The Village of Port Jefferson and Torte Jeff Pie Co. (218 East Main St., Port Jefferson) are teaming up to host Port Jefferson’s first Traditional Pumpkin Pie Bake Off and Eating Contest at the Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Participants for the bake off must submit an application no later than Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. There is no entrance fee. Pies must be delivered to the Village Center by noon on Nov. 23. Each entry must present two pies — one for the tasting and one to be auctioned off after the contest to help raise money for the local food pantry at Infant Jesus R.C. Church. Pies will be judged for taste, texture, crust and appearance. First-place winner of the bake off will receive a $250 cash prize and lottery tree.
There will be two pie eating contests —one for adults and one for children under the age of 16. There is a $10 pie eating entry fee and all participants must also register by Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. For an application and more information, call 631-473-4724 or visit www.portjeff.com/pie.
Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea officially opened its first location on Long Island with a grand opening at 200 W. Main St., Smithtown on Nov. 9. The 1,400-square-foot cafe with a drive-thru offers a globally inspired menu featuring coffees, teas, pastries and more.
“We are excited to bring Sweetwaters to our local community,” said Jeffery Wong, owner and director of operations, in a press release. “The cafe will offer indoor and outdoor seating and a drive-thru for customer convenience. Located on West Main Street, Sweetwaters is a perfect fit for Long Island.”
Hours are Mondays to Thursdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 631-360-0276.
Save the date! The St. James Model Railroad Club will hold its 35th annual Holiday Open House at the Mills Pond House, 660 Route 25A, St. James on Friday, Nov. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. View a 38-by-48-foot O-scale train layout featuring 11 trains running simultaneously with animated accessories, bustling towns, a colorful circus and amusement park. Admission is $2 adults, 50 cents per child. The event will coincide with a holiday market at the Mills Pond Gallery. For more information, please call 631-862-6575.
Reducing inflammation can reduce disease risk. Stock photo
C-reactive protein can be measured to identify disease risk
By David Dunaief, M.D.
One of the most widely studied biomarkers for inflammation in our bodies is high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), also referred to as CRP. High sensitivity means that we can measure levels as low as 0.3 mg/L more accurately.
What is the significance of the different levels? Individuals who have levels lower than 1.0 mg/L are in the optimal range for low risk for a host of diseases that are indicated by high inflammation.
For example, with heart disease, levels of 1 to 3 mg/L represent the average risk range, and greater than 3.0 mg/L is a higher risk profile. Above 10.0 mg/L is more likely associated with other causes, such as infection and autoimmune diseases (1, 2). This biomarker is derived from the liver.
CRP is not specific to heart disease, nor is it definitive for risk of the disease. However, the upside is that it may be helpful with risk stratification, which helps us understand where we sit on a heart disease risk spectrum and with progression in other diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, depression and autoimmune diseases. Let’s look at the evidence.
Stock photo
Age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in patients over the age of 65 (3). Therefore, it is very important to help define risk stratification for this disease. In a prospective study, results showed that hsCRP levels were inversely associated with the risk of developing AMD. The group with an hsCRP greater than 3.0 mg/L had a 50 percent increased risk of developing overall AMD compared to the optimal group with hsCRP lower than 1.0 mg/L. But even more interestingly, the risk of developing neovascular, or wet, AMD increased to 89 percent in this high-risk group.
The significance of wet AMD is that it is one type of advanced-stage AMD that results in blindness. This study involved five studies where the researchers thawed baseline blood samples from middle-aged participants who had hsCRP levels measured. There were more than 2,000 participants with a follow-up as long as 20 years. According to the study’s authors, annual eye exams and lifestyle modifications, including supplements, may be able to stem this risk by reducing hsCRP.
These results reinforce those of a previous prospective study that showed that elevated hsCRP increased the risk of AMD threefold (4). This study utilized data from the Women’s Health Study, which involved over 27,000 participants. Like the study mentioned above, this one also defrosted blood samples from baseline and looked at follow-up incidence of developing AMD in initially healthy women.
The highest group had hsCRP levels over 5.2 mg/L. Additionally, when analyzing similar cutoffs for high- and low-level hsCRP, as the above trial used, those with hsCRP over 3.0 had an 82 percent increased risk of AMD compared to those with an hsCRP of lower than 1.0 mg/L.
Diabetic retinopathy
We know that diabetes affects just under 10 percent of the U.S. population and is continuing to rise. One of the complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which affects the retina (back of the eye) and is a leading cause of vision loss (5). One of the reasons for the vision loss is macular edema, or swelling, usually due to rupture of tiny blood vessels below the macula, a portion of the back of the eye responsible for central vision.
The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), a prospective study involving over 1,400 Type 1 diabetes patients, showed an 83 percent increased risk of developing clinically significant macular edema in the group with the highest hsCRP levels compared to those with the lowest (6). Although these results were with Type 1 diabetes, patients with Type 2 diabetes are at equal risk of diabetic retinopathy if glucose levels, or sugars, are not well controlled.
Depression
Depression is a very difficult disease to control and is a tremendous cause of disability.
Well, it turns out that inflammation is associated with depression. Specifically, in a prospective observational trial, rising levels of CRP had a linear relationship with increased risk of hospitalization due to psychological distress and depression (7). In other words, compared to levels of less than 1 mg/L, those who were 1 to 3 mg/L, 3 to 10 mg/L and greater than 10 mg/L had increased risk from 30 to 84 to 127 percent, respectively. This study involved over 70,000 patients.
How can you reduce inflammation?
This is the key question, since we now know that hsCRP is associated with systemic inflammation. In the Nurses’ Health Study, a very large, prospective observational study, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet decreased the risk of both heart disease and stroke, which is impressive. The DASH diet also decreases the levels of hsCRP significantly, which was associated with a decrease in clinically meaningful end points of stroke and heart disease (8). The DASH diet is nutrient dense with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains and a de-emphasis on processed foods, red meats, sodium and sweet beverages.
Conclusion
As the evidence shows with multiple diseases, hsCRP is a very valuable nonspecific biomarker for inflammation in the body. To stem the effects of inflammation, reducing hsCRP through lifestyle modifications and drug therapy may be a productive way of reducing risk, slowing progression and even potentially reversing some disease processes.
The DASH diet is a very powerful approach to achieving optimal levels of hsCRP without incurring potential side effects. This is a call to arms to have your levels measured, especially if you are at high risk or have chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, depression and autoimmune diseases. HsCRP is a simple blood test with easy-to-obtain results.
Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com.
Entering the door of the Bates House in Setauket on Oct. 20th was like stepping back in time to the year 1929 and the era affectionately referred to as “The Roaring Twenties.”Beforeyou could pass through the door, however, you had to say the secret password,a nod to theprohibitionlaws and “speakeasys” that marked the time.“Iris sent me” was chosen for its reference to the club’s official flower.
The occasioncelebrated the 90th birthday of The Three Village Garden Club whose first meeting was documentedby memberArlene Oliver as she assiduouslycombed through a treasure trove ofarchival material of the past 90 years. An “ahah” moment came withthediscovery ofthe minutes of the veryfirst meeting!
An octet of string musicians from Ward Melville High Schooloffered a selection of lovely classical repertoire asguests “whet their whistles” with a signature cocktailcalled“Buck’s Fizz” andenjoyed passedhors d’oeuvresas they made their way toa display of historic memorabilia and a printed timelineofthe club’s 90year history,complimented by events taking place simultaneously in the world.
Large, pottedpalms, reminiscent of the times,decorated the area and guests were ableto pose for a photo in front of a large, wall-sized, authentic 1920’smural of couples socializingoutside of aspeakeasy.
A veritable fashion parade of various styles ofdress oftheperiod was on display as women guests appeared inlow-waisted dresses,Cloche style hats,feathered headpieces, strappy shoes, elbow-length gloves and pearls, pearls and more pearls.
As guests took their seats at beautifully set tables, each with a color-coordinated centerpiece of flowers designedby Pat Bany,and Elegant Eating catering avarietyof light fare. Remarks were delivered by KathyWalczak,chairperson of the event;current president, Karin Ryon,highlightingimportant events in the club’s history; and newly elected president ofFederated Garden Clubs of New York State,our own Vikki Bellias.
While dessert of“Al Capone” cake was being served, guests enjoyed musical entertainmentbyThe Algorhythms, abarbershop quartet who sangpopular tunes of the day, followed by ademonstration ofsignature dancesbyArthur Murray Dance Centers.
The celebration was a fine tribute to the members of a venerable organization whohave served the community well in a variety of ways forninetyyears. Carry on 3VGC!!
Martina Matkovic is a member ofThe Three Village Garden Club which welcomes new members. For more information, call 631-689-8484
Participating artists with HAC’s Executive Director Marc Courtade
Vivienne LaVertu with ‘Spider-Web Bat’
Marc Courtade with some Best in show and honorable mention artists.
Jack Ruthkowski
with ‘Reaper’
Giada LoPorto with 'Lost Inside'
Fiona Lawrence with 'Phantom'
Julia Crapanzano with 'In the Spotlight'
Margaret Marzigliano with 'Sprout'
Weber Middle School student artists.
Artist Addison Westerlind with her family
The Huntington Arts Council announced the winners of its 8th annual student exhibit, Nightmare on Main Street, at a costume party reception at its Main Street Gallery on Oct. 25. The Halloween-inspired juried art show was open to Nassau and Suffolk counties students in grades 6 to 12 and runs through Nov. 16.
Best in Show in the Junior Division was awarded to “Reaper” by Jack Ruthkowski, an eighth-grader at Finley Middle School in Huntington. Honorable mentions in the same division went to “Half of Me” by Holly Sternlicht and “Phantom” by Fiona Lawrence, both eighth-graders at Weber Middle School in Port Washington and “Lost Inside” by eighth-grader Giada LoPorto from Finley Middle School of Huntington.
“Spider-Web Bat” by Vivienne LaVertu, an 11th-grader at Huntington High School, won first place in the Senior Division. Honorable mentions were awarded to “In the Spotlight” by Julia Crapanzano, ninth grade, Walt Whitman High School; “Demon Doll Tea Party” by Jaelin Woracek, 12th grade, Valley Stream North High School; and “Sprout” by Margaret Marzigliano, 12th grade, Northport High School.
‘Mute Swans at West Meadow Creek’ by Patricia Paladines is on view at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket through Nov. 30. The photograph is part of the library’s current exhibit titled Long Island Wilderness Through the Lenses of the Four Harbors Audubon Society by FHAS board members.
It’s a big leap from an encouraging start to a human, especially when it comes to deadly diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor Molly Hammell knows that all too well.
Hammell has been studying a linkage between a mutated form of a protein called TDP-43 and ALS for eight years. About a year and a half ago, she worked with 178 human samples from the New York Genome Center’s ALS Consortium and found a connection between a subset of people with the disease and the presence of abnormal aggregate forms of the protein.
“It’s really rewarding to see evidence in clinical samples from the processes that we predicted from cell culture and animal models,” she explained in an email.
Molly Hammell. Photo from CSHL
About 30 percent of the people with ALS Hammell examined had pathology of this protein in the upper motor neurons of the upper cortex. In this area, the mutated form of TDP allowed more so-called jumping genes to transcribe themselves. A normal TDP protein silences these jumping genes, keeping order amid potential gene chaos. The change in the protein, however, can reduce the ability of the protein to serve this important molecular biology maintenance function.
By using complementary studies of cell culture, the associate professor tried to determine whether knocking out or reducing the concentration of normal TDP caused an increase in these retrotransposons.
When she knocked out the TDP, she found a de-silencing of these jumping genes “was rapid,” she said. “We could see that in the samples we collected.”
Before she got the larger sample, Hammell worked with a smaller pilot data set of 20 patients. She found that three of the patients had this abnormal protein and an active set of these jumping genes.
“It’s hard to make an argument for something you’d only seen in three patients,” she said. “Getting that second, independent much larger cohort convinced us this is real and it’s repeatable, no matter whose patient cohort we’re looking at.”
Several diseases show similar TDP pathology, including Alzheimer’s and fronto-temporal dementia. She started with ALS because she believed “if we’re ever going to see” the link between the mutated protein and a disorder, she would “see it here” because a larger fraction of patients with ALS have TDP-43 pathology than any other disease.
The findings with ALS are a compelling start and offer a potential explanation for the role of the defective protein in these other conditions.
“We think it’s possible in a subset of patients with other neurodegenerative diseases that there might be overlapping” causes, Hammell said “We’re trying to get more data to branch out and better understand overlapping alterations.”
With these other diseases, she and her colleagues would like to explore whether TDP pathology is a necessary precondition in conjunction with some other molecular biological problems or whether these conditions can proceed without the disrupted protein.
The reaction among researchers working on ALS to Hammell’s finding has been encouraging.
Hemali Phatnani, the director of the Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease at the New York Genome Center, suggested Hammell’s work “opens up really interesting lines of investigation” into a potential disease mechanism for ALS. The research suggests a “testable hypothesis.”
Phatnani, who has been in her role for about five years, said she and Hammell speak frequently and that they serve as sounding boards for each other, adding that Hammell is “definitely a well-regarded member of the community.”
Hammell has also been working through the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network in the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, or CZI. This work brings together scientists who study Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and Huntington’s diseases. The group works to develop new approaches to the treatment and prevention of these diseases. These scientists, which includes researchers from Harvard University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt and Mount Sinai, among others, have webinars once a month and attend a conference each year.
Hammell was one of 17 researchers awarded the Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award from the CZI in 2018, which helped fund the research. She thinks the scientists from the CZI are excited about the general possibility that there’s overlapping disease mechanisms, which her work or research from other scientists in the effort might reveal. The CZI is “trying to get researchers working on different diseases to share their results to see if that’s the case,” she explained in an email.
She recognizes that numerous molecular and cellular changes also occur during the course of a disease.“There are always skeptics,” Hammell concedes. In her experiments, she sees what has happened in patient samples, but not what caused it to happen. She also has evidence that the retrotransposon silencing happens because of TDP-43 pathology.
“What we still need to confirm is whether or not the retrotransposons are themsleves contributing to killing the neurons,” she said.
If Hammell confirms a mechanistic link, other studies may lead to a treatment akin to the approach researchers have taken with viruses that alter the genetic code.
Future therapies for a subset of patients could include antiviral treatments that select specific genes.
Over time, she said her lab has cautiously added more resources to this work. As she has gotten increasingly encouraging results, she has hired more scientists who dedicate their work to this effort, which now includes two postdoctoral fellows, two graduate students and three staff scientists.
Some scientists in her lab still explore technology development and are devoted to fixing the experimental methods and data analysis strategies she uses to look for transposon activity.
Hammell is inspired by the recent results and recalled how she found what she expected in human samples about 18 months ago. She said she was “giddy” and she ran into someone else’s lab to “make sure I hadn’t done it incorrectly. It’s really exciting to see that your research might have an impact.”
Italy is one vast vineyard, stretching from Piedmont in the north to Sicily in the south. It is divided into 20 grape-growing regions and over 8,100 villages. There are over 2,000 varieties of Italian wines and more than 1,000 different grape varieties.
At a recent private luncheon and tasting, I sampled over a dozen Italian wines while speaking with the winemakers and representatives.
The KIN Winery from Piedmont makes only one wine:
2015 Erbaluce di Caluso. Flavor of green apple, pear, citrus, figs, almonds and wildflowers. Stellar!
Wines from Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Winery of Irpinia, Campania were:
2018 Vela Veneto Vulcano Rosato. 100% Aglianico grapes. Floral and off-dry with strawberry and red cherry flavor.
2016 “Grancare” Greco di Tufo. Green apple, toasted almond, citrus and melon; young and vibrant.
2017 Falanghina. Drier than most with a fruity aroma of apple, banana and peach. Lingering aftertaste of citrus and minerals.
Wines from Cerulli Spinozzi Winery of Abruzzo were:
2018 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore. Blush-colored, made from Montepulciano grapes. Flavors of watermelon, strawberry and bitter orange.
2018 Pecorino Colli Aprutini. Green olive and brine, brioche and green figs with a bitter almond aftertaste.
2010 Torre Migliori Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Deeply colored and full-bodied with flavors of dark chocolate, black plums and spices. Wow! What a wine.
Wines from Corte Quiaira Winery of Veneto were:
2018 Corte Pinot Grigio Ramato. “Ramato” means copper-colored because of skin-contact which provides considerable flavor of tangerine, nectarine, citrus and hazelnuts.
2016 “Campo al Salice” Garganega. Flavors of almonds, apples, honeydew and pears. Long, lingering aftertaste.
2013 Monte delle Saette Goldtraminer. Goldtraminer is a white grape variety made from a cross of Gewürztraminer and Trebbiano Toscano. Clean and crisp with hints of honey, jasmine and marzipan. It has the illusion of sweetness, but it is dry.
2016 Pinot Noir. Huge red and black-berried bouquet with spices, oak and a touch of vanilla.
Wines from Giusti Winery of Veneto were:
2018 Chardonnay delle Venezie. Clean and crisp, reminds me a very good premier cru Chablis.
NV (nonvintage) Rosalia Prosecco. Extra-dry. 100 percent Glera grapes. Fruity and easy to drink.
NV (nonvintage) Spumante Rosé. Blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and Recantina grapes. Bouquet of peaches, strawberry and pomegranate. Dry and very refreshing.
2016 Valpolicella Ripasso. Bouquet and flavor of black cherries, figs, raisins and spices with a bitter aftertaste. In a word … delicious!
2014 Amarone della Valpolicella. Lush, spicy bouquet, almost portlike. Complex flavor of dried fruit, chestnuts and cherry. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and quite dry. A rustic Amarone at its best!
Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need to Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].
The mosaic includes the Comsewogue logo and the notorious cherry tree. Photo by Leah Chiappino
By Leah Chiappino
Comsewogue High School’s lobby will soon receive a unique face-lift. The Art Honor Society and students in the advanced studios and murals class are putting the finishing touches on a mosaic that spans the entire center of the room. Fully designed by students, it consists of intricately placed pieces of hand-cut glass that reflect in the light of surrounding windows, making the whole piece sparkle.
The high school’s Art Honor Society with art teacher Gina Melton and Assistant Super Joe Coniglione on the right. Photo by Leah Chiappino
The project, which began construction three years ago, was the brainchild of Assistant Superintendent Joe Coniglione.
“It has been a labor of love,” he said
The area on which the mosaic now sits was once a pit where students could sit and socialize. Eventually, it was filled in with concrete and a mural was painted over it. However, over the years the floor aged and the concrete began to crack, prompting Coniglione to push for something sturdier.
“My thought process was rather than to paint it and have it crack again, we could have our amazingly talented student do a mosaic,” he said.
He brought his vision to Gina Melton, an art teacher at the high school, who ran with it.
“Both [Coniglione] and I are Italians so we appreciate mosaics,” she said jokingly. “However, mosaics are beautiful, and we figured if they could last through Pompeii, hopefully they will last through Comsewogue.”
Students then began the design process, making sure they included the school’s warrior logo, and aspects of the surrounding area of Port Jefferson Station, including the signature cherry tree outside the school’s window. They also added a starry night sky, as homage to Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, “The Starry Night,” which is a favorite among many students.
The mosaic includes the Comsewogue logo and the notorious cherry tree. Photo from Gina Melton
After the design was approved, students began to install the 2 million pieces, transitioning from glass to tile over time. They have to cut the pieces, lay them out and glue them down.
Melton admitted the project has been a learning curve.
“The first year the students were a little hesitant because it was so new,” she said. “545 square feet of space is a daunting task, but now that they’re seeing everything coming together, they’re very proud of it. I can’t even tell you how blessed I am to have the kids I have.”
For students who built the project, the process has had its good and bad times.
“It’s certainly resulted in many cuts and scratches over the years,” Art Honor Society Vice President Alexa Bonacci said. She added that it was worth it to be able to look back and see what was created.
While the Art Honor Society only meets once a week to work on it, several students within the club devote their free period and time after school to the mosaic. Bonacci works on it every day. She does not participate in any sports and said most people she knows work on it at least three days per week. She estimated Art Honor Society President Gianna Alcala has worked on it for at least 70 hours.
“This is something so many people are attached to,” society secretary Maison Anwar said. “When you see all the different techniques throughout the piece it makes you feel like everybody has a piece of themselves.”
The project was delayed because of the floor crack and the group of students subsequently having to redo the backboard. The original design was thrown out over the summer, forcing students to have to design much of theproject themselves. This has led the district to host what they call “mosaic workshops,” enabling students to work on the project for entire days at a time. “We made a lot of headway in those days,” Melton said.
Coniglione praised the impact of the program on students.
“You would be surprised if you sat in Gina’s classroom for a day and saw students who struggle elsewhere in school,” he said. “They excel in her class because she allows students to find their creativity, and finds something good in every person,” he said.
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