Daily Media Report

Friday, November 20

US News & World Report
November 19
Predicting Who Will Survive Skin Cancer
Some patients with advanced melanoma survive for years after their cancer has spread, while others die quickly. Experts have never been able to predict who among those with this often fatal skin cancer will live longer than others. But this may be about to change. Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center, using a combination of tumor analysis and powerful computer chip technology, believe they have found a way to identify potential long-term survivors from within the patient group whose disease has metastasized beyond the skin to other organs. The researchers determined that patients with evidence of a stronger immune response are those likely to survive longer with the disease. The information could point the way toward new targeted therapies for some patients, as well as spare others the toxic side effects of drugs unlikely to help them. "It's exciting, because we finally have some parameters that might help distinguish between these two stages in terms of survival,'' said Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, director of the Tumor Vaccine Program at the NYU Cancer Institute and the study's lead author. "It's potentially very important information that could make a difference in how melanoma patients will be treated,'' she added. Melanoma is an especially dangerous form of skin cancer.
- Nina Bhardwaj MD, PhD, professor, medicine, pathology and dermatology, NYU Cancer Institute
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CBSNews.com
November 19
Should You Get a Mammogram or Not? - By Jon LaPook, MD
The new breast cancer screening guidelines announced by the U.S Preventive Services Task Force have sparked widespread anger and confusion. The debate centers on the relative risks and benefits of various methods of trying to pick up breast cancer at an early stage. All current techniques, including mammography, MRI, ultrasound, and breast exam, can reveal abnormalities that end up being benign. These so-called "false positives" often lead to expensive, anxiety-producing, and invasive testing such as biopsy and fine-needle aspiration. The big question is: What screening tests are "worth it" and how do we define "worth it?"  I asked two experts on the front lines of patient care to join me in a live webcast to provide some perspective. Freya Schnabel, MD, Director of Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center and Professor of Surgery at NYU School of Medicine and David Dershaw, MD, Director of Breast Imaging at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center helped answer the most common questions of our CBS News viewers.
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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MedicExchange.com
November 19
New Flash CT Reduces Radiation Dose by up to 90 Percent
NYU Langone Medical Center is the first hospital in the northeast to offer one of the world's fastest and most radiation-dose-efficient computed tomography ( CT ) scanner. The Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash can image ten times as fast as other clinical units, with an up to 90% dose reduction in radiation compared to conventional imaging. "The new CT scanner allows us to produce high quality diagnostic images in the least amount of time and with the least amount of radiation," said Michael Recht, MD, the Louis Marx Professor of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "NYU Langone Medical Center already offers advanced low-dose technology, but now with Flash CT, we are thrilled to be able to offer our patients some of the most advanced technology in the world, combined with the unmatched expertise of our radiologists." "The Dual Energy technology of the new Flash CT provides higher contrast between normal and abnormal tissues making it easier to see abnormalities while reducing radiation" said Alec. J. Megibow, MD, MPH, FACR, professor of radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Because we can now analyze findings by chemical composition, we predict that the unique information from this scanner may also better able predict which patients will have the best response to a proposed treatment regimen."
- Michael Recht, MD, the Louis Marx Professor of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology
- Alec. J. Megibow, MD, MPH, FACR, professor of radiology
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ABCNews.com
November 20
New Cervival Cancer Screening Guidelines: No More 'Annual' Pap Smears- By Lauren Cox 
Pap smears may no longer be called "annuals" if doctors follow new cervical cancer screening recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  The group announced today that women should start getting cervical cancer screenings at age 21 instead of 18, and that women could wait longer between the screenings -- regardless of when a woman starts having sex.  On one hand, college-aged women have very high HPV infection rates. Dr. John Curtin, of The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City said 70 percent of all college-aged sexually active people have contracted HPV. These high infection rates translate into a high number of abnormal pap smears.  However, the ACOG guidelines point out that only 0.1 percent of cervical cancer occurs in women under 21 years of age in part, doctors believe, because young women's immune systems are strong enough to fight off HPV before it causes cancer. When dysplasias progress to cancers it's usually a result of older women missing screenings for years at a time; 50 percent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer each year never had a pap smear before, according to the ACOG statement.
- John Curtin MD, MBA, Stanley H. Kaplan Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology
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WPIX -TV
November 19
You Can Prevent Or Reverse Diabetes
In the United States 24 million people have diabetes. One out of four don't even know it. As the rates of obesity go up, the number of people with prediabetes is increasing. The figures for adolescents are the most alarming, coinciding with the higher rates of obesity. 16% of adolescents have prediabetes, almost double since the year 2000. "Prediabetes represents abnormal blood sugar, but not yet to the degree of having formal diabetes," said Michael Bergman, MD, of the NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Bergman offers hope for people who find themselves with this condition. " This offers the possibility of reversing the onset of disease," he said. "An early diagnosis comes from getting blood tests done during a routine physical exam. Levels of 100 or higher are of particular concern," Dr. Bergman continued. "If there is the presence of one or more additional risk factors that is of particular concern."Those factors include being overweight and a family history of diabetes for one. Also do you have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol?
- Michael Bergman, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, medicine, endocrinology
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WNBC-TV
November 20
New Jersey Girl Saved by New Scoliosis Spit Test - By Roseanne Colletti
Alex Heifetz, an 11-year-old from Old Tappan, New Jersey thought she'd have to give up her dance and gymnastics lessons. "I would have to wear the brace 23 hours a day," she lamented. Definitely not in the "cool" category for middle school ready-to-wear, and infinitely worrisome to her mom.  "I know how cruel kids can be and I would have trouble getting her to wear the thing," said Anna Heifetz. The concerned parent decided to try a new diagnostic test offered by their spine specialist, Barron Lonner, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center.  But there no scary needles or machines: All Alex had to do was provide a saliva sample by spitting into a vial that was then shipped off for DNA testing. The subsequent analysis looked at 53 markers which indicate whether scoliosis will get worse or not. Prior to this doctors could only track the ailment, throw a kid in a brace and take a wait and see approach on the necessity of surgery. "This gives us the ability to predict the outcome of Scoliosis for the first time ever," says Dr. Lonner.  Parents are given an immediate answer in what's called a "Scoliscore" allowing them to make a decision about treatment if any is warranted.  Alex received a score of 160 out of 200 -- a bad score that means she would need surgery as her condition worsened. Her parents opted for immediate intervention in the form of a stapling procedure. Dr. Lonner stapled the young girl's spine straight.  "I'm happy," she said. And why wouldn't she be, she's back at gym and dance class.
- Barron S. Lonner, MD, clinical associate professor, orthopedic surgery
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Women’s Health Magazine
November 20
All In Good Time - By Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn
Your Heart : It's easy to write off heart trouble as something that plagues only cheeseburger-inhaling ex-presidents. But cardiovascular disease is a huge concern for women — it's our number one killer. As we age, blood vessels lose flexibility, and cholesterol causes layers of plaque to pile up. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood, so your blood pressure climbs. "Women who haven't been to the doctor in years often think they've suddenly developed high blood pressure," says Nieca Goldberg, M.D. of NYU Langone Medical Center. "But really, it's been happening for years." But drugs don't have to be the answer. "You can reduce your risk of heart disease by 82 percent with simple lifestyle changes," says Jennifer Mieres, MD, director of nuclear cardiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. Exercise (30 minutes of aerobic activity four times a week) improves the flexibility of your blood vessels. And a low-fat diet reduces the amount of fat that lines them.
- Nieca Goldberg, MD, clinical assistant professor, medicine, cardiology
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Glamour.com
November 19
Open Enrollment Time: What You Need to Know About Your Health Insurance Plan Choices
It's a popular time of year for open enrollment--when companies allow you to pick your insurance plan and other benefits. Andrew Rubin, Vice President for Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates NYU Langone Medical Center, estimates that 25 percent of people don't even open their benefits book and just go with the default plan. But this year it's more important than ever to analyze your options. Here are a few things to know:What's different this year? Most employers have changed their plans this year due to the economy, say Rubin, and you'll have to foot a much larger portion of the bill. Health care costs have soared, and in flush times, employers have absorbed those increases. But when companies are choosing between layoffs or passing health care costs to employees, they often pick the latter (or both).
- Andrew Rubin, vice president, Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates
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Kens5.com
November 19
H1N1 fears spreading to the nation's blood supply- by Terrell Brown
As the organizer of her high school blood drive, a teacher was surprised to learn she couldn't donate. Sara Atiyeh-Lakatosh was rejected because she's taking an antibiotic for a sinus infection. Blood banks turn away anyone who show signs of sickness. And with the spread of H1N1, blood collectors say the pressure is on to be more aware. Donated blood is not screened for seasonal flu or H1N1 because it's difficult to detect in blood. So screeners are the last line of defense against sick donors. Ideally, collection specialists will know in the screening area if a donor is sick. But if a person slips by with H1N1, and you are the recipient of their blood, could you end up with the virus? Timothy Hilbert, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center, says the chances of that happening are very, very low. "It's very difficult to say that someone got the flu via transfusion, or whether they got it as part of the normal progression of the flu through the population," he said. If donors get sick after donating, they're asked to call, so their blood won't be used. Some blood centers are concerned that H1N1 could hurt the "heart" of their donations.
- Timothy Hilbert, MD, PhD, JD, assistant professor, pathology
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Medscape
November 19
First Orthopaedic Surgeon in Space to Use His Medical Skills on Mission - By Kathleen Louden
Robert "Bobby" L. Satcher Jr, MD, PhD, made history on Tuesday when he lifted off in the space shuttle Atlantis, headed to the International Space Station. Dr. Satcher, who completed his first space walk today, will be the first orthopaedic surgeon to orbit the earth and is one of only 23 US physicians who have become astronauts. AAOS President Joseph Zuckerman, MD, agrees. In an interview with Medscape Orthopaedics, Dr. Zuckerman said, "Much of what we do as orthopaedic surgeons is mechanical in nature, such as installing screws and plates. So this [space mission] is a good use of Dr. Satcher's skills." Still, very few physicians have done the type of work that Dr. Satcher will be doing 5 million miles from the earth. "The fact that he was chosen for this mission is special," said Dr. Zuckerman, professor and chairman of orthopaedic surgery at New York University School of Medicine.
- Joseph D Zuckerman, MD, Walter A.L. Thompson Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, chair, orthopedic surgery
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NYTimes.com
November 20, 2009
At Reunion, a Look Back at the Way It Was - By Andrew Keh
The New Yorker Hotel, at 481 Eighth Avenue, opened in 1930. The friends share a combined 494 years of life, 45 grandchildren and, as they demonstrated Thursday morning in a Manhattan diner, a seemingly bottomless well of stories about the colorful bygone days of this city. “We can only speak from memory,” said Mel Moffitt, 82, who grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in walking distance of her friends’ homes. “They’re old memories, but beautiful memories.” Ms. Moffitt arranged a three-day gathering in Manhattan this week for her herself and five of her childhood friends. The women all attended Catholic school at Our Lady of Solace School on Mermaid Avenue in Brooklyn, but have since scattered to various points along the East Coast.  Their reunion this year was in danger of not happening at all because of a recent rough patch of health for Ms. McGee.  She received a diagnosis of breast cancer in 1973 and experienced a recurrence of the disease six years ago. Her cancer has since been managed with oral medication. Lately, though, she has struggled with cellulitis, which has hindered her gait. Ms. McGee did not want to be a burden on her friends. She told them that she was even having trouble putting her socks on in the morning. But the women insisted. “With five girls, we’ll get them on,” Ms. Moffitt said. Between trips to ground zero and Rockefeller Center, Ms. McGee’s friends accompanied her to the NYU Cancer Institute on East 34th Street for her daily treatments. Ms. Tench called her “absolutely heroic.” And in the end, it seemed, Ms. McGee was happier for it.  “I had my friends all with me to enjoy these days,” she said. “And it was lovely.”
- NYU Cancer Institute
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Natural News
November 20
Excessive radiation from medical imaging tests raises concerns - By Paul Louis
For 18 months at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, patients receiving CT brain scans were unknowingly receiving radiation overdoses. The number of patients subjected to the excess radiation reached 206 before it came to the medical staff's attention. And that was only because someone undergoing a CT scan lost patches of hair. Some of those overexposed received twice as much radiation as what a cancer victim receives during a radiation treatment. Hospital officials attributed the excess radiation exposures to an error in the CT scan machine's programming. But the Los Angeles incident has raised concerns about overexposure from CT and other radiation testing in the medical industry. NYU Langone Medical Center associate professor of cardiology Dr. James Slater was shocked. "These patients received eight to ten times the normal dose for a head CT and probably reached their allowable radiation exposure for the year at a single test," he said. "The fact this error occurred and went undetected for 18 months at a well regarded medical [institution] is rather unbelievable."
- James Slater, MD, associate professor, medicine, cardiology
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Conceive Magazine
November 19
Do women make new eggs every cycle?- By Ann Douglas          
While males set up an in-body manufacturing operation to meet ongoing demand for sperm, females employ a different egg-readiness strategy. They pack all the eggs they’re going to need for their entire reproductive journey before they’re even born. A female baby’s ovaries contain approximately one million ova at birth, explains Bruce Young, MD, founder of the division of maternal and fetal medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center; and author of Miscarriage, Medicine, & Miracles: Everything You Need to Know about Miscarriage (Bantam, 2008). By puberty, when a girl starts menstruating, the number of eggs remaining is down to 300,000 to 400.000. That’s when things start to get exciting from a biological standpoint. During each menstrual cycle, a number of eggs begin to ripen. Your body chooses one (sometimes more than one) as the ovulatory front runner. Mother Nature has factored a lot of excess capacity into the system. An average women releases 400 eggs through ovulation during her lifetime, only a tiny fraction of a percent of the eggs she was born with. And obviously only a tiny percentage of the released eggs will ever be fertilized to grow into a baby. 
- Bruce Kenneth Young, MD, Silverman Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
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CMIO
November 19
NYU begins EHR rollout Written by Editorial Staff   
New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center launched the first phase of its EHR system this month at Trinity Center in lower Manhattan. All medical information for patients at Trinity will be stored on a longitudinal EHR platform from Epic Systems. According to Epic, Trinity physicians and staff can order tests, prescribe medications and automatically access patient lab, radiology and other testing results. The new system also will support administrative services via integration among registration, scheduling, and billing systems, according to the Verona, Wisc.-based Epic. Trinity patients can access their complete medical file online through Epic’s SmartChart portal and, once registered, can see their virtual medical chart, including physician notes, lab results, medications and immunizations as well as use SmartChart to schedule appointments, request prescription refills and communicate with their care teams, the developer said. The Epic system will be rolled-out across the Medical Center over the next two years and will impact approximately 85 percent of its core operations, NYU said. Additionally, Langone Medical Center has reported plans to subsidize approximately 75 to 85 percent of the cost of implementing and operating its system in their offices. The next phase of the program is targeted for completion in September 2010 when the scheduling, registration and billing functions at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital and the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Hospital for Joint Diseases will be incorporated into the platform. The system will be extended to inpatient clinical care and special ancillary units in two later phases.
- NYU Langone Medical Center
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Advance for Nurses
November 20
The Fab Five - By  Sandy Keefe, MSN, RN
What makes a great working environment for nurses? According to nurse leaders at the five hospitals that made ADVANCE's Readers' Choice Honor Roll, the answer is multifaceted. First, you need an empowered nursing staff. They should be supported by leaders who value the work nurses do, support their professional development, communicate clearly and consistently, and reward them for excellence. "We focus very heavily on nurses participating in initiatives related to nursing practice, quality, performance improvement, cultural competency and recruitment/retention," said Susan Bowar-Ferres, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president/chief nursing officer at NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY. "Departmentwide and specialty-specific councils provide a wide choice of participation and engagement for staff." Nurses value residency programs, such as the University HealthSystem Consortium/American Association of Colleges of Nursing Post-Baccalaureate at NYU Langone Medical Center. "[It's] heavily focused on evidence-based practice, and these novice nurses are developing excellent group evidence-based research and QI [quality improvement] projects as part of their one-year residency," Bowar-Ferres said. Hospitals on the Honor Roll typically offer a potpourri of learning opportunities for both new and experienced staff.
- Susan Bowar-Ferres, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president/chief nursing officer
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WebMD
November 19
Epilepsy Treatment: Finding the Right Medication - By Matthew Hoffman, MD
Taking epilepsy drugs has always been a fact of life for most people living with epilepsy. And until the 1990s, choosing an epilepsy drug was comparatively simple: only a handful were available. In the past 15 years, epilepsy treatment for controlling seizures has come a long way. The number of available epilepsy drugs has more than doubled -- improving treatment, but making decisions more complex. Finding the best epilepsy drug for you, experts tell WebMD, involves equal parts art and science -- and a bit of chance. Half of people with a new diagnosis of seizure are seizure-free with the first epilepsy drug they try. Whenever possible, a single seizure medication should be used to control seizures; however, many people require combination therapy to achieve this goal. Complete seizure control with minimal side effects occurs with a single drug in 70%-80% of patients with partial and generalized seizures; with combination therapy, this is attained in an additional 10%-15% of patients. That same success rate raises the stakes in choosing a medicine, experts say. "Most people stick with what works," says Orrin Devinsky, MD, director of NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. "So if someone's going to be on that medicine for 10, 20, 30 years, it should have the fewest side effects possible." "After living on the medication for longer than they lived off of it, some people can't remember who they were off medication," says Devinsky. Switching to an epilepsy drug with fewer side effects "has a risk, but can be worth it in quality of life," for people living with sleepiness, fatigue, or confusion caused by their epilepsy drugs, Devinsky adds.
- Orrin Devinsky, MD, professor, neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry
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Baby Chums
November 20
Annual Pap Smears May Be Thing of the Past- By Cathy Ribble  
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced its new cervical cancer screening recommendations today, stating that annual pap smears may no longer be necessary. The group recommended that women start getting cervical cancer screenings at age 21, instead of age 18 which has been the protocol for a number of years.  They also said that women could wait longer between screenings, regardless of the young woman’s sexual activity. Women in their 20’s can now wait two years between screenings, and women in their 30’s can wait three years according to the new guidelines — provided that they have had a normal pap smear. Some doctors are particularly concerned about college-age women who are sexually active.  John Curtin, MD, of The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City said that 70 percent of all sexually active college women have contracted the HPV infections which will show up as an abnormal pap smear.
- John Curtin, MD, MBA, Stanley H. Kaplan Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology
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NorthJersey.com
November 20
Understanding Alzheimer's disease
In observance of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, the Clifton Health Department and the Clifton Advisory Committee for Individuals with Disabilities is hosting: "Understanding Alzheimer's Disease: An Overview" on Monday, Nov. 30 from 6:45 to 8 p.m. at the Clifton Main Memorial Library, 292 Piaget Ave. Dr. Roger Rossi, assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and clinical instructor at NYU Langone’s University's Rusk Institute, will be the evening's guest speaker. Rossi will discuss Alzheimer's disease and its risk factors, warning signs, diagnosis, treatment, and stages. He will also talk about the myths surrounding Alzheimer's disease and the resources for caregivers of people affected by the disease. Rossi will answer questions regarding the newest treatments that are available to treat Alzheimer's disease and the recent progress in research.
- Roger Rossi, clinical instructor, medicine, NYU Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine
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Medical News Today
November 18
Flash: New Flash CT Reduces Radiation Dose By Up To 90%
NYU Langone Medical Center is the first hospital in the Northeast to offer one of the world's fastest and most radiation dose efficient computed tomography (CT) scanner. The Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash can image ten times as fast as other clinical units, with an up to 90% dose reduction in radiation compared to conventional imaging. The scanner's dual source technology allows NYU Langone Medical Center to provide new levels of patient care, especially for trauma, pediatric, cancer and cardiac patients. "The new CT scanner allows us to produce high quality diagnostic images in the least amount of time and with the least amount of radiation," said Michael Recht, MD, the Louis Marx Professor of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "NYU Langone Medical Center already offers advanced low-dose technology, but now with Flash CT, we are thrilled to be able to offer our patients some of the most advanced technology in the world, combined with the unmatched expertise of our radiologists." "The Dual Energy technology of the new Flash CT provides higher contrast between normal and abnormal tissues making it easier to see abnormalities while reducing radiation" said Alec. J. Megibow, MD, MPH, FACR, professor of radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Because we can now analyze findings by chemical composition, we predict that the unique information from this scanner may also better able predict which patients will have the best response to a proposed treatment regimen."
- Michael Recht, MD, the Louis Marx Professor of Radiology and chair, radiology
- Alec. J. Megibow, MD, MPH, FACR, professor, radiology
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SmartBrief
November 17
First Phase of New Electronic Health Record System Launched at Trinity Center
NYU Langone Medical Center launched the first phase of its new electronic health record system last week at their multi-disciplinary faculty group practice at Trinity Center in lower Manhattan. The integrated system, powered by software from Epic Systems Corporation, provides a single platform from which physicians, staff and patients themselves can access and manage medical information. Since its launch, over 50% of the patients seen at Trinity have taken advantage of the program.  “This new electronic health record system is an integral part of our ongoing efforts to leverage technology and enhance our ability to provide patient-centered care and enable the highest level of quality care management,” said Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, vice dean for clinical affairs and strategy, and chief clinical officer at NYU Langone. “For physicians this means having streamlined access to centralized patient information and the ability to order tests and make referrals quickly and easily online,” said Andrew Rubin, Vice President for Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates and oversees the operations at NYU Langone Trinity Center. “As a doctor, I appreciate the fact that Epic lets me provide better coordinated, more efficient and ultimately safer care to my patients with technology that allows me spend more time with my patients and less time on paperwork,” said Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center. "This enterprise Epic system will be the first fully integrated clinical system in the New York area, and one of a few in the nation, which brings together hospitals, physicians, and patients on a single platform. This enables the most efficient clinical and administrative workflow across the NYU Langone Medical Center community and optimizes the quality of care for our patients," said Paul Conocenti, Chief Information Officer at the Medical Center.
- Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and Strategy, and chief clinical officer
- Andrew Rubin, vice president, Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates
- Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center
- Paul Conocenti, chief information officer
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CBS Early Show
November 18
Mammogram Guidelines
Dr. Silvia Formenti, chair of radiation oncology at NYU School of Medicine was interviewed about the new guidelines that were announced by a federal panel about when women should be screened for breast cancer. Dr. Formenti supports the new guidelines and the data they were based on.
- Silvia Formenti, MD, chair & Sandra and Edward H. Meyer Professor of Radiation Oncology
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CBS News.com
November 18
Sebelius: Mammogram Recommendations Won't Set Policy - By Stephanie Condon
A new set of breast cancer screening recommendations has caused some anxiety for women, leaving them wondering whether or not to schedule regular mammograms or whether the new recommendations will impact their insurance policies.  Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement on Wednesday to address the confusion, saying that the recommendations will not impact government policy and should not impact private insurers' policies, two concerns voiced by Republicans today. She added that mammograms remain an important live-saving tool.  CBSNews.com at 7 p.m. ET tonight hosted a live discussion on the mammogram recommendations with CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and Dr. Freya Schnabel, Director of Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center and Professor of Surgery NYU School of Medicine.
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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WNYW-TV
November 18
Fox 5 News at 10 – By Andrea Day
Mammogram guidelines controversy continues. Marc Siegel,  MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center- a fox news contributor-  says “Health and Human Services Secretary is trying to reassure people.” He talked about mammogram guidelines and the impact they may have on insurance companies coverage decisions that are usually based on federal panel guidelines.  
- Marc Siegel, MD, associate professor, medicine

Heart.org
November 18
Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction (SVR) - By Shelley Wood
Heaping on the disappointment, a new substudy from the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial has failed to find a subgroup that benefits from surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR), a least on the basis of left ventricular (LV) function at the time of study enrollment. As for future studies, Oh pointed to a statistically nonsignificant finding that he called "something to think about"—namely, that patients with smaller baseline LV volumes and higher ejection fractions seemed to fare better than patients typically thought of as "better" candidates for reconstruction (higher volumes and worse ejection fractions). Following the to and fro between Acker and Oh, session moderator Dr Judith Hochman (NYU School of Medicine) cautioned against reading too much into subsets of subsets, however tempting. "In general, one shouldn't really look for subgroups in an overall negative trial, but we are desperately trying to see a signal that will allow us to go forward with another randomized trial. If you look at the literature . . . all of the subgroup analyses that I can think of that have gone on to be tested in a full trial have been negative." "The best level of evidence we have to practice medicine is randomized trials, and in the era of cost containment, our feet are going to be held to the fire," Hochman warned. "We're going to have to practice on the basis of randomized-trial data. So if you don't randomize what you think are the best patients, because you're doing something else with them, you're going to suffer. In the end, you're not going to be reimbursed for that, because you didn't put your patients in the trial and give it the chance to be positive."
- Judith S. Hochman, MD, Harold Snyder Family Professor of Cardiology
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Globe and Mail
November 18
Would Calorie Counts on Menus Change your Fast-Food Order?
When dining out, it's an impossible guessing game to know how many calories, how much fat, or how much sodium comes with your order. Most people don't know, or grossly underestimate, what they're consuming.  A handful of U.S. cities including New York; San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; and Philadelphia have passed menu-labeling laws for chain restaurants in an effort to curb obesity. So far, research suggests that calorie information on menus in New York –in effect since July, 2008 – does change habits. Preliminary data from the city's department of health reveal that among 12,000 customers surveyed this year, 56 per cent reported seeing calorie information, and 25 per cent of those acted on it and ordered lower-calorie items.  An earlier study from New York University and Yale University found no change in habits after the New York law went into effect. But that study was conducted in low-income neighborhoods, where people are more concerned about cost than calories.
- Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine
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HealthAffairs.org
November 17
Battle Over Rewarding Efficient Providers - By John Wennberg
In the post John Wennberg and Shannon Brownlee discuss the controversy over a proposed study of regional variations in Medicare spending. Wennberg and Brownlee rebut claims that spending and utilization variations among academic medical centers are due to differences in patient income, race, and health status First, many of the more efficient academic medical centers – the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Cleveland Clinic, and University of Chicago Medical Center, to name just a few – are also located in urban areas and have a high percentage of black, low-income patients. For example, African Americans using the Cleveland Clinic and University of Chicago spent an average of 16 days in the hospital during the last six months of life. Compare that to the 30 days black patients in the last six months of life spend in NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Is this because NYU and Cedars are serving more of the urban poor? Just the opposite: only 4% of NYU’s patients and 9% of Cedars-Sinai’s patients are African American, compared to 69% for the University of Chicago and 28% for the Cleveland Clinic.
- NYU Langone Medical Center
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The Health Sciences Institute
November 18
Children of Older Fathers are at Greater Risk of Certain Diseases - By Jenny Thompson
A friend of mine wonders if we’ll soon be hearing about Generation V.  His idea is that a new generation coming along might have a much higher number of kids who have older parents due to widespread use of Viagra and other ED drugs.  He could be on to something there. And if he is, it could signal an unfortunate wave of health challenges for that generation. A few years ago, a NYU School of Medicine study showed that children born to fathers in their late 40s were twice as likely to develop schizophrenia as children born to fathers in their 20s. Autism and breast cancer rates are also higher in children born to older fathers. New research from the UK may reveal what’s going on here. Scientists have found that a specific type of testicular tumor that occurs in older men may be made of the same cells that produce sperm that carry a mutant gene. As men grow older, the number of sperm carrying the mutation increases. Researchers note that older men shouldn’t necessarily avoid fatherhood. The risk of having children with mutant genes is relatively small. Still, they need to be aware of possible repercussions when they contribute to Generation V.
- NYU School of Medicine
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Kansan.com
November 19
Tanning Shows to be a Deadly Addiction - By Richelle Buser
When thinking of addictions there’s a few obvious ones such as alcohol, drugs and sex. Mine was tanning. I first lay in a tanning bed shortly after my 16th birthday. My mom had seen her brother die from melanoma before he graduated college and was adamantly against it. Still, from the first time those fluorescent lights buzzed, I was hooked. Arielle Kauvar, MD, associate professor of dermatology at NYU School of Medicine, said in a interview for National Geographic magazine that tanners usually associate darker skin with health and beauty. Kauvar acknowledged tanning addictions are as real as gambling addictions. If you tan, please stop. Think about your future. A temporary glow is never going to be worth risking your life. If you’re still not convinced, consider a study from the Skin Cancer Foundation that found 64 percent of people do not find those with a tan more attractive. See? You can be beautiful and smart.
- Arielle Kauvar, MD, clinical associate professor, The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology
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Forbes.com
November 17
Ask A Doc: New Mammography Study: Questions Answered- By Rebecca Ruiz,
Freya Schnabel, MD, director of breast surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, fielded questions about new mammography guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The group recommends against universal screening for most women between 40 and 49 and says mammograms can be done every two years instead of yearly for women between 50 and 74. The idea is to reduce the harms that come with excess testing, such as numerous false positive results. Previously, the panel had recommended mammograms every one to two years starting at age 40. Q: How big a shift is this? A: This is a critical analysis of what we have been doing for screening over the past couple of decades. I don't think it is a sea change, but I certainly think it is something that was needed, to take a critical look at the screening practices to quantify the benefits and the downsides.
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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MedPageToday.com
November 17
Mammography Recommendation Draws Strong Responses - By Charles Bankhead
A recommendation to delay breast cancer screening with mammography until age 50 drew a mix of strong dissent and support from organizations and individuals that have a particular interest in the topic. Freya Schnabel, MD, director of breast surgery at the NYU Clinical Cancer Center, expressed reservations about the methods the task force used to arrive at the recommendations. Statistical models showed that screening every other year would detect 81% of the cancers identified by annual mammography. "This analysis is based on lots of assumptions -– including the assumption that a proportion of breast cancer cases would never develop into clinical disease," Schnabel said in response to the MedPage Today-ABC News query. "I'm not sure how they quantified that based on available data (or the lack thereof)." "I think that we must consider this new analysis carefully," Schnabel added. "Getting 81% of the benefit with 50% of the exams may be reasonable -– if the individuals affected are content with that trade-off. And it's critical to remember that this analysis applies only to baseline-risk patients."
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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Scientific American
November 17
Government panel recommends fewer and later mammograms, no self-exams- By Katherine Harmon
Most women would do fine to hold off until age 50 for their first mammograms and skip self-exams for breast lumps altogether, according to new government recommendations released Monday that came as a surprise to many in the medical community—and women in general.  "One of the big things that this new information should be pushing us toward is better breast cancer risk assessment," Freya Schnabel, director of breast surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Forbes. And that goes for self-examination as well, she noted: "Instead of giving people elaborate instructions to do self-exams, we should educate them to pay close attention to changes in the bodies."
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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WIVB.com
November 17
Roswell Park weighs in on mammograms: New guidelines spark controversy - By Eli George
There is a lot of confusion and skepticism among women tonight following a stunning recommendation by a government task force about mammograms. A panel of doctors and scientists says most women do not need mammograms in their 40's and should get one every other year starting at age 50. That's a stunning reversal that contradicts with the long-standing position of the American Cancer Society. Freya Schnabel, MD, of the NYU Langone Medical Center added, "Mixed messages always have bad fallout. People will then choose which way to go or throw their hands up saying, 'if the doctors and researchers can't decide, how am I going to decide?'" The government task force says getting screened so early often leads to too many false alarms and unneeded biopsies. The American Cancer Society rejects these new guidelines and says it will continue to recommend annual screenings for all women beginning at forty.
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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WCBS-TV
November 17
CBS 2 News at 11:00: New Mammogram Guidelines Causing Confusion, Anger
Government Health Agency Contradicts American Cancer Society's Long-Held Recommendation For Testing In 40s; Agency Says Get Tested In 50s. Dr. Freya Schnabel of NYU Langone Medical Center is concerned that patients may say, “If doctors and researchers can’t decide-how do I?”
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery
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WABC-TV
November 18
Confusion over new mammogram guidelines
Andrew Rubin of NYU Langone Medical Center was interviewed by WABC-TV reporter NJ Burkett about the confusion over new mammogram guideline recommendations and health coverage of annual mammograms for women over 40 and now the new recommended age of 50.
- Andrew Rubin, vice president, Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates
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Reuters
November 17
First phase of new electronic health record system launched at Trinity Center
NYU Langone Medical Center launched the first phase of its new electronic health record system last week at their multi-disciplinary faculty group practice at Trinity Center in lower Manhattan. The integrated system, powered by software from Epic Systems Corporation, provides a single platform from which physicians, staff and patients themselves can access and manage medical information. Since its launch, over 50% of the patients seen at Trinity have taken advantage of the program.  “This new electronic health record system is an integral part of our ongoing efforts to leverage technology and enhance our ability to provide patient-centered care and enable the highest level of quality care management,” said Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, vice dean for clinical affairs and strategy, and chief clinical officer at NYU Langone. “For physicians this means having streamlined access to centralized patient information and the ability to order tests and make referrals quickly and easily online,” said Andrew Rubin, Vice President for Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates and oversees the operations at NYU Langone Trinity Center. “As a doctor, I appreciate the fact that Epic lets me provide better coordinated, more efficient and ultimately safer care to my patients with technology that allows me spend more time with my patients and less time on paperwork,” said Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center. "This enterprise Epic system will be the first fully integrated clinical system in the New York area, and one of a few in the nation, which brings together hospitals, physicians, and patients on a single platform. This enables the most efficient clinical and administrative workflow across the NYU Langone Medical Center community and optimizes the quality of care for our patients," said Paul Conocenti, Chief Information Officer at the Medical Center.
- Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and Strategy, and chief clinical officer
- Andrew Rubin, vice president, Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates
- Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center
- Paul Conocenti, chief information officer
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Washington Square News
November 16
Allocation of H1N1 vaccines raises criticism - By Samantha Cook
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently provided H1N1 vaccines for private organizations, including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, NYU and Columbia University. The vaccines were given in the last week of October and beginning of November. Michael Phillips, a clinical assistant professor at the NYU Langone Medical Center, specializes in epidemiology, or public health. He confirmed that Langone will abide by the health department's rules, and will prioritize their distribution by providing the vaccine to patients and employees at a high risk for infection.
- Michael Phillips, MD, clinical assistant professor, medicine, infectious diseases
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Health.com
November 17
Immunity to Swine Flu May Be Broader Than Thought
The swine flu virus that’s sweeping across the United States isn’t a total stranger to your immune system, a new study shows — a finding that should ease the most drastic worries about the lethality of the pandemic. Marc Siegel, MD, associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine, said the new study “gives more substance to something we already know, that infection with H1N1 is not an all-or-nothing situation.” But it’s also clear that some people are more vulnerable to the H1N1 virus than others, Siegel said. “Immunity to influenza viruses varies,” he said. “The older we are, the more likely we are to have immunity to this virus.”
- Marc Siegel, MD, associate professor, medicine
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Ozarks First
November 18
H1N1 Affecting Blood Donations
H1N1 fears are now spreading to the nation's blood supply. Blood banks are turning away anyone who show signs of sickness.  And with the spread of H1N1, blood collectors say the pressure is on to be more aware. Donated blood is not screened for seasonal flu or H1N1 because it's difficult to detect in blood But if you are the recipient of blood from someone with H1N1, could you end up with the virus? Doctors say the chances of that happening are very low. "It's very difficult to say that someone got the flu via transfusion or whether they got it as part of the normal progression of the flu through the population," says  Timothy Hilbert, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center. If donors get sick after donating, they're asked to call so their blood won't be used.
- Timothy Hilbert, MD, PhD, JD, assistant professor, pathology
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Cardiovascular Business.com
November 11
JACC: Clopidogrel has equal effect in men and women – By Editorial
A meta-analysis of nearly 80,000 patients published in the Nov. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology adds to a growing body of research seeking to evaluate and understand possible sex differences associated with antiplatelet therapies. This analysis found it to be effective in reducing cardiovascular events in both men and women with no statistically significant sex differences in terms of expected clinical benefit or increased harm.  Clopidogrel (Plavix; Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis) reduced cardiovascular events by 16 percent in men compared to 7 percent in women; however, this difference was not statistically significant, according to Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, from New York University School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues.
- Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, assistant professor, medicine, cardiology
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Reuters.com
November 17
Clinical Data names scientific board- By Staff
Clinical Data Inc. has formed a scientific advisory board for its PGxHealth division, which develops the Familion line of genetic tests. Among the cardiovascular genetics experts on the board are Silvia Priori, professor of medicine and director of cardiovascular genetics at Langone Medical Center, New York University. Clinical Data (Nasdaq: CLDA) is developing early and late stage targeted therapeutics and genetic and pharmacogenomic tests that detect diseases and help predict drug safety, tolerability and efficacy. The company has stressed its intention to focus on late-stage drug development. Earlier this month, it sold some of its assets — those associated with its Avalon Pharmaceuticals acquisition — in a $1.5 million cash deal to Intrexon Corp. Earlier this year, Clinical Data shed other assets, selling its Cogenics division to Caifornia-based Beckman Coulter Inc. for about $17 million.
- Silvia Priori, MD, PhD, professor, medicine, cardiology
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Women’s Health
November 17
The Dangers of Energy Pills - By Laura Beil
These prescriptions, say advocates, help them outshine coworkers, propel them through their at-home to-do lists, and give them charisma in social situations. But what these women may not realize is that every time they pop a "miracle pill," they're also experimenting with their health.
Salvation in a Bottle: It used to be that medicine was for making sick people better. Now, overworked career women and overwhelmed moms decade are so comfortable with prescription drugs for ADHD and pain relief they've been dubbed Generation Rx," says Leonore Tiefer, PhD, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine. In fact, according to data from IMS Health, a health-care research firm, the presence of stimulants alone in American culture has practically tripled since 1998, with about 40 million prescriptions dispensed last year. And the more pills that float around in pockets and medicine cabinets, "the more opportunity there is for them to get into the hands of people they weren't prescribed for," says osteopathic physician Neil Capretto, medical director of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh. Today, the attention-deficit drugs methylphenidate and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine are the most abused substances on college campuses. But coeds don't always shake free from their reliance after graduation; 11 to 15 percent of adults in their twenties admit to using prescription drugs for "nonmedical" purposes.
- Leonore Tiefer, PhD, a clinical associate professor, psychiatry
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Minyanville.com
November 18
Rags to Riches CEOs: Ken Langone - By Scott Reeves 
Getting kicked down stairs at a small home-improvement company made Kenneth Langone rich and has saved millions of do-it-yourselfers big bucks.In 1978, the legendary investor got into a tiff with the top dog at Handy Dan, a small Southern California-based home-improvement company in which he held a small stake.   The dispute was resolved by members of Handy Dan’s parent company, who bought Langone out, then fired its Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Marcus, and Chief Financial Officer, Arthur Blank.  The trio went to work immediately, launching Home Depot (HD) later that same year.   Langone’s stunning success stories (and Home Depot is just one of them) must have come as a shock to at least one person in his hometown of Roslyn Heights, New York: his high-school principal. These days, Langone, cognizant of his roots, supports many charitable organizations, including the New York Philharmonic, Ronald McDonald House, and the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. He's also donated to Bucknell University and New York University and supports Ken’s Kids, a Home Depot-affiliated not-for-profit organization that provides jobs for young adults with disabilities. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Langone’s message is simple: work, work, work. After he donated $10 million to New York University, the college named its night business school the Langone Program. The investor has also donated $200 million to the school for its medical center, since renamed The NYU Langone Medical Center.
- Kenneth G. Langone, chairman, Boards of Trustees, NYU Langone Medical Center
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WNBC-TV LX New York
November 17
“ADULTS IN TOYLAND" Casino Night
This November, the city is full of festive star-studded charity events. Michael Flocker of WNBC LX New York hit up a casino night all for the kids. It's a benefit for the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center called “ADULTS IN TOYLAND" Casino Night. From blackjack to roulette guests play gambled and gathered for a great cause.
- Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, The Cancer Institute
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Manhattan Society
November 12
“ADULTS IN TOYLAND" Casino Night
A festive night on November 12th in a casino setting with a silent auction benefited the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone Medical Center at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan. Presented by Caesars Atlantic City,  the Hassenfeld Committee and KiDS of NYU Foundation Associates Committees, the event attracted young New York City professionals and included a fun-filled evening of casino games and a premier silent auction to support the programs. Over 730 guests attended the event, which raised a record $642,670 to fund integrative-care support programs and clinical research. Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center, said “And events like ‘Adults in Toyland’ play an essential role in our ability to care for children, regardless of their ability to pay.”
- Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO, NYU Langone Medical Center
- Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, The Cancer Institute
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CNN American Morning
November 17
Mammogram Guidelines – By Kiran Chetry
Freya Schnabel, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center was interviewed about the new mammogram guidelines that recommend that women have their first mammogram at age 50 and not 40. “The recommendations from the task force are not directed at high risk women. Number one, anyone with family history or high risk conditions should not really think that these guidelines apply to them,” said Dr. Schnabel.  
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery & director, Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center  
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CNN
November 16
Mammogram Guidelines-By John Roberts
Freya Schnabel, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center spoke to John Roberts about the new mammogram guidelines.  She said the study was based on a mathematical model and was not directed at high risk women.  “Getting 81% of the benefit with 50% of the exams may be reasonable, if the individuals affected are content with that trade off, said Dr. Schnabel.  When Roberts reported that the American Cancer Society was sticking to their guidelines of beginning baseline screening at age 40, Dr. Schnabel responded, “I think the American Cancer Society is trying very hard to make sure that we don’t lose all that we’ve gained in the last decades with improvement in breast cancer survival and a reduction in the mortality from disease.”
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery & director, Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center  


CBS Early Show
November 17
Mammogram Debate – By Jennifer Ashton, MD
Freya Schnabel, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center was asked to make sense of the new mammogram guidelines.  Now there are competing guidelines from various organizations. Dr. Schnabel is concerned that patients may say, “If doctors and researchers can’t decide-how do I?”
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery & director, Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center  
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WABC-TV
November 16
Eyewitness News At 5: Mammogram Guidelines – By Jay Adlersberg, MD
A government health task force report compared several large studies, acknowledging that mammograms miss some cancers and mislabel normal lumps. It's a thoughtful look at women in their 40s, says Freya Schnabel, MD.   "What are the disadvantages of screening younger women?" she asked. "How many of them will have to undergo repeated examinations and biopsies?"  But a bi-annual screening in 50 year olds may allow small cancers to grow larger, meaning the need for extensive chemotherapy and radiation.  These new recommendations apply to women at normal risk for breast cancer. They do not apply to women at high risk, those with a family history of breast cancer, with breast cancer genes or other high-risk factors. Dr. Schnabel says the new recommendations will help average risk-women who are willing to take a bit more risk.  "This gives them some opportunity to have some real evidence behind that strategy, to employ it and to be screened every other year," she said.
- Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, surgery & director, Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center  
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WABC-TV
November 16
Eyewitness News At 5: Cholesterol Drugs – By Dr. Jay Adlersberg
Concerns of heart attack and stroke from cholesterol drugs like Zetia and Vytorin and Niaspan were just announced. William Cole, MD, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center talks about the cholesterol drugs and a new study that shows the heightened risk.
- William J Cole, MD, clinical assistant professor, medicine, cardiology
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CBS Up to the Minute
November 17
Many Find Discussing End Of Life Care Difficult – By Michelle Gielan
While it's a difficult subject to bring up, doctors think discussing end of life care is important. Joseph Lowy, MD, Director of Palliative Care Services at NYU Langone Medical Center, explains that communication is essential when dealing with end of life issues.
- Joseph Lowy, MD, director, Palliative Care Services, clinical associate professor, medicine, pulmonary
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Health Day News
November 16
Immunity to Swine Flu May Be Broader Than Thought- By Ed Edelson
The swine flu virus that's sweeping across the United States isn't a total stranger to your immune system, a new study shows -- a finding that should ease the most drastic worries about the lethality of the pandemic. The reason why the swine flu virus -- officially designated H1N1 -- isn't the killer it was feared seems to be that the various protective mechanisms of the immune system have been primed by exposure to previous flu viruses, said study co-author Alessandro Sette, director of the La Jolla Institute's Center for Infectious Disease.. Marc Siegel, MD, an associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine, said the new study "gives more substance to something we already know, that infection with H1N1 is not an all-or-nothing situation." But it's also clear that some people are more vulnerable to the H1N1 virus than others, Siegel said. "Immunity to influenza viruses varies," he said. "The older we are, the more likely we are to have immunity to this virus."
- Marc Siegel, MD, associate professor, medicine
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Archives of Surgery
November 16
Questioning the Small-Bowel Obstruction Paradigm - By H. Leon Pachter, MD
Small-bowel obstruction, a common complication after abdominal surgery, can be a vexing problem for any surgeon. In the past, partial obstruction was managed nonoperatively because up to 80% resolved with conservative treatment, whereas complete obstruction was almost always operated on because reasonable hopes for spontaneous resolution usually did not exceed 5%. The article by Rocha et al, although retrospective in nature, dispels some myths and questions the basis for the long-held aforementioned management paradigm. Several key points evolved from this report. Nearly half (46%) of patients with CT evidence of high-grade obstruction could be managed conservatively; most would have been operated on in the past. Computed tomography signs of ischemia, tachycardia, leukocytosis, and acidosis were not, in and of themselves, predictors of the need for surgical intervention; the recurrence rate of SBO, thought rarely to occur after surgical intervention, was in the magnitude of 12% to 18%.
- H. Leon Pachter, MD, George David Stewart Professor of Surgery, Surgery
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MesotheliomaHelp.Net
November 16
New Diagnostic Test for Mesothelioma
Prometheus Laboratories Inc, a pharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing novel pharmaceutical and diagnostic products to help physicians individualize patient care, launched its ProOnc line of cancer diagnostics in October. The ProOnc diagnostic tests are based on recently developed, highly sensitive microRNA technology. “MicroRNAs are small, non-coding sequences of RNA that are critically important in many biological and pathological processes,” said Harvey Pass, M.D., Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at New York University Langone Medical Center and its NYU Cancer Institute. The sensitivity of microRNA diagnostics enables physicians to more confidently differentiate cancers. The ProOnc MesotheliomaDx utilizes cutting-edge molecular diagnostics using microRNA to differentiate malignant pleural mesothelioma from peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung and metastatic carcinomas involving the lung and pleura.
- Harvey Pass, MD, professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery &  Director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology
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ModernMedicine
November 16
Cataract Surgery Unlikely to Affect the Progression of AMD
In patients with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract surgery is not associated with an increased risk of AMD progression. In addition, dietary fats may have differential effects on the risk of AMD, according to two studies in the November issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology. Niyati Parekh, Ph.D., of NYU School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues studied 1,787 women ages 50 to 79 years enrolled in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study, whose fat intake was assessed between 1994 and 1998 and whose eyes were assessed for AMD between 2001 and 2004. Compared to women in lowest quintile of ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fat intake, they found that women in the highest quintile had a two-fold higher prevalence of intermediate AMD. They also found that AMD prevalence was reduced in women with a higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids.  "These results support a growing body of evidence suggesting that diets high in several types of fat may contribute to the risk of intermediate AMD and that diets high in monounsaturated fatty acids may be protective," Parekh and colleagues write.
- Niyati Parekh, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Foods, Nutrition and Public Health, Population Sciences, The Cancer Institute
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Business Wire
November 17
First phase of new electronic health record system launched at Trinity Center
NYU Langone Medical Center launched the first phase of its new electronic health record system last week at their multi-disciplinary faculty group practice at Trinity Center in lower Manhattan. The integrated system, powered by software from Epic Systems Corporation, provides a single platform from which physicians, staff and patients themselves can access and manage medical information. Since its launch, over 50% of the patients seen at Trinity have taken advantage of the program.  “This new electronic health record system is an integral part of our ongoing efforts to leverage technology and enhance our ability to provide patient-centered care and enable the highest level of quality care management,” said Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, vice dean for clinical affairs and strategy, and chief clinical officer at NYU Langone. “For physicians this means having streamlined access to centralized patient information and the ability to order tests and make referrals quickly and easily online,” said Andrew Rubin, Vice President for Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates and oversees the operations at NYU Langone Trinity Center. “As a doctor, I appreciate the fact that Epic lets me provide better coordinated, more efficient and ultimately safer care to my patients with technology that allows me spend more time with my patients and less time on paperwork,” said Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center. "This enterprise Epic system will be the first fully integrated clinical system in the New York area, and one of a few in the nation, which brings together hospitals, physicians, and patients on a single platform. This enables the most efficient clinical and administrative workflow across the NYU Langone Medical Center community and optimizes the quality of care for our patients," said Paul Conocenti, Chief Information Officer at the Medical Center.
- Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and Strategy, and chief clinical officer
- Andrew Rubin, vice president, Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates
- Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center
- Paul Conocenti, chief information officer
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Good Morning America
November 13
Egg Freezing
Nicole Noyes, MD, an associate professor at NYU School of Medicine, has specialized in the field of infertility since 1990 and helped more than 300 women freeze their eggs since 2003. The technique is very precise. After extracting the eggs from a woman, usually 13 or 14, experts analyze them. Then the eggs, which are the size of a pencil point, have to be dehydrated using a specific recipe so they do not burst when they are frozen. "If you put a can of soda in the freezer, it expands and gets ruined," Noyes said. "Well, the same thing can happen in an egg."  The eggs are stored in a cryopreservation straw and placed in a vat of liquid nitrogen. Noyes said the eggs could last for decades, if not centuries, in the liquid nitrogen, although no woman would want to save them that long. Most eggs are used within a few years, and most centers do not allow women older than 50 to use the frozen eggs to have a baby.
- Nicole Noyes, MD, associate professor, obstetrics & gynecology, NYU Fertility Center
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NBC Today Show
November 13
How Safe is Your Kid's Football Helmet?
Today correspondent Tiki Barber visits one high school where they're using a new specialized helmet to minimize the risk of head injuries for teen football players. In the past several months, questions on how safe football helmets are have risen. Steven Flanagan MD of the NYU Rusk Institute, says "the brain has a consistency of jello in its natural state, and it really doesn't take a lot to injure it if you get hit."
- Steven Flanagan, MD, professor & chair, rehabilitation medicine, NYU Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine
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NY 1 News
November 15
DNA Test May Provide Straight Answer To Spine Treatment- By Kafi Drexel
A new tool is helping doctors see into the future when it comes to diagnosing scoliosis.  After doctors discovered a 20 degree curve in her spine, 11-year-old Isabelle Rogers was diagnosed with scoliosis, a twist of the spine that can result in noticeable deformity. To prevent that curve from getting any worse, she wound up having to wear a large brace from the waist up 23 hours a day. Isabelle is out of the brace now because of a new genetic test called Scoliscore. By simply spitting into a cup, doctors are able to learn through DNA analysis just how severe a patient's condition will become through a scoring system. Up until now, there's been no such test. "The score is between one and two hundred. And when the patient scores 50 or less they're in that very low range where there's minimal likelihood of curve progression to a severe range," said Baron Lonner, MD, of NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. Isabelle's score was 16, meaning that her risk of the twist in her spine getting worse was minimal. "We know that there is significant psychological impact of bracing on adolescent girls and boys for that matter. If we are able to avoid unnecessary bracing that's an excellent addition of the study," Lonner said.
- Baron Lonner, MD, clinical associate professor, orthopedic surgery, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases
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HealthDay News
November 16
Vitamin C, E Supplements won't Help Prevent Cancer- By Serena Gordon
Coming on the heels of two studies discounting the usefulness of vitamin B, folic acid, vitamin D and calcium supplements for cancer prevention, U.S. researchers report that vitamins C and E supplements won't help prevent cancer, either.  The same team also recently reported that vitamin C and E supplements weren't helpful in protecting users against heart disease. "This is preliminary data, but it is pretty consistent with what we're seeing in other research with individual nutrients. When you take the nutrient out of its natural environment, it may not be protective," said Jennifer Crum, MS, RD, a nutritionist at the NYU Cancer Institute, who added that in foods, vitamins and other nutrients likely work together to provide protection against cancer. "People are starting to realize the importance of the overall picture," said Crum, who recommended that people begin by making small changes, such as exercising a little bit longer or adding another vegetable a day to your diet.
- Jennifer Crum, MS, RD, nutritionist, Cancer Institute
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AmedNews.com (AMA)
November 16
More Middle-Age Women Having Heart Attacks, but Survival Rates Increasing- By Christine S. Moyer
Heart attacks in middle-age women have become more common in the last two decades, but women's chances of surviving have increased more than men's, especially in women younger than 55, according to separate studies in the Oct. 26 Archives of Internal Medicine. Both studies found men age 35 to 54 experienced more heart attacks than did women in the same age group. But authors of one study, on midlife coronary heart disease risk and prevalence trends, found the gap between women and men narrowed over the past two decades, as heart attacks decreased in prevalence among men and increased in women. Among middle-age men, on the other hand, only diabetes mellitus prevalence worsened, while other risk factors remained stable or improved.  "This just tells us we have a lot of work to do in terms of preventing women from needing to go to the emergency room. There's still room for prevention of the first heart attack," said Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of NYU Langone Medical Center's Women's Heart Center and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Assn. "Doctors have to be more aggressive in addressing women's risk factors, screening for diabetes and heart disease, and counseling them on nutrition and smoking cessation," Dr. Goldberg said.
- Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director, Women's Heart Center, cardiology
Learn more: http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/16/prsb1116.htm

 

Behavioral Health Central
November 13
Neurosurgery Resident's Book Helps Ease Youths' Fears About Brain Surgery- By Susan Gonzalez
Parker has no appetite even for his favorite food - strawberry ice cream cones - because his head and belly don't feel well at all. After visits to many doctors, he finally goes into the city to meet Dr. Spott E. Dogg, who tells Parker and his mother some bad news: Parker has a brain tumor. But the pediatric neurosurgeon also has some good news. He can perform surgery that will make Parker feel a whole lot better - and want his strawberry ice cream again. So begins a story titled "Parker's Brain Storm" by Jennifer Moliterno, MD, a fifth-year neurosurgery resident at Yale. She wrote and illustrated the tale - which features a young bear as its title character - while she was a medical student as a way to ease the fears of young children about to undergo brain tumor surgery. About a year ago, "Parker's Brain Storm" was formatted into a short video that has been translated into several languages and can be viewed online by children and their parents around the world. For Moliterno, the popularity of the book has been quite a surprise. She completed it over the course of just one weekend and presented it as a thank-you gift to Jeffrey Wisoff, MD, a pediatric neurosurgeon at NYU Langone Medical Center, and his patients after she completed a summer internship there. She never expected "Parker's Brain Storm" to be seen by children and their families beyond Wisoff's practice.
- Jeffrey Wisoff, MD, associate professor, neurosurgery and pediatrics
Learn more: http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/20091113131158/Clinical-News/neurosurgery-residents-book-helps-ease-youths-fears-about-brain-surgery.html

 

Scienceline.org
November 13
Nitric Oxide Holds Promise for Better Antibiotics- By Alyson Kenward
Tough pathogens, such as anthrax and MRSA, depend on nitric oxide to defend themselves against antibiotic drugs, according to recent research. Targeting this line of defense may lead to new tactics for fighting even the nastiest bacterial infections."If you make bacterial cells more vulnerable to the old and well-established antibiotics, that is better than having to design new antibiotics," explains NYU Langone Medical Center biochemist Evgeny Nudler, who led a research team that recently showed bacteria are virtually defenseless when they are unable to produce nitric oxide. Nudler, along with group members Ivan Gusarov and Konstantin Shatalin, published their findings in a September issue of the journal Science. To test this proposed therapy, Nudler's team has already moved on to testing drug combinations in mice, with the help of collaborators from the University of California, San Diego.
- Evgeny A Nudler PhD, Julie Wilson Anderson Professor of Biochemistry
Learn more: http://www.scienceline.org/2009/11/13/health-kenward-nitric-oxide-antibiotics/

 

UKMedix.com
November 14
New Impotence Cure Using Artificially Grown Penile Tissues - By Jamie Stowe
New hope for men suffering from severe erectile dysfunction could be on its way after a new study done with rabbits produced impressive results. The researchers who experimented on a group of rabbits who had damaged penises used specially grown laboratory penile tissue which was then surgically implanted into them. Incredibly it was seen that within a month new blood vessel structures started to grow and soon the rabbits had fully restored sexual function. It really does seem likely over the next ten years that men will be able to have operations to have artificial penile tissue inserted into their penises which would make them stronger and more effective. It could even possibly be used for penis enlargement therapy too. Professor Andrew McCullough from the NYU Langone Medical Center said that it usually takes ten years "from discovery to FDA approval".  Professor McCullough also spoke about how research in this area could lead to other discoveries for tissue regeneration for other organs in the body. Maybe in the future this organ regeneration treatment could also be used to treat women suffering from female sexual dysfunction as well as for both men and women with internal organ damage. The research was published in full by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
- Andrew McCullough, MD, associate professor, Department of Urology
Learn more: http://www.ukmedix.com/impotence/new_impotence_cure_using_artificially_grown_penile_tissues5049.cfm

 

The New York Times
November 13
Square Feet | The 30-Minute Interview: Robert Gladstone- By Vivian Marino
Mr. Gladstone, 57, is the chief executive of Madison Equities, started by his parents, which has developed a wide range of buildings in Manhattan. Its most recent developments are two condominiums: Chelsea Modern and 57 Irving Place. Q. Ever get hurt on the job?  A. The screw gun short-circuited and I cut off my fingertips. It was nobody's fault. They took me to NYU Langone Medical Center,  where a famous microsurgeon sewed my fingertips back on. I couldn't play guitar for four years.  My mother came to pick me up and as I opened up the cab door, the Paul Simon song "Lincoln Duncan" was playing. The last verse of it was: "I was playing my guitar and lying underneath the stars. Just thanking the Lord for my fingers." Very spooky.
- NYU Langone Medical Center
Learn more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/realestate/commercial/15SqFt.html

 

ScienceLine.org
November 12
Weightlifting with Lymphedema- By Lindsey Konkel
If you've heard that women shouldn't lift weights or pick up their children after breast cancer surgery, a recent study suggests that for some women, doing so may be safe. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in August, found that weight lifting does not necessarily increase the risk of painful flare-ups for some women suffering lymphedema, a swelling in the upper limbs that can occur after surgery to remove breast cancer tumors. The finding contradicts the widely held belief that weight lifting exacerbates lymphedema's symptoms. Exercise and greater muscle strength increase lymph flow, which may reduce the effects of stress on the affected limb. This could help explain the study's results, according to the researchers.  "This paper has stirred a lot of great discussion in both the medical and patient communities," says Mei Fu, a doctor of nursing at New York University. Fu, who was not involved in the study, is cautious to generalize from the study group that all women with breast-cancer-related lymphedema could take up weight lifting with similar results. She points to the large group of eligible patients, more than 3,200 women, from which the authors chose a small number of participants. The study group was selected on a very strict basis. For instance, participants needed to have had cancer in just one breast, could not currently have cancer and could not have been diagnosed with lymphedema within the past year.
- Deborah Axelrod, MD, associate professor in the department of surgery, The Cancer Institute
- Mei R. Fu, RN, PhD, ACNS-BC, assistant professor in the College of Nursing at New York University
Learn more: http://www.scienceline.org/2009/11/12/weightlifting-with-lymphedema/

 

GuestofaGuest.com
November 13
New Yorkers Spend A Night In Toyland, Gaming For A Cause    
Last night, the Hassenfeld Committee and the Kids of NYU Foundation Associates Committee teamed up to bring a piece of Vegas to NYC for a great cause. Guests included LuAnn De Lesseps and Gigi Stone."Adults in Toyland - Casino Night" consisted of roughly 600 young, New York City professionals participating in casino games and a silent auction in order to raise necessary funds for NYU Langone's Hassenfeld Center, which combines medical healing with psychosocial support in order to battle childhood cancer and blood disease. Having taken place at the Edison Ballroom, the festive fundraiser was the perfect mix of fun and philanthropy.  Joining NYC's favorite Countess for the event were DJ Pedro Andrade, Jeff Dello Russo, and many others.  Unlike the saying, last night's attendees are hoping that what happened in Vegas won't just stay in Vegas, and that such fund raising will eventually win the battle against childhood cancer.
- The Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, The Cancer Institute
Learn more: http://guestofaguest.com/events/charities/new-yorkers-spend-a-night-in-toyland-gaming-for-a-cause/

 

Crain's New York
November 13
New York Presby's CEO to Step Down- By Gale Scott
Dr. Herbert Pardes, chief executive officer of New York-Presbyterian Hospital will step down from his $5-million-plus post in two years; the hospital board president reported Friday. The announcement said Dr. Pardes intends to continue to play a hands-on role in running the system, but did not say what his title would be. In the decade he has been in charge, Dr. Pardes engineered the successful merger of two prestigious university hospital systems-those affiliated with Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medical School-into New York-Presbyterian. The hospital merger began under the watches of Dr. David Skinner of New York Hospital and Dr. William Speck of Columbia and was then completed under Dr. Pardes.  Though some critics have carped that the NY-Presby system is more an aggregate of facilities than a streamlined fully integrated operation, Dr. Pardes' approach avoided the internecine warfare that doomed many other mergers. The melding of systems succeeded at a time when other facilities-notably New York University Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center-tried to do so and failed.
- NYU Langone Medical Center
Learn morel http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20091113/FREE/911139989

Friday, November 13

Washington Square News
November 13
NYU researchers advance knowledge of the brain By Feiye Wang

A team of NYU Langone Medical Center researchers recently uncovered new information about a critical and complex region of the brain called the precuneus. Michael Milham, MD, PhD,  an assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU's School of Medicine, co-led a study that mapped out the precuneus region in humans and monkeys. Although the precuneus was originally thought to be a single structure, the researchers found that it is divided into four distinct functional regions: sensorimotor, cognitive, visual and limbic. "Through the scans, we can map out the function of brain networks," Milham said, adding that demonstrating this in humans presented difficulties not associated with monkeys

Michael Milham, MD, PhD, assistant professor, clinical instructor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Child Study Center
http://nyunews.com/news/2009/nov/13/brain/

ModernMedicine
November 12
Clopidogrel Can Be Effective in Reducing Cardiac Risk - Drug shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in both men and women
The Heart.org, HealthDay News

The antiplatelet drug clopidogrel is likely effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in both men and women, according to a study in the Nov. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.  Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, of the NYU School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues performed a meta-analysis of five randomized clinical trials involving 79,613 patients (30 percent women) that examined the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel at reducing cardiovascular events.

Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology

http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/Clopidogrel-Can-Be-Effective-in-Reducing-Cardiac-R/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/641338?contextCategoryId=40126

http://www.theheart.org/article/1020347.do

 

Examiner.com
November 12
Jewish Anti-Zionism and Anti- Semitism - AMNY Israel Conflict Examiner Richard Shulman

The news here is that Haaretz, Israel's far-Left daily, has published a stern rebuke of Jewish antisemitism  (Prof. Steven Plaut, 11/11, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127159.html  The Jew Flu: The Strange Illness of Jewish Anti-Semitism  By Uzi Silber, in 5 pages).

... Is Jew Flu a bona-fide illness?  Michael Welner, MD, a psychiatrist at New York University, suggests that Jewish Anti-Semitism is akin to a personality disorder, enabling a person to "derive some psychological benefit from this pathological thinking."

Michael Welner, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychiatry

http://www.examiner.com/x-7095-NY-Israel-Conflict-Examiner~y2009m11d12-Jewish-antiZionism-and-antisemitism

 

WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC
November 11
Tamiflu-Resistant H1N1 Found in Canadian Father By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter

WAAYTV.com

Researchers report that a father in a Canadian family developed a strain of the H1N1 swine flu that was resistant to the antiviral Tamiflu, after being given the drug to prevent the disease.  To date, the World Health Organization has reported some 45 cases of H1N1 swine flu that were resistant to Tamiflu, which is why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others caution against using Tamiflu to prevent the disease in people who are symptomless.  Marc Siegel, MD, an internist and associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said that "Tamiflu prophylaxis given to the wrong people can increase your risk of a resistant strain developing -- and that's the last thing we need."  Siegel thinks, however, that Tamiflu used correctly can help prevent people from getting the flu, especially when the vaccine is in short supply.  "In the absence of available vaccine, one of the ways you can cut down on the spread of H1N1, to people you feel are at risk, is with the proper use of Tamiflu prophylaxis," he said.

Marc Siegel, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine

http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=11491173

http://www.waaytv.com/global/story.asp?s=11491173

AM New York
November 12
Tattoo Trade is the 'Wild West' with Few Rules By Pete Catapano

Ariel Ostad, MD, of NYU Langone Medical Center, said unlicensed artists might share needles and not sterilize equipment, which can result in clients contracting hepatitis C, HIV or bacterial infections.

Ariel Ostad, MD, clinical assistant professor,   The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/tattoo-trade-is-the-wild-west-with-few-rules-1.1584858

Bloomberg.com
November 13
Desire Drug May Prove Sex Really Is All in Her Head By Naomi Kresge

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH is banking on sex really being all in women's heads. The German drugmaker is putting the finishing touches on a pill designed to reawaken desire by blunting female inhibitions. Unlike Viagra, which targets the mechanics of sex by boosting blood flow to the penis, this drug works on the brain.

Some researchers believe the social components of intercourse mean that sexual problems can't be addressed in the same way as heart failure or cancer.

Sex is a "historical and cultural phenomenon," said Leonore Tiefer, PhD, a psychiatry professor at NYU Langone Medical Center. There's no baseline of normalcy by which to define a disorder, she contends.  "It's like dancing, or music, or piano-playing," Tiefer said. "You do it with the body, but the part the body plays isn't the largest part."

Leonore Tiefer, PhD, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychiatry

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aQ9vUGSu4krg

Forbes Magazine
November 12
Other People's Money By Robert Langreth
Forbes Magazine dated November 30, 2009 Forbes.com

Expensive hospital: the UCLA Medical Center. Cheap hospital: the Mayo Clinic. UCLA bombards elderly patients at the end of their lives with three times as many specialist visits and days in intensive care units than similar patients treated at the Mayo Clinic. Medicare spends 85% more to treat a dying patient at UCLA versus one at Mayo, according to Dartmouth research.  Do patients at UCLA and other high-cost places like NYU Langone Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. get good value for their money? It is unclear. Dartmouth researchers studying the matter have found no correlation between healthcare spending and patient outcomes. The Dartmouth work has been influential on Capitol Hill, where some versions of health care reform will penalize doctors who order too many tests and hospitals that have higher readmission rates.

NYU Langone Medical Center

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/1130/health-good-medicine-ucla-medical-other-peoples-money.html

 

MHT
November 13
Avid founder Bill Warner dips into hand cycle development By Galen Moore

Past and present innovators take center stage at MassTLC Awards [November 6, 2009] Growing up around the floor of his father's Bloomfield, N.J.'s aluminum factory, angel investor Bill Warner always knew he'd someday start his own company. He didn't think of being an engineer, but there were so many knotty problems no one else would solve.  In 1973, an accident partially paralyzed Warner's legs, sending the 18-year-old college student to the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, where he hacked together a relay-based whistle system to let a quadriplegic roommate control something as basic as the room light switch. Much later, after studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was making sales and training videos at Apollo Computer. The editing process was so painful, and the tools so inadequate, that in 1987 he left to found Avid Technology, which went on to win two technical Oscars, an Emmy and a Grammy for its video and audio editing tools.

Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine

http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2009/11/09/daily43-Avid-founder-Bill-Warner-dips-into-hand-cycle-development.html

 

The Daily Gotham
November 12
"Going Muslim"

Seems an NYU professor, Tunku Varadarajan, has written a column where he refers to "Going Muslim," meaning:  "This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American-a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood-discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans."  Since I work for the NYU Langone Medical Center, and since I have published with a wonderful, brilliant and caring Muslim colleague, I feel honor bound to write a personal rejection of Tunku Varadarajan's bigotry. Here is my letter to John Sexton:  As an Associate Research Scientist at the NYU School of Medicine who has worked closely with Muslim scientists, I am disgusted by the statements made on Forbes.com by NYU Stern professor Tunku Varadarajan suggesting that all Muslims are inherently violent and dangerous.... Sincerely, Dr. David Michaelson, NYU School of Medicine

David Michaelson, PhD, Skirball Institute, Developmental Genetics and Department of Pathology

http://dailygotham.com/mole333/blog/quotgoingmuslimquot

 

The New York Times
November 12
OP-ED - Contributors - Eating by the Numbers

By JULIE S. DOWNS, GEORGE LOEWENSTEIN and JESSICA WISDOM

BURIED in the nearly 2,000 pages of the health reform bill passed by the House on Saturday is a provision requiring chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus. Given the worsening problem of obesity in the United States, and the superiority of disease prevention over treatment, calorie posting seems like a great idea. However, research by us and others suggests that it is unlikely to have much, if any, impact on eating or obesity. There have now been three studies of New York City's menu-labeling legislation, which took effect last year and serves as a model for the national legislation. One relatively small study conducted by researchers at New York University and Yale and published in the journal Health Affairs found no impact of labels on healthier eating, although the sample wasn't large enough to detect modest changes.

Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/opinion/13lowenstein.html

 

NBC Today Show
November 12   

8 Million Women Say They Smoke Marijuana.

Julie Holland, MD, of NYU School Of Medicine discussed the statistics. She said " 10% of Americans are regular smokers and 1% are daily smokers."

Julie Holland, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry

New York Social Diary
November 13
Grey and chilly and still busy 

Meanwhile, over at the Edison Ballroom on West 47th between Broadway and Eighth, photographer Ann Watt was on hand for NYSD to record the Hassenfeld Committee and the KiDS of NYU Foundation Associates Committee's "Adults in Toyland - Casino Night" attracting more than 600 New York professionals for a fun-filled evening of casino games and a silent auction to raise funds for the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and the NYU Langone Medical Center Department of Pediatrics.  Funds raised will support the needs of the Department of Pediatrics and the Hassenfeld Center as well as vital integrative care programs which greatly reduce stress and anxiety in patients and families that are not covered by health insurance. Programs include interim patient/family housing, bilingual child life therapy, and music and recreational therapy.

Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, NYU Langone Medical Center Department of Pediatrics

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/1220867

 

The Detroit News
November 13

Swine flu thrill ride - Even theme parks are infected by fears of H1N1 Michelle Higgins / New York Times

For many Americans, the fear of swine flu has made everyday acts like going to work, going to school or getting on a plane feel fraught with danger -- even more so since President Barack Obama recently declared swine flu a national emergency. Now, even Mickey Mouse is being looked at with suspicion.  "Any place where large masses of people accumulate over a relatively short or defined period of time could serve as a conduit to infection," says Philip M. Tierno Jr., the director of clinical microbiology and immunology at NYU Langone Medical Center and the author of The Secret Life of Germs.

Philip M. Tierno, PhD, clinical professor, Departmenys of Microbiology and Pathology

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091113/LIFESTYLE07/911130330/1040/rss34