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(04/27/12 5:00am)
A new technique involving nanoparticles has exciting potential benefits for brain cancer patients. According to a recent study by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the tiny particles can be imaged in three ways to facilitate and guide the removal of brain tumors from mice. Led by Sam Gambhir of the Radiology Department, the team of scientists engineered nanoparticles that detected and highlighted brain tumors. By offering a precise way of determining the boundaries of the tumor, the method can be used to remove brain tumors with unprecedented accuracy. The most serious kind of brain tumor is glioblastoma, of which 3,000 cases are diagnosed annually. Without treatment, patients with glioblastoma are expected to die within three months. Whenever possible, such tumors are removed, but this procedure only prolongs the patient's life by about one year, since even the best neurosurgeons find it almost impossible to remove the whole tumor without sacrificing healthy brain. This lack of precision is an especially large problem when one considers the shape of these tumors, which are typically rough, with tiny fingerlike protrusions that follow blood vessels and nerves. In addition, the primary tumor can, while replicating and migrating cells, produce tiny tumor patches called micrometastases, which are nearly invisible to the surgeon's eye and can infiltrate otherwise healthy tissue. The micrometastases can then grow into new tumors. This study used what were essentially imaging reagents coated on minuscule gold balls, each measuring less than five one-millionths of an inch in diameter. The scientists hoped that injecting these nanoparticles intravenously would cause them to seek out tumors but leave healthy brain tissue alone. Since the blood vessels that feed brain tumors are quite permeable, the particles would escape from the vessels and attach themselves to the tumor. Thanks to the gold cores of the particles, they would then be visible to each of three imaging techniques. The first kind is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which surgeons already commonly use to gauge where the tumor is likely to be before they operate. The nanoparticles are coated with an MRI contrast agent, gadolinium. However, while MRI can determine a tumor's boundaries, it is used preoperatively and therefore cannot perfectly describe the tumor at the time of operation, given the dynamic nature of both the tumor and the brain. The second kind of imaging used is called photoacoustic imaging. The nanoparticles' gold cores absorb pulses of light and produce ultrasound signals that allow for the creation of a three-dimensional image of the tumor. The third, Raman imaging, uses materials in the coating of the particles to give off small amounts of light produced in a specific pattern of wavelengths. The weak signals are amplified by the gold cores, and can then be captured by a special microscope. The scientists began by showing that the nanoparticles targeted only tumor tissue and not healthy tissue. They then implanted different types of human glioblastoma cells into the brains of mice. Injecting the nanoparticles into the tail veins of the mice, the scientists were able to use all three imaging methods to visualize the tumor. The MRI scans and photoacoustic images were able to produce accurate images of the tumor pre-operation and during the operation, respectively. The bulk of the animal's tumor was initially cleared using these first two methods. However, to produce sufficiently precise detail, the sensitive Raman images proved to be critical. Because Raman signals were only produced by nanoparticles, after the clearing of most of the tumor, this third technique was used to flag and then remove any residual micrometastases and fingerlike projections in adjacent normal tissue. This technique offers hope for the field of brain cancer treatment, allowing for the precisely controlled removal of both the tumor and residual tumor material. According to Gambhir, the technique might even someday be used to treat other types of tumors.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
My turtle-crazy roommate and Parry Gripp's educational video (dude, that's a tortoise!) about how to differentiate between a turtle and tortoise first introduced me to the world of these wonderful reptiles. Turtles are some of the most bada** animals to grace this earth - they outlasted the dinosaurs, braved the mosasaur-infested prehistoric seas and have even made it into fiction, with bubbly characters like Squirtle from Pokemon and Crush from Finding Nemo. Unfortunately, the survival of some species of turtles is seriously threatened, thanks to human activity. Loggerhead sea turtles, known for their large size and powerful jaws, are among these threatened species. Once hunted extensively for their meat and eggs, they are now under the protection of international conservation laws. While locals in some countries continue to use loggerback eggs as snacks and aphrodisiacs, the turtles are getting their revenge. Eating turtle eggs can cause serious illness due to toxic metals that build up through bioaccumulation, which occurs when toxins move up the food chain and increase in concentration with each trophic level. When loggerhead turtles are accidentally captured by humans, the shelled creatures undergo a recovery process according to the severity of their injuries. A team of scientists from Catalonia and the Balearic Islands recently investigated the re-adaptation of these turtles to the environment. According to their results, after a lengthy recovery in rehabilitation centers, the turtles display changes in behavior. In the study, the researchers placed satellite transmitters onto the shells of 12 healthy, wild loggerhead turtles of the species Caretta caretta, and 6 more on the shells of turtles that had spent a few months in a rehabilitation center in the Balearic Islands.Lluis Cardona, the principal author of the study and a researcher in the animal biology department in the University of Barcelona, said that the rehabilitating animals were seriously affected when they were captured and had a slow, complicated recovery process. After they were set free, three of the rehabilitated turtles exhibited changes in behavior. Cardona, who compared these turtles with the 12 controls, found that one turtle died and the other two had trouble swimming - they were very disorientated. The transmitters sent a signal each time the turtles surfaced to breathe, informing the researchers of the swimming speed and routes followed by the turtles. According to Cardona, the time a turtle spends at the water's surface is very informative about its health. Turtles need to surface regularly in order to breathe and thermoregulate. In addition, the time spent at the surface reflects the turtle's buoyancy control. While the study's small sample size limits the applicability of results, there is clearly a percentage of animals that do not recover fully after capture or injury. The study raises the question of when recuperating and treating a turtle is worthwhile.Cardona says that due to limited resources and for the good of the turtle, scientists and veterinarians need to work to establish protocols to determine when a turtle's condition warrants treatment. The six turtle patients were rehabilitated in the Balearic Islands by the Aspro-Natura Foundation between 2004 and 2007. All of them suffered from major injuries - two were hit by boats, two had stomach and throat injuries from fishing hooks and two sustained flipper injuries from fishing nets. Most of these animals are caught unintentionally by fishing hooks and trawler or trammel nets. A small percentage collides with boats or gets caught in abandoned nets or plastic. Fortunately, the number of turtles caught by fishing hooks has fallen, thanks to fishermen moving to deeper waters where fewer turtles reside. However, Cardona warns that the situation remains dire - 90 percent of turtles in the waters around the Balearic Islands hail from the USA. This means that the number of nesting female loggerheads in the country has dropped.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
Last weekend, teams from around the world converged at Wichita, Kansas for the annual Design, Build, Fly competition organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. After its successful initiation last year, the Hopkins team returned with high hopes and a greatly expanded roster. The team was tasked with creating a remote-controlled plane capable of performing three missions. First, the plane must fly as many laps as possible around a 2000 foot circuit in a four minute window. Second, the plane must carry a payload of eight aluminum bars, simulating passengers. Lastly, the plane must carry two liters of water and climb to 100 meters as quickly as possible. Once the 100 meters is reached, the plane must automatically dump all of the water. "The most difficult part was the water drop mechanism," senior pilot Ben Goldberg said. "It was such a heavy payload and the weight of the plane changes during flight, affecting the flight characteristics dramatically." With the support of donations from the JHU Alumni association, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professors Joseph Katz and Charles Meneveau, the team built an aerodynamically optimized plane to complete all three missions while maximizing total flight score. The first day of competition went relatively smoothly for JHU. The plane, in its makeshift crate, survived the trip to Wichita and the Cessna facility serving as the competition site. The Blue Jay 4 (fourth major design iteration since the inception of the team) passed technical inspection with only a few minor hiccups, but missed its first time on the flight line as a result. When its turn came up again, the plane completed five laps, an above average mark. "We weren't sure how it was going to turn out," junior Rick Fenrich said. "I think we built a plane that flew quite spectacularly... We had put in so much work over the course of the semester. We spent countless hours manufacturing and designing, that to see it fly in its glory in Kansas was incredible." On day two, things started to go downhill. Severe weather had been predicted for the weekend, and although everyone involved hoped for a change, the winds came in full force. The flight line was closed at noon, and at 2:00pm, everyone was ordered off the premises. Later that night, tornadoes were spotted heading right towards the city. The projected path had the tornado led right towards where the JHU team was staying, causing an anxiety-filled drive to the hotel and a rush to the basement shelter. At the last minute, the storm changed course to the other side of the city, hitting the Boeing, Spirit Aerosystems and Cessna facilities, including the Design, Build, Fly flying field. "It was a heart-racing Kansas experience," Goldberg reflected, though "finding the severity of the damage the next day put a damper on the competition and it was disappointing that we weren't able to complete the missions." And thus the 2011/12 competition came to an end. Although few teams were able to complete all three tasks, awards were given based on standings at the time of closing. First place went to San Jose State University, and Hopkins came in 21st, having completed only one mission. ?
(04/27/12 5:00am)
Researchers from Hopkins and the University of Maryland have uncovered the source behind the amazing stability of RNA transcripts that regulate the expression of genes in cells. Ribonucleic acid, or RNA, is one of the three macromolecules essential for the expression of genes. It is the intermediate step in the Central Dogma of Biology, which describes how DNA genes are transcribed to coding RNA, or messenger RNA, which is then translated into proteins, whose activity in cells facilitates their basic functions. Broadly, RNA can be divided into two categories: coding RNA and non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNA has many regulatory functions, each related to the unique 3D structures it can form. RNA exists as one strand, unlike the famous double helix of DNA, which is composed of two strands. The single-stranded RNA can create bonds with itself at different locations to create numerous 3D structures. These structures help it regulate gene expression and catalyze biochemical reactions that are associated with proteins. The most important RNA-protein association is the ribosome, which is responsible for catalyzing the process by which coding RNA is used to build protein structures. By mutating these ribosomes, researchers were able to investigate the relationship between 3D RNA structures and the sequences in their structure that allow their formation. They chose a ribosome whose sequence has already been characterized, had a stable structure and could tolerate a relatively high degree of mutation in its sequence. The most common structures formed in RNA are double helices, similar to the structure of DNA first described by James Watson and Francis Crick. These are held together by tertiary interaction motifs, which are sequences of nucleotides in the RNA itself. How these helices are oriented within the 3D RNA structure is important for its function. The tertiary interaction motifs are therefore extremely important in RNA stability. They created a series of mutants that were all functional to different degrees; some were even 200 percent more active than the original. Despite this, the mutated RNA transcripts had sequences that made them more energetically favorable for them to remain unfolded. They then allowed the mutated RNAs to fold, while exposing them to magnesium ions. Using the general rule of RNA folding - which states that the more stable the structure, the less magnesium is required for its formation - the scientists were able to calculate the stability of the resulting 3D structures. They found that single mutations destabilized both the complete, or native, folded form of the RNA, as well as an intermediate folding step. More importantly, double mutations showed that there is a framework by which the tertiary interaction motifs cooperate with each other to increase the stability of the folded RNA beyond what it would be if they acted independently of each other. This was proved by the change in energy state between the folded and unfolded forms, as characterized by the number of magnesium ions the RNA used to maintain its folded state. The energy coupling of the tertiary motifs is larger than the energy of the individual tertiary structures. This cooperation only occurred during the folding process and was not present in the final RNA construct; therefore it only affected the intermediate structure of the mutants. The researchers postulate that this cooperation is a result of natural selection of RNA structures that were conducive to forming a stable folded structure. This was supported by their observation that random sequences in RNA did not have the folding capabilities of more evolved sequences, even when they had similar composition of nucleotides.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
The genetic link between brain size and intelligence has proven controversial. Studies have demonstrated weak to moderate relationships between brain size and IQ and have not provided definitive conclusions about the effects of genetic makeup on the construction of the brain. The high cost of brain imaging has impeded scientists' abilities to gather sufficient data, leading to underpowered brain studies. Project ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) was initiated three years ago by Paul Thompson, a professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. For the past three years, ENIGMA, the world's largest ever ongoing brain study, has led to the discovery of new genes that are responsible for differences in brain size and intelligence. ENIGMA offers watertight evidence of the correlations between the genes of humans and the size of their brains, especially within the hippocampal and intercranial regions. The study was published in Nature Genetics. The cognoscenti of neurology from all over the world, including Australia and the Netherlands, worked together to recruit brain-imaging labs around the world to share brain scans and genomic data and to derive definitive explanations from a very large pool of information. 21,151 individuals were included in this study, which allowed scientists to categorize them according to brain size and analyze their genetic makeup. Unlike previous studies, ENIGMA has allowed contributors to make conclusions with great statistical significance. Scientists discovered that in humans with smaller brains there is a link between shifts in genetic code and the diminishing of memory centers of the brain. This was consistent between subjects from different continents. They also discovered that a variant of a gene called HMGA2 could impact both the size of the brain and intelligence. Shockingly, people with a single mutation in HMGA2 - a "T" (thymine) is changed to a "C" (cytosine) in the genetic code - demonstrated superior performance in IQ testing. A single letter! It is not doubtful that this project will pave the way for new discoveries with great implications in medicine and neurology. By definitively identifying genes that are linked to the diminishing of certain regions of the brain, scientists can discover avenues for the development of drugs that can reduce their adverse effects. If the underlying puzzle of the wiring of the brain is solved, preventive measures may be devised to minimize adverse affects as well. The publication of this particular study delves into the identification of common variants that seem to affect brain volume in people of different origins. ENIGMA can also allow scientists to look into the relationship between brain size and susceptibility to certain diseases such as Alzheimer's or schizophrenia, by screening the patient's genes for a genetic culprit that may be causing the deterioration of the brain. ENIGMA can provide scientists with new opportunities that previous, much smaller studies have failed to offer because the collaboration has led to a vast range of subjects. This massive project may have provided fertile grounds for scientists to finally determine how the brain is wired.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
The application of magnets to generate electricity may soon provide patients who need surgically-implanted electronic devices with better-working options. Researchers led by Holger Lausch at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) in Hermsdorf, Germany, have designed and patented a wireless system to transmit power from a transmitter to a generator. The scientists have built a transfer module that can provide a current of over 100 milliwatts. The module is small enough that it can be attached to the user's belt. In fact, since it has a range of 50 centimeters, it can be placed anywhere on the body. The device works via a technique called magnetic coupling. In the transfer module, there is a magnet that rotates by means of a small motor. This magnet generates a magnetic rotary field, which is an area around a magnet that exerts a constantly changing force on another magnet. In the receiver, there is another magnetic device which connects to this exterior magnetic field and starts rotating as a result. This rotation is converted into power. The magnetic field can pass through non-magnetic materials, such as bones, organs, water, plastic and a variety of metals, so there isn't any interference from them. Moreover, there are no harmful side effects to humans. The transfer module can provide power to a variety of different applications, most of which are in the medical field. For instance, it can work with a variety of microelectronic implants. Some specific applications include providing power to pacemakers and infusion pumps. A pacemaker is a device inserted into the heart to regulate an erratic heartbeat. Infusion pumps that have been surgically implanted in a patient release a measured amount of a drug into a patient's body over time. Another application the researchers have suggested for their system is providing power to ingestible endoscopic capsules which travel through a patient's gastrointestinal tract and take pictures. If a generator is placed inside the capsule, then doctors can assign a specific intestinal region to each picture taken. All of these devices consist of various electronic units that require a power supply. Currently, they are powered by radio wave-based and inductive systems. Batteries aren't feasible because of their short lifespan. Inductive charging requires having a system generate an electromagnetic field, which sends energy to an electrical device. Radio wave-based systems use radio waves, which are a form of particles that carry energy, to transmit power from one source to another. These systems are not ideal, however, because their efficiency changes based on the location, position and movement of the person. Also, the range at which they can function is very limited. The new system is different from current models because the power is generated in the receiver module instead of having to receive power from another source. This technology can be useful for larger applications as well, because it can easily be scaled up in size, range and performance capacity. Researchers believe that it can also be used in mechanical engineering and the construction industry. For example, the transfer modules can provide power to sensors that have an airtight seal, such as those inside walls or bridges. Also, they can be used to support charge units that store power or activate different electronics.Lausch and his team will be demonstrating this new technology's capabilities at the Hannover Messe from April 23 to April 27. As the testing device, they will use a hip implant that uses electricity to stimulate the joint and stimulate growth of cartilage and bone cells.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
The future of the world's coral reefs may not be as grim as we think. A recent study conducted by researchers at the James Cook University in Australia took a look at the composition of various corals in the Great Barrier Reef and determined that the flexibility across species may allow corals to adapt to future changes in the ocean due to climate change. A global increase in temperature as a result of the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mainly carbon dioxide), is projected to cause not only a warming of the world's oceans, but also an increase in ocean acidification. The oceans act as carbon sinks, which means they absorb carbon at a faster rate than they emit it. Currently, oceans remove about 30 percent of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the earth's atmospheres each year. However, with ever increasing rates of carbon dioxide emissions, the oceans can only swallow so much. A side effect of carbon sequestration is the production of carbonic acids, and the more carbon dioxide oceans take up, the quicker the acid is formed. As a result, the overall oceanic pH level decreases, which in turn decreases the calcium carbonate production of many coral forming organisms. Acidification affects both the organisms building reefs, as well as the reefs themselves. Originally, the health of a coral reef was determined by "total coral cover." However, the study's detailed look into the coral composition of 35,000 different colonies within the Great Barrier Reef discovered another factor that influences the overall ability for corals to survive: the distribution and number of adaptable species. The yearly temperature fluctuations within the Great Barrier Reef occur on the same scale as predicted changes in conditions due to climate change. Between winter and summer, the ocean temperature fluctuates between 14.4 and 16.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The continual existence of corals within this region supports the claim that corals will be able to adapt to changing water conditions. However some special types of adaptation are what scientists consider to be their main saving mechanisms. The presence of "warm genes" is one instance of an effective coral adaptation strategy. A study done on the same species of coral in Florida and Mexico found a genetic difference that allowed those in Mexico to survive unharmed in warmer waters. In short, the same species of coral was able to alter its genes to survive. Another example involved the ability of some corals to survive in extremely acidic "submarine springs," which are areas with naturally low pH levels that mirror those of projected climate change levels. Though we may rest assured that corals will not entirely disappear, the natural selection process will cause future reefs to look very different from those we are used to today. For example, the projected increase in mound-shaped coral types, and decrease in branch-like types, will make a much smoother and less elaborate looking reef. This change may also decrease the types and amount of marine fauna present in the reefs because of a decrease in nooks and crannies in which small creatures can hide. Though the world's reefs may survive climate change, there are many other factors that threaten their survival. The most current and pressing issues to address include pollution and overfishing.
(04/27/12 5:00am)
Hopkins researchers have recently published a study confirming their hypothesis that levels of blood loss vary in children undergoing corrective spine surgery based on the type of underlying spine deformity condition. The results of this study are helpful to pediatric surgeons and open up more opportunities for spine surgery research. Years ago, Paul Sponseller, chief of pediatric orthopedics at Hopkins Children's Center and Dolores Njoku, a pediatric anesthesiologist, created a spine database. Despite a small sample of patients, they were able to deduce a connection between patient diagnosis and blood loss during surgery. The new study, published online in Spine, is part of an expansion of these older findings into a new database. Through analysis by Amit Jain, a medical student, the researchers found the same underlying link as with the prior database. The study is unique for its "multidisciplinary approach utilizing expertise in surgery and anesthesiology," Dr. Njoku wrote in an email to The News-Letter. The study included data from 617 corrective spine surgeries of 37 different diagnoses performed on children between 2001 and 2011 at Hopkins. In order to sort the data, diagnosis types were classified into five groups: idiopathic scoliosis (the most common scoliosis without a known cause), Scheuermann's kyphosis (an elevated roundback in upper spine), cerebral palsy (a set of brain and nervous system disorders), additional neuromuscular disorders (including dystrophies, atrophies or trauma injuries), and genetic or syndromic disorders. There were a number of variable elements to the procedures that required normalization during analysis. To calculate the normalized blood loss (NBL), Sponseller and Njoku divided the amount of blood lost by the number of spine levels fused during surgery and the patient's weight. These calculations indicated that patients with cerebral palsy suffered an average blood loss of 3.2 millimeters per kilogram body weight, the highest amount among all of the diagnosis groups. The amount for patients with neuromuscular conditions and genetic syndromes stood at the middle while children with Scheuermann's disease or idiopathic scoliosis ranked at the lowest loss overall. According to the researchers, the heightened risk for those with neuromuscular or genetic conditions is related to the patients' changed blood-clotting capabilities and their low platelet count, among other reasons. Children with idiopathic scoliosis face the lowest risk of blood loss during surgery. "They are the healthiest, best nourished (best chance of optimal clotting mechanics)" Sponseller wrote in an email to The News-Letter. "However, interestingly, the standard preop lab measurements of clotting function are normal in all of the conditions studied. The reason behind the greatest loss in patients with cerebral palsy is still a mystery, but invites further research. Blood loss during surgery is best avoided for a number of reasons. "The negative effects of blood loss are increased stress on the heart, changes in blood chemistry and drug levels, and exposure to infectious risk from infusions," Dr. Sponseller said. This study is targeted at helping surgeons and anesthesiologists better anticipate any surgical complications that could lead to longer hospital stays or poor recovery. "The biggest benefit is that the anesthesiologists and surgeons that care for these patients can be more prepared," Njoku wrote. "The Anesthesiologist gives blood and fluids to the patient in addition to anesthesia to keep the patient asleep. The surgeons may then develop innovative instruments or techniques that may decrease blood loss." Sponseller adds that blood loss may be reduced by anti-fibrinolytics, inhibitors to fibrin breakdown in blood clots, and an earlier provision of clotting factors. This study is an entry into discovering what benefits may be reaped from understanding the link between blood loss and diagnosis in spine surgery. "It documents the problem to serve as an impetus for research into the reasons why the difference exists," Sponseller wrote. "We hope to ignite a spark of interest, which stimulates others with knowledge of coagulation to find the reason . . . For a fairly uniform surgery, hemostatic function differs by disease in ways which would not have been predicted. This is a topic for further study and an opportunity for improvement."
(04/22/12 5:00am)
Mudd 26 transformed from a staid and stuffy lecture hall into an emporium of song, laughter and edgy comedy that bordered on darkness and insanity.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
ark the 41st annual Spring Fair at Johns Hopkins, filled with all sorts of foods, arts & crafts vendors, rides and more.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
Volunteering can really suck. There's no curve to beat, no way to get an A+ to rub in your friends' faces and no prestigious accolades to tack on your resume. Where's the glory?
(04/22/12 5:00am)
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted its semi-annual Cultural Block Party last Friday, Apr. 13, engaging student cultural organizations for an afternoon of food, festivity, and, adhering to OMA's general credo, the cultural edification of the broader university community.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
No words ring sweeter in the ears of an unemployed undergraduate than the phrase "free concert." In fact, when my friends and I heard about an iTunes Top 100 band playing for free in Silver Spring, Md., the tickets were printed and the ZipCar was booked in less than an hour.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
This past weekend, junior Tamar Nachmany debuted her interpretation of Teibele and Hurmizah at Hopkins as part of her Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. Written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, the play is based on a Polish erotic fable and is rife with sexual exploration and deviancies: characters consort with demons, fantasize about adultery and arrange threesomes.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
10 years since her last movie, Lynn Ramsay utilizes Hollywood talent in her dark, satirical film, We Need to Talk About Kevin, which exploits the fa??ade-wearing citizens we deal with every day.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
I know absolutely nothing about fashion. My trips to the mall don't extend past Macy's and Forever 21, and the only fashion shows I've ever seen were on "America's Next Top Model." I'm aware enough to know that wearing sweatpants in public is slightly unacceptable. And that's always been enough for me.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
Damon Albarn has just released a new single, "That Marvelous Dream," off his new opera, Dr. Dee, which is set to be released on May 8.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
Hipsters, lace up your Doc Martens, dust off your vinyl players and feast your eyes-with-the-oversized-glasses-that-you-don't-need here: M. Ward is back with even more acoustic solos.
(04/22/12 5:00am)
Picture Show, the sophomore album by Neon Trees, a band that hails from Utah, is not what I expected, to say the least. And I don't mean that in a bad way.
(04/21/12 5:00am)
There's a strange logic surrounding the concept of teaching the art of writing. Unlike virtually every other field out there, young artists just kind of do it instead of starting with a baseline of rules with which to write. And Writing in Pictures: Screenwriting Made (Mostly) Painless by Joseph McBride follows this to a tee, which, altogether is a strange new approach for screenwriting how-tos.
