The Groomery won first place in the professional category in last year's scarecrow competition. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Photo from WMHO
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization is currently accepting submissions for its annual Scarecrow Competition. This will be the 32nd year the spooky and silly six-foot creations will adorn the pathways of picturesque Stony Brook Village Center for visitors to enjoy and vote for their favorite.
You can pick up a registration form at any of the shops in Stony Brook Village, or you can download it digitally from the events section of the Stony Brook Village Center website. To enter this competition, please return the completed registration form to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, P.O. Box 572, Stony Brook, NY 11790, with the entry fee of $30 by Sept. 23.
Vote for your favorite scarecrows by picking up a ballot at any of the shops and restaurants at the Stony Brook Village Center from Oct. 1 and 26. Deadline for voting is Oct. 26. Winners will be notified on Oct. 28 by 5 p.m. and will be announced during the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Halloween Festival on Oct. 31.
For more information on the Scarecrow Competition, please call the WMHO at 631-751-2244.
A baby gelada foraging in Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia. Their early-life gut microbiome, from infancy through first years of life, are shown to be influenced by bacteria likely passed down from mom. Photo by Sharmi Sen
The bacteria that reside in the human gut (“the gut microbiome”) are known to play beneficial and harmful roles in human health. Because these bacteria are transmitted through milk, mothers can directly impact the composition of bacteria that their offspring harbor, potentially giving moms another pathway to influence their infant’s future development and health. A study of wild geladas (a non-human primate that lives in Ethiopia) provides the first evidence of clear and significant maternal effects on the gut microbiome both before and after weaning in a wild mammal. This finding, published in Current Biology, suggests the impact of mothers on the offspring gut microbiome community extends far beyond when the infant has stopped nursing.
A research team co-led by Stony Brook University anthropologist Dr. Amy Lu, and biologists Dr. Alice Baniel and Dr. Noah Snyder-Mackler at Arizona State University, came to this conclusion by analyzing one of the largest datasets on gut microbiome development in a wild mammal.
“Early life gut microbial development is known to have a large impact on later life health in humans and other model organisms,” said Lu, Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University. “Now we have solid evidence that mothers can influence this process, both before and weaning. Although we’re not 100% certain how mothers do this, one possible explanation is that they transfer specific bacteria to their offspring.”
The research team used high throughput DNA sequencing to identify and characterize the bacteria residing in the guts of young geladas, and identified 3,784 different genetic strains of bacteria belonging to 19 phyla and 76 families. However, this diversity was not equally distributed across the developmental spectrum: similar to what is seen in humans, younger infants had the least diverse microbial communities that gradually became more diverse as they got older. These changes reflected what the infant was eating, specifically when they switched from consuming milk to consuming more solid foods. These diet-focused bacteria actually help infants process foods – for instance, milk glycans, which cannot be digested without the help of bacteria.
However, it was the team’s findings of strong maternal effects on the infant gut microbiome both before and after weaning that was the most groundbreaking.
“Infants of first-time moms showed slower development of their gut microbiota, meaning that their guts were specialized toward milk digestion for longer compared to kids from other moms. This may put offspring of newer moms at a slight developmental disadvantage,” said Baniel. “In addition, even after infants were weaned, their microbiome community was more similar to mom’s than to other adult females in the population, suggesting that mom’s may be sharing microbes with their offspring.”
According to Snyder-Mackler, “these early life changes might have far-reaching consequences–impacting the health and survival of these offspring once they become adults.”
Future work from this research team will focus on examining how differences in the gut microbiome during infancy influence other aspects of development, such as growth, the maturation of the immune system, or the pace of reproductive maturation. Because they are continuing to study the same infants as they age, they expect to eventually be able to link the infant gut microbiome and the early-life maternal effects to health, reproduction, and survival in adulthood.
The research was funded by several grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the Leakey Foundation, and from the University of Michigan, Stony Brook University, and Arizona State University.
Michael Boren of Setauket spied this hibiscus flower peeking over the fence from his neighbor’s yard to greet him as he returned from an outing on Aug. 29
Pass the maple syrup! Join the Setauket Fire Department Auxiliary Department for its annual Pancake Breakfast/Chinese Auction Fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Setauket Fire Department’s Station #2, 9 Arrowhead Lane, East Setauket. Tickets: are $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 children under 10. Toddlers under age 2 are free. [email protected].
Heart failure (HF) occurs when the heart’s pumping is not able to keep up with the body’s demands for blood and oxygen and may decompensate. Unlike a heart attack, which is acute, heart failure develops slowly and may take years to become symptomatic.
There are two types of heart failure, systolic and diastolic. The basic difference is that the ejection fraction, the output of blood with each contraction of the left ventricle of the heart, is more or less preserved in diastolic HF, while it can be significantly reduced in systolic HF.
We have more medical research on systolic heart failure. Fortunately, both types can be diagnosed with the help of an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart. The signs and symptoms of both include shortness of breath on exertion or when lying down, edema or swelling, reduced exercise tolerance, weakness and fatigue.
Major lifestyle risk factors for heart failure include obesity; smoking; poor diet, including consuming too much sodium; being sedentary; and drinking alcohol excessively. Conditions that increase your risk include diabetes, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.
Typically, heart failure is treated with blood pressure medications, such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. We are going to look at how diet and iron levels can affect heart failure outcomes.
Increasing antioxidants in the diet
If we look beyond the usual risk factors mentioned above, oxidative stress may play an important role as a contributor to HF.
In a population-based, prospective study, the Swedish Mammography Cohort, results show that a diet rich in antioxidants reduces the risk of developing HF (1). In the group that consumed the most nutrient-dense foods, there was a significant 42 percent reduction in the development of HF, compared to the group that consumed the least. According to the authors, the antioxidants were derived mainly from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, coffee and chocolate. Fruits and vegetables were responsible for the majority of the effect.
What makes this study so impressive is that it is the first of its kind to investigate antioxidants from the diet and their impacts on heart failure prevention.
This was a large study, involving 33,713 women, with good duration — follow-up was 11.3 years. There are limitations to this study, because it is observational and the population involved only women. Still, the results are very exciting, and it is unlikely there is a downside to applying this approach to the population at large.
Addressing iron deficiencies
An observational study that followed 753 heart failure patients for almost two years showed that iron deficiency without anemia increased the risk of mortality in heart failure patients by 42 percent (2).
In this study, iron deficiency was defined as a ferritin level less than 100 μg/L (the storage of iron) or, alternately, transferrin saturation less than 20 percent (the transport of iron) with a ferritin level in the range 100–299 μg/L. The authors conclude that iron deficiency is potentially more predictive of clinical outcomes than anemia, contributes to the severity of HF and is common in these patients.
These studies suggest that we should try to prevent heart failure through dietary changes, including high levels of antioxidants, because it is not easy to reverse the disease. Those with HF should have their ferritin and iron levels checked, because these can be addressed with medical supervision.
References:
(1) Am J Med. 2013 Jun:126(6):494-500. (2) Am Heart J. 2013;165(4):575-582.
Dr. David 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.
Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty Chief Executive Officer Deirdre O’Connell and members of her executive team kicked off the fundraiser, presenting Island Harvest and City Harvest with an initial donation of $10,000 from the Daniel Gale Foundation.
29 Sales Offices from Brooklyn and Queens Across Long Island to Contribute Food and Funds throughout September, Hunger Action Month®
Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty (DGSIR), a luxury real estate organization serving Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens has launched a month-long fundraiser to collect food and funds for Island Harvest Food Bank and City Harvest, two of the region’s largest hunger relief organizations. This companywide effort is part of Daniel GaleSotheby’s International Realty’s 100 Anniversary celebration, and the goal is to raise funds to provide 100,000 meals during the month of September, which is Hunger Action Month®.
Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty Chief Executive Officer Deirdre O’Connell and members of her executive team kicked off the fundraiser, presenting Island Harvest and City Harvest with an initial donation of $10,000 from the Daniel Gale Foundation.
“With sales offices across Long Island and more than 1,000 real estate professionals, managers and support staff enthusiastically committed to our goal, we are eager to make this significant contribution to alleviate hunger in our communities,” said O’Connell. “Every office will be contributing and accepting donations of nonperishable goods and monetary donations online, as well as rolling up their sleeves as the boots on the ground.”
Randi Shubin Dresner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Island Harvest, explained the continuing need for food banks such as Island Harvest and City Harvest and the ways in which the Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty community can help.
“While Long Island is home to some of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the nation, one in ten Long Island families experience food insecurity at some point during the year. This includes school children who may have trouble concentrating in class because they went to bed hungry and woke up to a minimal, or no breakfast; seniors who helped to build our communities and now must choose between medicine and a meal; and our veterans who served our country but now face hard times. It’s our responsibility to make sure that no one on Long Island goes without food.”
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City was facing a profound hunger crisis—particularly in the marginalized communities that City Harvest has long served, with nearly 1.2 million New Yorkers, including one in five children experiencing food insecurity,” said Jilly Stephens, City Harvest Chief Executive Officer. “Those numbers surged during the pandemic and remain at historic highs with nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers, including more than 462,000 children, in need of assistance.”
In addition to contributing food and funds, Island Harvest and City Harvest will welcome volunteers from Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty to help them get food into the hands of those in need. Activities include volunteering at distribution centers, helping to sort donations or working at Island Harvest’s Brentwood farm.
“Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty has a 100 year tradition of serving our communities, and we couldn’t be more excited that to put our hands and hearts to work to help Island Harvest and City Harvest meet their goals to end hunger,” added O’Connell. “We will working individually and as a team to make a difference across Long Island from Brooklyn to our easternmost offices on the North Fork. Our team is ready and willing to work shoulder to shoulder with these two incredible food banks.”
Aleida Perez during BNL's virtual teaching sessions this summer
By Daniel Dunaief
For well over two years, herd immunity, vaccination status, social distancing, masking and airborne particles became regular topics of conversation.
People have a range of understanding of these terms and how to apply them to understanding the fluid conditions that are an evolving part of the pandemic.
Aleida Perez
This summer, with funding from the National Science Foundation, a group of scientists and doctors from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, New York University and MoMath, the National Museum of Mathematics, worked together with middle school and high school teachers around Long Island to prepare lesson plans on how to use and understand the application of statistics to the pandemic.
“It was a wildly successful summer,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “We spent hours and hours of time” working with teachers who developed lessons that addressed a host of issues related to COVID-19.
It was “an amazing experience” and the teachers “were the best part,” said Dr. Nachman.
Allen Mincer, Professor of Physics at New York University, has been working on and off with BNL for over two decades on various educational programs. He has been more actively engaged in the last four years.
As he and his collaborators were discussing possible educational outreach topics, they focused on the disruptive disease that changed the world over the last few years.
“This year, we were talking about it and, instead of doing random applications of statistics, we figured, why not do something that’s very practical in everyone’s mind,” Mincer said.
The projects and discussions, which were all conducted virtually, centered on numerous misconceptions people have about the pandemic. Teachers focused on questions including: what is the “efficiency” of a vaccine and how is it determined, what does a positive virus test result mean, if I am vaccinated, why do I care if others are, why take a vaccine when there are side effects, and I have to go to school and mix with people, so why shouldn’t I also let down my guard in other ways, among others.
“The challenges that this virus brings concerning topics like herd immunity was very interesting,” said Scott Bronson, manager of outreach to K-12 teachers and student for BNL’s Office of Educational Programs.
Scott Bronson during the BNL virtual teaching sessions this summer.
For teachers and their students, the realities of the pandemic were the backdrop against which these teachers were seeking to provide guidance. “It was happening live,” said Bronson. “What is herd immunity? That’s where the work of [Dr. Nachman and Mincer] came together beautifully.”
Bronson added that students will have a chance to explore the kinds of questions pharmaceutical companies are addressing, such as “What would you want the next vaccine to do” and “What would you do to make the vaccine better at preventing infection.”
The organizers put together teams of three to four high school and middle school teachers who created statistics lessons plans for the group.
“The way we worked it out, we put teachers in groups,” said Aleida Perez, supervisor of student research and citizen science programs for Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Office of Educational Programs. “We wanted to have different teachers with different courses and different perspectives on how to do things.”
One of the overarching goals was to help students understand such lessons as what it means to have a negative result on a virus test or what it meant when scientists and pharmaceutical companies described a vaccine’s efficacy.
The teachers explored the probability of side effects like myocarditis and whether the “benefit outweighs the risk of taking the vaccine,” Perez said.
For many of the teachers, the discussion expanded beyond COVID to an analysis of any infectious agent. Indeed, one of the groups of teachers described a zombie apocalypse.
The teachers provided a “nice overview to look at the education of public students,” said Perez.
The group hopes to make these lessons available for other teachers, although they haven’t determined where or how to post them.
The scientific team also hasn’t determined yet how to measure the long term impact or effectiveness of these lessons.
ATLAS project
As a part of the team involved in the ATLAS physics program at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, Mincer uses statistics to design, test and implement the tools to pick and choose from numerous reactions and then to study the data collected.
“We actually keep about a billion events out of the 100 trillion or so interactions the LHC produces in a year,” Mincer explained.
In previous years, Mincer has taught about statistics in general and its use in ATLAS. This year, he focused on statistics and its application to pandemic questions.
Several years ago, Mincer taught a freshman seminar called “Great science, fabulous science and voodoo science,” in which he described what students could learn from statistics, how the media covers science, science and government policy and how lawyers use science in the courtroom.
“After explaining statistics [and sharing] why we can only say we have evidence down to this level, I had a student tell me he’s dropping out of science as a major because he wanted certainty and I disillusioned him,” Mincer said.
As for the work with the high school teachers, Mincer said it was “great what they have been able to do” in preparing lessons for their students and sharing information about statistics.
Mincer has received some additional funds from the NSF to support two more such educational outreach programs, one of which will tentatively cover climate change.
“Statistics can be used to quantify the likelihood of events in the absence of climate change,” he explained.
Statistics provide a tool to document subtle but potentially significant changes in climate.
While Bronson wouldn’t commit to a discussion of climate change for the next group of teachers, he said he “wouldn’t be surprised if we look at climate change” and that “there’s a lot of interesting areas to explore in this field.”
The Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor welcomed special guest and Huntington resident Robert Archer to its museum last week. Bob’s great-great grandfather, Benjamin Archer (1825-1868), sailed as a greenhand, or an inexperienced crew member on Cold Spring Harbor’s whaleship, the Monmouth. According to FindAGrave, Benjamin was an immigrant from England, and he married Phebe Wall (1827-1898) from Ireland. At the young age of 17, he signed on as a greenhand on the bark Monmouth, as shown in the Museum’s archives.
The Monmouth was Cold Spring Harbor’s first and smallest vessel, built in Massachusetts at 100 feet long. John H. Jones, agent for the Cold Spring Whaling Company, purchased the Monmouth in 1836. The bark had a relatively long career with multiple whaling voyages for the Long Island village.
Benjamin sailed on the Monmouth from 1842-1843, which journeyed to the Indian, North Atlantic, and South Atlantic oceans. The captain of the voyage was the well-liked Hiram B. Hedges of East Hampton (1820-ca.1861), who himself started as a greenhand and worked his way up to captain. Although just a few years older than Benjamin, Hiram was known as “always kind to his men, and highly respected by them.” He was also “the handsomest captain who made port in the Sandwich Islands in his time.” Benjamin would have had to follow Hiram’s no-liquor regulation on the voyage.
Like all greenhands, Benjamin’s earnings were small – a cut of 1/150. As a whole, the voyage was comparatively short and profitable, yielding 75 barrels of sperm oil, 1,550 barrels of whale oil, and 12,400 pounds of baleen & whalebone. One voyage seems to have been enough for Benjamin, because we do not see record of him returning on a future voyage. However, he kept his connection to working on the waters, sailing as a local captain of several schooners and sloops in the 1850’s-60s in Cold Spring Harbor (you can check out his licenses in the museum’s digital collection).
1855 License for the sloop Dispatch
Benjamin had four children; all but one lived past childhood. Our last record of Benjamin’s maritime career was an 1865 license; he passed away just a few years later in 1868. Benjamin was only in his early 40s.
Interestingly, Capt. Hiram B. Hedges – like Benjamin – also retired from whaling. Although Benjamin and many of his descendants remained local to our area, 37-year old Hiram called it quits and moved to Oregon with his wife and son where he became a farmer before vanishing around 1861, possibly in a boating accident – or by committing suicide while facing onsetting Huntington’s disease, which ran in the Hedges family. He left behind three young children. (See “The Woman Who Walked Into the Sea.”)
Bob Archer noticed some of the museum’s recent Facebook posts, and he came to see the collection for himself in person. As an added connection to the museum, Robert’s wife, Kathleen, was a descendant of Captain James Wright, whose home is used today for the museum offices and collection storage.
Interestingly, Bob shared that years ago, Cold Spring Harbor was not loally regarded as the “well-off” location it is thought as today — Cold Spring Harbor residents were nicknamed humble “clammies”!
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About The Whaling Museum & Education Center
The Whaling Museum & Education Center is the only museum in the world open year-round which explores the whaling history of the Long Island region. The Museum engages the community in exploring the diversity of our whaling heritage and its impacts to enrich and inform our lives. The museum is located at 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724. Visit cshwhalingmuseum.org and follow The Whaling Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @cshwhalingmuseum
From left, Logan Valeiko and Logan Simon at the entrance to Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Kerri Glynn
Three teenagers answered the call when the Frank Melville Memorial Park board asked for volunteers to raise money to support the park’s programs and upkeep.
Julia Zabinski at the Three Village Farmers Market. Photo by Kerri Glynn
Located in Setauket’s beautiful historic district, the private park relies on donations from the public and Julia Zabinski, Logan Simon and Logan Valeiko stepped up and raised over $500 this summer.
Julia raised the money while running a Kids’ Corner at the Three Village Farmers Market. Each week she offered a free activity and gently used books. When people asked if they could give her a donation, she chose to raise money for the park.
The two Logans made bracelets and set up shop in front of the Setauket Post Office at the entrance to the park, selling them for a ‘name your own price.’ Both boys have volunteered for three years to help with the educational program held every Tuesday at the park’s Red Barn.
“These three teens have been so generous and hard working,” said the park’s program director Kerri Glynn. “We should put them on our Board!”
Tia is available for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington
Welcome to the ninth edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home!
Tia is available for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington
Meet Tia
A twelve-year-old Yorkie mix, this little spitfire is Tia, currently up for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington. Confident and outgoing, she is the self-appointed boss of her kennel area, priding herself on keeping the staff in line and everything running smoothly. Preferring to be the only four-legged member of your household, Tia is quite certain she can fulfill all your requirements for an energetic, age-defying, best friend and companion. Yorkies are known to be loving and loyal, and as part of Little Shelter’s Silver Paw Connection, Tia has many years of experience in the fine art of friendship. Take the time to meet the one who could be perfect for you…her name is Tia. 631-368-8770, ext. 21
Jenna
Meet Jenna
Sweet Jenna is a young 60-pound black and white husky who recently arrived at the Smithtown Animal Shelter after beingabandoned in a park when her owner moved. Jenna just wants someone to love and trust. Playful and loving, this pup still needs to work on her manners, so she should be placed in a home with no small children or dogs as she is too rough for them. Make an appointment to see her today! 631-360-7575
Olivia
Meet Olivia
This pretty girl is Olivia, a 1 1/2 year old Red Heeler/Border Collie mix rescued from a high kill shelter in Texas and now safe at Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton waiting for her furever home. Olivia has a lot of energy, and a lot of love to give. Come meet her today! 631-727-5731, ext. 1
Foxy
Meet Foxy
A perfect gentleman with impeccable manners, this is Foxy, a nine-year-old Shih Tzu mix at Little Shelter in Huntington. Always dapper and well-groomed, he makes a great first impression and within a few minutes, you’ll find yourself falling for his charm. Gregarious and friendly, he’s become the mayor of the small dog area, fulfilling his campaign promise of garnering sufficient treats for all his kennel mates. With his popularity through the “woof,” everyone is cheering him on in his search for a forever home. Senior dogs have so much to offer and make great additions to your family. Stop by Little Shelter to meet Foxy and see for yourself. 631-368-8770, ext. 21
Happy
Meet Happy
This handsome boy was picked up as a stray by a Good Samaritan and dropped off at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter. Sadly no one has come in looking for him. Approximately one year old and 47 pounds, Happy is full of life with tons of energy and happiness to share with you. He enjoys going for a walk/run and saying hi to everyone along the way. He loves his treats and playing with toys and balls. He is very sweet and eager to please you, affectionate and looking for a second chance. He will do best with kids over 10 years old as he is a bit of a jumper and very curious. Happy is ready to meet his soul mate. Will that be you? 631-451-6950
Allie Cat
Meet Allie Cat
This sweet and affectionate 9-year-old girl is waiting at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter for someone to share her world with. She is playful and hoping that her stay at the Shelter will be a short one. So do we. 631-451-6950
Check out the next Paw Prints inthe issue of. Oct. 13.
Paw Prints is generously sponsored by Mark T. Freeley, Esq.
Welcome to the ninth edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home!
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