Yair blog

New York Hospital Says 5% of Heart Surgery Patients are over 90

Many places won’t operate on elderly high risk patients. Josephine Calvert is older and had bad disease in the aorta. There would have been a lot more risk with surgery if it were done conventionally.”

NYU has published numerous research articles on short and long term outcomes in elderly and high risk patients undergoing heart surgery. It is one of the largest samples of patients on . It showed the vast majority of patients undergoingwere over 70 years of age. They avoid performing the traditional ‘open heart' sternotomy incision, which is important because osteoporosis, which is common in the elderly, because it can impair healing. Outcomes of the traditional ‘open heart' sternotomy and the minimally invasive approach were also compared for , and the minimally invasive mitral valve repair showed a marked advantage for the elderly.

NYU research has shown that many elderly patients facing heart surgery can anticipate an improved quality of life. Seefor more information.

About NYU Langone Medical Center NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class patient-centered integrated academic medical center, is one of the nation’s premier centers for excellence in healthcare, biomedical research, and medical education. NYU Langone comprises three hospitals—Tisch Hospital, the Hospital for Joint Diseases, and the NYU School of Medicine.

In 2009, NYULMC ranked 11th nationally for heart and heart surgery and achieved "honor roll" standing in U.S. News & World Reportannual survey of the best hospitals in America.

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Carin GrossmanNYU Langone Medical Center212.404.3789Email Information

Syrian president orders study on emergency laws

Facing a massive protest movement demanding reform, Syria's president set up committees Thursday to look into the deaths of civilians during nearly two weeks of unrest and replacing decades-old emergency laws.

The moves appear to be a carefully designed attempt by President Bashar Assad to head off massive protests planned for Friday while showing he will not be pressured to implement reform — instead, he will make changes at his own pace.

On Wednesday, he dashed expectations that he would announce sweeping changes, instead blaming two weeks of popular fury on a foreign conspiracy during his first comments since the protests began.

It was not immediately clear whether Thursday's overtures would succeed in pacifying a growing protest movement in one of Mideast's most autocratic regimes.

Activists have called for demonstrations across Syrian provinces on Friday, dubbing it "Martyrs Day," in what could prove to be a turning point in the country's future.

Syrian TV said the ruling Baath Party's regional command formed a committee made up of legal experts to study legislation that would "guarantee the country's security and dignity of Syrians and combat terrorism."

"This would pave the way for lifting the state of emergency laws," it said. The widely despised, decades-old emergency laws give the regime a free hand to arrest people without charge.

The state-run news agency said the committee would complete its study by April 25.

Syrian TV also said Assad has set up a judicial committee tasked with urgently investigating the circumstances that led to the death of Syrian civilians and security forces in the southern city of Daraa and Mediterranean city of Latakia.

The president also set up a panel to study granting Syrian citizenship to some 250,000 Kurds which would complete its work before April 15 — a step that would fulfill a longstanding Kurdish demand.

Kurds, the largest ethnic minority in Syria, have long complained of persecution by Syrian authorities. In 2004, clashes that began in the northeastern city of Qamishli between Syrian Kurds and security forces left at least 25 people dead and some 100 injured.

Kurds had so far stayed out of the current protests, but Thursday's decision reflects concern they would join in.

Assad fired his 32-member Cabinet on Tuesday in a move designed to mollify the anti-government protesters, but the overture was largely symbolic. Assad holds the lion's share of power in the authoritarian regime, and there are no real opposition figures or alternatives to the current leadership.

The protests were touched off by the arrest of several teenagers who scrawled anti-government graffiti on walls in the southern city of Daraa. They spread to other parts of the country last week, and human rights groups say more than 60 people have been killed since March 18 as security forces cracked down on the demonstrations.

An anti-government protester in Daraa said Thursday that security forces arrested up to 17 people in the city overnight. He said a sit-in by a few hundred protesters near al-Omari mosque, the epicenter of protests, ended Thursday.

But he said protesters were regrouping for more demonstrations in Daraa and nearby areas Friday. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

In Assad's speech before Parliament on Wednesday — his first public comments since the protests began — he said Syria is being subjected to a "major conspiracy."

He made only a passing reference to the protesters' calls for change, saying he was in favor of reform, but acknowledged there have been delays. "The question is what reforms do we need," he said, without offering any specifics.

Social networking sites immediately exploded with activists calling on Syrians to take to the streets.

Within hours of Assad's speech, residents of the Mediterranean port city of Latakia said troops opened fire during a protest by about 100 people, although it was not immediately clear whether they were firing in the air or at the protesters. The residents asked that their names not be published for fear of reprisals.

Latakia, which has a potentially volatile mix of different religious groups, already has become a flashpoint for violence that could take on a dangerous sectarian tone in the coming days and weeks.

The anti-government protests and ensuing violence have brought Syria's sectarian tensions into the open for the first time in decades, a taboo topic because Syria has a Sunni majority ruled by minority Alawites, a branch of Shiite Islam.

Assad has placed his fellow Alawites into most positions of power in Syria. But he also has used increased economic freedom and prosperity to win the allegiance of the prosperous Sunni Muslim merchant classes, while punishing dissenters with arrest, imprisonment and physical abuse.

Assad, who inherited power 11 years ago from his father, appears to be following the same strategy of other autocratic leaders who scrambled to put down uprisings by offering minor concessions coupled with brutal crackdowns. The formula failed in Tunisia and Egypt, where citizens accepted nothing less than the ouster of the regime.

Dancing Still Popular – Dance-video.org Acquires Over 1,500 Facebook Fans in Two Weeks

There are so many good dancers and choreographers out in the world now. High speed internet has made it possible for these talented folks to share their talent and creativity with the rest of the world.”

The plan to promote the site involved social media primarily. Although Mr. Ling has many years of search engine optimization experience, he wanted a quicker way to get people to the website. Facebook ads were used to target people who were interested in music and dancing. The surprising result? Over 1,500 Facebook fans within two weeks.

As Mr. Ling shared, "I was surprised by how quickly the site took off. We used paid ads before to get people to join Facebook pages, but we got nearly triple the amount that we normally get with our budget. Facebook is a social platform, so apparently when people shared some of the videos, some of their friends would sign up too. It's good to see that dance is still a popular form of entertainment.”

As videos are posted, people are clicking the Facebook like button and sharing them, which continues to increase the viewers and popularity of the new website. Ling continues, “I hope that the website continues to grow and people continue to embrace dance. I’ve created and marketed other websites before, but this is one that I really enjoy putting time into.”

Ling encourages anyone interested in dance to visit the website and follow it via Facebook or Twitter. The website can be viewed at .

ABOUT:Brian Ling is a dance enthusiast as well as an Internet Marketer and SEO that has promoted several types of websites including content sites and e-commerce stores like My Baby Shower Favors. Brian runs various websites and enjoys salsa dancing in his spare time.

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Brian LingDance-video.org(856) 677-8834Email Information

F-35 engine battle breaks out on GOP spending bill

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration's campaign against a costly alternative engine for the Pentagon's next-generation fighter jet faces a critical vote in the GOP-controlled House, its fate to be decided by more than 90 freshmen lawmakers who previously haven't had to choose sides between two major defense companies.

The expected vote Wednesday comes as the House enters its second day of debate on a $1.2 trillion spending bill that would wrap up the unfinished business lawmakers inherited after last year's collapse of the budget process. That includes $1.03 trillion for agency operating budgets that need annual approval by Congress and $158 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The engine battle pits Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates — who say the engine would waste almost $3 billion over the next few years — against GOP leaders like House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, whose state is a chief beneficiary. The spending measure includes $450 million for the engine, which would be built by the General Electric Co. and Rolls-Royce in Ohio, Indiana and other states.

On the other side are lawmakers from Connecticut, where the main F-35 fighter engine is built by Pratt & Whitney, as well members from Florida, Texas and other states.

The F-35 engine vote presents 87 GOP freshmen — infused with a fervor to cut spending — with a dilemma: Vote with the Obama administration to cut spending now or side with supporters of the alternative engine, who argue that it would save money by injecting competition into the F-35 program, the costliest weapons program in Defense Department history.

"We have to step forward, we have to cut back on areas, and this is an area that the secretary of defense said we need to cut back on," freshman Rep. Bob Dold, R-Ill., said.

The engine battle divides along regional rather than party lines, in contrast to the partisan warfare on the underlying bill, which sharply cuts domestic programs and foreign aid and earned a veto threat from the White House budget office and a warning from President Barack Obama against unwise cuts "that could endanger the recovery."

Debate on the bill is expected to take all week and the House worked late into Tuesday night. A frosty reception awaits the bill in the Democratic-controlled Senate, which won't take up its version until next month. So it'll require passage of a separate short-term government funding bill by March 4 to prevent a government shutdown that neither side says it wants.

The GOP bill, separate from the 2012 budget Obama unveiled on Monday, covers spending for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

The GOP legislation would make sweeping cuts to domestic programs ranging from education and science to agriculture and the Peace Corps. It slashes the Environmental Protection Agency, a favorite target of Republicans, by 29 percent from last year's levels, and would eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting, the AmeriCorps national service program, police hiring grants and family planning programs unpopular with conservatives.

The Food and Drug Administration budget would decline by 10 percent, and spending also would fall by 10 percent for a food program for pregnant women and mothers and their children.

The cuts are all the more dramatic because they would be shoehorned into the last half of the budget year that started Oct. 1.

The bill marks the first significant attack on federal deficits by Republicans elected last fall with the support of smaller-government tea party activists.

The measure came to the floor just a day after Obama unveiled his budget for next year and is merely a first round in what looms as a politically defining struggle that soon will expand to encompass Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government programs that provide benefits directly to tens of millions of people.

"We know we can't balance this budget simply by reducing nonsecurity, nondefense spending," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, referring to the 359-page bill that would cut $61 billion from domestic programs.

The measure is sweeping in its scope, cutting spending from literally hundreds of domestic budget accounts and eliminating many others. At the same time, the Pentagon budget would be increased by almost 2 percent from current levels.

In a reflection of tea party priorities, the practice in which lawmakers direct money to their pet projects is banned in the bill. And in a fulfillment of a promise that Republicans made to the voters last fall, about $100 billion would be cut from funds that Obama requested for the current fiscal year.

At a White House news conference, Obama said he looked forward to working with lawmakers in both parties on the spending bill, but warned against "a series of symbolic cuts this year that could endanger the (economic) recovery."

A few hours after Obama spoke, the White House issued a formal statement expressing "strong opposition" to the legislation for "cuts that would sharply undermine core government functions and investments key to economic growth and job creation."

Republicans used their first major spending bill to reflect conservative priorities on a range of issues, from abortion to the environment.

The bill would prohibit federal funding for any private organization that uses its own funds to facilitate abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in jeopardy.

At the same time, the EPA would be barred from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from factories and other stationary sites.

Conservatives said they would attempt to add other policy requirements to the legislation during floor debate, including one to prevent the implementation of the year-old health care law.

Others are backed by affected industries. One would stop the Federal Communications Commission from enforcing its proposed new "network neutrality" policy, which prohibits phone and cable companies from interfering with traffic on their broadband networks.

Officials said Senate Democrats agreed in a closed door meeting during the day to support one element of Obama's budget, a call for a five-year freeze across hundreds of domestic programs. Some accounts would face cuts to allow for growth in others. A formal announcement is expected Wednesday.

L-com's New LSZH USB Bulk Cable Serves Military/Aerospace Applications

L-com, Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of wired and wireless connectivity products, now sells bulk USB 2.0 cable with a Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket. The new product is identical to L-com’s standard PVC USB Bulk Cable, except that the jacket is black and, when burned, the LSZH jacket will not produce toxic smoke.

North Andover, MA (PRWEB) February 16, 2011

L-com, Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of wired and wireless connectivity products, now sells bulk USB 2.0 cable with a Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket. The new product is identical to L-com’s standard PVC USB Bulk Cable, except that the jacket is black and, when burned, the LSZH jacket will not produce toxic smoke.

The USB Bulk Cable can be used with L-com’s Type A and Type B USB connectors and hoods to manufacture custom USB cables if desired. L-com can also manufacture custom USB cables using this bulk cable with modest minimum order quantities.

“All LSZH products appeal to military customers and military subcontractors because they significantly reduce the amount of toxic gases emitted during combustion when compared to PVC,” said Steve Smith, Product Manager. “This is essential for confined areas like aircraft, submarines and shipboard. This is the same cable that is used in our popular CSUZAB and CSUZAA cable assemblies.”

LSZH hoods for the connectors will be available in about six weeks.

For more information about this release, please contact:Dave Fallon, Internet Marketing Strategist978-682-6936 x1450, newsletters(at)L-com(dot)com

L-com, a global leader in the manufacture of wired and wireless connectivity products, offers a wide range of solutions and unmatched customer service for the electronics and data communications industries. The company’s product portfolio includes cable assemblies, connectors, adapters, computer networking components, and custom products, as well as their Hyperlink line of wireless products which include Antennas, RF Amplifiers, Coaxial lightning and surge protectors, and NEMA rated enclosures. L-com’s HyperLink wireless products are designed for WiFi, WiMAX, SCADA, 802.11a/b/g/n, RFID and Bluetooth applications. Trusted for over 25 years, L-com, Inc, which is headquartered in North Andover, MA, is ISO 9001: 2008 certified and many of its products are UL® recognized.

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DAVE FALLONL-com Inc.978-682-6936 ext. 1169Email Information