White Plains Research Articles

Orthodontic evaluation of eight cases in Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome

Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome is a congenital anomaly. It was reported by Beckwith [Beckwith JB. Macroglossia, omphalocele, adrenal cytomegaly, gigantism and hyperplastic visceromegaly. In: Bersma D, editor. Part II. Malformation syndromes, birth defects: original article series, vol. 5, no. 2. White Plains: The National Foundation—March of Dimes; 1969. p. 188–96] in 1969 and Wiedemann [Wiedemann HR. Familial malformation complex with umbilical Aherina and macroglossia—a “NEW SYNDROME”? Genet Hum 1964;13:223–32] in 1964, and is characterized by the triad of exomphalos, macroglossia, and gigantism and hypoglycemia in newborns. This syndrome is, therefore, also known as EMG syndrome [Niikawa N, Ishikiriyama S, Takahashi S. The Wiedemann–Beckwith syndrome: pedigree studies on five families with evidence for autosomal dominant inheritance with variable expressivity. Am J Med Genet 1986;24:41–55]. Orthodontically, open bite and reversed occlusion are often observed effects of gigantism and macroglossia, although a number of studies have found no common maxillofacial morphological characteristics between these two disorders [Kamogashira K, Itoh T, Nakagawa M. Orthodontic findings in a case of Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome. J Jpn Orthod Soc 1984;43:564–72; Friede H, Figueroa A. The Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome: a longitudinal study of the macroglossia and dentofacial complex. J Craniofac Genet Dev Biol Suppl 1985;1:179–87]. We analyzed intraoral findings and lateral cephalograms (cephalometric analysis) obtained at initial consultation in eight patients with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome who visited our department. We found the common maxillocraniofacial problem among them to occur solely in the vertical plane (increased gonial angle and open bite). There were no common anteroposterior problems. These differences in the anteroposterior growth of the mandibular body may be closely associated with whether macroglossia, as an external factor, was improved by surgery before eruption of the permanent teeth. In terms of dental problems, the only common finding observed was open bite. The position and function of the tongue and perioral muscles during speech and swallowing may differ among patients, thus resulting in maxillocraniofacial morphology characteristic to each patient.

Psychotic Depression

<P>As described in Dr. Feldman’s Resident’s Viewpoint and the articles by Andreescu et al., Flint et al., and Rothschild et al. in this issue, the evolution of research into the characterization and treatment of major depression with psychotic features (MD-Psy) has been tied inextricably to advances in psychopharmacology. The second edition of the <cite>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-II)</cite>, which was published in 1968, remained the standard reference for psychiatric classification until the publication of <cite>DSM-III</cite> in 1980. The term “psychosis” was applied in <cite>DSM-II</cite> to classify patients “when their mental functioning is sufficiently impaired to interfere grossly with their capacity to meet the ordinary demands of daily life”. Although <cite>DSM-II</cite> described hallucinations and delusions as examples of phenomena that may distort reality and, by implication, render a condition diagnosable as psychotic, the conceptualization of psychosis emphasized the severity of functional impairment.</P> <H4>ABOUT THE GUEST EDITOR</H4> <P>Barnett S. Meyers, MD, is professor of psychiatry, Weill Medical College, and professor, Program of Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. He is chief, Specialized Practice for Older Adults, New York Presbyterian Hospital Payne Whitney North, White Plains, NY.</P> <P>Dr. Meyers has been the principal investigator of four studies of severe depression in later life funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). He is the principal investigator of the four-site NIMH Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD). He is also the director of the Principal Research Core of the Advanced Center for Studies of Clinical and Services Research within the Cornell Institute for Geriatric Psychiatry. He has been a standing member of NIMH Interventions Study Section and a consultant to NIMH workgroups.</P> <P>Dr. Meyers is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the International Psychogeriatric Association, the International College of Geriatric Psychoneuropharmacology, and the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, of which he is a past president. He has published more than 150 journal articles and book chapters.</P>

Those magnificent men and their flying machines

INTRODUCTION I was inspired when I overheard, by chance, a conversation between the daughters of two subjects who had suffered strokes in the past year and were enrolled in my study at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital (White Plains, New York). This study, performed in collaboration with my colleague Dr. Bruce Volpe, is sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Development/National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. While waiting for their loved ones to complete robotic sessions, one daughter confided to the other that her parents had had strokes 15 years apart and that she was quite impressed with the improved acute care her mother received. Then she reflected for a moment and, in a sad tone, observed that both parents' rehabilitation processes, however, were almost exactly the same. From her perspective, nothing had actually changed in that 15-year interval. She is right. So far, no magic bullet exists for rehabilitation following stroke. The last 75 years of rehabilitation practice and research have delivered few actual answers for ameliorating and maximizing favorable outcomes for stroke survivors. We have essentially perpetuated long-time rehabilitation practices, many of which fall more under the realm of art than science. However, looking into my crystal ball and moving the clock forward 14 years to 2020, I predict that the daughter's comments might be quite different then. Looking beyond the marble floors recently laid in every U.S. rehabilitation hospital, beyond the glass and glitter of the corridors and the amenities in patients' rooms, I am optimistic that we are at the cusp of a major transformation in physical medicine. New tools for novel neuroprotection agents, imaging techniques, robotics, electrical stimulation, neurostimulation, nerve growth factors, neurorecovery agents and, ultimately, neuron genesis and replacement will change the way we practice rehabilitation medicine and significantly raise our expectations from the present limited goal of disability management to an actual cure. Rehabilitation robotics is one agent of change that will be ready for full-scale deployment within the next year or two. True, if one's expectation of robotics is inspired by Commander Data of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation or by movies such as Terminator, then we are still falling short of our actual capabilities. A much better rendering of what I expect to see in rehabilitation hospitals and wellness facilities is a gymnasium (gym) of robots. This gym would not be very distinct from today's top-of-the-line gyms except that robots would assist people with disabilities as appropriate, possibly via real-time sensing or imaging techniques. The clinician would choose the therapy goals and approach and then supervise or teach the patient how to achieve those goals. The patient would bring robotic tools home, and these robotic platforms would become the common denominator in the continuum of care that includes the acute facility, rehabilitation hospital, outpatient clinic, wellness center, and home. Envision the use of robotics moving beyond care: social environments could be established via the Internet and patients could interact, compete against one other, and thrive. 2020? AM I AN OPTIMIST? Prior to 1990, no articles on robotic therapy had been published. Of course, the application of robotics to rehabilitation has a longer history, but the strong and sustained growth of activity in recent years is the result of a significant shift away from assistive technology for people with disabilities (conceptually, smart versions of a crutch) toward robotic therapy that supports and enhances clinicians' productivity and effectiveness in facilitating patient recovery. The magnitude of this change goes far beyond the usual ebb-and-flow of activity in technology-related fields. For example, the approximate number of articles submitted to the biennial International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR) from 1997 to 2005 demonstrates a sharp upswing in interest in rehabilitation robotics. …

Overtreatment Effects Associated with a Radiofrequency Tissue Tightening Device

Device complication rates were analyzed in the Regulatory and Quality Assurance departments of Thermage, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA, in consultation with Dr. Whitney D.Tope. Corrective treatment in the case study was performed at the Dermatology Surgery and Laser Center, White Plains, NY.

Methodological Issues in Designing a Randomized Controlled Trial for Psychotic Depression: The STOP-PD Study

<P>The safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been documented for more than half a century, including among patients with major depressive disorder with psychotic features (MD-Psy) who have failed intensive antidepressant treatment. More recent studies from academic centers that use contemporary ECT standards have demonstrated response and remission rates exceeding 90% among patients with MD-Psy.</P> <H4>ABOUT THE AUTHORS</H4> <P>Dr. Meyers is professor of psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester, NY. Dr. Peasley-Miklus is research associate, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Flint is professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and head, Geriatric Psychiatry Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; the Geriatric Program and Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto; and the Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto. Dr. Mulsant is professor of psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; clinical director, Geriatric Mental Health Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, and professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. Dr. Rothschild is Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA.</P> <P>Address reprint requests to: Barnett S. Meyers, MD, New York Presbyterian Hospital Westchester, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, NY 10605; e-mail: <a href="mailto:bmeyers@med.cornell.edu">bmeyers@med.cornell.edu</a>.</P> <P>Dr. Meyers disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Dr. Peasley-Miklus disclosed relevant financial relationships with Pfizer and Eli Lilly. Dr. Flint disclosed a relevant financial relationship with Pfizer Canada. Dr. Mulsant disclosed relevant financial relationships with Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Forest/Lundbeck, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Alkermes. Dr. Rothschild disclosed relevant financial relationships with Lilly and Pfizer.</P> <P>This article was supported in part by United States Public Health Service grants MH 62446, MH 62518, MH 62565, and MH 62624 from the National Institute of Mental Health.</P>

Howard Schott (1923–2005)

The international early music community lost one of its greatest advocates on 23 June 2005. Howard Schott died during a brief hospitalization just a few days after his beloved Boston Early Music Festival. Born in New York on 17 June 1923 and raised in the suburb of White Plains, Howard received early encouragement in music from his parents, both non-musicians. Upon completion of high school at 16, he was accepted by both Harvard and Yale, but chose Yale because of an interest in the harpsichord. Yale, as well as his father, insisted that he wait a year, during which he studied piano with Hans Neumann in New York. While at Yale, Howard majored in French, although he also found the time to study harpsichord with Ralph Kirkpatrick. Howard was drafted into the Second World War at 19, during his third year at Yale. At first he was stationed in Wisconsin in order to teach reading and writing to draftees from Appalachia, but he was later transferred to Ann Arbor for intensive study of German. At Ann Arbor, he sent for his typewriter, enabling him to complete his undergraduate thesis on Baudelaire and to graduate in 1944. He then went to Camp Ritchie in Maryland, where he met Henry Pleasants and worked for the US Army Military Intelligence Service. While abroad during the war, Howard was involved with translation and prisoner interrogation and co-authored a Glossary of German administrative and political terminology. Following his war service (1943-6) Howard returned to New Haven to attend Yale Law School, where he also taught French to undergraduates and was able to resume study with Kirkpatrick. After graduating in 1948 he worked for a number of organizations, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs under Felix Cohen, the Atomic Energy Commission and Shering Pharmaceuticals, for which he travelled extensively. Howard passed the New York State bar examination with the highest points in the state, a distinction that won him a monetary award which he used to pay for piano lessons. When preparing Playing the harpsichord in the late 196os, he remarked that, if the manuscript were accepted by a publisher, he would pursue a doctorate in musicology. The book, eventually released in 1971, was accepted, and Howard began study at Oxford in 1968. His dissertation, A critical edition of the works of J. J. Froberger, led to the DPhil in 1978. Like Playing the harpsichord, his edition of Froberger for Heugel remains in wide use today. After a brief return to New York Howard moved to

Neuropsychology/Language/Behavior: All Ages

Neuropsychology/Language/Behavior: All Ages

Personal Accounts: From the Depths of Despair to a Mission of Advocacy

Personal Accounts: From the Depths of Despair to a Mission of Advocacy

Dr. Alexopoulos Replies

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Letter to the EditorFull AccessDr. Alexopoulos RepliesGEORGE S. ALEXOPOULOS, M.D., GEORGE S. ALEXOPOULOSSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., White Plains, N.Y.Published Online:1 Aug 2005https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.8.1552AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail To the Editor: Dr. Mender’s letter offers additional support for my view that experimentally sound scientific findings have only relative value and underscores the importance of nonscientific processes. He points out that thinkers from two disparate traditions raise questions about the safety of experimentally supported conclusions.Dr. Mender’s first point is that the experimental method cannot adequately confirm or reject scientific hypotheses. This view has been articulated in the “Duhem-Quine thesis” and is based on the assumption that hypotheses cannot be tested in isolation from the theoretical network in which they belong (1, 2). Scientists do not subject an isolated hypothesis to testing but only a whole group of hypotheses. Thus, testing a hypothesis depends on its background assumptions. When the background assumptions are challenged, the observations that initially were used to justify a hypothesis become irrelevant. However, when a predicted event fails to occur, it is evident that something in the hypothesis needs to be changed, but nothing in the experiment indicates what the change should be. Consequently, any hypothesis can be safeguarded from falsity, so long as scientists are prepared to make appropriate adjustments to other parts of the theoretical framework. Therefore, critical experiments alone may be inadequate to change the zeitgeist of science.Dr. Mender’s second point emphasizes the power of culture in the scientific process. It is based on the existentialist view that embeddedness in a cultural context contributes to an inveterate tendency toward conventionalism and inauthenticity (3). Scientists are not immune to this problem. As they become initiated in the practices of the scientific community, they are inclined to drift along with the crowd, enacting stereotyped roles. The current competitive funding and publication system encourages conformity and compromises the scientists’ ability to seize on and define their own scientific lives. Thus, to be authentic is not an expected consequence of the scientific process and requires action.Paraphrasing Socrates’s “εν οιδα οτι ουδεν οιδα,” one can argue that there is no safety in science or anything else. Nonetheless, despite its limitations, science has offered the soundest approach to understanding and treating psychopathology. Most of the recent treatment advances in psychiatry have been based on science. Thus, my argument is not one of scientific nihilism but one that emphasizes the need for awareness of the nonscientific forces influencing the scientific process, including the scientific culture and its extremes, the evolving means of experimentation, and the social factors that promote scientific productivity. Because scientific criteria alone cannot define scientific priorities, this responsibility falls on investigators and policy makers.

Predictors of Treatment Acceptance and Completion in Anorexia Nervosa

There have been very few randomized controlled treatment studies of anorexia nervosa. To evaluate factors leading to nonacceptance and noncompletion of treatment for 2 specific therapies and their combination in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Randomized prospective study. Weill-Cornell Medical Center, White Plains, NY; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. Patients One hundred twenty-two patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa. Treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy, fluoxetine hydrochloride, or their combination for 1 year. Dropout rate and acceptance of treatment (defined as staying in treatment at least 5 weeks). Of the 122 randomized cases, 21 (17%) were withdrawn; the overall dropout rate was 46% (56/122) in the remaining patients. Treatment acceptance occurred in 89 (73%) of the 122 randomized cases. Of the 41 assigned to medication alone, acceptance occurred in 23 (56%). In the other 2 groups, acceptance rate was differentiated by high and low obsessive preoccupation scores (rates of 91% and 60%, respectively). The only predictor of treatment completion was high self-esteem, which was associated with a 51% rate of treatment acceptance. Acceptance of treatment and relatively high dropout rates pose a major problem for research in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Differing characteristics predict dropout rates and acceptance, which need to be carefully studied before comparative treatment trials are conducted.

Acute Effects Of Whole-body Vibration And Bicycle Ergometry On Muscular Strength And Flexibility

Warm-up activities are generally recommended for individuals in preparation of more strenuous physical activity. A relatively new form of training that may be a beneficial mode of warm-up is whole-body vibration (WBV), which is a neuromuscular training method designed to improve muscle strength and mobility. However, there is a lack of randomized, controlled clinical trials that delineate the acute effects of WBV and the underlying mechanisms associated with it. PURPOSE To compare the acute effects of WBV with bicycle ergometry (CYL) on lower body flexibility and muscular strength. METHODS Twenty apparently healthy persons (10 males, 10 females) volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were exposed to two different treatment conditions, WBV, using a vibration platform (Galileo(tm) 2000, White Plains, NY), and CYL (Cateye EC-1600, Japan). Each condition was performed on separate days in randomized order with 24 to 48 hours between sessions. Immediately prior to and following the 6 min of WBV and CYL, the subjects participated in assessments of heart rate, lower extremity flexibility and strength. Pre- and post values of heart rate were recorded. Flexibility was determined using a sit-and-reach box test and peak torque was measured by means of a motor driven dynamometer. Change score values were compared between conditions (WBV, CYL) using a 1-way ANOVA. RESULTS Heart rate increase was significantly greater after the CYL treatment compared with WBV (24.7 ± 9.7, 15.8 ± 9.8 bpm p<0.05). Sit-and-reach change scores were significantly greater after the WBV treatment compared with CYL (4.7 ± 2.5 vs. 0.78 ± 1.4 cm, p<0.05), as were the average torque of knee flexion (4.8 ± 7.7 vs. −0.9 ± 7.2 Nm, p<0.05) and knee extension (8.8 ± 12.4 vs. −2.5 ± 6.4 Nm, p<0.05). Peak torque of leg extension increased 11.58 ± 12.2 Nm after WBV compared to a decrease of −1.04 ± 9.7 Nm after the CYL treatment. Peak torque of leg flexion increased more after WBV compared to CYL (4.15 ± 6.9 Nm vs. 0.025 ± 8.0 Nm), however this increase was not statistically significant (P = 0.10). CONCLUSION The findings of this study reveal that a single, 6-minute session of WBV produced significant improvements of lower back-hip joint flexibility while significantly increasing force production of knee extension and flexion compared to a traditional bicycle ergometry warm-up.

Acute Effects Of Whole-body Vibration And Bicycle Ergometry On Muscular Strength And Flexibility

Warm-up activities are generally recommended for individuals in preparation of more strenuous physical activity. A relatively new form of training that may be a beneficial mode of warm-up is whole-body vibration (WBV), which is a neuromuscular training method designed to improve muscle strength and mobility. However, there is a lack of randomized, controlled clinical trials that delineate the acute effects of WBV and the underlying mechanisms associated with it. PURPOSE To compare the acute effects of WBV with bicycle ergometry (CYL) on lower body flexibility and muscular strength. METHODS Twenty apparently healthy persons (10 males, 10 females) volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were exposed to two different treatment conditions, WBV, using a vibration platform (Galileo(tm) 2000, White Plains, NY), and CYL (Cateye EC-1600, Japan). Each condition was performed on separate days in randomized order with 24 to 48 hours between sessions. Immediately prior to and following the 6 min of WBV and CYL, the subjects participated in assessments of heart rate, lower extremity flexibility and strength. Pre- and post values of heart rate were recorded. Flexibility was determined using a sit-and-reach box test and peak torque was measured by means of a motor driven dynamometer. Change score values were compared between conditions (WBV, CYL) using a 1-way ANOVA. RESULTS Heart rate increase was significantly greater after the CYL treatment compared with WBV (24.7 ± 9.7, 15.8 ± 9.8 bpm p<0.05). Sit-and-reach change scores were significantly greater after the WBV treatment compared with CYL (4.7 ± 2.5 vs. 0.78 ± 1.4 cm, p<0.05), as were the average torque of knee flexion (4.8 ± 7.7 vs. −0.9 ± 7.2 Nm, p<0.05) and knee extension (8.8 ± 12.4 vs. −2.5 ± 6.4 Nm, p<0.05). Peak torque of leg extension increased 11.58 ± 12.2 Nm after WBV compared to a decrease of −1.04 ± 9.7 Nm after the CYL treatment. Peak torque of leg flexion increased more after WBV compared to CYL (4.15 ± 6.9 Nm vs. 0.025 ± 8.0 Nm), however this increase was not statistically significant (P = 0.10). CONCLUSION The findings of this study reveal that a single, 6-minute session of WBV produced significant improvements of lower back-hip joint flexibility while significantly increasing force production of knee extension and flexion compared to a traditional bicycle ergometry warm-up.

Center Connects People With Resources on BPD

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Professional NewsFull AccessCenter Connects People With Resources on BPDEve BenderEve BenderSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:15 Apr 2005https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.40.8.00400008People with borderline personality disorder and their families have at their disposal a wellspring of information about the causes, course, and treatment of the disorder through the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center (BPDRC).Family members of people with borderline personality disorder established the center in late 2003 using private donations.The resource center, which is affiliated with and located adjacent to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital–Westchester Division in White Plains, N.Y., also functions as a source of referrals for people seeking treatment for borderline personality disorder around the country.“Through the resource center, we have been able to assist the many patients who call us for help in locating the best treatment available to them in their communities,” said the center's clinical director, Otto Kernberg, M.D., in an interview with Psychiatric News.The center's referral database includes about 250 referral sources for those seeking treatment for borderline personality disorder. These include inpatient programs, outpatient programs, residential treatment centers, and individual practitioners.The Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center provides an abundance of information for people with borderline personality disorder and for their families.In addition, the resource center houses a library of books on many aspects of borderline personality disorder, ranging from etiology and treatment to personal accounts written by people with the disorder.Kernberg, who is also director of New York-Presbyterian Hospital's Personality Disorders Institute, pointed out that a large number of people with borderline personality disorder are misdiagnosed and therefore do not receive appropriate treatment.Once they do receive the right diagnosis and treatment, they can achieve some level of stability and enjoy meaningful lives, he added.Psychotherapeutic approaches that have been helpful to people with borderline personality disorder include dialectic-behavioral therapy, transference-focused psychotherapy (developed by Kernberg), cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and supportive psychotherapy.According to information listed on the BPDRC Web site, pharmacological treatments “are often prescribed based on specific target symptoms” experienced by the patient. For instance, antidepressant drugs and mood stabilizers may alleviate depressed and/or labile mood, and antipsychotic drugs are used when thought distortion or anxiety is present.Lithium is “sometimes helpful” and “may make it possible to use lower doses of other drugs,” the Web site notes.Kernberg emphasized that “while we have become much better at treating patients with borderline personality disorder in recent years, that doesn't mean we are able to help everyone at all times.”He also pointed out that the center does not endorse one type of therapy over another.According to Eliza Whoriskey, M.A., administrative manager of the BPDRC, more than half of the calls coming into the center are from patients or family members looking for referrals to an expert in their area.Since the center opened, Whoriskey said, there have been approximately 900 calls from patients, 720 calls from family members of patients, and 180 calls from mental health professionals seeking information about borderline personality disorder.Whoriskey said she sometimes relies on the clinical expertise of Kernberg and his staff at the Personality Disorders Institute to field phone inquiries.Inquiries can also be made in person or via e-mail, but the vast majority of inquiries come through the center's toll-free number, according to Whoriskey. She will be staffing a booth about the center at APA's 2005 annual meeting next month in Atlanta.In addition to disseminating up-to-date information to the public, the center has plans to award those who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in borderline personality disorder clinical work or research.The awardee will receive $5,000, a plaque, and a presentation dinner in his or her honor.More information about the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center and its first annual Award for Distinguished Achievement is posted online at<www.bpdresourcecenter.org>.▪ ISSUES NewArchived

Philanthropist Endows Chair in C-L Psychiatry

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Professional NewsFull AccessPhilanthropist Endows Chair in C-L PsychiatryMark MoranMark MoranSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:15 Apr 2005https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.40.8.00400009A $5 million gift from Sidney E. Frank, founder and chair of the Sidney Frank Importing Company, will endow a new distinguished professorship in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at New York Medical College.The Sidney Frank Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has been filled by Michael Blumenfield, M.D., who is a professor of psychiatry, medicine, and surgery at the college.“It is my desire that this gift reflect my commitment to and my admiration for New York Medical College,” said Frank in a statement.“ It is a vote of confidence in Dr. Blumenfield and the entire psychiatry department. I am proud to have my name aligned with their good works, and I look forward to the outcomes of the Sidney Frank Distinguished Professorship program.”Former APA President Joseph T. English, M.D., who is professor and chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at New York Medical College, told Psychiatric News that the donation will support a variety of new educational programs for psychiatry residents and medical students, particularly in the area of consultation-liaison psychiatry.“One of Mr. Frank's objectives is that patients in general hospital services who have psychiatric disorders receive excellent care,” English said. “Dr. Blumenfield is responsible for our consultation-liaison programs and will have his teaching and clinical activities greatly enhanced by virtue of the gift. But most of all, Mr. Frank's appreciation of what psychiatry has to offer patients will lead others to support good care, teaching, and research by virtue of his extraordinary generosity.”Among the programs that will be supported by the donation are a fellowship program in psychosomatic medicine, a summer internship program in the department for students completing their first year of medical school, a visiting professorship exchange program between New York Medical College and outstanding international medical universities, a research fund to encourage young investigators within the department of psychiatry to explore important areas of their research, and another fund to support underinsured patients so they can receive proper diagnostic services and short-term psychotherapy.The Sidney Frank Importing Co. Inc. is the creator of Grey Goose Vodka and an importer of a number of popular brands of liquor including Jägermeister Liqueur, Corazón Tequila, and Gekkeikan Saké.According to the company's Web site, Frank was born in Norwich, Conn., and attended Brown University before heading to Asia, where he represented Pratt and Whitney Motors during World War II. Upon his return to the United States in 1945, Frank found work with Schenley Distillers, where he was responsible for the success of such brands as Dewar's White Label and Ancient Age.Today Frank, an avid golfer and art collector, lives in New Rochelle, N.Y., with his wife, Marian. He has two children and five grandchildren.He is chair of the board of the Sidney and Louise Frank Foundation and is active in a variety of professional, cultural, and charitable organizations. He has donated money to Brown University, the American Heart Association, and the White Plains Hospital Center, among other institutions.A press release about Sidney Frank's donation is posted online at<www.nymc.edu/depthome/pr/NR2005/03-04-05.asp>.▪ ISSUES NewArchived

Aliskiren in hypertension: evidence for its potential therapeutic value

Aliskiren is the first in a new class of antihypertensive drugs that inhibits the conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I by renin, thereby inhibiting production of angiotensin II, the key mediator in the regulation of body fluid volume and blood pressure. Aliskiren is currently in phase III trials as monotherapy and phase II as combination therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension, and in phase II trials in patients with diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this review is to evaluate the emerging evidence for use of aliskiren in patients with hypertension and to predict its preliminary place in therapy in clinical outcome terms. All randomized, controlled clinical trials of aliskiren (evidence level 2) were included for analysis of efficacy with the selected outcomes of blood pressure lowering, tolerability, and adherence; all other publications were excluded. The available level 2 evidence, although limited to phase II trials, suggests that aliskiren is effective at lowering blood pressure, an accepted surrogate outcome of morbidity and mortality, in patients with mild-to-moderate uncomplicated essential hypertension. Preliminary evidence suggests aliskiren is as effective as the angiotensin receptor blocker irbesartan, but more studies are needed. The available evidence also suggests that aliskiren is well tolerated and that patients exhibit good adherence to therapy. Aliskiren's effect on outcomes such as all-cause mortality, reduction in cardiovascular mortality, and reduction in cardiovascular events in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension as well as in special patient populations, remains to be determined. The evidence available regarding aliskiren's effect on outcomes, including blood pressure, tolerability, and adherence, supports its use in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. Although there is some preliminary evidence from small pilot trials, the use of aliskiren in combination with other antihypertensives, and the use of aliskiren in other patient populations, cannot be recommended without further evidence.

Psychopathology of anorexia nervosa

International Journal of Eating DisordersVolume 37, Issue S1 p. S20-S21 Regular Article Psychopathology of anorexia nervosa Katherine Halmi MD, Corresponding Author Katherine Halmi MD [email protected] From the New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, White Plains, New York 10605.New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, New York 10605Search for more papers by this author Katherine Halmi MD, Corresponding Author Katherine Halmi MD [email protected] From the New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, White Plains, New York 10605.New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, New York 10605Search for more papers by this author First published: 25 April 2005 https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.20110Citations: 7AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume37, IssueS1Special Issue: Special Issue on Anorexia Nervosa2005Pages S20-S21 RelatedInformation

Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex: Its Role in Mediating Satiety in the Macaque

Thomas R. Scott1, Erin M. Edwards2, Carrie A. Smith2, Kristen G. Hilgert2, Gary J. Schwartz3 and Thomas C. Pritchard2 1College of Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA, 2Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA and 3Bourne Laboratory, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, NY 10605, USA

On the “Infallibility” of Psychopathology and Its Implications for Action

On the “Infallibility” of Psychopathology and Its Implications for Action

Southeast Asia. Three exotic views of Southeast Asia: The travel narratives of Isabella Bird, Max Dauthendey, Ai Wu, 1850–1930. By MARIA NOELLE NG. White Plains, NY: Eastbridge, 2002. Pp. xiv, 212. Notes, Bibliography, Index.

Southeast Asia. Three exotic views of Southeast Asia: The travel narratives of Isabella Bird, Max Dauthendey, Ai Wu, 1850–1930. By MARIA NOELLE NG. White Plains, NY: Eastbridge, 2002. Pp. xiv, 212. Notes, Bibliography, Index. - Volume 35 Issue 2

White Plains, New York and Duesseldorf, Germany – ITT Industries announced today that it has purchased 88.06 per cent of WEDECO AG Water Technology

White Plains, New York and Duesseldorf, Germany – ITT Industries announced today that it has purchased 88.06 per cent of WEDECO AG Water Technology