Greek Poster • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • 20241009
Funny. LibreOffice Vanilla Issue.
Greek characters appeared in this poster originally designed with english text and produced on a Macintosh computer and Imagewriter dotmatrix printer, September 3, 1990, using the MacDraw II application, with graphs from Cricket Graph. That 1990 Mac file was remastered today in LibreOffice Vanilla (other minor issues in graphs not corrected). Generally LibreOffice does a great job with these ancient files. I recently posted several of such posters at site michelvanderburg.com. However, some of the posters retrieved from my archive show up with Greek characters when opened in LibreOffice, like this poster produced in English (with roman characters). Those problematic posters have in common that the Apple Chicago font was used – the interface font in Apple’s early versions of Mac OS from 1984 to 1997. Clearly LibreOffice cannot handle this Chicago font correctly. I have not found a solution for this. Text in other posters, produced with Helvetica, had only minor issues in LibreOffice, Helvetica italics text appeared as regular Times.
The original poster and abstract (below) were presented at the 8th International Symposium on Gastrointestinal Hormones, in Timmendorfer Strand Baltic Sea (FRG) September 4–8, 1990.
Abstract
Contribution of gut factors to canine isolated islet function M.P.M. van der Burg, O.R. Guicherit, J.B.M.J. Jansen, C.B.H.W. Lamers, J.P. Scherft, M. Frölich, H.G. Gooszen. Departments of Surgery, Gastroenterology. Endocrinology and Cel Biology. University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands. Techniques for isolating islets of Langerhans from the large mammalian pancreas have improved to the point where islet transplantation as a therapeutical approach to human diabetes has become more realistic. The quality of metabolic control is however largely unknown. We studied canine isolated-islet function both in vivo after autotransplantation, as well as in vitro by perifusion. Five normal dogs underwent total pancreatectomy. Islets were isolated from the excised pancreas by collagenase digestion, dispersion and purification with filtration and density gradients. Isolated islets were autotransplanted into the spleen of the dog by retrograde venous infusion. Graft function was assessed up to 3 mo by determining the glucose and insulin response to an intravenous glucose injection (IVGTT), i.v. arginine injection during 35 mM glucose clamp (AT), and a meal. In addition (n = 4) the in vitro insulin response of overnight cultured canine islets was studied by perifusion with cholecystokinin (CCK-33) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). The islet dose at transplantation ranged from 3500 – 13000 islets/kg b.w. One animal became overtly hyperglycemic (fasting glucose 18 mM) within 7 days after receiving 3500 islets/kg b.w. The other grafts (> 6000 islets/kg b.w.) were successful (fasting glucose <7mM) but demonstrated, compared to pre-operative values, a 50% reduced glucose clearance and insulin response at IVGTT, and a 90% reduced insulin secreting capacity at AT. Postprandially hyperglycemia (~ 10 mM) and in contrast to i.v. glucose and arginine, a normal insulin response was observed. The in vitro insulin response at 7.5 mM glucose to equimolar (0.1-1- 10 nM) concentrations of either CCK, GIP or both, demonstrated a sustained dose-response to GIP (up to 5x basal values) and a significant albeit small and transient effect of CCK as of 1 nM. No synergistic effect was observed. In dogs ‘one-to-one’ transplantation was successful in 4/5 recipients of isolated islets. The difference in the effect of islet transplantation on the insulin response to intravenous glucose or – arginine and a meal, may be related to the postprandial, hyperglycemia enhanced, activation of the entero-insular axis, especially GIP.
Van der Burg MPM, Guicherit OR, Jansen JBMJ, Lamers CBHW, Scherft JP, Frölich M, Gooszen HG. Contribution of gut factors to canine isolated islet function (Abstract). Digestion 1990; 46 (Suppl 1): 14–15. https://doi.org/10.1159/000200356
PDF abstract shown below – file 20241009_1_Digestion.pdf
Citation info : Greek Poster • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • 20241009 • URL michelvanderburg.com/2024/10/09 | TakeNode 10afaddd-08b7-4dcd-ad7a-43228420ad59
Leiden Islet Laboratory History • 20240803 | Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg•com | TakeNode fad1be86-34f2-453f-b477-2abc62e467be
Summer 1985… start of our Leiden Islet Transplant Laboratory by Paul van Suylichem (right) and Michel van der Burg (middle), both from the Surgery department — wondering how to start here our islet lab in this space – a former weighing chamber (left : stable weighing table) made available by the Cell Biology department of the Leiden University, headed by Prof J.P. Scherft. Where to put our equipment… the laminar flow cabinet, large centrifuge, fridge, freezer, shaking waterbath, microscopes, and a lot of disposables coming ?
I had started working in 1981 for the Pancreas project. Pancreas transplantation research with the surgeon Hein Gooszen , working on his PhD (1), and surgeon Reinout van Schilfgaarde – who headed the project – and in 1985 also started this islet project.
Summer 1986, when Reinout van Schilfgaarde together with Paul van Suylichem moved to the Groningen University Hospital (2), Hein Gooszen and I decided to make a fresh start with the now operational Leiden Islet Lab…
Fifteen years of research later we were ready to roll with the isolation of human islets of Langerhans, in our new GMP facility in the Leiden Univerity Medical Center (LUMC). September 2001, the National Health Care Institute positively assessed our permit application for Transplantation of Islets of Langerhans in the LUMC (3,6), followed by approval May 2003 of the islet bank by the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).
Notes
Post last update : 20241010-1611
Gooszen HG. Canine segmental pancreatic autotransplantation. Analysis of the effects of ductobliteration. Thesis, Leiden, 1984
Advies vergunningsaanvraag transplantatie Eilandjes van Langerhans | Op 27 september 2001 uitgebracht aan de minister van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport. | Rapport 01/71 | C.R. Smand, J.P. Verduijn / College voor Zorgverzekeringen. URL https://data.bibliotheken.nl/id/nbt/p229940978
Update 20240807. Added some history, and made minor changes.
Update 20240828 minor correction date (Fresh start lab ‘At the end of 1986’ changed to Summer 1986.)
Update 20241010, added : Press release Sep 27, 2001 by National Health Care Institute (CVZ). Transplantatie Eilandjes van Langerhans naar LUMC 27 september 2001. CVZ adviseert over vergunning. John van der Pas, persvoorlichter CVZ. Source : Razende Robot Reporter | Nieuwsbank Interactief Nederlands persbureau . Retrieved 20090313 from Nieuwsbank.nl (link expired, domain has new owner). 20241010 PDF (Ads , and author phone number redacted by M.P.M. van der Burg | Miracles•Media) file 20241010_CVZ • URL michelvanderburg.com/2024/10/10
Citation info : Leiden Islet Laboratory History • 20240803 | Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg•com | TakeNode fad1be86-34f2-453f-b477-2abc62e467be
Lancet Letter 1989 UW Solution Islet Isolation | 20220823 | Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg•com | June 1989 preparing first submission for publication as letter in the Lancet medical journal the new concept of using the UW solution ( the University of Wisconsin organ preservation solution) for isolation and complete purification of islets of Langerhans in the laboratory for transplantation in diabetic patients. Later that year that exciting discovery was presented at meetings in Minneapolis, USA, and Barcelona, Spain. Details in yesterday’s post. Submission for publication as a letter in the Lancet had had no succes 😉
Final draft text produced on my personal Macintosh ED and Imagewriter-II matrix printer with Geneva font.
PUSH opera at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels – Online via OperaVision
OperaVision
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 at La Monnaie Opera House has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
PUSH made its world première on Saturday 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea (UK). This powerfull inspirational community opera was specially commisioned from Howard Moody (composer , conductor, musical director) by Battle Festival (Sally Lampitt, festival director and producer, and Dave Furness, chairman) for Battle Festival 2016 and the ROOT 1066 International Festival in partnership with Glyndebourne and the De La Warr Pavilion. Simon Gronowski attended the premiere.
The opera is inspired by the true story of Simon Gronowski, whose mother pushed him off a train heading to Auschwitz in 1943 – an action that saved his life and gave the opera its name.
Howard Moody first met Simon Gronowski at a performance of his opera Sindbad in 2014 at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels. Simon told the Howard the story of his escape and life and ended with the phrase “Ma Vie N’est Que Miracles !”. Moody was so moved he promised that night to write his next opera about Simon.
Howard’s opera PUSH tells the story of Simon’s escape from the 20th Convoy Train on April 19, 1943 – how his mother pushed Simon off the train – and the recent story of Simon meeting and forgiving his former camp guard of deportation camp Mechelen , some years ago.
PUSH was directed by Simon Iorio in Bexhill and later that month at the nearby St Mary’s Church in Battle , and performed by the PUSH orchestra , the Battle Festival Community Choir and PUSH singers — a cast made up of singers of all abilities from Battle and the surrounding area — children, teenagers and adults were resistance fighters, collaborators and prisoners — while three professional soloists played the roles of Simon (James Newby), Simon’s Sister (Tereza Gevorgyan) and the Guard (Matthew Stiff).
PUSH tells Simon’s story but also deals with much broader themes of persecution — a story of our times, full of themes of hope and togetherness, separation, and fear.
The PUSH community opera was next performed in the UK in Salisbury and Chichester (2018), and with a special performance to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2019 at the Speaker’s House in Westminster, London (hosted by The House of Commons, Chichester MP Gillian Keegan) that was attended by leaders in the Jewish community along with members from both houses of Parliament.
March 2019 PUSH premiered in Simon Gronowski’s hometown , in Brussels at La Monnaie Opera House and was performed in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Simon Gronowski and family. Director of the Brussels’ performance was Benoît De Leersnyder and Howard was conductor of La Monnaie’s Chamber Music Ensemble with a mixed youth and adult Chorus / La Monnaie’s Children’s and Youth Chorus. Soloists were James Newby (Simon), Sheva Tehoval (Simon’s sister) , Ivan Ludlow (Guard) and Felix Cooper / Thylan Aerts / Milo Avalosse / Djurre Diels (Young Simon). Lighting designer was Ace McCarron. Sets & Costumes by Emilie Lauwers and both Emilie Lauwers & Simon Van Rompay did the Video work.
PUSH Opera – Finale with giant choir – Lockdown 2020 🇧🇪 🇬🇧
Finally, during the lockdown 2020, singers from all four casts of the previous productions in Belgium and UK – Bexhill, Battle, Salisbury, Chichester, London and Brussels – recorded their parts to create a virtual giant choir of over 150 opera singers.
The film ‘My life is only miracles’ – the finale of Howard Moody‘s opera PUSH – was edited by Shogo Hino – with additional work by Michel van der Burg , Miracles.Media – and released online the night of April 19th 2020 to mark the 77th anniversary of protagonist Simon Gronowski’s escape from the death train Transport XX to Auschwitz. That night more than 200 prisoners escaped from the train before the German border after three Brussels resistance heroes stopped that Nazi train Transport XX, transporting 1600 Jewish deportees to Auschwitz.
Following the online premiere of this virtual performance of Howard Moody’s PUSH finale that was created during lockdown , the La Monnaie Opera House too made available temporarily last April for screening online the entire opera of PUSH, performed in March 2019 in Brussels.
OperaVision featuring PUSH online
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
Interview with with Sue Kent and Howard Moody. By Wiltshire Creative , April 2020
This Big Interview is with composer Howard Moody and Sue Kent, founder member of Salisbury Arts Centre and general manager of La Folia. They are in conversation with Wiltshire Creative’s Take Part Director, Louise Dancy.
link https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=565415244109794
PUSH Opera – Bexhill | Battle Festival 2016
PUSH Opera – Live recording of the world premiere on 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion – Music and libretto by Howard Moody – Commissioned by Battle Festival
online link https://vimeo.com/199353255
FROM BUCHENWALD TO HOLLYWOOD, THE ROBERT CLARY STORY
A truly inspiring film about a Hollywood legend by Karen and Richard Bloom and Michel van der Burg .
World Premiere on November 13, 2018 at Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) , in Cinema Paradiso , Hollywood, Florida , USA .
Trailer
The producers of Transport XX to Auschwitz and Defending Holocaust History are proudly bringing to the screen, the inspirational film, From Buchenwald to Hollywood, The Robert Clary Story, about a Hollywood legend, an internationally known actor, Broadway star, singer, artist, author and Holocaust lecturer.
Mr. Clary is widely known for his role as Corporal Lebeau on the long running TV series Hogan’s Heroes. What is little known by the public is that Robert’s real last name is Widerman, and in 1942 at the age of 16, he and thirteen members of his family were rounded up in Paris, France and deported by the Nazis to concentration camps. He was the only one to survive, having endured 31 months in four Nazi camps and a death march until his liberation from Buchenwald by the U.S. Army on April 11, 1945. He was discovered singing in a Paris nightclub in 1947, signed to a recording contract and brought to the United States in 1949 where he met Merv Griffin, who introduced him to Eddie and Ida Cantor and their daughter, Natalie, who he would later marry.
The Robert Clary Story – World Premiere – Cinema Paradiso Hollywood , Tuesday , Nov 13, 2018
I have some wonderful news to share today.
Our documentary “From Buchenwald to Hollywood – The Robert Clary Story” will have its world premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF).
This year the 33rd Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival will take place November 2 -18.
The festival screens films in Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Hollywood, St Augustine, and the Bahamas and is considered one of the most important regional film festivals in the U.S.
So once we have more information regarding screenings I will post it on my website.
A truly inspiring film about a Hollywood legend :
From Buchenwald to Hollywood , The Robert Clary Story
A film by Karen and Richard Bloom and Michel van der Burg
Richard Bloom Productions produced a new documentary about legendary actor, Broadway star, singer, artist, author and Holocaust lecturer, Robert Clary.
Mr. Clary is widely known for his role as Corporal Lebeau on the long running TV series Hogan’s Heroes.
What is little known by the public is that Robert’s real last name is Widerman, and in 1942 at the age of 16, he and thirteen members of his family were rounded up in Paris, France and deported by the Nazis to concentration camps. He was the only one of 14 immediate family members to survive, having endured 31 months in four Nazi camps and a death march until his liberation from Buchenwald by the U.S. Army on April 11, 1945.
He was discovered singing in a Paris nightclub in 1947, signed to a recording contract and brought to the United States in 1949 where he met Merv Griffin, who introduced him to Eddie and Ida Cantor and their daughter, Natalie, who he would later marry.
His inspiring story will be shared with the world in Richard Bloom Productions’ documentary : From Buchenwald to Hollywood, The Robert Clary Story . More at Richard Bloom Productions http://richardbloomproductions.com
20180919 ~ Robert Clary Story at Fort Lauderdale Int’l Film Festival .
① memo 20180419 ~ Full of Life … Escape from Transport XX ~ Today 75 years ago , that night of April 19th, 1943 in Belgium , Elias Gnazik helped jump the pregnant Isabella Weinreb from the fast moving 20th train heading for Auschwitz. Viviane – meaning ‘full of life’ – was born 6 months later.
Discussion – moderated by Ingrid Vander Veken – of Simone Korkus’ dutch book “Het dienstmeisje van Degrelle” on 15 oktober 2017 in Kazerne Dossin , Mechelen , Belgium.
This new short film (with english captions / partly english spoken) highlights our discussion in that ‘Literary Cafe’ on Oct. 15, 2017 in Kazerne Dossin, of Elias’ rescue of Isabella and Vivian ; it continues with our visit later to the Kazerne Dossin portrait wall (portrait’s of deported people) with Simone Korkus and Jan Maes (the first to point Simone to Hannah’s story) ; and ends with me having a short improvised talk in english with a visitor’s couple .
Film ① memo 20180419 ~ Full of Life ~ Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | 1-memo.com | miracles.media
Isabella Weinreb Castegnier was three-months pregnant that night – 75 years ago – on April 19th, 1943 in Belgium – when she froze the moment she had to jump from the fast moving 20th train heading for Auschwitz ( Transport XX to Auschwitz ). The man waiting in line behind her , did not hesitate for a moment , and embracing her from behind , pushed her out – jumping together they both landed in a ditch.
Isabella escaped with a broken wrist and bruises all over her body, but otherwise without major injuries. Her daughter Viviane – meaning “full of life”, and named so for her will to live and hold tight in her mother’s womb – was born six months later on October 30, 1943.
That man saving Isabella and Viviane was Elias Gnazik – we discovered recently in a joint effort – when Simone Korkus had almost finished her book about the life of Elias’ daughter Hannah Gnazik , and contacted me to find out who that woman was that Elias Gnazik helped jump and escape from that cattle car of Transport XX to Auschwitz. For Simone it was a great honor to bring Hannah and Viviane together – the child of the rescuer , and the child of the rescued pregnant woman.
This new story became the epilogue in Simone’s book , written in dutch , called ‘Het Dienstmeisje Van Degrelle’.
During the discussion at the presentation of Simone’s newest book – interviewed by Ingrid Vander Veken – in the Kazerne Dossin museum I asked Simone to tell us something about this spectacular story of the probably youngest that escaped that death train.
Background
Simone Korkus (author , reporter) contacted me via facebook messenger May 2016 asking for information about Mrs Lilly (Wolkenfeld) Schwartz , and telling me Mrs Schwartz had escaped from Transport XX from the same car as Elias Gnazik , the father of Hannah (Gnazik) Nadel.
Simone had actually finished the writing of the story of Hannah (Gnazik) Nadel for her new dutch book “Het dienstmeisje van Degrelle.” but felt she would like to get to know more about Hannah’s father Elias activities in the war.
Mrs Lilly (Wolkenfeld) Schwartz had helped me and Richard from 2011 with our documentary Transport XX to Auschwitz (published 2012, a film by Karen Lynne & Richard Bloom and Michel van der Burg). Mrs Schwartz, unfortunately, had passed away in 2014 .
However , I could help Simone with the story of Mrs Schwartz’s friend Isabella – who had escaped too , right after Mrs Schwartz’s jumped from that car – while being pregnant – with a baby born 6 months after that escape, and named Viviane , meaning ‘full of life’ !
That miraculous story I had first worked on and published together with Viviane in 2014.
Further research by Simone , with the help of Viviane and the researchers of Kazerne Dossin, let Simone to the insight that Isabella had been that pregnant woman Elias Gnazik had helped jumping , and he thus , too had saved Viviane’s life !
Simone Korkus details this beautiful finding and miraculous story in a final chapter – the Epilogue – of her new book , the research , findings , conclusion and her witnessing the emotional meeting of the daughters of the rescuer and rescued in Ramat Gan , Israel.
Sources / links
Viviane Castegnier Yarom & Michel van der Burg (2014) Escape from Transport XX – to be born 6 months later – Viviane’s story.
Michel van der Burg online publication (michelvanderburg.com) link https://wp.me/p14gqN-nq
Book presentation – On Oct. 15th , 2017 , Simone Korkus presented her book in Kazerne Dossin , in a ‘Literary Cafe’ conversation with colleague author Ingrid Vander Veken. I published a full video report of that conversation Nov 4, 2017 . All in dutch. Het Dienstmeisje Van Degrelle – Presentatie – link https://wp.me/p14gqN-nhp
Documentary film “Transport XX to Auschwitz” (2012) A film by Karen Lynne & Richard Bloom and Michel van der Burg https://wp.me/p14gqN-hA
