News from NYU Langone Health
NYU Langone Health Outlines Climate Change Initiatives In 2024 Report. (Washington Square (NY) News)
The Washington Square (NY) News (12/13) NYU Langone Health’s 2024 sustainability report, prepared by its Real Estate Development and Facilities Department, outlines updated construction practices and federal collaborations to reduce carbon emissions, targeting a 50% reduction in building-based emissions in New York City by next year and a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, with Paul Schwabacher, senior vice president of facilities management, saying, “This is a major step towards tracking and meeting our carbon neutrality goal and to developing our decarbonization roadmap,” while also detailing initiatives like upgrading gasoline-dependent ambulances with lithium-ion batteries and enhancing recycling infrastructure at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital.
How To Establish A Molecular Oncology Program. (HealthLeaders Media)
HealthLeaders Media (12/13) NYU Langone Health has inaugurated the Center for Molecular Oncology at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, offering advanced molecular testing such as liquid biopsies and integrating clinical, research, and educational aspects; Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, the Anita Steckler and Joseph Steckler Chair, and professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, said, “A big part of what makes our program special is the scale, the scope, and the integration,” with the program designed to provide state-of-the-art testing and therapies, train future leaders, and utilize patient data for ongoing research.
Stress Of Caregiving Can Raise Blood Pressure In Young Black Women. (UPI)
UPI (12/13) New research published in the journal Hypertension indicates that high caregiving stress raises the risk of high blood pressure by nearly 40% among Black women aged 21 to 44, with Milla Arabadjian, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, stating that caregiver strain significantly contributes to hypertension development; the study, part of the Jackson Health Study, found that 52% of women reporting moderate or high caregiving stress developed high blood pressure, compared to 41% with low stress, and Tanya M. Spruill, PhD, associate professor, Departments of Population Health, and Medicine, said, “If a lack of affordable childcare is a source, then linkage to childcare resources could be one solution.”
Also reporting are the Black Enterprise (12/15) and Philanthropy News Digest (12/15).
Heel Injury Hampering Giants Quarterback. (New York Post)
The New York Post (12/13) “Harshil Matta, DO, clinical assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, joins Brandon London for the weekly ‘Injury Report’ segment to explain the heel injury that Giants quarterback Drew Lock is dealing with.”
Unlocking Happiness: How Your Gut Could Be The Key To Beating Depression. (SciTech Daily)
SciTech Daily (12/14) Research from NYU Langone Health and collaborators reveals that increasing serotonin in the gut epithelium improves anxiety and depression symptoms in animal studies; Kara G. Margolis, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, said, “Our findings suggest that there may be an advantage to targeting antidepressants selectively to the gut epithelium,” and emphasized the need for further research on SSRIs, serotonin, and gut health.
Unlocking The Brain’s Hidden Circuit: How We Distinguish Our Own Voice From The World. (SciTech Daily)
SciTech Daily (12/13) Study lead investigator Amirhossein Khalilian-Gourtani, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Neurology, said, “We believe our study solves a long-standing puzzle in our understanding of human speech, offering the first direct evidence of the motor cortex brain circuits involved in corollary discharge that allow us to stay alert to our surroundings even while we are speaking.”
Doctors’ Attire Can Convey Professionalism. (Hematology Advisor)
Hematology Advisor (12/13) David J. Alfandre, MD, MPH, associate professor, Departments of Population Health, and Medicine, writes in an opinion piece on how the clothes physicians “wear in clinical settings may affect how they are viewed as medical professionals.”
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Linked To Increased Heart Disease Risk. (ReachMD)
ReachMD (12/16) Researchers at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center have discovered that immune checkpoint inhibitors, a class of cancer therapies, may elevate the risk of heart attacks and strokes by triggering inflammation in patients with cardiovascular risk factors; co-senior author Chiara Giannarelli, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, said, “Cancer patients and their physicians should be aware that they may need to monitor for new heart concerns following cancer treatment,” while co-senior author Kathryn J. Moore, PhD, the Jean and David Blechman Professor of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Division of Cardiology, and professor, Department of Cell Biology, emphasized the need to explore strategies to mitigate unintended health concerns, although the study did not directly assess checkpoint behavior in cancer patients.
Are Changing Seasons Making Your Migraines Worse? (Weather Channel)
Weather Channel (12/12) Robert H. Fryer, MD, PhD, clinical professor, Department of Neurology, said, “I see many patients where it is the change in seasons, particularly the beginning of the fall season, where their headaches can get much worse.”
In Netflix’s ‘No Good Deed,’ This Rare Disease Scare Reveals A Long-Held Family Secret. (Women's Health)
Women’s Health (12/13) Netflix’s “No Good Deed” features a “plotline around sarcoidosis,” raising “a lot of questions about the rare condition,” with the article noting that “there’s not a sarcoidosis diet, per se, but the medications prescribed to treat the condition can be hard on your body, according to NYU Langone Health.”
So THAT’S Why You Have To Pee More Often When It’s Cold Outside. (HuffPost)
HuffPost (12/13) Seth D. Cohen, MD, MPH, clinical associate professor, Department of Urology, explained that cold weather can act as a stressor, causing increased urination due to bladder stimulation, similar to stress responses in other situations like public speaking.
Do You Feel Uneasy As Daylight Ends? Experts Explain ‘Sunset Anxiety.’ (Verywell Health)
Verywell Health (12/14) More than 19% of Americans have experienced sunset anxiety this past year; “the evening may also be a time when your mind is finally quiet after being busy at work or during your day, said Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, who also said, “Anxiety can start to creep in during those times.”
75+ People Sick In Norovirus Outbreak On Holland America Cruise. (USA Today)
USA Today (12/13) Nearly 80 individuals fell ill in a norovirus outbreak on Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam cruise; Sarah E. Hochman, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, section chief, Infectious Diseases, Tisch Hospital, said, “There’s not something special or unique about cruise ships,” explaining that such outbreaks can occur in any congregate setting and often happen in communities on a smaller scale.
Tips To Stay Healthy During The Holidays: Vaccines, Cold Safety, More. (TODAY)
TODAY (12/13) “From making sure you are testing when you have symptoms to ways to stay warm in cold weather, NBC News medical contributor” Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, “joins TODAY to share tips to help you stay healthy this holiday season.
Obesity Dipped In US Adults Last Year For First Time In A Decade. (NBC News)
NBC News (12/13) Research published in JAMA Health Forum found a slight decline in U.S. adult obesity rates, with the prevalence dropping from 46% in 2022 to 45.6% in 2023, potentially linked to increased use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, particularly in the South; Michael A. Weintraub, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism, said, “I find the data exciting, and with the prospect that we could be at the precipice of a shift in this obesity epidemic,” but cautioned against declaring a definitive trend.
Fox News (12/13) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation “provides insight into whether weight loss drugs are playing a role in lowering obesity rate on ‘Fox Report.’”
Bird Flu Causes Deaths Of Cats And Zoo Animals As Virus Spreads In US. (Fox News)
Fox News (12/14) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation “breaks down the recent USDA orders for milk testing amid a bird flu outbreak on ‘Fox News Live.’”
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
NYU Langone Health Family Health Centers To Hold Annual Toy Drive. (News 12 Brooklyn (USA))
News 12 Brooklyn (USA) (12/16) The Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Health is hosting their annual toy drive on December 18, accepting new unwrapped toys at the Sunset Park Family Health Center Pediatrics Clinic on Second Avenue from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
