Dream Anatomy: A National Library of Medicine Exhibit

Dream Anatomy: A National Library of Medicine Exhibit
The mysteries of human anatomy fascinated and inspired numerous artists of the 15th century. Tasked with the marginally grotesque job of rendering human cadavers for medical books and scientific research, many of these artists gleefully took creative license in their work, depicting whimsical, surreal, and iconographic visions of the body. This exhibit from the National Library of Medicine straddles art and science, offering a peek into the bizarre world of anatomical imagery. Start with anatomical primitives, when crude illustrations reflected medieval iconography rather than anatomical accuracy. Play with cadavers, see body parts as art, and learn how science never got in the way of good entertainment.

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Timeliness of Childhood Vaccinations in the United States

A study recently in Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than 33% of children under two years old have not had their appropriate vaccinations. This leaves children vulnerable to diseases that can cause large outbreaks such as measles and pertussis or whooping cough. During 2003, almost 12,000 cases of pertussis/whooping cough were reported in the US, with incidence highest in those under 6 months of age. In these young infants, pertussis causes a significant proportion of hospitalization and death.

Timeliness of Childhood Vaccinations in the United States
JAMA 2005;293:1204-1211
www.jama.com

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Molecular Switch Triggers Fats' Harm

Researchers have identified the mechanism by which dietary saturated and trans-fats increase blood cholesterol and triglycerides. The molecule, PGC-1b, starts a path of biochemical signals in the liver which causes the liver to make fats and transport them into the bloodstream. This research can help scientists understand more about the metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X, a disease thought to possibly be caused by lipid production by the liver. By turning off PGC-1b or another component in the pathway, scientists may also be able to halt the harmful effects of fatty foods such as hamburgers and French fries.

Molecular Switch Triggers Fats' Harm
JAMA 2005;293:1180
www.jama.com

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Chromosomal Instability in Amniocytes from Fetuses of Mothers Who Smoke

A recent study published in Journal of the American Medical Association showed that women who smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least 10 years and while pregnant have an increased risk of having chromosomally damaged fetuses. The tobacco appears to damage a gene involved in producing the body's white blood cells, the cells used to fight infection. Damage to the production of these cells can result in leukemia. This study provides molecular evidence for the longstanding association of tobacco use by parents with leukemia in their infant children.

Chromosomal Instability in Amniocytes from Fetuses of Mothers Who Smoke
JAMA 2005;293:1212-1222
JAMA 2005;293:1264-1265
www.jama.com

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MatchingDonors.com

FindLaw: Doctors who postponed a kidney transplant between two men who met through a private organ donation Web site decided Tuesday to allow the operation to proceed, despite legal and ethical concerns about the surgery. The operation, scheduled for Wednesday, is believed to be the first transplant arranged through a Web site designed to match organ donors with recipients, said Jeremiah Lowney, medical director of MatchingDonors.com, where the two men made contact.

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