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Jason Levesque labels himself as a Drawler, Designer, and Do’er of stunts, hence the name, Stuntkid.  Jason draws his main subject matter, women, with a light and delicate, yet edgy style, which is reflected well in his “Anatomically Correct” series above.  Love the ghosted skeleton beneath these women, makes them look as if they’re made of glass.

Also take a look through his photography, which is just as intriguing as his illustrations!

[spotted by Danielle Nadia Simm]

The Ghost Anatomy Project
The Ghost Anatomy Project is a 3D volumetric display which allows users to interact with a holographic-like, anatomically correct model of the human body. It utilizes the Pepper #39;s Ghost method...

By: atrinhproductions

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The Ghost Anatomy Project - Video

Urological surgeon Helen OConnell was the first person to completely map the full anatomy and nerve pathways of the clitoris. Photograph: Alana Holmberg/Oculi for the Guardian

Professor Caroline de Costa is awaiting feedback. Several months ago the editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology requested an editorial from a world-renowned Melbourne urologist to address what she saw as a lack of research and, more concerningly, a persistent lack of knowledge about an essential part of the female reproductive system.

The urologist, Professor Helen OConnell, agreed. But a week after the editorial was published, De Costas inbox remains suspiciously silent. She suspects her colleagues, used though they are to dispassionate discussion of female genitalia, may be too embarrassed to write in.

The editorial was about the clitoris, an organ whose sole function is the female orgasm. And an alarming number of medical professionals remain uncomfortable discussing it.

It is not discussed, says De Costa, who is also a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at James Cook University. I go to conferences, I go to workshops, I edit the journal, I read other journals. I read papers all the time, and never do I find mention of the clitoris.

The first comprehensive anatomical study of the clitoris was led by OConnell and published in 1998. A subsequent study in 2005 examined it under MRI. It was not, OConnell discovered, just a small nub of erectile tissue, described in some texts as the poor homologue of the penis. Instead it was an otherworldly shape, with the nerve-rich glans merely the external protrusion of an organ that extended beneath the pubic bone and wrapped around the vaginal opening, with bulbs that become engorged when aroused. It looked like an orchid. It was beautiful.

In the 20 years since that groundbreaking study was released, clitoral anatomy remains largely absent from the medical curriculum and from medical research. A literature review conducted by OConnells team for her editorial in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found just 11 articles on anatomical dissection of the clitoris had been published worldwide since 1947. Hundreds more mentioned clitoral anatomy only as it related to procedures to restore sensation following a cliteradectomy, or female genital mutilation. Despite that work, OConnell wrote, we see literature doubting the importance of female orgasm, entertaining the argument that from an evolutionary standpoint, female orgasm could merely be a byproduct of selection on male orgasm.

Speaking to Guardian Australia from her consulting rooms in East Melbourne, OConnell says the view that the clitoris was at best unimportant and at worst shameful remained pervasive. She recalls a conversation at an awards night, in which one of her students won a prize for a study of the suspensory ligaments that hold the clitoris in place.

The very senior figure directly across from me thought that her work was and I was her supervisor, I dont think he knew that he thought it was voyeurism, she says.

Shes doing scientific research about anatomy, and that, in his world

She pauses. What happened to him, that he sees a young woman doing a project like that and thinks of it with a sexual innuendo? That is just, to me, unfathomably unrelated to the way my brain works.

When OConnell was a medical student in the 1980s she was infuriated by her anatomy textbooks, which contained extensive anatomical drawings of the penis and registered the clitoris as a footnote.

Theres the norm thats the male, and then weve got kind of this subset over here who are not male, she says. And their unique characteristics are differences there was a feeling that they were not whole people in the way that these other people are whole people and deserving of having their body parts having a full description.

When she specialised in urology, she noticed that while attention was paid in prostate removal surgery to not harming the nerves that connected to penile erectile tissue, based on studies that were first conducted in the 1970s, there had been no similar work tracking clitoral nerves. She undertook a study on 12 cadavers following the nerves from the spinal column. It was pretty clear that what we were looking at was kind of a shadow of an organ rather than the organ itself, she says.

OConnell then enrolled in a doctorate to study clitoral anatomy.

I think the chances of a male realising there was a deficit when most of my female colleagues didnt see it would have to be incredibly unlikely, she says. I think I was raised a little bit rebelliously.

She is now able to describe the shape of the clitoris with the help of a 3D printed model that was designed in conjunction with Dr Ea Mulligan, a doctor from Adelaide who has made the manufacture and distribution of thousands of anatomically correct clitorises a retirement hobby. Mulligan distributes them at conferences and public health seminars, and is planning to set up a stall distributing free clitorises at Feast, Adelaides queer arts and culture festival, in November.

Its just a beautiful case study on the invisibility of womens concerns in science, in medicine

When I speak to her on the phone at her home in Adelaide, she offers to send me one of the three boxes, with 200 clitorises apiece, that is currently sitting on her back porch. A box has been sent to OConnell, a box to De Costa, and a box to the professor of anatomy at a medical school in Dunedin, New Zealand, who was previously working with a pathology sample of a clitoris that looks like a shred off of last weeks roast.

A lot of medical students and doctors I have handed them to have said Oh I didnt know it was as big as that, because its been diminished in the medical literature, Mulligan says. Its just a beautiful case study on the invisibility of womens concerns in science, in medicine.

When Mulligan studied medicine in the 1970s, she was working from an anatomy textbook that had one page on vulvar anatomy and five pages of penises from every possible angle.

It is only marginally better now. James Cook university, where de Costa teaches, holds a one-hour lecture in fifth year about the role of clitoris in sexual function. The curriculum to be a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists covers sexual function and related disorders, but not specifically the function of the clitoris. The college said it encourages self-directed learning and acknowledges a long history of poor understanding of female anatomy and female sexuality.

RANZCOG supports all efforts to improve knowledge of genitourinary anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, with the aim of best practice in womens health, the college said in a statement.

Back in her consulting rooms, OConnell appears remarkably fresh for someone who was in a mortuary until 1am the night before. She was conducting a dissection to map the anatomy of the urethra as part of a global effort to combat female urethral cancer, she tells Guardian Australia.

With her neat glasses and dry, technical language, OConnell does not appear the rebel. But then she talks, quite calmly, about subjects that would make many of her peers blush, and the rebel slips out.

Take orgasms. In 2016, OConnell co-authored a paper that found, based on a series of macroscopic anatomical dissections, that there was no evidence of erectile tissue in the vaginal wall in other words, that the G-spot did not exist. (OConnell has stressed there was more work to be done on the subject, including mapping the urethra.) To date, the only known erectile tissue in the area is the clitoris, leading to the working theory that the G-spot is just the engorged bulbs of an aroused clitoris felt through the vaginal wall.

Importantly, that meant that the clitoris would have to be stimulated for that sensation to be felt. This is not a new fact to people with vaginas, but distributing it is an important part of ensuring they have healthy, satisfying sex lives.

That the majority of women and people with vaginas require clitoral stimulation to orgasm is just a statement of fact, OConnell says. Ignoring the clitoris and acting like thats not the focus for orgasm is just not going to happen.

I was in my mid-20s when I saw what a clitoris actually looked like ... how the fuck have we not been shown this or taught this

She speculates after specifying that she is not speaking as a urologist that centuries of sexism, fed by unrealistic depictions of sex in Hollywood, have helped build the G-spot myth and minimise the role of the clitoris. And that encourages people to go about things in a way that is likely to be counterproductive.

People want kind of a magical thing, where he gets off through penetration of the vagina and exactly what causes his joy causes her joy, she says. Almost everyone is going to fall short on the goal because the organs just dont seem to be designed in this magical way that would fit with the kind of thrusting behaviour causing an orgasm.

Outside of medical circles, OConnells research has been enthusiastically embraced. US-based artist Sophia Wallace created a campaign on cliteracy, informing women about their own anatomy.

Wallaces art brings an organ with a dark history into the light, OConnell says, adding: Its cool, isnt it? She is unabashedly delighted by unintentionally sparking a feminist art movement. Its fantastic! she says. Who would ever have imagined something like that happening?

Artists, says De Costa, have undeniably done a better job at incorporating clitorial anatomy into their work than the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Alli Sebastian Wolf, a Sydney based artist, created 100-1 scale anatomically correct gold clitoris, called the Glitoris, in 2017.

I was in my mid-20s when I saw what a clitoris actually looked like and was kind of, first of all amazed by how wonderful it is, and second of all: how the fuck have we not been shown this or taught this? When I knew well before puberty what a fallopian tube and uterus shape was. Which, you know, far less important to my daily life, she says.

The Glitoris can be hung in a gallery but achieved viral fame when Sebastian Wolf took it to the Womens March, Mardi Gras and other public events, accompanied by the Cliterati Sebastian Wolf and friends in gold unitards and blue wigs.

A lot of people just thought it was a golden-y squid creature, a lot of people thought it was lungs, or a dragonfly, or testicles, she says. I met a couple of OB-GYNs who hadnt known about it until the sculpture, which is horrifying.

Sebastian Wolf says it can be easier for some people to talk about sex and sexual organs at a festival to a woman covered in glitter, than to their doctor. She is currently working on a one-storey high inflatable gold clitoris, but says she hopes knowledge of the clitoris will soon become so uncontroversial that making art about them would be as pass as making art about penises.

It will hopefully get to the point where my art is totally irrelevant, she says. It would be great if the most interesting thing about it is if people were like Oh, how did you get all those sequins on? Not, Whats this and why dont we know about it?

OConnells aim is similarly modest: that female anatomy be considered equally alongside male anatomy. And that necessarily means overcoming an institutional and societal prejudice against women enjoying their own sexuality. It means studying the clitoris.

More:
The sole function of the clitoris is female orgasm. Is that why its ignored by medical science? - The Guardian

Educational animal dissection is a controversial topic. Proponents defend its educational merit, while critics question the ethics, environmental impact, and overall necessity of the practice. But what is the reality of animal dissection, and is there a cruelty-free option?

Dissection, in general, involves the dismembering of a deceased animal or plant to study its internal and anatomical structure. In the U.S., the educational dissection of smaller animals typically takes place during middle and high school. According to Animalearn, which provides humane education resources to educators, around six million vertebrate animals are dissected in U.S. high schools alone.

Many critics of dissection focus on ethical, animal welfare considerationssuch as the number of individual animal lives lost. However, there is also a broader ecological impact caused by removing animals from their habitats. There is also the issue of human health. Animals for dissection can be preserved in chemicals such as formaldehyde, which the Environment Protection Agency classifies as a probable human carcinogen.

The most commonly dissected animal by middle and high school students is the frog. But other species include rats, mice, worms, cats, dogs, rabbits, fish, and fetal pigs.

While procuring these creatures in the wild can negatively impact their native habitat, most come from companies that specialize in supplying animals via breeding facilities. Some slaughterhouses, pounds, animal shelters, and pet stores sell animals to these biological supply companies. Including lost or stolen former companion animals.

Many people, both supporters and critics, emphasize the rights of students to choose or refuse to take part in dissection. However, according to the paper Dissection and Choice in the Science Classroom (2012), teachers do not always offer pupils this choice.

While 18 U.S. states, including California, allow the student to opt-out of dissections without penalizing them, this research suggests that even if given the choice, many students may feel too intimidated to do so. Some have reported feeling pressured and wary of social stigma.

In California, legislation may result in a total ban on all school-level educational dissection. Last year, assembly member Ash Kalra introduced AB-1586the Replacing Animals in Science Education (RAISE) Act. This bill aims to replace animal dissections with modern, humane alternatives.

Learning about anatomy in schools is important scientific pedagogy but dissection presents a significant impact on the environment and our fragile ecosystems. Advancements in educational technology have expanded access to this important scientific instructional methodology without having to rely on animals, Kalra said in a statement.

With the development of technological alternatives, virtual and computer-based science teaching practicum offer more humane teaching methods that help to better prepare students for higher education and careers in science, added Kalra.

The bill was co-sponsored by several non-profit organizations, including the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Social Compassion in Legislation, and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The National Hispanic Medical Association, the Humane Education Coalition, Center for Healthcare Education, and the United Federation of Teachers Humane Education Committee also support the bill.

Support for alternative teaching methods comes from a wide variety of sources, including teachers and academics. Some studies have suggested that dissecting animals can actually desensitize students to the sanctity of life, and potentially foster cruelty towards animals.

The fact is, we do not need to put our young people through this. There is a better way, and California can and should move to the more modern and accepted use of digital dissection resources, said Judie Mancuso, CEO of Social Compassion in Legislation.

There is an increasing number of alternative teaching methods, ranging from hyper-realistic synthetic animals to software and apps. Tampa-based company SynDaver specializes in sophisticated, synthetic models for dissection. These extremely lifelike models are used for education, surgical simulation, and testing medical devices. According to SynDaver, this validated technology can effectively replace human patients, cadavers, and animals.

The companys SynFrogs are reusable and mimic the properties of a live, female frogthe most commonly dissected animal by middle and high school students. Last year, J.W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Florida, became the first in the world to use SynFrogs.

Theres no longer any need to harm real frogs for the sake of enhancing the educational experience, says SynDaver. In addition to eliminating the ethical concerns of sacrificing living animals to teach comparative anatomy, SynFrog is a better option for students because it does not expose them to hazardous chemicals, like formaldehyde and formalin.

SynFrogs cost $150 each, which is considerably more than animal-based dissection. However, synthetic alternatives are also reusable, which will save schools money long term and is far less wasteful.

Computer technology presents another alternative for traditional educational dissection. Indian company Designmate developed Froggipedia as an ethical, realistic, 3D alternative. The app allows students to explore the life cycle and complex anatomy of the frog and has received praise from teachers and parents alike.

Norecopas Sniffy the Virtual Rat allows students to explore operant psychology using virtual simulation. The company says its product gives students a virtual laboratory experience without using a real laboratory rat. The simulation closely resembles many of the experiments discussed in learning textbooks.

More high-tech software can combine x-ray, ultrasound, and MRI imaging to create a virtual anatomy display. Stanford Medical School and at New York University use similar technology, and at NYU, students can wear 3D glasses to explore the virtual anatomical display.

Interactive models are another alternative to educational animal dissection. Companies such as AnatomyStuff produce 3D, anatomically correct models. These models are also common when studying human biology, and mock-ups of individual body parts and systems are relatively widespread in classrooms.

Anatomy in Clay allows students to build the body systems of humans and animals out of clay on model skeletons. The company promotes hands-on learning as the most efficient way of reaching visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learners all at once.

Denoyer Gepperts Great American Bullfrog is a large-scale model of the animal with individually numbered parts. The circulatory, reproductive, and other systems can be separately dissected. The company also produces models of plants and large wall charts, another alternative to live dissection.

The Biology Chart Series includes detailed charts of a dissected frog, perch, crayfish, grasshopper, and earthworm. There are also countless books on various anatomy available to students, including interactive editions.

Knitting artist Emily Stoneking has created anatomically correct knitted scenes and DIY kits through her company, aKNITomy.

The Vermont-based company creates rats, bats, pigs, frogs, earthworms, and even humans out of textiles. The range of knitted scenes are precise, anatomically correct, and make effective educational displays and projects.

Stoneking recently told Mother Nature Network,I decided to incorporate my love of vintage anatomical illustrations and make the animals look like dissection models.

I am beginning to move more toward two-dimensional, human-based artwork that is very strongly influenced by 19th-century anatomical illustrations. I am fascinated by the history of medicine, and I just have always loved the artwork associated with that, continued Stoneking.

She sells finished items for display, as well as pattern kits for people to knit at home. Stoneking also sells a combined pattern collection that includes several best-selling items.

Summary

Article Name

Can Animal Dissection Be Replaced? The Cruelty-Free Alternatives Paving the Way

Description

Traditional animal dissection is a controversial subject, and some believe these cruelty-free, educational alternatives are more effective.

Author

Liam Pritchett

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

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Can Animal Dissection Be Replaced? The Cruelty-Free Alternatives Paving the Way - LIVEKINDLY

Look at the detail inside the heart, said Paul Brown, DDS, a consulting associate professor of anatomy at Stanford. Isnt that phenomenal?

I tend to turn away at the sight of blood or bones. And yet here I was, inside of an anatomy lab on assignment and admiring high-resolution photographs of human anatomy wax sculptures.

The wax statues, or waxes, were created 250 years ago in Florence, Italy and are located in La Specola, one of the worlds oldest museums of natural history. The museum is home to about a thousand wax figures; each meant to capture the intricacies of what lies beneath the skin. Brown, who loves creating digital libraries of medical images, has captured around 200 of the waxes in an effort to make them accessible, and to use them as visual aids in anatomy classrooms at Stanford and beyond.

We were introduced to the waxes this year,Shayan Fakurnejad, a second-year medical student, told me for an Inside Stanford Medicine piece I wrote on the wax figures. Theyre really a great way of simplifying some of the anatomy you see in the cadavers. Theyre just gorgeous pieces, too.

But medical students arent the only ones using the waxes the images are being used as props in Stanford classes such as Art and Anatomy, and Anatomy and Society.

I was really impressed with them, said Lauren Ashley Toomer, lecturer for the Art and Anatomy class. The fact that they were all anatomically correct and not only just beautiful specimens, I thought it would be a great tool for my class.

A diverse set of students take Toomers class not only medical students and students who are interested in the sciences, but also those from arts, engineering and psychology. Not everyone is as comfortable around the cadavers, she said. So having the actual images and working from those has been really beneficial.

Students in the class learn about the history of these works, their science, and use either paint or graphite to reproduce their own versions of the waxes.

Its like layers of translation from the bodies, where the original artists were working from to the waxes, and now back to 2-D work with either painting or drawing, said Toomer. It makes me think about how [the artists] used these really beautiful and eloquent poses with the body, and just the whole tie between art and anatomy.

Previously:A day of firsts for Stanford Medicines new medical students, Art and anatomy: Decades-old collaboration brings augmented reality into the hands of RodinandWhiz Kids: Teaching anatomy with augmented reality Video courtesy of Division of Clinical Anatomy

Go here to read the rest:
Using antique wax figures to learn about anatomy - Scope (blog)