I will attend a few conferences in the next 2 weeks and I thought I would share some links with you in case you become interested.
See you there!
Jan van Rymsdyk's most famous plate from William Hunter's "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
In October 2008 I visited the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, where William Hunter’s great book of obstetrics was on display. Published in 1774, The Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus did much to advance the understanding of human pregnancy. The book contains 34 copper engravings. 31 of these magnificent medical illustrations were made by a mysterious man called Jan van Rymsdyk.
I was interested in finding out more about this Dutch artist working in England in the 18th century, but soon realized that very little is known about him. Some historians can guess which artists he trained under based on his style and they think he was born somewhere in Holland between 1700 and 1730. He lived and worked in England between 1745 and 1780, but no one knows what he did before and after that period.
What is left after him is his medical illustration work for some of the most notable obstetricians of the time, including William Hunter and William Smellie, a book with drawings of curious items in the British Museum he published himself, and a handful of portraits.
For the British Museum book, simply titled Museum Britannicum, Rymsdyk (or Riemsdyk as it is also spelled) included several personal footnotes and commentaries that tell us something of what his life must have been like.
Jan van Rymsdyk’s first assignment as a medical illustrator seems to be for William Smellie’s Sett [sic] of Anatomical Tables, published in 1754. This was a visual companion to Treatise of the Theory and Practice of Midwifery and contained 26 (out of 39) plates drawn by Van Rymsdyk. The plates are much more detailed an life-like than other more schematic illustrations of the era, and it was probably because of this assignment that William Hunter commissioned Van Rymsdyk to illustrate his great book on obstetrics.
Demonstration of forceps delivery from William Smellie's "A Sett of Anatomical Tables". Engraving from a drawing by Jan van Rymsdyk.
For his book, Hunter was not interested in illustrations that showed an “ideal” uterus, but meticulous copies of real dissected specimens. In Hunter’s own words an illustration like this “represents what was actually seen, it carries the mark truth, and becomes almost as infallible as the object itself”. And this is exactly what Van Rymsdyk produced. William’s brother and famous surgeon John Hunter worked together with Van Rymsdyk in the dissecting room. John preparing the display from the corpse of women who had died in various stages of pregnancy, and Jan making life-size drawings in red chalk. These sketches were later made into engravings for the printing of the book.
Jan van Rymsdyk's original drawing (left) and engraving (right) from William Hunter's "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
Comparing the drawings for Smellie’s and Hunter’s books you can see that Van Rymsdyk have improved his skills. The sketches are almost photorealistic reproductions down to the tiniest wrinkle and hair. Other painters of the time criticized Van Rymsdyk for being too accurate and detailed. They saw his anatomical illustrations as a lower form of painting, as it was “just” copying and not the result of an artistic mind. In Museum Britannicum Van Rymsdyk defends his style of work. Here is a passage where he describes why he thinks it’s important to cover every tiny little detail. It could almost pass as a description of macro photography:
there are three different ways of imitating an Object; the first is to dispose Nature at a tolerable Distance, suppose that of Fifteen Feet, where all the minutiae is lost, and only the Form, and grand Masses are to be seen; this Distance is in general approved of large Works, which are to be seen on high, as the Pictures on the Veiling at White-Hall, British Museum etc. The second or medium Distance, is where the small parts are more visible, as at Five Feet, or thereabouts; Painters never, or seldom exceed this, but the third is, where the Different Substances, and every minute Part is discovered by being brought so near the Eye. This Distance I was obliged to make use of, for to represent Nature in its greatest Beauty; the other two distances are what I would call only representing the Effect of Nature, as she appears at the Distance; or the Distance for an Artist to get a good deal of Money, and use much Art, but shew [show] little of Nature.
Reflection of a dissection room window in the chorion (outermost membrane) covering a fetus from William Hunter’s "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
Ironically, it seems that Van Rymsdyk ended up feeling bitter about the only works he are known for today. In the conclusion to his Museum Britannicum book he writes that he has taken “a dislike to those Anatomical Studies etc. in which I was employed.” He also felt he had been ill-treated by William Hunter, who he accused of having discouraged him from becoming a “real” painter. Although he insistingly defended his style of art, it almost seems like he secretly did feel inferior to the “proper” artists.
William Hunter didn’t mention Van Rymsdyk in the Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus. The preface just refers to “the ingenious artists who made the drawings and engravings”. Maybe Hunter saw the dissection as the real art? Or the engravings that made it possible to print a book? Maybe it’s not so hard to understand he felt he had “Sacrificed his Talents”.
Whatever he felt, Jan van Rymsdyk will always stand as one of the greatest medical illustrators of all time. And although he drew and painted, in a way it feels like he was the first medical photographer, documenting the specific rather than the general. He certainly didn’t sacrifice his talents, but put them to use for a greater good – the advancement of medicine.
Sources:
Image credits:
INDIA
According to IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), India healthcare industry which comprises hospital and allied sectors, is projected to grow 23 per cent per annum to touch US$ 77 billion by 2012 from the current estimated size of US$ 35 billion.
The sector has registered a growth of 9.3 per cent between 2000-2009, comparable to the sectoral growth rate of other emerging economies such as China, Brazil and Mexico. According to the report, the growth in the sector would be driven by healthcare facilities, both private and public sector, medical diagnostic and pathlabs and the medical insurance sector.
Healthcare facilities, inclusive of public and private hospitals, the core sector, around which the healthcare sector is centred, would continue to contribute over 70 per cent of the total sector and touch a figure of US$ 54.7 billion by 2012.
Adds a FICCI-Ernst and Young report, India needs an investment of US$ 14.4 billion in the healthcare sector by 2025, to increase its bed density to at least two per thousand population.
According to a latest report by McKinsey, driven by strong local demand, Indian healthcare market is expected to continue growing close to previously projected rates of 10 to 12 per cent. With average household consumption expected to increase by more than seven per cent per annum, the annual healthcare expenditure is projected to grow at 10 per cent and also the number of insured is likely to jump from 100 million to 220 million.
India Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
India’s US$14.71bn pharmaceutical market is in a state of transition. As the country’s economy grows, foreign firms are increasing their presence, the government is spending more on healthcare and local firms are looking abroad for new growth opportunities. Through to 2019, BMI is forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.77% for medicine sales in India.
India’s attractiveness to multinational pharmaceutical has increased over the past quarter. The country’s score on BMI’s Pharmaceutical Business Environment Ratings has risen from 48.2 in Q409 to 52.8 in Q110. This has also resulted in India moving up to 9th in the proprietary rankings system. The main driver of this improvement was a re-assessment of both the size and growth of the pharmaceutical market. India’s Pharma rating is just below the regional average (53.2), but above the global average (51.5). Over the medium term, we fully expect India’s ranking to improve significantly.
India’s rural market represents an enormous opportunity for drug-makers and medical device firms. Although anticipated margins are slim, volumes of units sold will be large. In an effort to become the leading pharmaceutical firm in its domestic market, Ranbaxy revealed in December 2009 that it intended to penetrate the challenging rural market. Other companies with a similar strategy include Fortis Healthcare, Novartis, Elder Pharmaceutical and GE Healthcare.
BMI’s Burden of Disease Database (BoDD) reveals that non-communicable diseases – such as diabetes and cancer – have a slightly greater burden in India than non-communicable diseases – such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. In 2008, a total of 99,892,742 diability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were lost to communicable diseases, while 116,772,455 DALYs were lost to non-communicable diseases.
JAPAN
Japanese healthcare industry is ranked second in the world, with its main challenge being the aging population.
Complete coverage of medical expenses by insurance adds a point to its rank. Thus, changes in the economy are likely to have little effect on the industry – even with the current decline in labor force and with increasingly aging population.
The pharmaceutical and drugs industry of Japan is challenged with issues pertaining to the launch of blockbuster drugs, sales and marketing productivity, and structural reforms. Bungyo – the separation of prescribing and dispensing drugs by doctors and pharmacists, – is soaring, and expected to reach 80 percent in the next five years.
With 100 percent insurance coverage for medical expenses and in view of the fact that physicians across the country charge a fixed fee irrespective of their qualification and experience, patients are choosing to go to bigger hospitals for treatment.
The medical devices industry is also highly competitive and is a trade hub for countries such as the United States and Europe. Demand from the growing population of aged people for better medical facilities is one of the reasons for the increasing volume of imports in this industry.
With the opening up the Japanese economy with less regulations across industries and sectors, the Government’s initiative to develop standards and encourage best practices across the healthcare industry is likely to enhance Japan’s global competitiveness. The country’s medical facilities are also expanding to meet the long-term goal of promoting development, raising the standards of living, and narrowing the gap with developed countries. This opens up plenty opportunities for more adventurous players.
Japan Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q2 2010
BMI forecasts Business Monitor International that the value of Japanese pharmaceutical market at retail prices will increase at a very modest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.25%, as measured in local currency. However, when calculated in US dollars, growth will fall into negative territory. The market will reach a value of JPY9,619bn (US$87.45bn) in 2014, up from of JPY9,040.1bn (US$95.16bn) in 2009. Over our longer, ten-year forecast, we expect the growth rate to drop to under 1% as public purse-strings are tightened further.
Japan is looking to triple its generics sector by 2012. In 2009, generic drugs represented an estimated 9.4% of the total market by value, with BMI forecasting this share to increase to 15.5% in 2014, and further to 23.5% by the end of 2019.
Despite the low annual growth rate expected in the coming years, the Japanese drug sector continues to benefit from a large relative (per-capita consumption was estimated at almost US$750 in 2009) as well as absolute – with its population numbering over 127mn – usage of medicines, Indeed, in our updated Q210 Business Environment Ratings (BERs) table for the 15 key markets in the Asia Pacific region, Japan regained its pole position, previously held by Australia. Globally, Japan is ranked as the fourth most attractive market for multinational drugmakers, after the US, Germany and Canada.
Opportunities in the generics sector are to be increasingly explored by foreign companies, with Israeli generics specialist Teva and traditionally research-based Pfizer recently reporting their plans for entry into the market. In terms of other notable company news over the past quarter, Teva-Kowa Pharma, a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Teva and Japanese drugmaker Kowa, entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Taisho Pharmaceutical Industries. The acquisition will help Teva-Kowa to achieve its growth plan in Japan by bringing in local expertise and know-how.
Earlier in the year, Teva- Kowa announced its plans to start selling generic cancer drugs from January 2010. Leading Japanese drugmaker Takeda revealed that it would enter the South American drug market via the acquisition of a generic drugmaker in the region, though the company is yet to elaborate on any potential targets. Over the coming five years, pharmaceutical imports will grow at a faster rate than exports – benefiting from regulatory and pricing environment improvements – and result in an expanding trade deficit through to 2014, with generic medicines making a major impact in volume terms. The competitive nature of the multinational sector’s hi-tech imports will add to pressures on the pharmaceutical trade balance, especially as the level of domestic research and development (R&D) industry activity lags behind that in other major markets.
MIDDLE EAST
Middle East healthcare market estimated over $100bnAccording to a recent study, population in the Middle East has exceeded 370m and is estimated to reach over 520m by 2030.
Growing population, mainly dominated by the expatriate community in most of the GCC countries, has given rise to the a rapidly growing market for healthcare and its associated industries, which is now touching $100bn mark in the Middle East alone.
Healthcare markets in the Gulf region are changing quickly. Due to the huge increase in the expatriate population, it is also one of the fastest growing regions with an estimated annual growth of 15%. Business opportunities in the import-dependent marketplace of the five main countries in the region have dramatically increased from where they were a few years ago.
Saudi Arabia, as the richest regional market, has planned to increase the numbers of hospitals from 264 to over 500 in next 7 years. United Arb Emirates (UAE) is also setting trends in providing best healthcare standards on public & private level not only for the growing population within the country but also for patients from across the region seeking the best medical facilities. The UAE healthcare market is projected to rise from $3.2bn in 2005 to $11.9bn in 2015.
The market in the Middle East countries, however, is heavily reliant on the fluctuating price of oil, which dictates the strength of the economy and, in turn, reflected in healthcare provision and the pharmaceutical market. This trend necessitates a global interactive platform for the healthcare industry and medical community to explore the latest advancements, compare alternates and reach mutually beneficial conclusions.
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
source: http://www.marketresearch.com
In BMI’s Q1 2010 Business Environment Ratings, Saudi Arabia is ranked fifth of the 17 Middle East and African (MEA) markets. This is a drop from the country’s previous second place in Q409 and is due to a drop in its score for limits of potential returns. From 2009 to 2014, the pharmaceutical market is expected to post a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.44% in both US dollar and local currency terms. Council of Co-operative Health Insurance (CCHI) secretary general Dr Abdullah Al Sharif has said that the council has plans to develop a comprehensive healthcare management system centred on health economics and pharmacoeconomics in conjunction with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
Since Saudi Arabia has both the largest population and the highest level of pharmaceutical spending in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) there is a strong possibility that the Kingdom could itself become a medical tourism destination to rival Jordan. Saudi Arabian consumers will spend 4% of their GDP on healthcare by 2013 and the government is currently constructing more hospitals and recruiting more healthcare professionals to address issues with access to healthcare services in the country.
Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity are forming an increasingly large portion of the region’s epidemiological profile. Domestic drugmakers in the region, such as Gulf Pharmaceuticals Industries (Julphar) in the UAE, are using exports to reach other GCC states; however, international accreditation for manufacturing practice would allow firms like this to target more lucrative global markets.
Saudi Arabia is highly reliant on foreign doctors for the provision of healthcare. An estimated 78% of the Kingdom’s 43,000 doctors are expatriates. Recently, Saudi Arabia recruited 500 doctors from Bangladesh for the 2,000 health centres across the country. In total, 4,000 doctors had been recruited to 150 new family health centres by early 2008. A further 7,000 should be recruited over the next few years in an attempt to bring the doctor:patient ratio down from 1:4,000 to 1:400. Many of these extra doctors are expected to come from abroad – mostly from less wealthy Arab countries such as Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
The shortage of nurses in the country has initiated an international recruitment drive to make up the deficit. In 2008, the Kingdom recruited 8,000 nurses, with a quarter of these from the Philippines. The government still holds long-term ambitions to decrease dependence on foreign staff, with places on specialist nursing courses reserved for Saudi women.
The country is in dire need of over 4,000 more medical staff. BMI would encourage Saudi Arabia to provide better training and incentives to provide more native doctors, while only using foreign staff as a temporary measure.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
United Arab Emirates Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
source: http://www.marketresearch.com
In November 2009 the UAE government announced that an independent federal authority will be established to regulate the quality and safety of food and drugs entering the country.
BMI believes that the successful implementation of this body – essentially a UAE version of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – will be attractive to multinational drug-makers operating in the country.
We expect the total drug market to increase in value from US$1.31bn in 2008 to US$1.5bn by 2009. Thereafter, we expect the drug market to reach US$2.65bn by 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% in US dollar terms.
Our extended 10-year forecast indicates that the market will reach US$3.4bn by 2019, showing a slow CAGR of 5.2% from 2014 onwards. We believe that as the second largest pharmaceutical market in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region after Saudi Arabia, the UAE’s introduction of a proper regulatory body is a wise move.
Saudi Arabia already has the SFDA, which affiliates testing laboratories for drugs and food products. We note that recently the fluctuations in medicine prices in the UAE have led to greater pressure on the government to import and manufacture more generic drugs. This is yet to happen due to the lack of testing facilities in the country. Bioequivalence and other quality control analyses are not consistently carried out for foreign medicines entering the UAE. Instead, medicines come from the EU or US where strict regulations are already in force.
Healthcare sector advertising in the GCC region during January-September 2009 was worth approximately US$162mn, according to the findings of UAE-based research group the Pan Arab Research Centre. The group has revealed that total 2009 spending on advertising for the industry could reach US$215mn. BMI believes that since the member states of the GCC are undergoing healthcare reform or promoting medical tourism (in the more developed countries), the increased spending on advertising is to be expected.
The creation of the Healthcare City (HC) in Dubai has yet to fulfil its potential for attracting international patients. BMI believes the Dubai government has to promote its medical tourism benefits more widely in order to gain considerably from its substantial investment. At present, the HC has 80 English-speaking clinics, with highly qualified doctors, cheaper prices per procedure than the US, no waiting times and the close proximity of holiday areas already renowned for luxury and relaxation. Construction of the second phase of the HC’s complex will include spas and other ‘wellness’ facilities. The completed complex will form the largest medical tourism centre between Asia and Europe.
For detailed reports, please go to Business Monitor International (BMI) http://www.marketresearch.com
Business Monitor International
Business Monitor International (BMI) publishes specialist business information on global emerging markets for senior executives in more than 125 countries worldwide. A wholly independent, London-based company, BMI has specialized in the analysis of global emerging markets since its foundation in 1984. BMI’s comprehensive range of weekly, monthly and annual reports contains the latest available data, forecasts and analysis on political risk, economic performance and outlook, the business environment, finance and leading industry sectors.
Obamacare, Health care bill, Truth from doctors and experts
Here are some of my favorite videos and testimony and experts on Obamacare, the Health Care Bill being forced on us.
All you need to know about health care reform
* Note two of the videos are no longer available here.
What is the current attempt by Obama and liberal Democrats at health care reform all about?
Read more:
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/health-care-reform-facts-truth-2010-elections-obama-lies-government-run-health-care-wealth-redistribution-all-you-need-to-know-about-health-care-reform/
The Difference Between Canada and the U.S. Health Care Systems
Sally C. Pipes understands Canadian health care. As the former Assistant Director of the free-market Fraser Institute, she lived under Canada’s national health care system.
Today Pipes is president of the Pacific Research Institute and author of the new book, The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care. She spoke at the Cato Institute July 15, 2009.
Parker Griffith Republican representative leaves Democrat Party over Health Care Bill
“A radiation oncologist, Griffith cited the Democrats’ health care plans as a reason for his switch. He was one of 39 Democrats to vote against the bill in the House last month.
“I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors,” he said at the press conference, according to the AP. “It’s bad for our patients. It’s bad for the young men and women who are considering going into the health care field.”
Read more:
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/parker-griffith-announcement-switches-parties-griffith-republican-griffith-leaves-democrat-party-health-care-bill-bad-for-doctors/
Paul Ryan Health Care Bill truth, Rep Ryan exposes Health Care Bill lies
President’s Cousin Condemns Obamacare
Total denuding process of terminally ill; (Mar. 17, 2010)
The hardest part for an incurable dying person is not necessarily being reduced to nothing after death; it is to be consciously reduced to a totally dispossessed non-entity before his death. Willingly or coerced to, an incurable dying person is forced to undergo total stripping of all his material belonging and his mental and physical potentials. For example, in the article “Befriending death”, Pierre “the fix it all”, had to finally ask specialized companies to do home repairs and finish off works in progress; he had to desist doing research work at his physics research institution; he had find capable replacement researchers to resume his projects; he had to give up positions in associations and organizations; he had to stop computing from statistics the exact date for his imminent death; he had to teach his wife and grown up children how to fix and repair things at home.
Pierre had to give up reading, listening to music, communicating, surfing the net; he had to forget what he accumulated in tools for home repairs. Pierre had to accept loosing possession of part of his body, his strength, sensations, taking interminable time to getting out of bed, unable to eat, to talk, to walk. Pierre had to be resigned to let go controlling and managing his family.
The last phase in dispossession is to let go of praying: come what come; the dying person is already “a prayer”. It is not only totally useless to pray by the dying patient’s bed; it is also frankly infuriating to the patient and family members: the dying person is already in another dimension and care less of what’s going around him. Pierre is entering a sort of “no man’s land of the mind” in silence.
It is entirely naïve and insane for friends to tell a dying person “You still can decide for life!” People usually lack the burning pains of what the terminally ill is experiencing. There is a time when living and dying is same different. Suppose a person has reached the final phases of total dispossession and then was told “Congratulation, you are cured. You can recapture your former job and get your previous activities back.” Do you think that this completely denuded person would still have the heart and energy to restart life from scratch like a newborn baby?
Note: this topic was extracted from “When befriending death” by Sylvie Garoche.
Well, this run literally made me running alright.
Currently tonnes of chapter behind to catch up: personality disorders, cognitive disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse. And what’s more : diabetes, myocarditis, parkinsonism. Lest to forget the whole mumbo jumbo on drugs!!!
My logbook is barely filled up, case history yet to be identified and lite review on CAT (critically appraised topic) not kucing is not touched at all!!!
Otherwise, my consultant said that I am doing awesome!! …so she said, and I still feel yucky.. Bah..
Tom certainly did not want to die, and Marianne definitely did not want God to take him from her either, but they both trusted in God’s plan, no matter what the ‘earthly’ outcome would be. They truly understood the meaning of the words of St. Paul to the Romans, that it is God, not us, who is in control and that “…in everything God works for the good with those who love him, who are called to his purpose.” And perhaps it is not how Tom lived his life that was an inspiration, although I am certain it was, but more importantly it was how he lived it while he was dying that deeply affected mine. You see I truly believe that all things happen for a reason and while we may not understand nor see the purpose behind all that happen to us, we must have faith and trust in God’s plan for us. There is good in everything. This is a bold statement and one that many would scoff at, and perhaps even think is crazy. But that’s the thing about faith, it doesn’t make sense…it doesn’t have to.
God put us on earth to enjoy His creation and for us to be happy. But in reality, even if we live to be 100 years old, and most of us will not, that time is minuscule in relation to eternity. We spend so much time trying to keep ourselves looking young and accumulating possessions and when we die, none of it, is coming with us.
Why is it that so many people try to keep a ‘death grip’ on their life in this world? Perhaps it is reflected in the lyrics to the blues song sung by Coco Montoya, ‘…Ya know I hate to leave this old world, cause I don’t know what the next one is all about’. This phenomenon however is not confined only to nonbelievers, but the faithful as well. I suspect it is because as human beings living everyday in this world we are easily distracted into thinking that our appearance and worldly possessions actually matter. After all we are weak and frail, emotionally and sometimes spiritually, and often need to boost our physical self to feel happy. There is nothing inherently wrong with this as long as we remember what is most important to us long-term, and I mean ‘long term’! Personally, I am guilty of this as well. Quite a few years back when I was single and had few responsibilities, I used to work out regularly in the gym, lifting weights. Three or four times a week, for at least 2 – 3 hours at time, I trained intensely. Often, during my work out it would occur to me…I spend so much time and effort focusing on my physical health, that if I spent a fraction of this time on my spiritual life, how much better a person I would be and how much closer to God could I be! But that thought, though it frequently recurred in my mind, would dissipate almost as quickly as I moved on to my next set. It would only be years later when an injury sidelined my weight training that I would finally start doing my ‘spiritual reps’.
But I digress….Assume that through the scientific method and intensive research using our (God-given) intellectual power we discover the fountain of youth. Thus ends all illness and disease. No more cancer, no more lives stripped of their vitality by the ravages of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, no more tragic deaths of mothers and young children. Our physical beings live forever or at least for a long, long, long time. Then what? I am not saying we should not try to find cures but I believe all life is sacred both from a philosophical and Christian perspective. So do we indirectly or directly promote the death of one being for another? How do you make that choice? How can you? And to what end?
Glioblastoma multiforme is a monster of a brain tumor. For years it has proved to be a stronger and better adversary than anything we have used to kill it. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. If we have been able use something successfully to treat it, it mutates into something resistant and more aggressive. I have even ‘completely’ resected this tumor as evidenced by MRI scan, only to see it grow back, twice the size in less than 30 days! Recently, significant strides have been made in chemotherapy that has been hugely successful, even if on a relative scale. (See post of January 16th, 2010: Humility and a Malignant Brain Tumor). And one day I pray we find a cure, although I suspect we will always have death to face at some point.
It will be at that point that our true character will finally be revealed. Will we be afraid because we don’t know what the next world is all about or will we embrace it because we trust in Jesus’ promise of an everlasting life with Him.
A while back when my wife and I were in the process of adopting our daughter we met a couple like us, Mark and Karen, also looking forward to becoming united with their adopted daughter from China. He was an ophthalmologist. And it is quite interesting to me how many ophthalmologists I have met that are deeply committed Christians. Perhaps it has something to do with the realization that the ‘eyes’ truly ‘are the window to the soul’. Anyway, he told me of a story of a colleague, a friend of his that had a malignant brain tumor and he had exhausted all forms of treatment, and had death staring him squarely in the eyes. Mark asked him how he felt, was he afraid? And this other physician looked at him and said no. In fact he was excited! He was finally going to meet his creator and spend all eternity with him. “It’s going to be an awesome journey”.
Our life here on earth is far from inconsequential but it is in the way that we live that life that we will be judged by those we leave behind and by God in heaven.
Chronic pain therapist Maggie Phillips will speak in conversation with North Atlantic Books publisher and writer Lindy Hough at the fourth Alternative Medicine event sponsored by Berkeley Public Library and North Atlantic Books on March 20, 2010, from 2-4 p.m. at Berkeley Public Central Library in downtown Berkeley. This is part of the free series Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Talk With You About Healing, sponsored by North Atlantic Books and Berkeley Public Library.
A licensed psychologist with 30 years of experience in clinical practice, Phillips uses a variety of methods, including medical hypnosis, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Somatic Experiencing (a bodywork trauma method), and Energy Psychology to work through a variety of clinical difficulties including anxiety, depression, panic, phobia, and health imbalance, along with chronic pain and mind body symptoms.
Dr. Phillips travels widely, giving workshops in China, Europe, and the U.S., while maintaining a local practice in Oakland. “Ten Reasons People In Pain Don’t Heal and How They Can” is a popular presentation at conferences that explores how a ten-point program can address barriers to healing from a “bottom-up” as well as “top-down” perspective.
The first hour on March 20 will feature a public conversation between Dr. Phillips and Hough. The second half will be devoted to audience questions. Refreshments and a book signing of Phillips’ Reversing Chronic Pain: A 10-Point All- Natural Plan for Lasting Relief will follow the presentation.
“We hope to further the public discourse, and thus the readership, about alternative health, or complementary medicine,” Lindy Hough said. “A wider demographic should be able to use these kinds of medicine, know their history, and see how effective they are in healing many conditions inexpensively, without recourse to drugs or surgery.”
“The Berkeley Public Library is excited to be working in partnership with North Atlantic Books to better serve the interest in mind/body/spirit their readers are seeking,” said Douglas Smith, Deputy Director of the Library. “We’re pleased to be expanding our programming, outreach, and collections in these important directions.”
An Afternoon with Maggie Phillips in Berkeley: The Connection Between Trauma and Pain
Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Answer Your Questions About Healing series
Saturday, March 20, 2010
2pm-4pm
Berkeley Public Central Library
3rd Floor Community Meeting Room
2090 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Do you plan to attend this event?
Wheelchair accessible. To request a sign language interpreter, real-time captioning, materials in large print or Braille, or other accommodations for this event, please call (510) 981-6107 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs.
The Business Roundtable, an organization representing Fortune 500 CEOs, is at the heart of the Economic Elite’s power center.
The Business Roundtable: The Most Powerful Corporate Business Club Most Americans Have Never Heard of
David DeGraw, Amped Status
Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:01 GMT
As I have previously explained in my financial analysis of the global economic system, in addition to my economic fact sheet below, the American market system lost approximately $800 trillion of market value during the third business quarter of 2009. And as I have already explained in previous Journal articles it’s going to take about a year for that $800 trillion of loss to be able to make its way through the entire American market system. So this of course is setting up the American market system for a second crash, which very well may take place within the next 12 to 15 business quarter’s.
That being said, the business Roundtable. It is a way for the wealthy to try to keep control of the money they have amassed and to make sure that regardless of any political activities or anything else that happens in this country that they will not have to give up their money. And as I’ve already explained, this kind of psychotic irresponsible behavior on the part of the wealthy is what is ruining the American economic system and the global economic system. Because you have these companies having to pay out such large packages for compensation for their upper-level management and executives that their compensation packages are now extremely inflationary. Furthermore, as a result of these huge compensation packages these companies have had to readjust. The cost of their goods and services so that they can get more money into their company as quickly as possible which means that the pricing of their goods and services has had to go upward in order to attract more of the wealthy and upper class as their customers. And that’s so that these companies can continue to get as much money into their company as possible. But because the upper class and the wealthy customers don’t I as often, these companies that are engaged in this practice end up without having as much cash on hand as they would like because the wealthy just don’t buy is often which means they are not providing these companies with a steady day-to-day cash flow.
And so as a result, these companies are for the most part operated by cash poor basis. And what most people in the United States don’t realize is that it doesn’t matter if a jobs bill is in fact, passed because even if a jobs bill is passed most of these companies have moved their business operations out of the United States in order to find employment more cheaply. And as a result, if any jobs bill is passed. It’s not going to do very much good because the American worker is not can be able to go to work for most these companies, because these companies don’t have those operations in these United States for the workers to work at. A good example is the Dell computer Corporation. Because Dell computers has taken pride in screwing the American worker to the extent where Michael Dell has hardly any business operations left in the United States. And that’s because Michael Dell doesn’t care about the United States. He actually hates this country and he hates most of the people in this country. Because all he wants the people of this country is to put up and shut up and for them getting us to give him. Our money, but he doesn’t want to give us and a customer service or anything for that my Aegis wants to take her money and tell us to go to hell.
And so that’s basically the attitude that a lot of these business Roundtable members have is screw America. And just give us our money. And what’s even worse is that this problem is really systemic throughout the entire world. Because in all of the major nations, corporations are doing exactly the same thing, where they are bastardizing their relationship with the nations in which they are headquartered. And then taking their business operations out of those nations in order to deprive workers in those nations from being able to work at those companies. While the same time, the companies are demanding that the consumers in the countries where they are headquartered still by the company’s products. But that the company is taking the attitude that it doesn’t like giving money back to the country in which they’re located.
And so as a result, you have unemployment levels in Spain of almost 40% and the unemployment level in France and the UK is close to 30% in Italy it’s much higher. And in Greece of course, the unemployment situation is a disaster. And this is all being caused by this kind of psychotic ethnocentrism and egocentric very selfish behavior were the major corporation owners are basically telling the world to screw off. And that they don’t really give a damn how many people they have to kill that these business owners are going to keep their money. And no one to tell them how to run their companies. And as far as they’re concerned hourly employees are nothing but crap to these companies. That’s why they don’t give a damn about hourly employees. That’s why Michael Dell of Dell computers has been sued so many different times by employees of his own company front their business practices. That’s why Michael Dell is more suits than almost any other computer company other than Microsoft.
Now, I realize that people don’t want to believe what I have to say, because they don’t like the fact that I actually do know what I’m talking about. But as my biographical profile in my economic sheet below very clearly shows I’ve been doing financial analysis for 42 years. And I’ve never once been wrong in any financial projection I’ve ever made. Just like I’m not wrong now. And what these business owners don’t realize is that they are on the verge of losing a lot of their money because he is the stupid bastards of the upper and wealthy classes don’t put up and shut up and that these business owners don’t put up and shut up and stop acting like a bunch of selfish bastards they are going to ruin the entire economic system is simply going to collapse, because it’s that fragile right now. And if it does then the stupid bastards won’t happen economic system to be able to steal money from they will have destroyed it.
So once again it doesn’t really matter what anyone in the economic community might want to say. The fact is that as long as the global markets in the United States market are acting in such an irresponsible and stupid bastard manner. Whereby these wealthy and upper class executives are nothing but a judge of lying stupid bastards who don’t give a damn about sustaining the market but only about how much money they can get out of the market, the American economic system will remain extremely fragile. And no jobs bill will ever work and no recovery will take place. Just the opposite is what is going to happen. Because if the psychotic behavior that is existing throughout the entire global economic system does not stop the Kondratieff wave will play out, where the second crash that’s coming in the United States will be so severe that hardly anyone with any money will be able to survive, much less the lower income people like myself. And it will all be because these rich stupid bastards of these large corporations like the Roundtable don’t really give a damn about sustaining the market. All they care about is getting their money and they don’t give a damn who they have to kill in order to get that money. And that’s why Rupert Murdoch is a perfect example of the really stupid bastard and irresponsible asinine behavior that wealthy business owners. Like Rupert Murdoch who are nothing but a much of God damned stupid bastards are really acting like. I made Rupert Murdoch is one of the most dishonest and most corrupted business owners anywhere in the world. He’s hated by everyone.
You are Murdoch doesn’t care. He wouldn’t care if he had to kill his own mother and kill his wife and children. Because as far as Robert Murdoch is concerned he only cares about money and if this children get in the way he will kill them. Just like you will kill his wife just like you will kill any elected official and kill anyone in this entire world to keep his money because he doesn’t care to Rupert Murdoch. Money is God and if you get in the way of money with the Murdoch he will kill you and New York second. Because that’s the kind of stupid ruthless bastard he is.
So again, as a financial analyst, which I’ve been like I say, for over 42 years. All I can say at this point is that if the extremely psychotic and horribly stupid and asinine behavior of bastards and ass holes. Like Rupert Murdoch does not stop it the stupid ass holes don’t stop behaving like a bunch of fucking God damn pieces of crap, who are more just in stealing as much money from this world rather than in sustaining the markets. Then without any hesitation I can say with absolute certain to that within 12 to 15 business quarter’s there will be a financial crash so bad in the United States. That none of you stupid rich bastards like Rupert Murdoch will have very much money left. Because the system of the destroyed. And when that happens Rupert Murdoch weakest die damned stupid bastard with a lot of money they can spend anywhere because the system will have been destroyed by his own God damned stupid bastard greed.
And finally. It doesn’t matter to me whether or not anyone leaves what I’m saying. Because simply because you may not leave what I’m saying does not mean that what I’m saying is not true. It only means that you are not seeing the truthfulness in what I’m saying. And that’s all it means. I will match my financial analytic ability against anyone or any computer anywhere at any time. Other analysts make mistakes. I never do. Anyone who’s ever worked with me knows that they know that if I work for them or do analysis for them that it’s always correct no matter what.
Economic Fact Sheet (Current as of March, 2010)
See Also:
For the record, I am pro-life. I do not support violence against, or the killing of any human being under any circumstances! And the only way that I ever deviate from that stand is that I do not believe that God has ever given any human the right to dictate to any woman how she is to arbitrate her life with the Almighty, and/or God. Therefore, I believe that all women deserve the right to choose for themselves the fate of their own bodies, pursuant to their relationship with the Almighty, and/or God. For an expanded explanation please see my article entitled: "Second Gear"
Your irascible kid will be ordered to get psychiatric treatments; (Mar. 9, 2010)
Any single behavior of yours has now a psychological label attached to it. An irascible kid is diagnosed “humor deregulation with dysphory”; an eccentric adolescent is treated for “syndrome of psychotic risk”; and if you are into much sex activities then you are labeled “hypersexual troubled person”
A few expert psychiatrists of the American Psychiatry Association (APA) have been efficaciously working for a decade on categorizing and revisiting the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The proposed revisions are published on the APA site www.dsm5.org are opened for comments till April 20, 2010. The definitive version DSM-V is due on May 2013. Comments, validation studies, complementary evaluations, and the vote of the administration council of APA will deliver the final acceptance decision of this version.
Mental illnesses are intrinsically related to family and community supports, health structures, and mental customs in treatments; all these factors are irrelevant to multinational pharmaceutical companies with interest to globalize definitions of psychiatric syndromes and treatments.
Based on globalize diagnostics and criteria, individuals will be considered suffering from mental troubles, prescribed standardized psychotrops, and health insurance coverage encouraged. The president of APA, Alan Schatzberg, said “The DSM may have incidences on the way individuals perceive others and perceive themselves. It influences the nature of research and their methodologies. There are repercussions in justices, industries, and public health.”
There is no doubt that millions of people will be taking pills that were not necessary in many societies in the first place; they will suffer secondary effects that are more dangerous and harmful than the original ailments. Worse, the revised DSM-V will be imposed globally to include all societies as the definitive Psychiatric Bible. APA will enjoy hegemony in that troubled field.
For example, a “depressed” Nigerian would say he has burning in the head; a Chinese would say he has pain in the shoulders or stomach; a Salvadorian would claim to have sensation of intense corporal heat. Ethan Watters published “Crazy like Us: The globalization of the American Psyche”. There is a terrifying global tendency to de-humanizing people by imposing unified cultural outlooks.
Western, more specifically US, repertory of mental symptoms and treatments is trying to homogenize it globally, as if there are no specificities to various societies differing vastly from Western concepts of mental illness. Since it is Western States that are contributing mostly to natural disasters and catastrophes, then the US medical teams have disseminated their diagnostics related to post-traumatic ailments.
Multinational pharmaceutical industries are heavily lobbying to redefining mental symptoms so that they sell medical pills that DSM might be recommending, especially allowing public health institutions and health insurance to cover the mental disorders expenses.
I had hoped that Jenny McCarthy would have reversed her anti-vaccine stance, but as a recent piece on that bastion of pseudoscience, the HuffPo shows, sadly, my hopes have been dashed.
Armed with nothing more substantial than her ‘mommy instinct,’ the intuitions of which magically enable her to know more than all of medical science together, she is still touting her dangerous nonsense and conspiratorial fear-mongering.
She’s even stooped to defending the recently disgraced Andrew Wakefield’s claim of the link between autism and bowel disorders.
What a shame.
Some people just can’t face being shown wrong again and again…
Who’s afraid of the truth about autism, Ms. McCarthy? Take a good, long look in the mirror, and then ask yourself.
Written by Lynn Paltrow for RHRealityCheck.org – News, commentary and community for reproductive health and justice. On Thursday, a Utah legislator withdrew a bill that would have allowed sentences of up to life in prison for a woman who experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth as a result of her “reckless” behavior. This move has been attributed [...]
Utah Continues Reckless Efforts to Lock Up Pregnant Women
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:47:00 GMT
With this being the attitude of the Christian movement in the United States, it makes perfect sense to me that NO CHRISTIAN will ever COME forward to explain why my (birth mother) was KILLED in 1950. I fully understand that the attitude of the Christians in these United States is one of “… KILL THE FUCKING WOMAN, AND BEAT HER TO DEATH! KILL HER, AT ALL COSTS… MURDER HER…BUT STEAL THAT FETUS. FOR ALL THAT MATTERS TO US CHRISTIANS IS GETTING THAT FETUS, NO MATTER HOW MANY DEAD BODIES OF WOMEN WE HAVE TO PILE UP ON THE GROUND. WE, CHRISTIANS HATE WOMEN AND WANT ALL WOMEN TO KNOW THAT WE CHRISTIANS WILL OWN THEIR FETUSES, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO KILL EVERY FUCKING WOMAN IN THE UNITED STATES…”.
Like I said, I fully understand why my Birth Mother was KILLED by these monsters here in these United States. When given the current circumstance where the Christians are so hungry for the killing of women that they want to KILL as many as possible just so that they can steal their fetuses, no wonder my birth mother was KILLED and then I was sold on the black market.
Like I’ve said. All of my life, it’s been the Catholics and the Christians who have called me repeatedly, a failed abortion. This story clearly shows me why. And This also convinces me that the PRO LIFE CHRISTIANS ARE NOT PRO LIFE BUT ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE THAT I EITHER DIE OR THAT THEY WILL FIND A WAY TO COME AND KILL ME. FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN THESE DAYS MEANS KILLING AND MURDERING CHILDREN AND KILLING WOMEN, AND LETTING THE BLOOD OF DEAD WOMEN DRIP ON THEIR FUCKING BIBLES!
May God save me from this new Nazi movement where the Christians are now bringing a new inquisition upon the world, in order to MURDER as many people as possible so that hey, the Christians can then declare to God and Jesus Christ that they, the Christians are now prepared to KILL as many of God’s creations as possible to force God to understand that being a Christian now means KILLING and DESTROYNG as much of LIFE as possible.
Save me dear lord, from this new Nazi movement in the world. Let the Christians comes for me as they came for my mother … let these agents of HELL kill me as they murdered my mother in 1950.
I go to you dear God… for as i do… these anti-God bastards from HELL will not be able to stop you dear Lord from giving me the love you have, as they, these Christian bastards from SATAN, have tried repeatedly to KILL me because of how badly they hate you God… and how badly they hate all life…
I go to you God… where I shall be safe from this Christian inquisition of DEATH!
Annotations Regarding Non-Pro-Life Activities Of The Republican Party And The Christian Conservatives And The Catholics Of The United States:
The Christian conservatives and the Catholics don’t ever want to be responsible for the fact that since 78% of the United States is pro-life Christian that basically means that 78% of all the women and children murdered in the United States are killed by pro-life Christians and Catholics. It also means that Christians in United States are demanding that the world understand that to them being pro-life means killing, because while the Christian conservatives and Catholics are demanding that everyone understand they are pro-life. They are with their own actions, supporting a number of forms of killing.
When you have all these forms of killing being supported by pro-life Christians and Catholics it’s easy to understand that the pro-life Christians and Catholics are demanding that everyone else be responsible for their own actions. But the white fundamentalist Christians and Catholics under no circumstances want to be responsible for anything they do because they are demanding that the entire world understand that to them being pro-life means killing, because that’s what they support killing. That’s why that those who claim to be pro-life are now becoming known as nothing more than, “Killers For Christ”. And of course it the white fundamentalist Christians and Catholics don’t like what I’m saying or want to take exception to what I’m saying they need to disprove everything that follows, and every single item in my see also section below.
See Also:
For the record, I pro-life. I do not support violence against, or the killing of any human being under any circumstances! And the only way that I ever deviate from that stand is that I do not believe that the Almighty, and/or God has ever given any human the right to dictate to any woman how she is to arbitrate her life with the Almighty, and/or God . Therefore, I am also pro-choice, in that I believe that all women deserve the right to choose for themselves the fate of their souls, and their own bodies, pursuant to their relationship with the Almighty, and/or God . For an expanded explanation please see my article entitled, “Second Gear “
What do you gain by working 10 hours or more 5 days a week or more?!!! You might laugh and say you have no other choice. No, you worry about what others are going to think of you. “I can’t quit my job. What would my co-workers think, what would my friends think, I’ll have to change my whole life. I need to keep this lifestyle even though it’s unhealthy for me!” Hey, you’re just wasting your life away doing that. Time is ticking your spouses and kids are waiting for you to spend time with them. You might say, but I don’t know how to talk to them, “I’M A WORKAHOLIC!” that’s all I know how to do. Uhh…here’s some ideas, pick up a parenting book. Remember the days before you became a money chaser? You had dates? It’s your life. Who cares what others will think you are important? Don’t be such a hard person.
So I’m back to being my old withdrawn self – not good for blogging.
Aloof and quiet again. Why? Nothing big. Just the future looming with an ugly intimidating scary face. :|
Updates, updates.I’ve been saving up for a camera. Have I mentioned that? Not going for the dslr’s even though that was a wish in Christmas. Looking on compact ones, easy to lug around with Belle in tow. I’ve decided on Panasonic Lumix FZ35. I am tempted to ask for financial help from those who can easily afford (i.e. my father) but been holding back. But tomorrow, I will seriously give it a try, the begging, I mean.
I’m starting with a compact camera because, that’s just it – I’m starting. I fear the dslr’s size and unlimited perks might be too much for me and my budget. I’m biting into photography although the photo subjects might be limited to Belle and our dog. In the future, I might consider an upgrade to the dslr’s and their lenses and filters. But for now, this is what my budget and skills would allow me. The FZ35 has manual exposure controls, even shutter priority and aperture priority. I don’t know exactly what they are but they sound appealing. I did my research on them and I am taking down notes. I am hyped to tweak these features. Another thing that got me drooling is the video capability. An exciting feature that I could use to record Belle’s quirks. She’s been singing and dancing a lot, and I mean all day every day a lot, and I want it all properly documented. I love the fact that it is compact yet a little bulky. It is chic yet rugged – does that even make sense? What I’m trying to say is, I see myself in this camera and I see myself using this camera. (Took a break to write down my love letter to my financer. *crossing my fingers) One drawback though: no hotshoe. Too bad for that. Other than that, I am inlove with this camera.
Update #2:Already applied for medical school last week. Yey me…not. Took some exams for psych, mental aptitude, and one more exam I can’t remember.
I lied in the psych test. My friend said you can’t lie in those psych tests, she would know I guess since she’s a Psych Major. But I think I did lie. Putting up a front that I wasn’t shaken about my current problems – something like that. I had fun taking the other test, it was about choosing which profession you like between the two given. You can choose one, choose both or cross both out if you hate em. There were a lot of dream professions there: engineer, journalist, commercial model (haha!), surgeon, etc. That was fun. The IQ test was a bit testy. I almost ran out of time for that, hence, the mini-miney-mo technique on some of the questions. But all in all it was okay. Wrote two essays on “How do you see yourself 5 years from now?” Boy, that was hard to fabricate. Seriously, I do not see myself that far away in the future.
Rant:My iphone’s battery has been draining way too fast lately which sucks because I limit my usage of it outside the house. I don’t play the games, I don’t listen to music just to lenghten the battery life. I’ve been reading up on it too. (Yes, I have been reading and engaging myself in geeky topics which is also partly why I’ve been neglecting you, bloggie. Sorry.) The battery life is a concern of a lot of other users too. Gahd. Been thinking of getting a new phone, a Blackberry perhaps? *roll eyes* I might get bored of the BB. I’ve been using my phone for almost a year and I love it and all the apps that come and can come with it. So switching to a BB might make me go on withdrawal. No more Oven Break Free, Moonlight Mahjong, Amateur Surgeon. Can I take it? Btw, does BB have apps? Aha, another topic to read on.
Last update:Hometown is getting scarier and scarier by the day. Two days in a row, someone was shot dead in broad daylight by a man riding a motorcycle. No leads yet, AS ALWAYS. Two weeks ago, my cousin was shot by a man who rode in his car and tried to kidnap his kids. The elections in May is really stirring the people up. It is a scary time to live in Cotabato. Scary, scary times. My advice to fellow Cotabatenyos, while driving always check the mirror if someone is lurking behind you. You never know when they might shoot the wrong target and that unfortunately happens to be you. When a motorcycle gets close to your car, check if they look suspicious. If they are, find a way to lose them. If stuck in traffic, DUCK in your car? I don’t know if I’m making sense. Never go to a uncrowded place, road or alley.
Oh, and another thing: we have scheduled rotating brownouts. Our zone has these brownouts at 9AM, 3PM, 7PM. One hour with no electricity, three times a day, everyday. What’s up with that?
Oops.. This is the last, I swear. Product of the week is late this week, will post it tomorrow.
A new device can rapidly test biological samples for genetic variations that could cause dangerous reactions to some drugs.
By Erica Naone
Different people can react to drugs in different ways, and in some cases the response can be predicted from their genes. For example, the drug warfarin, often used to prevent blood clots, can cause dangerous bleeding in some patients. Researchers have identified two genetic variations that can increase this risk.
Tests for this type of individual genetic variation have been available for a long time, but in many cases they cost too much and take too long. Nanosphere, a startup out of Northwestern University that’s based in Northbrook, IL, hopes to change that. Its Verigene system, which takes just a few hours to analyze DNA from blood or other material, allows doctors to test for genetic variations without having to send samples out to a lab.
A. Disposable cartridge
A single-use cartridge uses a combination of chemical reactions to isolate fragments of DNA from a patient sample and test them for specific genetic characteristics. The top half of the cartridge is discarded after this process is complete, leaving a prepared glass slide behind.
B. Bar Code
To help keep track of samples, a bar code is printed on the test cartridge and the underlying slide.
C. Reagent Wells
The necessary ingredients for the chemical reactions used to process the DNA are stored in wells located around the edges of the test cartridge. After the DNA is extracted from a sample, the machine uses air pressure and mechanical valves to release the ingredients from the wells as needed. Strands of DNA that are complementary to the target sequences are used to bind those sequences to the glass slide below the cartridge, as well as to gold nanoparticles that will allow the DNA to be detected when exposed to light. The cartridge washes away any excess DNA or nanoparticles and then sets off a reaction that coats the remaining nanoparticles with silver, which makes it easier to scan for them.
D. DNA Loading chamber
A DNA sample is loaded into the port shown here. Sonic energy, applied when the cartridge is inserted into the machine that processes the samples, breaks the DNA into small fragments and separates it into its two complementary strands so that it can be captured on the surface of the glass slide.
E. Glass Slide (Microarray)
After the chemical reactions have finished, the target DNA remains on the surface of the prepared glass slide, tagged by silver-coated gold nanoparticles. The Verigene’s reader can read the slide by shining light into it and measuring how that light is scattered by the tagged DNA. The system can be used to look for single or multiple genetic targets.
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/24581/
