Doctor You Now," Directed by Ildiko Nemeth, Through January 15

    In an intimate theater, a showman clairvoyant brings his subjects to the stage and promises his audience a spectacle of “raw shame.” One by one he entrances his chosen ones, leading them to reveal their most abject and malignant drives. But when no redemptive moment follows, the audacious seer must confront his own worst visions.

    Loosely based on the story of Erik Jan Hanussen, Hitler's Jewish Clairvoyant (as detailed in a book by the the amazing Mel Gordon), this play, directed by Ildiko Nemeth, is a subtle, troubling and thought-provoking meditation on entertainment, shame, and hubris in decadent times. With gorgeous costumes evoking a kind of space-age 1930s, inventive staging that achieves--with minimal resources--a true and creepy uncanniness at times, and excellent acting, this is a really a really fascinating piece that transcends its limitations and lingers with you.

    You can find out more--and buy tickets--by clicking here. You can find out more about Mel Gordon's book by clicking here.

    Image: Photo by Markus Hirnigel, Collage by Jessica Sofia Mitrani

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

    Genetic Engineering for Human Enhancement.mp4 – Video

    15-12-2011 15:18 Leading physicist and futurist, Michio Kaku hosts a look at Genetic Engineering for animal and human cloning, then turns to the question of human enhancement. In my view, pre-implantation genetic screening and non-specializing genetic enhancement of general traits do not threaten human personhood in the way that designer germ-line engineering, cloning, or the hybridization of human and animal genes do.

    Go here to see the original:
    Genetic Engineering for Human Enhancement.mp4 - Video