News

Prostate Cancer Outcome Not Tied to Complementary Medicine Mon, 07 May 2012 13:41:32 GMT Although widely used, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) does not impact patient satisfaction with treatment or patient-reported outcomes after treatment for localized prostate cancer.

Vitamin D May Help Prostate Cancer Patients Sat, 05 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT Small study shows benefit, but some experts urge caution.

Prostate Imaging System Receives FDA Approval Wed, 02 May 2012 13:09:48 GMT The device may improve clinicians' ability to diagnose prostate cancer.

Androgen-Deprivation Therapy and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:50:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Androgen-Deprivation Therapy and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer.

Degarelix Prior to Prostatectomy for Patients With Intermediate and High Risk Prostate Cancer Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Degarelix Prior to Prostatectomy for Patients With Intermediate and High Risk Prostate Cancer.

Helping African American Prostate Cancer Survivors and Their Partners Cope With Challenges After Surgery for Prostate Cancer Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Helping African American Prostate Cancer Survivors and Their Partners Cope With Challenges After Surgery for Prostate Cancer.

Paricalcitol in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Paricalcitol in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases.

STAMPEDE: Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy: A Multi-Stage Multi-Arm Randomised Controlled Trial Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: STAMPEDE: Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy: A Multi-Stage Multi-Arm Randomised Controlled Trial.

Observational Program to Assess Use of Intermittent Adjuvant Deprivation Therapy With Lucrin Depot in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer in Russia Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:01:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Observational Program to Assess Use of Intermittent Adjuvant Deprivation Therapy With Lucrin Depot in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer in Russia.

Evaluation of Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-Based PET Imaging of Primary Prostate Cancer Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:59:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Evaluation of Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-Based PET Imaging of Primary Prostate Cancer.

The CATCH Prostate Cancer Trial: Cabazitaxel And Tasquinimod in Men With Prostate Cancer Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:58:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: The CATCH Prostate Cancer Trial: Cabazitaxel And Tasquinimod in Men With Prostate Cancer.

Genetic Risk Profiling in Patients With Prostate Carcinoma Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:56:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Genetic Risk Profiling in Patients With Prostate Carcinoma.

Pilot Study of Secondary Causes of Osteopenia/Osteoporosis in Adults With Breast and Prostate Cancer Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:54:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Pilot Study of Secondary Causes of Osteopenia/Osteoporosis in Adults With Breast and Prostate Cancer.

Surgery With or Without Docetaxel and Leuprolide or Goserelin in Treating Patients With High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:41:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Surgery With or Without Docetaxel and Leuprolide or Goserelin in Treating Patients With High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer.

Radiation Therapy With or Without Androgen-Deprivation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:30:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Radiation Therapy With or Without Androgen-Deprivation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer.

Dutasteride in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:39:46 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Dutasteride in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer.

Quality of Life Study for Prostate Cancer Patients Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:38:13 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Quality of Life Study for Prostate Cancer Patients.

Study of OGX-011 Given Prior to Radical Prostatectomy in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:36:26 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study of OGX-011 Given Prior to Radical Prostatectomy in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer.

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:34:35 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer.

Molecular Correlates of Sensitivity and Resistance to Therapy in Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:22:11 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Molecular Correlates of Sensitivity and Resistance to Therapy in Prostate Cancer.

Diet in Altering Disease Progression in Patients With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:20:23 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Diet in Altering Disease Progression in Patients With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in Treating Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:18:34 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in Treating Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer.

Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:16:25 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Two-Arm Study of a DNA Vaccine Encoding Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) in Patients With Non-Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:14:15 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Two-Arm Study of a DNA Vaccine Encoding Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) in Patients With Non-Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Participation in Procurement of Tissue, Serum, Plasma, Cell Bank, DNA and RNA Samples, and Urine for Biological Studies Related to Prostate Cancer and Prostate Cancer Treatment Follow Up Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:01 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Participation in Procurement of Tissue, Serum, Plasma, Cell Bank, DNA and RNA Samples, and Urine for Biological Studies Related to Prostate Cancer and Prostate Cancer Treatment Follow Up.

Ferumoxytol Enhanced MRI for the Detection of Lymph Node Involvement in Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:58:27 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Ferumoxytol Enhanced MRI for the Detection of Lymph Node Involvement in Prostate Cancer.

MRI in Diagnosing Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:56:50 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: MRI in Diagnosing Prostate Cancer.

Evaluation of a Transrectal Scintigraphic Detector(ProxiScanTM) for Detection of Primary Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:54:39 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Evaluation of a Transrectal Scintigraphic Detector(ProxiScanTM) for Detection of Primary Prostate Cancer.

Outcome Assessment of an Active Surveillance Program for Low Risk Prostate Cancer: An Observational Study Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:52:51 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Outcome Assessment of an Active Surveillance Program for Low Risk Prostate Cancer: An Observational Study.

Impact of F-18-Fluorocholine PET/CT and MR Imaging/ Spectroscopy in the Management of Primary and Recurrent Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:50:47 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Impact of F-18-Fluorocholine PET/CT and MR Imaging/ Spectroscopy in the Management of Primary and Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

Prostate Cancer Treatment and Obesity in Zoladex-Astrazeneca Treated Patients (PROTECT-Z) Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:48:57 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Prostate Cancer Treatment and Obesity in Zoladex-Astrazeneca Treated Patients (PROTECT-Z).

MR Image Guided Therapy in Prostate Cancer Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:46:12 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: MR Image Guided Therapy in Prostate Cancer.

Efficacy and Safety Study of TOOKAD® Soluble for Localised Prostate Cancer Compared to Active Surveillance. (PCM301) Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:06:49 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Efficacy and Safety Study of TOOKAD® Soluble for Localised Prostate Cancer Compared to Active Surveillance (PCM301).

Anxiety in Black Men With Prostate Cancer: Validation of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer in an Sample of Black Men Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:58:54 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Anxiety in Black Men With Prostate Cancer: Validation of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer in an Sample of Black Men.

Prostate Cancer - Qatar (Prostate CA) Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:55:36 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Prostate Cancer - Qatar (Prostate CA).

Anxiety in Black Men With Prostate Cancer: Validation of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer in an Sample of Black Men Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:34:36 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Anxiety in African-American Men With Prostate Cancer: Validation of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer in an African-American Sample.

Study of Antioxidants on Prostate Tumors in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:27:56 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study of Antioxidants on Prostate Tumors in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer.

An Epidemiological Study of Genetic Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer in African-American and Caucasian Males Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:04:17 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: An Epidemiological Study of Genetic Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer in African-American and Caucasian Males.

Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:24:31 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

The Impact of Androgen Ablation Therapy on Cognitive Functioning and Functional Status in Men With Prostate Cancer Age 65 and Older Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:27:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: The Impact of Androgen Ablation Therapy on Cognitive Functioning and Functional Status in Men With Prostate Cancer Age 65 and Older.

Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:25:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:23:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Safety Study & Effectiveness of Docetaxel With RAD001 and Bevacizumab in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Urology Practice Setting Affects Stone Treatment Choice Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT Shock wave lithotripsy use more common among community practices.

Kidney Stone Prevalence in U.S. Increasing Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:30:20 GMT Kidney stones are a growing problem in the United States, new data suggest.

Differential Effect of Silodosin Versus Tamsulosin on Stone Clearance After Extra-corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:04:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Differential Effect of Silodosin Versus Tamsulosin on Stone Clearance After Extra-corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy.

Evaluating Ureteral Length Using Computed Tomography (CT) (URO-Y-2) Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:02:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Evaluating Ureteral Length Using Computed Tomography (CT) (URO-Y-2).

The Role Of FGF23, Klotho, And Sclerostin In Kidney Stone Formers Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: The Role Of FGF23, Klotho, And Sclerostin In Kidney Stone Formers.

New Stone Risk Found in VUR Patients Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:34:52 GMT Children with vesicoureteral reflux have a higher incidence of hypercalciuria, hyperuricosuria.

Extracorporal Shockwave Lithotripsy Versus Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery for the Treatment of Kidney Stones Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:29:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Extracorporal Shockwave Lithotripsy Versus Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery for the Treatment of Kidney Stones.

Can a Spot Urine Replace or Improve 24 Hour Urine Collections in Kidney Stone Patients Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:30:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Can a Spot Urine Replace or Improve 24 Hour Urine Collections in Kidney Stone Patients.

Randall's Plaque Study: Pathogenesis and Relationship to Nephrolithiasis Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:27:00 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Randall's Plaque Study: Pathogenesis and Relationship to Nephrolithiasis.

Study of the Biological and Physical Manifestations of Spontaneous Uric Acid Kidney Stone Disease (IUAN) Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:56:38 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study of the Biological and Physical Manifestations of Spontaneous Uric Acid Kidney Stone Disease (IUAN).

Safety and Efficacy of Herbmed Plus in Patients withRenal Calculi (HerbmedPlus) Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:54:37 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Safety and Efficacy of Herbmed Plus in Patients withRenal Calculi (HerbmedPlus).

Intraureteral Lidocaine for Post-Ureteroscopy Pain Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:52:25 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Intraureteral Lidocaine for Post-Ureteroscopy Pain.

Stone Centre Urine and Serum Bank Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:49:11 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Stone Centre Urine and Serum Bank.

Study of Herbmed Plus in Ureteral Stent Discomfort Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:43:22 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study of Herbmed Plus in Ureteral Stent Discomfort.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Versus Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:13:39 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Versus Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy.

Visceral Pain From the Upper Urinary Tract - a Trial on the Effect of Morphine and Oxycodone in Patients Undergoing PCNL Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:09:58 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Visceral Pain From the Upper Urinary Tract - a Trial on the Effect of Morphine and Oxycodone in Patients Undergoing PCNL.

A Pilot Study Assessing The Feasibility Of Outpatient Tubeless Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:07:57 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: A Pilot Study Assessing The Feasibility Of Outpatient Tubeless Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

Safety and Efficacy of Herbmed Plus in Patients with Renal Calculi (HerbmedPlus) Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:04:55 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Safety and Efficacy of Herbmed Plus in Patients with Renal Calculi (HerbmedPlus).

Renogram Study With Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PERC): Alterations in Renal Blood Flow as a Consequence of PERC Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:03:12 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Renogram Study With Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PERC): Alterations in Renal Blood Flow as a Consequence of PERC.

Use of Lapis Judaicus to Dissolve Kidney Stones Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:00:58 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Use of Lapis Judaicus to Dissolve Kidney Stones.

24 Hour Versus Spot Urine Study Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:54:35 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: 24 Hour Versus Spot Urine Study.

The Links Between Water and Salt Intake, Body Weight, Hypertension and Kidney Stones: a Difficult Puzzle Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:45:57 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: The Links Between Water and Salt Intake, Body Weight, Hypertension and Kidney Stones: a Difficult Puzzle.

Trial Comparing Three Different Devices for Kidney Stone Removal During Percutaneous Surgery Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:41:49 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Trial Comparing Three Different Devices for Kidney Stone Removal During Percutaneous Surgery.

Emergency Department Ultrasound in Renal Colic Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:48:09 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Emergency Department Ultrasound in Renal Colic.

Multicentred, Randomized Control Trial Comparing Narrow Versus Wide Focal Zones for Shock Wave Lithotripsy of Renal Calculi Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:43:57 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Multicentred, Randomized Control Trial Comparing Narrow Versus Wide Focal Zones for Shock Wave Lithotripsy of Renal Calculi.

Preoperative Use of Darifenacin (Enablex) to Alleviate Postoperative Ureteral Stent Pain Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:32:43 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Preoperative Use of Darifenacin (Enablex) to Alleviate Postoperative Ureteral Stent Pain.

A Clinical Study of the Living Renal Transplantation With Restored Kidneys Between Family Members Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:24:10 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: A Clinical Study of the Living Renal Transplantation With Restored Kidneys Between Family Members.

Study of Silodosin to Facilitate Passage of Urinary Stones Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:21:13 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study of Silodosin to Facilitate Passage of Urinary Stones.

Study to Determine if There Are Specific Clinical Factors to Determine Stent Encrustation Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:09:16 GMT A look at the following clinical trial: Study to Determine if There Are Specific Clinical Factors to Determine Stent Encrustation.

New York nurses shift to union-style format Thu, 17 May 2012 15:51:00 EST Following a leadership shakeup last fall, members of the 37,000-member New York State Nurses Association voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve bylaw changes that will transform the organization from a professional association into a more traditional labor union. Members opted Thursday to give more power to elected leaders to set the course of the union; to ban supervisors from serving as union leaders; and to replace the position of CEO with an executive director. The association traditionally had a board that included supervisors, which limited its ability to discuss union issues. A delegate assembly made up of non-supervisory nurses had only an advisory role. “People wanted to change the structure so members can have control over the organization,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, an emergency room nurse at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and a NYSNA vice president. “Members are going to have a voice in their union that they never had and it means the union can aggressively pursue the issues that matter to them.” The limited opposition to the changes came mostly from nurses worried that being a more traditional union would mean the nurses were less professional. Also Thursday, the union kicked off a campaign to get the state Legislature to pass a law mandating staff-to-patient ratios. The ratios are currently negotiated via collective bargaining. “Our union is unique,” said Patricia Donahue, a nurse from Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y. “We speak for ourselves, but we also speak for our communities and our patients and their need for quality health care.” In a memo, the Greater New York Hospital Association wrote that it "strongly opposes" the legislation. "Requirements to comply with fixed, prescriptive and arbitrary staff-patient ratios may lead to closure of nursing units because of a shortage of appropriately trained nursing staff," the Association argued. Bruce McIver, who has negotiated contracts with NYSNA as president of the League of Voluntary Hospitals, said the changes will not affect his work. “I don't think it means a whole lot [will be] different for the industry,” he said. “From the perspective I've dealt with them, they were a pretty traditional union anyway.” Labor experts agreed the vote wouldn't change the union's relationship with the industry, but said it raised interesting questions about the future of nurse unions in the city. About 6,000 nurses in the area are represented by 1199 SEIU, which has historically believed in one union for all health care workers. “The question is, what happens to nurses in New York?” one labor expert asked. “Do you continue to have competing nurse unions?”

'Sumo babies' worry doctors Thu, 17 May 2012 15:11:00 EST New York's obstetricians and prenatal care specialists have long been concerned with the problems of underweight newborns. But with the rise in adult-onset diabetes, particularly in Brooklyn and the Bronx, more New York City women are giving birth to overweight babies who face a life of health complications. "These are big, chubby babies, in the 95th percentile [for weight] because the high sugar level in the mother goes to the baby,” said Dr. Peer Dar, director of fetal medicine at Montefiore Medical Center. “The baby tries to release insulin to treat it, and since insulin is a growth factor, the baby gets chubby." Doctors are able to slow the unhealthy growth rate of fetuses by treating mothers with diabetes medications early in their pregnancy, he said. Such treatments have caused a furor in the U.K., where the number of women giving birth to babies that weigh more than 11lb has swelled by 50% in the past four years. Headlines like “Drug to stop babies from being born fat" describe fetuses on diets. The British media has taken to calling big kids sumo babies because of their short necks and big shoulders. “But the idea of treating fetuses directly in-utero was not done and would never pass an ethics committee," Dr. Dar said. Treating a mother for diabetes reduces the risk of birth defects like thigh- and leg-bone malformations and other anomalies, and staves off hypertension and diabetes, he said. Managing a mother's weight and her blood-sugar levels also reduces the incidence of difficult births and C-sections, said Dr. Daniel Faustin, director of obstetrics and gynecology at Kings County Hospital Center, where diabetic mothers account for around 10% of the clinic's 2,500 annual deliveries. If diets fail, Dr. Faustin puts mothers on medications. In cases where a diabetic gets prenatal care late in her pregnancy, "I've absolutely delivered sumo babies, 11 pounds, 12 pounds,” he said. “Not a world record, but big.”

Espada convicted of 4 counts of theft Mon, 14 May 2012 15:18:00 EST Pedro Espada Jr., the former New York state senate Democratic majority leader, was found guilty of stealing from nonprofit health clinics he runs in the Bronx. A jury in federal court in Brooklyn convicted Mr. Espada Monday of four counts of theft, while failing to reach a decision on other counts of theft and conspiracy. The jury failed to reach a verdict on any of the charges against his son, Pedro Gautier Espada. U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch accused the Espadas of stealing more than $500,000 from Soundview Healthcare Center, which the elder Espada started in 1978 and which gets more than $1 million a year in federal funding. The Espadas were charged in December 2010 when the elder Espada was still in the state senate. He had been defeated that September in the Democratic primary for his Bronx seat. The Espadas engaged in several illegal schemes from January 2005 to February 2010, prosecutors said. The Espadas were tried on eight counts. Five charged them with stealing from Soundview, one count for each year from 2005 through 2009. They were also charged with conspiring to steal from Soundview, to defraud the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and to commit wire fraud. The theft counts carry maximum prison sentences of 10 years.

Aquaphor to sponsor the NYC Triathlon Fri, 11 May 2012 15:28:00 EST Here's soothing news for triathletes worried about chafed skin: Aquaphor, a popular balm, has signed on as the title sponsor of the annual New York City Triathlon. “The product is very relevant if you're a runner, a biker or a swimmer,” said John Korff, president of Korff Enterprises, which organizes the July 8 event. He noted that the multipurpose ointment, owned by Wilton, Conn.-based Beiersdorf Inc., “cures everything but hangovers.” Financial terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed, but Mr. Korff said Aquaphor is paying more than the previous sponsor, Nautica. The skincare company has signed on for a three-year agreement, which includes naming rights. The triathlon, comprised of a 1.5-kilometer Hudson River swim, a 40-kilometer Henry Hudson Parkway bike ride, and a 10-kilometer Central Park run, costs just shy of $2 million to produce, Mr. Korff said. More than 3,000 athletes, the same number as 2011, are expected to participate. “We look forward to helping these hard-core athletes train and compete to ensure that when their skin is in crisis, Aquaphor can help to maximize their performance,” said Magnus Jonsson, vice president of marketing at Beirsdorf, in a statement. This will be the 12th year for the triathlon. Last year, the event made headlines when two participants died during the swimming portion. The open-water segment can be the most physically stressful part of a triathlon, research has shown. After reviewing race procedures last summer, Mr. Korff added an extra layer of safety to this year's event. For the first time, athletes are now required to have previously completed an open-water swim of at least a half-mile within the 18 months prior to the race. “We're just taking the extra precaution of asking [participants] to demonstrate to us that they have swum in open water,” said Mr. Korff. “Safety is our No. 1 concern.”

SUNY: Layoffs won't close Downstate hospitals Thu, 10 May 2012 15:29:00 EST SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn is restructuring its operations to cut costs, a move that will result in layoffs for unionized workers. The facility is part of the State University of New York and, like many local hospitals, has faced enormous financial pressure because of cuts to reimbursement. SUNY Downstate has tried to address that pressure by expanding its geographic reach in Brooklyn. It took over Long Island College Hospital in Cobble Hill a year ago and, prior to that, added space from the closed Victory Memorial Hospital in Bay Ridge. Last fall, the state's Medicaid Redesign Team's Brooklyn work group issued a report that made recommendations to help stop the flow of red ink at Downstate. The report said Downstate should consider consolidating inpatient services at Long Island College Hospital. More than half of the beds at that facility are empty on an average day, the report said, while its University Hospital space is “small and outdated.” The report also said the state should not allow Downstate to open any additional inpatient beds at the former Victory Memorial campus. It was silent on what would become of University Hospital but implied it should close. Downstate rejected those suggestions. Instead, it will address its financial losses by restructuring the kind of medical services it offers and trimming labor costs. Debra Carey, CEO of University Hospital of Brooklyn, will oversee the restructuring. She would not say how many workers could lose their jobs. Ms. Carey said that, despite the planned cutbacks, Downstate's three facilities—University Hospital, Long Island College Hospital and Bay Ridge—will remain open. “We will look at how we will provide those services” in light of the layoffs, Ms. Carey said. “Revenue and expenses must be aligned, and that is what we are doing.” She did not have a specific time frame for Downstate to implement the cost-cutting plan. Downstate said it would create a Patient Care Advisory Committee, representing Downstate's health providers and faculty, to offer input into the restructuring process. It has also hired an outside health care consultant. Downstate is proceeding without knowing whether its recent application for a grant from a $450 million state funding pool will be successful. Ms. Carey would not say how much Downstate requested, but said the money would fund workforce reductions and renovations at its Long Island College Hospital. Like other hospitals, Downstate has struggled with declining reimbursement rates from Medicaid and Medicare, as well as a drop in state-sponsored financial support. Over the past two years, New York state “has given us no capital. You can't run a hospital with no capital,” Dr. John LaRosa, Downstate's president, told Crain's in February. Downstate also has to find ways to cover increases in expenses it does not control. “The state doesn't pay for increases in salaries and pensions. The governor's office negotiates those contracts, not Downstate. We have to make up the difference,” Dr. LaRosa said at that time. “[Recently], we had to pay 3% to 5% increases in salary and pensions" when the health care union 1199 SEIU, whose workers perform similar jobs to state workers, "had no increases,” he said.

More than 40% of U.S. may be obese by 2030 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:07:00 EST The obesity rate may rise to 42% from about a third of the U.S. population by 2030 if nothing changes, according to a report. Preventing that increase may save about $550 billion in medical costs over the next 20 years, Eric Finkelstein, the study author and an associate research professor at Duke University, said during a press briefing. The findings, presented Monday at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Weight of the Nation obesity conference, also suggest the surge in obesity may be slowing. Two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight and a third are obese, according to the Atlanta-based CDC. The findings predict that the number of people who are severely obese, or about 100 pounds overweight, will double to 11%. Those people are at the highest risk for health conditions caused by excess weight, including diabetes and heart disease. “Obesity rates have been skyrocketing,” Mr. Finkelstein said. “If we can keep obesity rates flat, we save about $550 billion.” Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of more than 30. A 6-foot tall adult man weighing 221 pounds (100 kilograms) or more is considered obese, as is an adult woman standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall weighing 186 pounds or more, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Previous studies had assumed the rate of change would remain the same over time, with obesity prevalence reaching 51% of the population by 2030. This study takes into account a number of variables including the cost of fuel, alcohol, fast food, the unemployment rate and changes in demographics. New drugs and technologies, increased access to recreational facilities and a reduction in childhood obesity may help lower the obesity rate in the total population, the authors wrote in the study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Even a 1 percentage point decrease from the current trend would lead to 2.9 million fewer obese adults in 2030, about the same as the population of Chicago, according to the paper.

NYU seeks approval to build $1.2B pavilion Mon, 07 May 2012 13:06:00 EST NYU Hospitals Center is expected to announce Monday that it has filed for state regulatory approval of its long-awaited $1.2 billion project to build a new clinical facility, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Pavilion. The certificate of need, filed last month, calls for a 22-story, 830,200-square-foot building for inpatient and outpatient services. It will be located on the medical center's existing East 34th Street campus, between First Avenue and the East River, where the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation and the Ronald O. Perelman Research buildings now stand. NYU said the project could generate 10,400 construction and related jobs in New York, $1.44 billion in economic output and 9,100 nonconstruction jobs. If approved, the new pavilion will have 374 inpatient rooms with one bed each. That design could help the hospital's bottom line by helping it control costly infections and making patients feel better about their hospitalization—at a time when reimbursement will be based in part on patient satisfaction scores. The new hospital is designed to meet the changing demands of health care. With more patients treated outside hospitals, the new facility will be geared to the sickest ones, with more intensive care and intermediate care beds than the current configuration. Between now and 2021, NYUHC projects it will have an 11% increase in patient discharges, to 47,000 patients annually. Its average occupancy rate will go to 81% from 71%. The average length of stay will fall to 5 days from 5.6. The total number of licensed beds is unchanged, as the medical center is asking the state Department of Health to decertify other beds currently used for medical/surgical, special, pediatric and rehabilitation patients. The pavilion will have 32 advanced operating rooms and 39 non-inpatient beds for people who require observation but not hospitalization after a procedure. It also will house a children's hospital, the Hassenfeld Pediatric Center.

De-stressing masters of the universe Sun, 06 May 2012 05:59:00 EST Goldman Sachs execs are stressed out, what with the fallout from a now-famous op-ed piece in The New York Times, a federal insider trading probe and a sharp drop in profit and share price last year. There has been “never-ending negative press,” Dr. Michael Rendel, the company's medical director, told an audience at last week's first annual Health & Wellness Benefits conference for the Northeast Business Group on Health, a nonprofit that helps employers innovate and improve care. “That barrage of publicity has to have an effect on resilience and productivity.” Good thing, then, that Goldman Sachs is in the forefront of a movement to keep its workforce “resilient,” through stress management training it developed after the March 2011 earthquake in Japan. Employees get the training when they are promoted or newly hired at the analyst level. Not that it's called stress management: “We had to rename it ‘optimizing per¬formance,' ” said Dr. Rendel. The training goes toward the two hours of diversity credits that employees are required to fulfill at Goldman Sachs University, its internal education unit, but, Dr. Rendel says, “what struck us is that people are hungry for these things.” Indeed. At one training class meant for 50 people, 1,000 turned out to sign up.

A ticking time bomb Sun, 06 May 2012 05:59:00 EST Real estate exec wages war against Lyme disease

Hot Jobs: TransCare seeks vice president of performance excellence Sun, 06 May 2012 05:59:00 EST Duties include providing leadership and consulting for process-improvement programs.