By Robert J Gianotti, MD

Welcome to the first autumn installment of Primecuts. Here in upstate New York the leaves are already beginning to change as I drink a tasty mug of Oktoberfest. My day of football overindulgence is interrupted only by thoughts of Listeriosis and that tasty cantaloupe sitting uneaten on the counter. My heart goes out to the unfortunate farmers in Colorado as they suffer the aftermath of a rare but serious outbreak of Listeria infection in the heartland. I’m reminded that…

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By Keri Herzog, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Hurricane Irene came and went.  Its path of destruction brought flooding and powerful winds, forcing evacuations, causing loss of power and extensive structural damage. It was a time where we all came together, not only for our families and friends, but also for our patients, with common goals of preparedness and safety. The journals this week focused on our patients as well, our sicker patients, and how our initial care and preparedness can make a difference.

This week…

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By Megha Shah, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Political unrest in northern Africa. Economic woes in the United States. Shootings in Morningside Heights. A review of the daily news is almost always a somber experience. A closer look, though, can reveal stories that are hopeful and inspirational. The same applies to medical news. With this thought we bring you this week’s Primecuts, a look at the promising, and at times not so promising, current medical literature.

The Annals of Internal Medicine this week published a…

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Benjamin Wu, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

The year started with a bang at NYU and brought with it new faces, opportunities, and challenges.  At the height of summer, we find the changes that are affecting the politics in the United States are similar to those affecting healthcare.  We have a looming debt crisis that may have lasting implications for our nation. While  the government is changing the mentality of ‘business as usual’ with regard to the debt ceiling, healthcare providers find themselves seeing that…

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Jeffrey Shyu, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

As the debt ceiling debate continues to rage stateside and as Greece’s financial bailout negotiations take up international headlines, this past week also proved to be a very active and exciting one for medical research.

This edition of Primecuts begins with controversy amongst experts in the spine field. A group of leading researchers submitted a scathing editorial to Spine Journal, blasting industry-sponsored research on recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), a bone growth product popular in spinal fusion surgeries .…

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By Saleem Ali, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

First up this week is a new study in NEJM about a new drug called bardoxalone methyl, currently being studied to treat CKD in patients with diabetes. This drug is an antioxidation inflammation modulator. It activates the Keap1-Nrf pathways that are important in modulating oxidative stress on the kidney. Patients were given placebo vs. various dosages of bardoxalone. Their GFR were measured every 4 weeks for a total of 52 weeks.  The study showed a significant rise…

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By Megha Shah, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Captain America has a shield, Thor has a hammer, the Green Lantern has a power ring, and we…well, we have our stethoscopes. While Dr. Superhero may not be the next big blockbuster to hit the movie theaters this summer, we as healthcare professionals certainly do our share in battling many of the villains- cardiac disease, dementia, cancer – that threaten us everyday. And while the X-Men might turn to Professor X for guidance and wisdom, you can always…

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By Christopher Schultz, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

News about the devastating tornado that flattened Joplin, MO had begun to fall from the headlines until reports of a relatively rare fungal infection in a surprisingly large number of people emerged this week. Mucormycosis is generally spread via puncture wounds or through the air, not person-to-person. It mainly inflicts its woes on those with impaired immune systems. More troubling was the recent E. coli outbreak in Germany which caused 31 deaths and sickened thousands. Health officials…

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By Aviva Regev

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Hello?  Can you hear me now?  Making big headlines this week is a topic that is likely to hit very close to home for many of our readers, as well as people from all walks of life, across the globe.  The World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a press release classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields – those emitted by cellular phones – as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”  The…

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By Varun Verma, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Our thoughts and prayers this week are with the victims of Joplin, Missouri, who struggle to rebuild their lives after being struck with one of the deadliest tornadoes in US history. Although we can do little about unpredictable natural occurrences, this week’s medical journals reveal some promising interventions that may help us improve the health of our patients.

The New York Times highlighted the National Institutes of…

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By Vincent Santillo, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

The press and the public that devours it thrive on exciting headlines of misfortune and misdeeds. After a week filled with powerful men acting terribly, it was a relief to see the big new positive news stories — “Paralyzed now walk” and “Coffee Protects from Cancer”. Bring on the caffeine and science fiction as we take a look at some of the more interesting articles appearing this week. The New York Times…

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