Special thanks to all who attended TBR News Media’s Readers’ Choice reception! Favorite local businesses were nominated by our readers and the first place winners were celebrated in style at the Three Village Inn with a red carpet, music, food, raffles and an award ceremony on Feb. 5. A wonderful time was had by all!
Photos by Beverly C. Tyler
MEET ROSCOE!
This week’s shelter pet is Roscoe, a 1-year-old border collie/lab mix rescue from South Carolina currently waiting at Kent Animal Shelter for his forever family.
When he first came to the shelter in January he was extremely shy and timid but he has made a great come around! This friendly and affectionate boy loves to go for walks and is great on a leash. While he is very people friendly, he would do best in a home without any other animals. Come on down to meet Roscoe, he’s in search of a best friend! He comes neutered, microchipped and up to date on all his vaccines.
Kent Animal Shelter is located at 2259 River Road in Calverton. The adoption center is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on Roscoe and other adoptable pets at Kent, call 631-727-5731 or visit www.kentanimalshelter
Photo from Kent Animal Shelter
By Daniel Dunaief
Pulling together experts from a variety of fields, scientists at Stony Brook University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have demonstrated promise in their efforts to tackle prostate cancer in a new way.
Led by Iwao Ojima, a distinguished professor of chemistry and director of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery at SBU, and Martin Kaczocha, an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at SBU, the multidisciplinary team recently received a five-year, $4.2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute.
The team is following up on its preliminary success with inhibitors of fatty acid binding protein 5, or FABP5. By tamping down on this protein in prostate cancer cells grown in the lab and in mouse models of the disease, these researchers treated metastatic cancer cells.
The scientists, who received a Translational Research Opportunities Seed Grant from the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook, were pleased with the next steps in their research.
“We’re happy that the National Cancer Institute validated our target,” said Kaczocha. It will help us “move forward and expand the scope of our work.”
To be sure, scientists are generally cautiously optimistic about the translation between basic discoveries about mechanisms involved in cancer and the ability of doctors to use these findings in future therapies. Indeed, numerous promising early efforts haven’t always led to treatments. “Many tumors develop resistance to existing therapies through a variety of mechanisms,” said Kaczocha.
Still, the researchers involved in the current study hope the findings will eventually provide another tool in the treatment of prostate cancer.
The inhibitors scientists including Lloyd Trotman, a professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, are testing “appear to work in a context where [other treatments] lose efficacy. We hope this will translate” to a setting in which the researchers test their treatment in a mouse model of prostate cancer, explained Kaczocha. One of the goals of the NCI grant is to find further validation of this benefit.
Eventually, any possible treatment that utilizes these findings would involve a combination of inhibitors and existing therapeutics, Kaczocha said.
To create a product that might target this molecule, Ojima screened more than one million commercially available compounds on a computer. Out of over 1,000 compounds designed and analyzed, he selected about 120 for chemical synthesis and biological assay.
Artificial intelligence helps dig out known matters from a huge data, but not for newly created substances. Ojima found more than 30 compounds from the ones he synthesized and tested that were more advanced than the original project.
“It’s an ongoing process,” Ojima explained, adding that he believes he will find a more efficacious inhibitor. Ojima and Kaczocha are working with Robert Rizzo, a professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics at SBU to develop these inhibitors.
Indeed, that process involves determining the stability, bioavailability and many other factors to minimize any adverse side effects
The side effects from this treatment connect to the original focus of the scientific team. As it turns out, inhibiting FABP5 causes pain relief because it reduces the breakdown of anandamide, or AEA, which is part of the body’s natural pain relief system. The inhibitors also have anti-inflammatory properties.
“This compound’s side effect is pretty beneficial for patients,” said Ojima.
The Long Island team is continuing to pursue the use of these compounds to manage pain as well.
Indeed, Kaczocha’s mother Zofia, who has pain associated with arthritis, asks him at least once a month when his drug will be available. The NCI grant will enable him and his colleagues to continue to build on their earlier work as they hope to translate their scientific discoveries into a clinical option.
“We are continuing our original research on the use of FABP5 inhibitors for pain control,” Ojima explained in an email.
As for their work with cancer, the inhibitors are “less cytotoxic,” Ojima said, and, in animal models, have been able to kill metastatic cancer cells that have become resistant to drug treatment. He suggested that the hope of this treatment is that it can sensitize the cancer cells or tumor to other therapies, which is a “promising approach.”
So far, Ojima, Kaczocha, Trotman and colleagues have tested this treatment only on tumors that haven’t yet metastasized, and not on tumors that have spread to other organs. “Our hope is that it may have some preventive effect in the early stages” of metastasis, Ojima said.
Ojima and Kaczocha were grateful for the seed grant from the medical school, which helped push the research forward. “A seed grant is very important for basic research,” Ojima added.
Other cancers, such as breast cancer, also have over expression of the same fatty acid binding protein. While the scientists are starting with prostate cancer, they hope to expand their work to other cancers as well, once they start gathering results.
La Jolla, California-based Artelo Biosciences partnered with these researchers starting in the spring of 2018. Artelo is licensing the patents for the target as well as the patents for lead compounds. Moving any compound through the beginning of the Food & Drug Administration testing is something Artelo will eventually take over, Kaczocha said. “They will have the financing to pursue this further,” he added.
As a researcher and a pharmacologist who is involved in basic and translational studies, Kaczocha said his hope is always to develop something in his career that will help patients.
Other research groups are also developing small molecule inhibitors to reduce the prevalence or activity of fatty acid binding proteins, but these other scientists have generally not focused on the role of these proteins in cancer. Fatty acid binding protein 4, for example, has a role in metabolic disorders.
“We have a relatively unique position where we are targeting prostate cancer” by reducing the activity and effect of this protein, Kaczocha said.
Trotman, whose lab has a unique animal model of prostate cancer that is a close mimic to the progression of prostate cancer in humans, offers an advantage in their research work, added Kaczocha.
Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, located at the corner of Edgewater and Mayflower avenues in Smithtown, invites the community to take part in its 10th annual Pysanky egg decorating class on March 22 and 29 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
The two-day workshop, which will take place in the church’s Social Hall, is open to all levels of experience. Learn and complete your first egg, discover new patterns and tips or show your skills and enjoy the company. Bring your dyes and tools or start fresh with a new kit, available for an additional fee. Each participant must bring a candle in a holder, pencils and a roll of paper towels.
The two-day class fee is $20. Advance registration is required by calling Joanne at 631-332-1449 or email [email protected]. Deadline to register is Feb. 23.
By Barbara Beltrami
If you’re one of those lucky people for whom Valentine’s Day means three dozen long-stemmed red roses delivered at work, dinner at a high-end restaurant with candlelight, Champagne and violinists and a gift in a very tiny box, don’t read any further. For the rest of us, there are any number of things I could write about for Valentine’s Day, but given that it’s tomorrow, I suspect that a few recipes for a sinfully scrumptious sexy dinner for two would be most welcome. So let’s first chill a bottle of Champagne; then start with some oysters (you know what they say about them!) on the half shell with a raspberry vinegar mignonette; next we’ll do a pasta with lots of juicy chunks of lobster; and then finally individual chocolate soufflés. Set a little table by the fireplace, light some candles and voila! What a romantic evening it’s going to be!
Raspberry Vinegar Mignonette
YIELD: Makes about ⅓-½ cup.
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup white or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
½ tablespoon coarsely ground fresh pepper
Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
In small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Cover and let sit 20 to 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve with fresh chilled oysters on the half shell and French bread with unsalted butter.
Cappellini with Lobster and Shitake Mushrooms
YIELD: Makes 2 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, chopped
6 oz. shitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons cream
½ pound cappellini
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cooked meat from one 1½-pound lobster, cut into bite-size pieces
DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat; add oil, shallot, garlic and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes; do not let garlic burn. Remove mushrooms and set aside to keep warm; add salt and pepper, tomato puree and cream, stir to combine thoroughly, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add cappellini and cook 1 minute less than recommended time on package. Reserving half a cup of cooking water, drain pasta and transfer to skillet with sauce in it; toss to combine; add pasta water as needed if sauce seems too thick; toss again. Stir in basil, parsley, lobster and mushrooms; simmer until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with a chilled chardonnay.
Mini Chocolate Soufflés
YIELD: Makes 2 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
¼ cup + 1 teaspoon cold milk
Pinch salt
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
3 teaspoons sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush bottoms and sides of two 5-ounce ramekins with melted butter; coat bottoms and sides with sugar; pour off excess. Place chocolate pieces in double boiler over hot but not boiling or even simmering water over low heat. In a small-medium skillet over medium heat melt tablespoon butter and whisk in flour until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and whisk in milk until mixture is smooth, thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and transfer mixture to bowl with melted chocolate. Add salt and egg yolk and mix thoroughly; leave bowl over hot but not boiling or even simmering water while you beat egg whites. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in mixing bowl and whisk until mixture begins to thicken but doesn’t form peaks. Whisk in 1 teaspoon sugar, then remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, one at a time, every 15 seconds; continue whisking until mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Gently fold half the egg whites into chocolate mixture to combine thoroughly, about 1 or 2 minutes; repeat with remaining egg whites until they are no longer visible. Divide mixture between two ramekins and place them on baking sheet. Bake until they are puffy on top and have risen above rims of ramekins, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with a dollop of whipped cream and a glass of liqueur.
Do you make the best chili in town? The Smithtown Historical Society hosts a Chili Bowl contest at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown on Friday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. Come to eat or compete. Fun for the whole family. Tasting is $1/bowl. No fee to enter competition. Call 631-265-6768 for further details.
By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli
It’s hard to believe that so much as happened since Christmas. The president of the United States has been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives and acquitted by the U.S. Senate.
Reaction to all of this has further fueled the divisiveness that has become infectious in our country. The rhetoric on both sides of the aisle is reprehensible. Those who lead us from the White House to our local town legislators should lead by example, no matter what their political affiliation. Speaking disrespectfully and acting vindictively under no circumstances is ever acceptable behavior from those we’ve elected to lead us or from anyone in the position of authority and/or leadership.
Despite that very troubling landscape, I was privileged in early January to shepherd a group of 122 people to Israel and lead them through the holy places where Jesus lived, died and rose. Our group was a cross section of all Christian denominations, predominantly Roman Catholic, a Muslim and a number of people from the Jewish faith. All of the participants represented a wide range of professions and religious practices.
We left JFK as a large group of strangers and returned home after 10 days of being together as a community of friends. The transformation that took place was beyond words. Every day we ate together, prayed together, laughed together and sang together. At the end of each day, most of us gathered to share what had touched us from the day’s journey. The sharings were remarkable.
The experience was further enriched by having the music group the HIMS (Hope Inspired Men Sing) and Her with us. All of our prayer gatherings and Masses were blessed with their music and voices. They also added music to our bus rides.
These eight young men, who live at Hope Academy on the grounds of Little Portion Friary in Mount Sinai, are in various stages of recovery from the affliction of addiction. They came together in treatment and created this music group that shares the message of hope and change wherever they go. They are a powerful reminder that people do recover, get better and make a powerful difference in our community.
There were so many moving moments during those 10 days — being on the Sea of Galilee in a boat much like the one Jesus road in; celebrating Mass on the spot in Bethlehem where Jesus was born; floating in the Dead Sea; renewing our baptismal promises at the Jordan River; praying and celebrating Mass at Gethsemane in the Church of All Nations; walking the streets of Caesarea Philippi; and singing and praying in the Chapel of the Encounters in Magdala where Mary Magdalene was born.
On the final day, we got up at 4:30 a.m., went into the Old City of Jerusalem and walked the way of the cross – Via Dolorosa, singing, “Jesus, Remember Me” in between each station until we arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for our Mass in the tomb where Jesus was buried.
There were many powerful moments during our time together. So many of the pilgrims highlighted the different experiences that touched them. Probably one of the most poignant and powerful moments was the concert given by the HIMS and Her outside the Old City of Jerusalem. A few hundred people gathered to hear this dynamic band singing about hope, change and transformation. Their final song, which is a song filled with hope, was entitled “Go Light Your World.” As they sang their hearts and souls out about being a light in the darkness, people took out their phones and lit up the darkened chapel where the concert was held.
When we returned to JFK at the end of our pilgrimage, there was much hugging and tears. We had just spent 10 days in the most dangerous part of the world, never fearing for our safety, never sensing hostility or disrespect. These 122 strangers went beyond all of their differences and we were once again reminded that when love and respect are present, miracles happen; strangers become friends and hope lives!
Fr. Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
On Thursday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Jan. 31, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory held two back-to-back installments of the Long Island Science Bowl, a regional branch of DOE’s 30th annual National Science Bowl®. In this fast-paced question-and-answer showdown, teams of students from across Long Island were tested on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy and math.
On Thursday, Team One of Great Neck South Middle School garnered first place in the middle school competition, earning their school three years of consecutive wins. Team Three of Great Neck Middle School captured second place; Robert Cushman Murphy Jr. High School (team one) of Stony Brook won third place; and Commack Middle School (team one) placed fourth.
On Friday, top honors went to Great Neck South High School, who competed against 19 other teams in the high school competition. High school runners-up included Wheatley School in Old Westbury (second place); Ward Melville High School in E. Setauket (third place); and Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station (fourth place).
As first place winners, Great Neck South Middle School (team one) and Great Neck South High School have won all-expenses-paid trips to the National Finals near Washington, D.C., which will begin on April 30. They’ll be joined by the winners of all 112 regional competitions held across the country.
“The National Science Bowl® continues to be one of the premier academic competitions across the country, preparing America’s next-generation for future success in the ever-expanding fields of science, technology, and engineering,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. “The Department of Energy is committed to fostering opportunities for our nation’s students, and we congratulate Great Neck South in advancing to the National Finals, where they will continue to showcase their talents as the top minds in math and science.”
All participating students received a Science Bowl T-shirt and winning teams also received trophies and medals, and the top four high school teams received cash awards. Prizes were courtesy of Teachers Federal Credit Union and Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA), the event’s sponsors. BSA is the company that manages and operates Brookhaven Lab for DOE.
For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.
By David Dunaief, M.D.
Many patients say they have been diagnosed with diverticulitis, but this is a misnomer. Diverticulitis is actually a consequence of diverticular disease, or diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is one of the most common maladies that affects us as we age. For instance, 35 percent of U.S. 50-year-olds are affected and, for those over the age of 60, approximately 58 percent are affected (1). Many will never experience symptoms.
The good news is that it is potentially preventable through modest lifestyle changes. My goal in writing this article is twofold: to explain simple ways to reduce your risk, while also debunking a myth that is pervasive — that fiber, or more specifically nuts and seeds, exacerbates the disease.
What is diverticular disease?
Diverticular disease is a weakening of the lumen, or wall of the colon, resulting in the formation of pouches or out-pocketing referred to as diverticula. The cause of diverticula may be attributable to pressure from constipation. Its mildest form, diverticulosis may be asymptomatic.
Symptoms of diverticular disease may include fever and abdominal pain, predominantly in the left lower quadrant in Western countries, or the right lower quadrant in Asian countries. It may need to be treated with antibiotics.
Diverticulitis affects 10 to 25 percent of those with diverticulosis. Diverticulitis is inflammation and infection, which may lead to a perforation of the bowel wall. If a rupture occurs, emergency surgery may be required.
Unfortunately, the incidence of diverticulitis is growing. As of 2010, about 200,000 are hospitalized for acute diverticulitis each year, and roughly 70,000 are hospitalized for diverticular bleeding (2).
How to prevent diverticular disease
There are a number of modifiable risk factors, including fiber intake, weight and physical activity, to prevent diverticular disease.
In terms of fiber, there was a prospective (forward-looking) study published online in the British Medical Journal that extolled the value of fiber in reducing the risk of diverticular disease (3). This was part of the EPIC trial, involving over 47,000 people living in Scotland and England. The study showed a 31 percent reduction in risk in those who were vegetarian.
But more intriguing, participants who had the highest fiber intake saw a 41 percent reduction in diverticular disease. Those participants in the highest fiber group consumed >25.5 grams per day for women and >26.1 grams per day for men, whereas those in the lowest group consumed less than 14 grams per day. Though the difference in fiber between the two groups was small, the reduction in risk was substantial.
Another study, which analyzed data from the Million Women Study, a large-scale, population-based prospective UK study of middle-aged women, confirmed the correlation between fiber intake and diverticular disease, and further analyzed the impact of different sources of fiber (4). The authors’ findings were that reduction in the risk of diverticular disease was greatest with high intake of cereal and fruit fiber.
Most Americans get about 16 grams of fiber per day. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends daily fiber intake for those <50 years old of 25-26 grams for women and 31-38 grams for men (5). Interestingly, their recommendations are lower for those who are over 50 years old.
Can you imagine what the effect is when people get at least 40 grams of fiber per day? This is what I recommend for my patients. Some foods that contain the most fiber include nuts, seeds, beans and legumes. In a study in 2009, specifically those men who consumed the most nuts and popcorn saw a protective effect from diverticulitis (6).
Obesity plays a role, as well. In the large, prospective male Health Professionals Follow-up Study, body mass index played a significant role, as did waist circumference (7). Those who were obese (BMI >30 kg/m²) had a 78 percent increased risk of diverticulitis and a greater than threefold increased risk of a diverticular bleed compared to those who had a BMI in the normal range of <21 kg/m². For those whose waist circumference was in the highest group, they had a 56 percent increase risk of diverticulitis and a 96 percent increase risk of diverticular bleed. Thus, obesity puts patients at a much higher risk of the complications of diverticulosis.
Physical activity is also important for reducing the risk of diverticular disease, although the exact mechanism is not yet understood. Regardless, the results are impressive. In a large prospective study, those with the greatest amount of exercise were 37 percent less likely to have diverticular disease compared to those with the least amount (8). Jogging and running seemed to have the most benefit. When the authors combined exercise with fiber intake, there was a dramatic 256 percent reduction in risk of this disease.
Thus, preventing diverticular disease is based mostly on lifestyle modifications through diet and exercise.
References:
(1) www.niddk.nih.gov. (2) Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016; 14(1):96–103.e1. (3) BMJ. 2011; 343: d4131. (4) Gut. 2014 Sep; 63(9): 1450–1456. (5) Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017 Jan-Feb; 11(1): 80–85. (6) AMA 2008; 300: 907-914. (7) Gastroenterology. 2009;136(1):115. (8) Gut. 1995;36(2):276.
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.
By McKenzi Murphy
Sitting cross-legged on the floor of a vibrantly lit playroom, a little boy gleefully fiddled with a box of Mr. Potato Head toys. Flanking him on both sides, delighted at his antics, members from the Los Angeles-based contemporary dance company BODYTRAFFIC, Haley Heckethorn and Tiare Keeno, joined the little boy in his creations.
On the morning of their performance at Staller Center for the Arts on Feb. 8, Heckethorn and Keeno, along with the rest of the company, headed over to the new Stony Brook Children’s Hospital to spend time with a few of its patients. It was there, within newly painted and decorated walls lined with oceanic-themed paintings and paper mache art, that they met with and performed for about a dozen of the 40 patients.
“It’s always very rewarding to be able to give back to the community and spread the joy of dance with everyone, but especially with those who are really in need of a pick-me-up,” Jamal White, a dancer and BODYTRAFFIC’s social media manager, said. The last little girl he visited became his favorite because of her delightful laughter. While two of his colleagues went through some of their steps, she sat giggling and clapping along. “It was the cherry on top,” he said.
While the younger children seemed more interested in playing with the dancers and showing off their toys, some of the older children had an opportunity to ask the dancers questions about their work and the company, familiar territory for many of the performers. Throughout their tours, BODYTRAFFIC often goes on outreach missions. Usually, they visit schools and teach students a few of their modern moves, or go into retirement homes and work with elderly residents. However, for some of them, going into a children’s hospital proved to be a new experience.
“It’s one of my favorite experiences so far,” Heckethorn, who has been with the company for two and a half seasons, said. “It was really lovely and especially doing that on a show day, it really inspires and brings a lot of energy. We travel so often and it is really taxing, so [events] like going to a children’s hospital reminds us of why we dance and why we love it so much.”
Splitting off into smaller groups, the dancers were able to visit a few patients in their rooms where they showed off a modified version of a dance they would later perform in front of hundreds at the sold-out show at the Staller Center. A few children even joined them in learning some steps after some encouragement.
“We visited this one five-year-old,” Rachel Secrest, a dancer new to BODYTRAFFIC’s season, said. “His name was Chris and he recently had surgery and was connected to a machine which was helping him. At first, we came in and he just laughed at us as we danced. We showed him some moves, and he was giggling and nervous, but his mom was with him and got him up and out of the bed. He still has it inside of him to want to dance.”
An emotional but so very rewarding experience, getting to spend time with the children became a bright spot in an otherwise high-stress day.
“It’s tough seeing these kids who are quite sick and hooked up to different machines,” Secrest continued. “But as much as I could I was trying to really look at their faces and do what I could to make them forget their troubles for a minute. I was seeing a kid I wanted to connect with and share a dance with.”
General operating support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The Outreach program was coordinated by the Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and BODYTRAFFIC.
Paul Newland, Outreach director at the Staller Center for the Arts said, “It was a wonderful collaboration, and we look forward to working with the Children’s Hospital again soon.”
Photos courtesy of Staller Center for the Arts
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