Posted on February 29, 2016February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Anatomy of Winter Water

February 2016 in Boston Massachusetts – Ashley Davidoff MD

Winter Water changes its size, shape, position and character depending on the temperature, gravity, time and surrounding confines.

Snow Outside in Boston

The winter of 2016 in Boston had not been too bad compared to the unforgettable winter of 2015. We got 8-12 inches on the day this image was taken just a few days before Valentine’s day. As always the snow left a trail of beauty particularly when viewed from the inside of a warm house. Though truthfully, a walk in freshly fallen snow among the trees is also a magical experience. The view from our kitchen window is shown above.

On Valentine’s day 2016, 2 or 3 days after the snowstorm, the lowest temp reached -9 degrees F. This was the coldest Valentine’s day since 1957. It was zero degrees Fahrenheit when the photograph was taken.

Frost and Ice on the Window Pane

4 basic layers evolved on the kitchen window. This is explained diagrammatically in the next image. The real beauty was at the the bottom of the window pane there was a whole bevy of magnificent gems of the winter, hanging on the outside of a double paned kitchen window. The crystals were attached to a large ice droplet. The result of nature’s work was more beautiful than any man made piece of jewelry.

Frost and Ice on the Window Pane Explained

The relatively warm top part of the window showed a few ice crystals of collected fallen snow (layer 1) which quickly melted to form small droplets of water (layer 2). Gravity caused these water bubbles to flow downward and get a little larger as they accumulated smaller droplets to form the bigger drops in the frosted background (layer 3). When they reached the bottom part of the pane the temperature was lowest resulting in crystallization and formation of beautiful gem-like structures .

Gems of Ice Crystal at the Bottom of the Window Pane

Under given conditions in the winter, snow is formed from the water in the clouds and the water gets transformed into a wide variety of sizes, shapes and character. The result was breathtaking!

Melted Frost and Ice Gems

The following day, the temperatures rose and the beautiful forms of crystallized ice, melted into a few nondescript water droplets, still beautiful but in a very rustic way.

In the Meantime on the Outside Winter Water Creates Miracle Art

As the temperatures rose, I took the dog for a walk in the local park and was greeted by an infinite variety of microcosmic ice formations caused by the rising temperatures. The puddles of frozen water started to crack, revealing magnificent shapes and a variety of ice and crystal formations in various stages between the solid and liquid form of water. Within a span of 30 minutes, I took over 200 images and here follows the result of the short photographic excursion with my macro lens.

Ice Crystals on Columns of Thin Ice

The shapes in this small ice pond took the form of columns of thin transparent ice with horizontal needle-like crystals projecting off the columns.

Picasso Flying on Thin Ice

The art piece discovered in an ice pond by a macro lens revealed Picasso the eternal artist of yesteryear from the perspective of winter water. The Picasso-like face in a boot with wings was perceived by the artist. The formation of ice crystals require special winter conditions. In this case ice bubbles formed around a structure reminiscent of a face with a peaked hat. Waves of water in the ice form the wing-like structures

Mirror Mirror on The Wall – What Do you See?

The art piece was discovered in an ice pond by a macro lens and reveals an abstraction of shapes. MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL..I see an evil queen – What do you see? The formation of ice crystals and shapes in the thin ice require special winter conditions. In this case sharp white lines form a variety of shapes. Waves of water in the ice form the corrugated structures.

I See an Evil Witch in the Mirror

What do you see? The artist’s perception is overlaid in color. The face of the evil witch in the mirror (left) consists the face with red lips, blue eyes, and a hooked nose. To the right is a person with a light green shirt and purple head.

Images of the Architecture of our Ancient Civilization

Tower of Babel ce Bubbles and Wood Chips

In this art piece crystalised bubbles project off pieces of wood chips. The artist saw the an ill formed Tower of Babel crowned by a beautiful formation of ice bubbles

Images of the Architecture of Our Current Civilization

One World Trade Center and Ground Zero in Ice

The art piece is centered on a vertical skyscraper representing One World Trade Center. This art piece is a dedication to the great city of New York from the tiny ice ponds of a Boston park. One World Trade Center is clustered with other skyscrapers in the center surrounding one of the main avenues traversing the city. At the base of the skyscrapers, the foundation soil that shines through the ice water reflects the ground zero earth on which this magnificent building with its deep seated history, was built. The iced up East river surrounds Manhattan. To the left there is a structure that represents the Brooklyn bridge and the wave like ice formation is a continuation of the bridge as it is seen lit up at night that extends from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The whole scene reflects a nighttime scene with city lights that abound.

One World Trade Center The Brooklyn Bridge and the East River

Lessons of Biology

Images of the Natural World

Birds

pelican, log fish, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water

Pelican Catching a Log Fish in ice Water

The art piece was discovered in an ice pond using a macro lens and reveals an abstract appreciation of the shapes. To the photographer and artist, a pelican is seen to the left of the image with a wide open beak pursuing one of the two fish swimming in the water. The shapes of the fish look more like logs. The small ice ponds in the local park were the source of this photograph. The macro lens allows the capture of the minute detail, otherwise not appreciated fully by the naked eye. There has been no electronic alteration to the art of natural form.

Trees and Plants

Winter Trees of Ice Crystals

A walk in the cold of Boston with a macro lens exposed a tiny forest of winter trees beside a big pond under the warming winter sun. Crystals of ice lined along a horizontal line reminiscent of a small forest, surrounded by the frozen water. The surrounding ice pond has its own innate and naturally beautiful shapes. Above the left side of the forest, the bundle of orange vegetation, likely debris from the previous fall, represents a ball of warming sun to complete the scene.

The scene reminded me of the photograph of the Grove of Cone Shaped Trees below

Cone Shaped Grove of Trees

The other images below of the ice crystals on the kitchen window and the similar morphology in the botanical world

Boston Winter Mediterranean Summer

Ice Crystals and Arborvitae

Feather Shaped Ice Crystals Grasses and Flowers

Lessons of Biology

The Marvelous Macrophage – Soldier of the Body

The artist found this brave young macrophage lady in the ice pond of a Boston winter bravely fighting off pathogenic bacteria. AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body, and in this instance to the lysosomes and other organelles in the cell. The pseudopods of the dendritic cell are presented as the spiculated ice formations emanating from the edge of the white cell.

Human Biology Romance and Reproduction in Ice

Adam, Eve and the Snake

A Female Torso of Ice Floating On a Film of Cold Water

Woman Looking at Black Ice

In this art piece a woman is portrayed. She admires the black ice through the cleft of her breasts. The solid thick ice has assumed the rounded shapes of a woman’s breasts. The sheets of black ice is seen in contrast to the white ice that dominate the image.

Abstract of Male Organs and Reproductive Cells

The testes are in the bottom right hand corner filled with reproductive cells (sperm). At the appropriate time during ejaculation they take a trip via the vas deferentia. The vasa deferentia are depicted as tubular structures travelling from the testes to the base of the penis down the prostatic urethra where they collect the prostatic secretion. They then travel down the urethra and out into the female geniutal tract. The race is on as they all seek to win the hand of the queen – the ovum de jour.

Single Celled Flagellated Cells Looking for a Single Celled Partner

The shapes that manifest in this instance were small microbubbles with waves of icy water. The small bubbles are reminiscent of sperm cells and the waves of transparent ice reminiscent of the tail of the sperm. The race is on!

Ovary and Follicles in Ice

AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body and in this instance to the ovary. Ice bubbles form around air and other small structures of the earth and create follicular shaped structures of varying size on the ovarian like structure. The formation of ice crystals requires special winter conditions. Freezing cold and water are basic ingredients.

Pregnancy in Ice

In this art piece a pregnancy is portrayed. The cracked thin ice has assumed the rounded shapes of a woman with a rotund abdomen reminiscent of pregnancy. The grass of the earth is magnified and illuminated in the pregnant abdomen, and a fetal structure is suggested in the expected location of the uterus.

Lessons of Life

Time, Natural Disaster, Religion, Love, Sorrow, Fulfillment

Time

Time Passes – A Cold Reality

The AiA rendering shows a fallen dead life still with beautiful colors of a Fall and a time gone by, trapped by the ice and cold of the present tense. The message pertains to a yearning for the warmer, richer and mellow days of the autumn. These are but sweet memories which are confronted by the harsh reality of the present and a cold, and sometimes unforgiving winter. Though sweet memories are always sweet, one has to be realistic and deal with the present, knowing full well that the future will spring new realities. Below the ice you may sense just a hint of green of the grass which will be part of the future of this vista. The life lesson – time passes.

Natural Disaster,

winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water, snow, cracked

Snowquake

A natural disaster

Sorrow and Winter Water

Black Eyes, A Shiny Nose and Odd Looking Tears

The art piece reveals a different perspective of ice on the grate of a manhole cover in a Boston winter. Two square black holes represent the two dark eyes, while the ice on the vertical limb with cracked ice of the manhole cover represents the shiny nose. Two drops of water on the eyes in odd positions represent the odd looking tears providing the intrigue of the art piece. What does the artist infer regarding the sadness in the eyes – that is up to you to think about! Hidden messages abound

Pursuit of Fulfillment with Winter Water

Said the Ice Bird to the Triangle

In this art piece a bird who appears fulfilled in every beautiful way and is trying in a motherly way to teach the triangle a life lesson. She pleads with the triangle not to lose its roots and foundation, because without the foundation it loses its identity as a triangle. She then pleads with the triangle to remain true to itself and in that way it will grow and become something more profound – and in this case the artist draws attention to the triangular shape of the bird’s beak that plays a highly important function in the bird’s life. Finally she tells the degenerating triangle that “..if you don’t pull yourself together, you will end up like all the other sticks in my nest!”

Religion Love, Broken Love, Sorrow and Winter Water

Broken Heart at the Crux of the Cross

taken in the local park after the Boston Valentine’s day freeze.A teardrop is seen at bottom right. The image has a religious feel of course and I also love the way the heart of ice illuminates the oxidized green on the steel grate of the manhole cover. Hidden messages abound.

And that is Boston February 2016 folks- and fun with anatomy of the winter ice water

References for Winter Water

Water Wiki

Window Frost Wiki

Frost Wiki

Formation of Ice Crystals and Snow 5 star

Guide to Frost

Posted on December 21, 2015February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Anatomy of the Hands in December

Anatomy of the Hands in Black and White of December

The hands have a story to tell of December! Here in the Northern hemisphere, winter has started to set in and it brings a sense of doom, darkness, and cold.

In its naked form, the doom translates into two opposing colors in their extreme: black and white. Nights are long and days are frequently adorned with the white of snow. The vista is bleak.

“Colors of Winter”

is a minimalist portrayal of the season. The black reflects the long dark nights and the white reflects the snow. Artistic portrayal of the season is in its most basic form. Black has many attributes, and in this context, reflects loneliness, quiet, mystery, but also intimidation. The absence of light prevents us from seeing things, and the inability to see things makes us nervous. At its most extreme it reflects death. On the other hand, black is a color of authority and power. Night is the end of the day, but as soon as light appears, a new day awakens. White also has many characteristics and is the confluence of all color, resulting in no color at all. At its best it signifies purity. On a cold winter morning after a snowfall there is a white silence as if the world is asleep.

“Reality of Black and White in Winter”

Spring colors are long gone. The greens of summer and the yellows of fall have disappeared. Skeletons of the large deciduous trees stand naked in the cold.

We have lived with the bleak and cold winters for centuries. As a result, we have devised ways to counter this barren vista. Using our heads and hands, we have learned to bring light, color, and warmth to December.

Festivals of light have been created through both ancient and modern cultures including Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi day, Malh festival, Mōdraniht, Saturnalia, Sol Invictus, Yule, Yolda, Sadeh, and Chahar Shanbeh Suri. Universal among these cultural celebrations is the need to bring joy, warmth, and light to offset the dark’s gloom.

Hands play a large part in the December season. In a literal sense, they reach out to friends and family, light candles and fires, and extend uplifting gestures by providing food, gifts, and hugs. In a spiritual way, they extend in hope and prayer.

This post tells the story of the hands in December in symbolic and abstract ways by combining photography, radiology, and painting.

In this extreme rendering of the middle of a cold winter night, the heavens are black and the earth is white with snow. Only the stars of the heaven provide glimpses of warmth and light.

“Cold Hands Looking for Light and Warmth”

shows x-rays of cold, skeletal hands in the adverse conditions of freezing winter among naked branches, in a field of snow. The nighttime scene with a full moon adds a mysterious and eerie ambience. The art piece expresses a desperation of a group of people when they are suffering and searching for light and warmth. The open hands are chilled to the bone, pleading for special empathy. The moon provides neither warmth nor light, but offers a glimmer of hope, however small. The X-rays are used to strip the flesh down to the bones and the common suffering of a community is rendered real and deeply palpable. This piece has a surreal character, since the x-rays are taken out of context and placed into snow white fields. The hands have been brought together to look like a tree.

The limited warmth and light provided by the moon is temporary. Since the cycle of time brings a new day and new vista, there is an honored promise for a new beginning, accompanied by the sun which is brighter and warmer than the moon.

“Cold Hands – Warmth and Light with Tincture of Time ”

shows x-rays of the skeleton of hands warmed by the light and heat of sunrise. The hands greet the sun with open arms. In this early morning scene, the whole tree of hands lays open like a flower to the newfound warmth. The piece expresses relief after an arduous night, and a promise by the light of the moon of better things to come.

“Giving Hands in the Snow”

shows x-rays of hands in the adverse conditions of the cold winter among naked branches of the trees, in a field of snow. With the warmth of the sun, the hands are bold enough to face the winter. The foreground (recent past) is shaded and dark while the future is bright, light, and blue. The hands are chilled to the bone but their upward and upright position reflect strength, a “high 5”, a wave, or a handshake. As the hands assume boldness, light emerges and projects into the future.

During the cold month of December hands also reach out to others.

“You Get What You Give”

shows hands that give and receive. This gesture relates to moral justice. There is a balance in our actions. This balance is not always evident nor provided in material currency. The teacher receives this satisfaction from a look in the eye of a student who suddenly understands. The policeman or fireman receives the same grateful look that words cannot replace. It is given and received in love and compassion and is the essence of bonding. This feeling occurs between both people and animals. The art piece shows “giving” hands and “receiving” hands. The receiving hands are tipped to both receive and to give in the continuing cycle. The X-rays are used to strip the flesh down to the bones and make the charity tangible. The candle is the light and warmth that results from the the interaction of giving and receiving. The message is particularly poignant in the winter season when we are driven indoors in dark, cold and often lonely days. We need the light and the bonds to help us survive the dark days.

Festivals of light including Chanukah and Christmas are festivals when light and human bonds are needed and are abundant.

“Hand Lighting Chanukah Candles”

shows a hand warmed by the light and heat created with the lighting of the Chanukah candles. The nighttime scene adds an ambience of spirituality. The art piece expresses hope of enlightenment for the world. In the candle lighting ritual, the primary candle is called the Shamash and it is lit first, and is then used to light the others starting from left to right. Shamash was also the Sun God in Mesopotamia, the god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria and shemesh means sun in Hebrew. All of these historical associations involve the casting of light and warmth, both physical and spiritual. The candles are based in a simple chanukiah of stone and clay.

“Birth of Jesus – Welcoming Hands ”

Christmas is the season of welcoming the birth of Jesus Christ to the world. As the progenitor of the Christian faith he brought and continues to bring tolerance, compassion, and respect for life to the world. Artistic portrayal of the event shows welcoming hands of the future Christian world. Darkness for many was illuminated by the event. In this art piece, the bright moon (almost as bright as any sun) lights up the black of the night. The star of Bethlehem has a mysterious and unique blue hue directing the 3 kings or wise men to the event. Black and white are used liberally in this work. Though opposites in many ways, they also compliment and need each other to reflect the contrast of moods.

Acknowledgement: The central component of “Birth of Jesus – Welcoming Hands” depicting Jesus and Mary was adapted from the public domain work of Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656) entitled “Adoration of the Shepherds.”

Diverse Hands of Spirituality

shows hands progressing to a bonding position in prayer and contemplation. At the pinnacle, a light is created and reflects on the water. X-rays are used to project a feeling that goes deep into the bones. The colors express our outside differences, but we are all made of the same flesh and bones. A triangle with the apex reflects a direction and an upward focus to a heightened physical and spiritual position. This art piece is created for Christmas 2015 with a hope of mutual respect among all faiths.

During this season there should be time for contemplation.

“Cold Hands Warmed by Fireside Chat”

shows x-rays of skeletal hands warmed by the light and heat of the fire. This piece expresses relief after a trudge through the cold snowy night to find light and warmth. The hands hold the warm fire at a distance but seem tender in the way they cherish the comfort and the fire, freeing the body from physical discomfort and allowing time for introspection.

And as a world … what do we see?

The year of 2015 has turned humanity on its head, particularly concerning is the rise of extreme Muslim ideologies in which belief and faith are placed above human life. The rise of antisemitism is palpable. The immorality of double standards where political and economical bias reigns above the truth is shameful.

The next art piece is an appeal to our leaders to talk and put life and truth above all.

Bones of Many Hands Speaking to Each Other

“How can we hold each other rather than kill each other?”
they asked.
“We all seem to be made of the same stuff” they said as they looked inside themselves.

The AiA rendering is a collection of the diagnostic X-rays of many hands of people of various ages, in various positions of giving and taking and in health and disease. The hand with the watch epitomizes the concept of time. Cultural aspects are also suggested. The hand with a wedding band provides a sense of trust and faith and the hand with the Claddagh ring represents love loyalty and friendship. The hands are oriented to give the sense that they are communicating with each other.

Since December also brings in the New Year, it is time to try and make changes for a brighter 2016. We cannot predict, but we can hope:

“Hands of Hope for a Better New Year”

shows hands held together with hope, warmed by the dim light and heat of the moonlight. 2015 was not an easy year and created a heavy heart for many who witnessed and experienced senseless killing. The nighttime scene lends a sense of spirituality but also of uncertainty. The piece above shows hands scarred by the year’s events. They are held not in prayer but in a gentle pose that reflects hope for the New Year of 2016. We hope that sanity and not hatred rules. We pray for leadership that is free from double standards, and that is committed to common decency.

Hope is passive; the initiation of action should be a simple first step. The honest handshake between trusting partners is the least we should expect.

The Handshake

Let us agree that the right to live is above all other rights!

“In joined hands there is still some token of hope, in the clinched fist none.”
― Victor Hugo, The Toilers of the Sea

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
― Indira Gandhi

Posted on November 26, 2015February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Bonds and Thanksgiving

From Big Bang to Turkey Dinner

Where do bonds start? and Where do they end?

It all started with big bang – and the need for bonds was created…

…energies both positive and negative were released.

They were called electrons and protons and…

…immediately they had a need to bond and become whole in the context of space and time.

Their bond was deep and they created the mother of elements: hydrogen. The electron remained true to his nature and the proton to hers. Their bond was not absolute as they danced around each other and caused young hydrogen to spin as well.

As a result of this beautiful bond, hydrogen has been spinning for billions of years.

Hydrogen did not feel complete and had a need to bond and become whole. One of these bonds was with another hydrogen and an oxygen to form water – H2O – beautiful water.

The molecule had a need to bond and become whole and oceans and rivers reigned the earth.

Other the atoms also had a need to bond and become whole and they became molecules.

The molecules had a need to bond and become whole and they eventually became cells.

The cells had a need to bond and become whole and they became structures in the body.

The structures of the body had a need to bond and become whole and they bonded through blood vessels lymphatics nerves and connective tissue.

The Pulmonary Circulation

The water and chemicals that arose from big bang were needed to run through the vessels and bond the parts to let them grow and evolve.

The two people of different energy, one called female and the other male, had a need to bond and become whole.

They maintained their individuality but became bigger and stronger than the component parts.

So it was with their cells, one male and the other female. Each had a need to bond and become whole.

The progeny of these bonds had a need to bond and become whole. We call this group a family.

This need to bond and become whole never ends as we continuously try to come together as people, and as a result we looked for the freedom to do this.

And we landed on the shores of America and became the Unites States.

We give thanks for this great United States.

It is not always smooth sailing, however, and bonds are broken with small bangs along the way,

and then repaired with conversation and the meeting of reasonable minds (we hope)!

In the end, our MISSION and NEED is to search and struggle for wholeness. We are driven by a constant need to come together as one.

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth, 1914

(Original by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, Modified Public Domain Image )

Thanksgiving is a time when we achieve meaningful bonds, albeit for a short time. That time is precious!!!

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Posted on November 20, 2015February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Anatomy of Circadian Rhythms in the Body

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1

What is a season?

A season in the classical sense, is a natural division of the year and relates to the position of the earth to the sun. The sun is a source of light, warmth, and energy. A season is a continuum of time divided by the rhythmicity of four seasons. The seasons are characterized by changes in light and dark cycles as well as temperature cycles. These factors impact life in all its aspects.

Cycles Around and Within Us

This image shows the seasonal cycle that occurs within a year. The top left image is the spring when rebirth and restoration of life occurs. The summer (top right) follows where light and temperature are high. The mature mellow autumn follows with orange reds and yellow colors (bottom right) . Light starts to fade and temperatures start to fall Autumn is a time for introspection and recognition of mortality. The bleak and cold winter follows with a silence of impending death (bottom left). The dancers with their own cycles are incorporated into the larger cycle, inferring the intimate integration of internal biology with the changes in the environment. They are positioned like the hands of a clock – again incorporating the element of time.

Spring is a time for birth, freshness and renewal
Summer brings energy, blossoming, productivity and maturation and is the prime of life. Light is brightest during this period and the weather is warmest
Fall brings mellowness and maturation and warns of decline. Symbolically it is a time for introspection during mid life
Winter is the time of aging, bleakness, decline and death. It is characterized by darkness and cold and symbolizes quietness, contemplation, and reminds us of our impending old age and death.

“To every thing there is a season” What does that mean to the structures of the body?

The changes of the seasons have parallels in the internal environment of the body down to the cells and molecules. This implies that “everything” in biology experiences a season.

The annual cycle of the seasons is experienced physically by the body, its organs, cells, and molecules throughout the year. They sense the cold and the warmth, and the light and dark of the external environment.

Seasons of the Feet

The AiA rendering is a collage of photographs with superimposed CT scan of the feet as they walk through the seasons. The four seasons created in a sphere provide a sense of wholeness in time, while the footsteps represent a walk in time. The top left image of the sphere shows the magnolias of Spring, the next (going clockwise) is green forest of Summer, followed by the Fall and finally the deathly cold of winter.

Seasons of the Abdomen

This AiA rendering shows the abdominal structures reflecting the seasons. The spring is in shades of pink, the summer in green of the forest and the blue of the sky, the fall in oranges and red, and the winter in ice blue and white.

Seasons within Seasons and Cycles within Cycles

The cycles of the body range from nano seconds per cycle to a lifetime. Each cycle is part of another cycle. Each cycle consists of a beginning that evolves to full speed production, progressing to a winding down phase and finally a phase of rest and restoration. The Krebs cycle, heart cycle, circadian cycle, menstrual cycle, are all part of the wheel within a wheel concept and in the grand scheme of a single life it revolves around the process of maturation. These same cycles occur within the cycles of evolution with improvement in processes over time.

Biochemical cycles are responsible for growth, and reproduction. The clock has to be rewound, restored to step one so that it can do its duty again. All of these have been optimized by the grand Darwinian cycle of reproduction, generation after generation, picking up fortuitous improvements over the eons.

Seasons of the Day – Parallel Changes in the External and Internal Environments

Seasons of the Body in a 24 hour Period

This image shows the parallel of a 24 hour cycle correlating with the seasonal cycle that occurs within a year. The top left image is the dawn when the day is born and the person is restored from sleep and starts to get ready for the the next 12 hour period. The stress hormones start to rise as the body prepares for the work day which reflects the summer time (top right) where light and temperature are high. After the “summer” the mellow and introspective time of the sunset arrives(bottom right) as light and temperature start to fade. The temporary death of sleep provided by the night follows in the bottom left .

Daybreak at sunrise is the birth of the day, and represents spring time in the body. We wake up restored while it is a little light and a little cold outside and are refreshed and reborn after our slumber. As the day warms up, and the light becomes stronger, we enter the summer of our 24 hour cycle. Our cortisol levels are up to deal with the physical stresses of the day and this preparation is felt in our cells and in our psyche. As a result of the stress we are better able to process and produce at work. During the day we reach the height of our wakefulness and are in our productive prime. At dusk, the autumn of the day moves in as we start to wind down and become introspective. The light starts to go down and without the sun, the day cools down. The winter of the day – nighttime arrives. It is colder and darker, and we prepare for sleep, a transient death that helps us restore.

The internal environment of the body also senses the cycles through a hormonal cycle called the circadian cycle, which is executed via the hypothalamus. enabling rhythmic physiological and behavioral events of the body to work in parallel with the natural rhythms of the external environment.

“Anatomy of Sleep”

The central control system for the circadian rhythms is in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus (turquiose blue butterfly shaped structure at the base of the brain) It is responsible for the control of the circadian rhythms of the body.

Seasons of the Molecules

Circadian Rhythm and the Daily Internal Seasons of the Body

There are three main physiological events in the daily human diurnal circadian rhythm; melatonin secretion, cortisol secretion, and temperature variation.

Melatonin

Melatonin is secreted by the pineal body in response to the dark. The retina identifies light and transmits this information to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus integrates the light and darkness cycles of the environment with the pineal gland which in turn secretes melatonin in the dark. Melatonin levels are therefore high at night and low in the day. Melatonin is involved in sleep cycles, blood pressure regulation, and in seasonal reproduction.

Cortisol

Seasons at the Molecular Level in the Adrenal Gland

The adrenal gland is an essential component of the circadian rhythm. It produces cortisol which prepares the body for the stresses of the day. The artistic rendering shows background of complex biochemistry artistically incorporated into the gland. This is a featured art piece because of the beautiful manner in which the almost invisible gland transforms the biochemistry into life giving hormones.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that is elemental in the control of metabolic function. It prepares the body for impending stresses. Diurnal secretion of cortisol is part of circadian rhythm physiology. The level is highest in the early morning and is at its lowest level at about midnight to 4 am. This high level in the morning prepares the body for the stress of the day. Cortisol is intimately involved in the metabolism of glucose, fat and protein.

Body Temperature

Body temperature is lowest about 2 hours before waking in the morning and highest in the late afternoon and early afternoon. During the night metabolic activity is slowed and the lowered temperature is a mechanism to conserve energy. temperature is elemental to all biochemical processes.

“Body Temp Variation” by user:RHorning – Image Source. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons –

Seasons of the Cells

The molecular changes give rise to cycles in the cells both in a minute to minute variations, hour to hour variations, and eventually into annual variations

Seasons in the Squamous Flower

Cycles in the Columnar Cell of the Colon

What would life be like if there were no seasons?

Although there is a pattern to the seasons – each one is different and as we gain perspective on the cycles.

There are cycles within cycles as time moves on – each not the same as the prior, but having many things in common. The beginning of Spring is so full of life and we soon look forward and want to welcome the blooming of the brighter colors of summer. And then the heat of summer comes and we look forward to the cool and mature fall – and the beautiful first deep snowfall comes and soon grows old, cold, uncomfortable and dreary – and the new cycle begins with our eyes a little changed

Eachseasons bring a lesson of life. We need the seasons to feel the rhythm within us and around us… but each year the seasons are different, and we learn and grow with each season.

The dawn brings us newness and freshness. The day brings us energy in full flight and productivity – the dusk brings quietness and satisfying mellowness and the night brings rest and restoration…. But each day is different, and hopefully we learn and grow with each day

“I think that to one in sympathy with nature, each season, in turn, seems the loveliest.”
― Mark Twain

“Life Cycle of the Uterus”

shows the uterus from birth through maturation to senility

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Posted on November 20, 2015February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Biological Rhythms

Biological Rhythms – Anatomy of the Fall- and Thanksgiving

The Fall

Mixed messages.

Maturation with impending death.

Strong green,

Hints of orange, yellow, and red

Skulls and ghosts in gardens

Thanksgiving

Mortality and cycles of life

“Early Fall”

shows a CT scan of a skull in the aging garden as the time of the Fall shows its beautiful head. Some of the greens are still green but there is a sense of a cycle moving forward to a next phase as some leaves start to show their mature age with the coming of the fall season.

Time moves on

Yellows oranges and reds become deeper…

And more intense

And we understand George Eliot

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,”

“Mid Fall and Halloween”

shows a CT scan of a skull with reducing volume of bone as the Fall ages and becomes fatter. The skull is located in the aging garden as the time progresses to the mature and mellow yellow, oranges, and reds. There is a sense of a seasonal cycle moving forward. Middle fall is the season of Halloween when we are reminded of our mortality.

We take the dog for a walk

And everywhere it says

Death is coming

“Autumn Reminding Us of Mortality”

shows the sentiment of the Fall as we move on in our life cycles. Biology by its natural cycles will have a beginning, a middle and an end. The fall is a time for contemplation and a reminder to make sweet while the sun shines.

Halloween brings the

Cutest of our society to say

“Do not to worry – there is youth in this season also”

And a pregnant Mommy stands behind smiling

Yet another inner maturation –

Cycles within cycles

“An Autumn Beginning for this Baby”

shows an MRI of a pregnant uterus in the third trimester. For this baby the fall is a beginning

So I come to think of the parts that make the whole

Of members of my inner society

And start with the cell

“The Cell in the Autumn of Its Life Cycle”

shows the cell in the its own mature and mellow colors in a background of yellows and oranges of the seasonal external cycle. The beauty and reality of the seasons and biological rhythms are in us and all around us.

And think about the tree of my breath

As it goes through its cycles

“Ginkgo Lung in the Fall”

is a rendering of a CT scan showing an upside airways forming the trunk and branches of a tree. The lungs have been reshaped and colored to reflect the shape of the ginkgo leaf in the Fall.

And about my aging bones that

Used to run in the park with no effort

“Anatomy of a Jog in the Fall”

shows X-rays of the calves of a runner taking a run through the park in the late fall season. The orange colors reflect a mature part of a cycle as well as portray the element of time

and of the agility and beauty of a dancer in her prime

“En Pointe in the Fall”

shows X-rays of the foot of a ballet dancer “en pointe” in the park in the late fall season. The yellow colors reflect a mature part of a cycle as well as portray the element of time

I try to shake off the melancholy

Uplifted by the performance ….

Through my orange eyes

“The Dance of Autumn”

shows an impressionistic portrayal of contemporary dance in the Fall. The mature and mellow colors are reflected in the yellows and oranges with the occasional splash of evergreen green.

And then we give thanks

For being alive

And for being part of a bigger family

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth, 1914

(Original by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, Modified Public Domain Image )

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
― Jim Bishop

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Posted on November 19, 2015February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Art of Anatomy of the Pancreas

Introduction

Pancreas in the Sky

is a photograph that shows a cloud formation embodying the shape of a pancreas

The anatomy of the pancreas is unusual and the physiology is multifaceted. It is a gland and is part of both the digestive and hormonal systems of the body. Structurally it is characterised by its unusual shape and position and the absence of a capsule. Functionally it is involved in the digestion of food as well as in the metabolism of glucose. The most common diseases include pancreatitis, pancreatic carcinoma and diabetes. Serum tests, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI and endoscopy are most commonly used in diagnosis of pancreatic disease. Treatment options include medical treatment (eg insulin in type 1 diabetes) minimally invasive procedures, and surgery.

“Pancreas in Pink”

is artwork derived from a CT scan and shows the upper abdominal cavity with the pancreas in bright pink surrounded by the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. The aorta and inferior vena cava are the major transport vessels and serve to connect the organs.

Structure

Unusual Shape

“…and we stare in awe at your odd shape – why oh why did you choose that shape?
What are you supposed to look like? – we have no clue”

from “Hermit of the Abdomen”

Shapes of the Pancreas

The pancreas has been compared to many objects including an elongated comma on its side, an elongated number 9 on its side, a prism, a banana, an inverted and curved upside down tobacco pipe, and even an old fashioned revolver. Placing a seahorse or a woodpecker with head down and tail up probably brings us closest to the complex shape of the pancreas. The objects used for description are so varied and disparate, that one wonders if we truly have a grasp of the shape of this organ. A more practical way to look at the shape of the organ is to define the shape of its component parts.

Structure – Position

Deep in the Abdomen in the Retroperitoneum

The pancreas lies in the anterior pararenal space of the retroperitoneum surrounded by a vertebral body and kidneys posteriorly, the liver and gall bladder to its right, the spleen to its left, and the stomach and left lobe of the liver in front. This AiA rendering shows the pancreas cycling through the seasons. In the spring it is in shades of pink, the summer in blue, the fall in red, and in the winter in ice blue and white.

Function

The pancreas has dual functions in the the metabolism of the body. It acts as an as both an exocrine gland (secretes into ducts) and an endocrine gland (secretes into the circulation).

As an exocrine gland it secretes enzymes into ducts that lead to the duodenum. These enzymes aid in the digestion of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. As an endocrine gland it is a key player in the control of glucose metabolism which it accomplishes by secreting insulin into the circulation.

The acini are the microscopic glands making up 98% of the parenchyma and they function as the exocrine component.

“Blueberries of the Glands of the Pancreas”

is a rendering of the histological appearance of the pancreatic acinar glands. The artpiece illustrates the ductules that subtends the acini which are the exocrine glandular cells. The shape of the acinar cells and ductules are reminiscent of grapes or berries on a stalk.

“Histology of the Glands of the Pancreas”

The exocrine hormones of the pancreas that aid in the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates are produced in the acinar cells in the glandular unit called the acinus. The art piece shows the acinus with acinar cells and the duct that transports the secretions to the pancreatic duct and eventually to the duodenum where they aid in the digestion of proteins fats and carbohydrates.

The islets of Langerhans secrete insulin into the blood stream, very soon after ingestion of a meal in order to control blood sugar and intracellular glucose concentrations. The endocrine cells called the islets of Langerhans represent only 1-2% of the tissue volume of the pancreas, but play a vital role in body function and well being. They are most numerous in the tail of the pancreas.

Islets of Langerhans

Immunohistochemistry on mouse pancreas for insulin shows the brown stained Islets of Langerhans that secrete insulin among the acinar cells. They represent only 2% of the population of pancreatic cells.

(Modified Image – Courtesy Billyboy Wikipedia Public Domain)

Diseases

Acute Necrotic Pancreatitis

This is a CT of an elderly man who had severe pancreatitis. Within the retroperitoneum there is necrotic pancreas (asterisk). It is enlarged and consists mostly of air (arrow), fluid, and high density hemorrhagic components. The findings are consistent with a gangrenous pancreatic abscess. The surgeon noted that the pancreas looked and smelled like a “dead fish…. that had been dead for quite a long time.” Other structures including the gallbladder(gb), liver, kidneys, spleen and stomach surround the pancreas

Pancreatic Cancer with Spread to the Liver

The CT scan shows a primary pancreatic cancer (red asterisk) with metastases to the liver. Four of many metastases are identified with white asterisks

Normal Pancreatic Cells and Pancreatic Cancer Cells

In the upper image the cellular makeup of the acinar cells of the pancreas manifest with a normal nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio reflecting the relative size of the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The 2nd image show cancerous cells of the exocrine pancreas. The blue nuclii are far too large for the amount of the cytoplasm of the cell (abnormal nuclear to cytoplasm ratio). The malignant cells are also too dark (hyperchromatic) and lack uniformity and organization. These are all features of malignant cells . Cancerous cells do not obey the rules of the body and have no regard for the body at large. Malignant cells are equivalent to rebels in the community. They destroy and do not contribute to the wellbeing of the society. They also invade the territory of neighboring structures.

Ravages of Diabetes

The foot of a person with diabetes following amputation of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th digits as a result of poor circulation of the tissues. The magnified view shows the calcification and hardening of the arteries.

Diagnosis

“Doppler Ultrasound of the Pancreas-Hermit of the Abdomen”

shows the pancreas in black in front of the splenic vein

“ERCP – Ductal Skeleton of the Pancreas”

is from an ERCP with an injection into normal the dorsal pancreatic duct of Wirsung with contrast also noted in the distal common bile duct

“Arteries of the Pancreas”

is from an angiogram of the celiac axis and shows the multiple arteries that supply the pancreas. The head of the pancreas is supplied by the superior pancreatico-duodenal vessels which arises from the gastroduodenal artery, and inferior pancreatico-duodenal artery which arises from the SMA. The body is supplied by the splenic artery and the superior mesenteric artery.

Treatment

Treatment options include medical treatment (eg insulin in type 1 diabetes) minimally invasive procedures for drainage and relief of obstruction, and surgery.

3D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Structure of Insulin Dimer

(Modified from public domain image from Wikipedia and Courtesy Jawahar Swaminathan Jawahar Swaminathan and MSD staff at the European Bioinformatics Institute)

“And then a bone guy – for God’s sakes – a bone guy! – called Banting and his student Best
exposed the insular chemistry of your insulin that had given you the power over the sweet
Never mind – in the end it was for the good of all –
And a new era was born

from “Hermit of the Abdomen” Davidoff

Pancreas and Buddies

This aquatic scene shows the relationship of the pancreas to its neighbours particularly the splenic vein and left renal vein which run a parallel course, almost like a bunch of buddies romping in the water. The arching bodies with heads all in the same direction is quite beautiful

And then I think of you in your prime and in your happiness
When you are with your two buddies – the splenic vein and the renal vein
And you all look so much alike, and happy swimming in that deep ocean where you hide
And I wish this was forever”

from “Hermit of the Abdomen” Davidoff

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