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- The Mount Sinai Health System Is Formed to Provide Expanded Access to Primary, Specialty, and Ambulatory Care.
- Live Well New York - A Health & Wellness site from Continuum experts
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EventsMore Events ›
Donate Now
Make a general donation or give to a specific program.Donate Now ›
Career Opportunities
- For health care professionals.
Hospital Financial Assistance
Clinical Services
Find clinical programs and services at Beth Israel Medical Center.
AIDS ServicesAIDS Services ›
The AIDS Center at Beth Israel Medical Center has been a leader in AIDS care since 1981. We have the experience and expertise to provide comprehensive services to meet your special health care needs.
Allergy and Immunology (Div., Medicine)Allergy and Immunology (Div., Medicine) ›
The Allergy Division was formed in 1971 under the leadership of James M. Rubin, MD, (LINK TO 661) with the goal to provide diagnostic and treatment capabilities for patients with allergic diseases and to improve the teaching of physicians. Our division is actively involved in educating clinical staff about allergies and immunology. We participate in clinical research and frequently publish our findings.
AnesthesiologyAnesthesiology ›
Our primary mission is the provision of superb clinical care in an environment of uncompromising patient safety. We provide the highest quality of care beginning with the period before surgery and ending after discharge from our recovery room — a continuous spectrum of care.
Appel-Venet Comprehensive Breast ServiceAppel-Venet Comprehensive Breast Service ›
The Appel-Venet Comprehensive Breast Service combines state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer with a multidisciplinary focus and a supportive environment. We are dedicated both to achieving a high cure rate and maintaining a high quality of life for our patients.
Asian Services ProgramAsian Services Program ›
The Asian Services Program's mission is to better understand the needs of Asian patients and provides easy access to high-quality inpatient and outpatient care.
BereavementBereavement ›
The Grieving Center is a web-based television channel devoted to assisting those who have lost loved ones. The site also has discussion forums for those going through bereavement.
Beth Israel ALS CenterBeth Israel ALS Center ›
We specialize in providing a coordinated program of medical treatment, rehabilitation techniques, and psychological support in a warm and compassionate environment for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Beth Israel Hernia CenterBeth Israel Hernia Center
The surgeons at Beth Israel Hernia Center are experts at hernia repair. Our goal is the best patient outcome and restoring the patient's quality of life. The Beth Israel Hernia Center serves patients in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Beth Israel Medical GroupBeth Israel Medical Group ›
Beth Israel Medical Group offers convenient hours and provides the opportunity to build a relationship with primary care physicians and specialists from one of New York City's premier hospitals.
Betty and Morton Yarmon Stroke CenterBetty & Morton Yarmon Stroke Center ›
Neurologists at the Betty and Morton Yarmon Stroke Center are available 24-hours a day to provide comprehensive consultations, supervise diagnostic evaluations, and make treatment decisions.
Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and SurgeryBlood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery ›
The Center for Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery is committed to the appropriate provision and use of blood, its components and derivatives, and to strategies to reduce or avoid the need for a blood transfusion.
Breast CancerBreast Cancer ›
The Appel-Venet Comprehensive Breast Service combines state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer with a multidisciplinary focus and a supportive environment. We are dedicated to achieving both a high cure rate and maintaining a high quality of life for our patients.
Bronchial ThermoplastyBronchial Thermoplasty ›
A non-drug procedure for severe, persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older, whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists.
Business Health ProgramBusiness Health Program ›
The Division of Occupational Medicine provides prompt and accurate diagnosis, followed by a medically appropriate treatment plan for people who become sick or injured. Having an efficient and reliable health care team on your side is important whether you are a business or a school.
Cancer CenterCancer Center ›
The Continuum Cancer Centers of New York delivers high-quality, comprehensive medical care while maintaining our patient's quality of life. We emphasize the team approach to cancer treatment by involving experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, and surgical oncology in all aspects of our patient's care.
Cardiac SurgeryCardiac Surgery ›
The Division of Cardiac Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center has an outstanding team of heart surgery experts, providing the highest quality, innovative, patient-centered treatments in a caring and supportive environment.
CardiologyCardiology ›
The physicians and staff of our Heart Institute are committed to the expert diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, as well as research to find the treatments of the future. We strive to deliver the highest quality heart care possible.
Cardiovascular Centers of New YorkCardiovascular Centers of New York ›
The Cardiovascular Centers of New York was formed in 2012 to expand the cardiac and vascular services offered throughout the Mount Sinai Health System Hospitals of New York.
Center for Digestive HealthCenter for Digestive Health ›
The Center for Digestive Health at Beth Israel Medical Center serves as an entry point to a range of specialty services treating diseases of the esophagus and stomach, pancreas and biliary system, liver, colon and rectum.
Center for Endovascular SurgeryCenter for Endovascular Surgery ›
The Center for Endovascular Surgery — a division of The Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN) — specializes in using minimally invasive techniques to treat disorders of the brain, head, neck, and spine.
Center for Health and HealingCenter for Health and Healing ›
The Center provides comprehensive outpatient integrative services for adults and children. Physicians and practitioners of diverse healing traditions and modalities focus on patient-centered primary and specialist care to optimize health, prevent illness and treat acute and chronic conditions.
Chemical Dependency Services, Stuyvesant SquareChemical Dependency Services, Stuyvesant Square ›
Stuyvesant Square Chemical Dependency Services is a hospital-based program treating men and women 18 years of age and older. The program also offers special services for patients who are pregnant, undergoing methadone maintenance treatment, or already under the care of a psychiatrist.
Child PsychiatryChild Psychiatry ›
The Child and Family Behavioral Health Service is a multi-disciplinary outpatient clinic committed to providing the highest quality of care for children, adolescents, and families.
Colorectal SurgeryColorectal Surgery ›
The Division of Colorectal Surgery offers a comprehensive range of services including a breadth of minimally invasive and traditional surgical interventions for benign and cancerous conditions of the colon, rectum and anal region, including leading-edge expertise in robotic surgery.
Craniofacial and Cleft Palate CenterCraniofacial and Cleft Palate Center ›
The Continuum Craniofacial and Cleft Palate Center provides complete care for patients born with congenital defects. Our surgical team treats patients with a wide range of reconstructive needs, from craniosynostosis and clefts of the lip and palate to traumatic craniofacial injuries.
Cystic Fibrosis CenterCystic Fibrosis Center ›
Patients and their families rely on our accurate diagnostic capabilities, state-of-the-art treatment approach, and the comprehensive supportive services we provide.
DermatologyDermatology ›
The Department of Dermatology offers comprehensive treatment of all skin conditions in patients of all ages. Our full range of diagnostic services and treatments include unique areas of expertise, such as patch and photo patch testing, Mohs surgery for basal cell and squamous cell and skin cancer and melanoma, among many other clinical services.
Digestive Diseases (Dept. of Med)Digestive Diseases (Dept. of Med) ›
The physicians of the Division of Digestive Diseases at Beth Israel treat diseases of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, biliary system, liver, colon and rectum. We have particular expertise in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, cancer of the esophagus, pancreas and colon, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) ›
Whether you are looking for advanced head and neck cancer care…minimally invasive skull-base surgery… or innovative sinusitis treatment, you'll find the state-of-the art services you need at the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center (BIMC).
Emergency DepartmentEmergency Department ›
The David B. Kriser Department of Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center is a full-service emergency department that supports Beth Israel Medical Center's wide range of primary care, and medical/surgical specialties and sub-specialties.
Endocrinology and Metabolism (Div., Medicine)Endocrinology and Metabolism (Div., Medicine) ›
The Division of Endocrinology of the Department of Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center offers comprehensive evaluation, treatment and care of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders.
Epilepsy — AdultsEpilepsy — Adults ›
The multidisciplinary epilepsy team at The Mirken Department of Neurology provides comprehensive epilepsy care with sophisticated diagnostic methods, the latest medical and surgical treatments, and practical support and guidance for both patients and their families.
Epilepsy — PediatricsEpilepsy — Pediatrics ›
Pediatric neurologists and neurosurgeons treat conditions that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves of children and adolescents, including epilepsy, neuromuscular diseases, headaches and migraines, strokes, brain tumors, ADD/ADHD, hydrocephalus, craniosynostosis, and many others.
Executive Health ProgramExecutive Health Program ›
Our Executive Health Program provides timely and comprehensive medical assessments and personalized wellness strategies for today's on-the-go executives. The program's aim is to help reduce your health risks and ensure your well being for years to come.
Foot and Ankle SurgeryFoot and Ankle Surgery ›
Our fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons are an important component to the head-to-toe delivery of orthopedic and sports medicine care.
Friedman Diabetes InstituteFriedman Diabetes Institute ›
Our goal is to help patients make lifestyle changes that allow them to live full, healthy lives and avoid complications, using nutritional counseling, educational initiatives, and exercise and wellness programs.
Gastrointestinal InstituteGastrointestinal Institute ›
The Gastrointestinal Institute is an advanced center focusing on precancerous and cancerous GI conditions.
General Medical Associates (Primary Care) (Div., Medicine)General Medical Associates (Primary Care) (Div., Medicine) ›
General Medical Associates represents the Adult Primary Care Division of the Department of Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center. Our practice provides primary care services to the local community, as well as to the surrounding areas. Our mission is to increase the capacity toward optimal health and well-being.
Genetics (Department of Pediatrics)Genetics (Department of Pediatrics) ›
The Division of Medical Genetics as part of the Department of Pediatrics offers a full range of comprehensive genetic services. We provide genetic counseling and medical genetics consultations for a wide range of prenatal and postnatal conditions.
Geriatrics (Department of Medicine)Geriatrics (Department of Medicine) ›
Beth Israel Senior Health is a geriatrics practice affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center. Staffed by specialists trained in the care of older adults, we offer primary medical care, consultations with other physicians, and a wide range of support services, including house calls to the homebound and caregiver support services.
Hand SurgeryHand Surgery ›
The hand surgeons at Beth Israel have one of the largest and busiest hand surgery practices in the country, with more than 1,500 surgeries performed annually. Our nationally renowned hand surgeons treat professional and amateur athletes as well as individuals from all walks of life.
Head and Neck SurgeryHead and Neck Surgery ›
The Department of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery promotes the most up-to-date methods of diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating patients with diseases of the head and neck.
Heart InstituteHeart Institute ›
The physicians and staff of our Heart Institute are committed to the expert diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, as well as research to find the treatments of the future. We strive to deliver the highest quality heart care possible.
Heart SurgeryHeart Surgery ›
The Division of Cardiac Surgery has an outstanding team of heart surgery experts to provide the highest quality, most innovative, patient-centered treatments in a caring and supportive environment.
Hematology and Oncology (Div.,Medicine)Hematology and Oncology (Div.,Medicine) ›
The Continuum Cancer Centers of New York delivers high-quality, comprehensive medical care while maintaining our patient's quality of life. We emphasize the team approach to cancer treatment by involving experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, and surgical oncology in all aspects of our patient's care.
Heritage InitiativeHeritage Initiative ›
At the Heritage Initiative our primary goal is to promote cultural sensitivity to the Jewish community at all Beth Israel inpatient and outpatient sites, and to provide services that will enhance Bikur Cholim and Hatzolah ambulance volunteers and provide special care for all individuals.
Hernia CenterBeth Israel Hernia Center
The surgeons at Beth Israel Hernia Center are experts at hernia repair. Our goal is the best patient outcome and restoring the patient's quality of life. The Beth Israel Hernia Center serves patients in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
HospiceHospice ›
Continuum Hospice Care provides the best in specialized care for people in their final stage of life. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that our patients' values, beliefs, lifestyles, and culture are respected, and that each patient's choices are honored.
Hospital Financial AssistanceHospital Financial Assistance Program ›
The Hospital Financial Assistance program is for uninsured and underinsured patients.
The Hospitalist ProgramThe Hospitalist Program ›
Beth Israel's hospitalists are a group of highly trained physicians who spend their time strictly on inpatient care, providing special attention to the rapidly changing needs of the patient and to communicate with family members and specialists consulting on the case throughout the patient's stay.
Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN)Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN) ›
The Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN) is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary center for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. The INN was conceived and designed to deliver humanistic health care in one of the most technologically sophisticated fields.
The Chris and Morton P. Hyman Patient Care UnitThe Chris and Morton P. Hyman Patient Care Unit ›
The Chris and Morton P. Hyman Patient Care Unit is a special wing featuring large, luxurious private patient suites. The suites feature personalized nursing care, unrestricted visiting hours, and many deluxe amenities.
Hyperhidrosis ProgramHyperhidrosis Program ›
Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that causes perspiration far greater than the physiological needs of the body. This program focuses on alleviating excessive sweating of the hands, also known as Essential Palmar Hyperhidrosis.
IncontinenceIncontinence ›
The Urogynecology Program is part of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Medical Center. Its physicians specialize in the diagnosis and management of pelvic floor disorders in women.
Inherited Cardiac Disease CenterInherited Cardiac Disease Center ›
The Inherited Cardiac Disease Center (ICD Center) focuses on treating individuals and families affected by genetic cardiac arrhythmia conditions, such as Brugada syndrome and Long QT syndrome.
Integrative MedicineIntegrative Medicine ›
The Department of Integrative Medicine incorporates the integrative medicine approach throughout Beth Israel. The department helps to coordinate integrative programs and develops new clinical research, and educational programs.
Interventional CardiologyInterventional Cardiology ›
The Beth Israel Heart Institute offers a vast range of cardiovascular interventional procedures, from diagnostic evaluations to intricate techniques for the treatment of coronary disease.
Interventional NeuroradiologyInterventional Neuroradiology ›
At the Center for Endovascular Surgery, a division of The Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN), we specialize in using minimally invasive techniques to treat disorders of the brain, head, neck, and spine.
Israeli Health ProgramIsraeli Health Program ›
Beth Israel is happy to offer to the Israeli community medical referrals to doctors who speak Hebrew. Our mission is to provide medical services at the highest level and in the most comfortable surroundings to the Israeli community.
Karpas Health Information CenterKarpas Health Information Center ›
Staffed by health educators, the Karpas Health Information Center is a resource center that offers an extensive health library, walk-in assistance, and help with research on specific health conditions — all free of charge.
Latino Health InstituteLatino Health Institute ›
The Beth Israel Latino Health Institute provides culturally sensitive health services that meet the specific needs of New York City's diverse Latino population.
Louis Armstrong Center for Music and MedicineLouis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine ›
The Louis Armstrong Music Therapy Department provides a broad range of services throughout Beth Israel and within the community. Our mission ensures that our staff provides
state-of-the-art care to complement medical treatment.
Lung Nodule CenterLung Nodule Center ›
If you've been told you have a "spot" or "shadow" on your lung, you probably have a lung nodule. The Beth Israel Lung Nodule Center offers the most advanced techniques and treatment options to diagnose and manage lung nodules—whether they are benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Maternity ServicesMaternity Services ›
Our OB-GYN practice offers a strong base in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as significant experience in the subspecialty fields of reproductive endocrinology, family planning, maternal-fetal medicine, and midwifery.
Medicine (Department of)Medicine (Department of) ›
Our scope of services spans from primary care to specialized care in over ten different medical disciplines. Our mission is to provide exceptional medical care to all New Yorkers and beyond.
Methadone Maintenance Treatment ProgramMethadone Maintenance Treatment Program ›
Methadone maintenance has proven to be an invaluable tool for the effective treatment and rehabilitation of opioid-addicted individuals. The Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program (MMTP) at Beth Israel Medical Center, the largest non-profit methadone clinic in the United States, has been in operation for more than 40 years, with 18 clinics throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Nephrology (Div., Medicine)Nephrology (Div., Medicine)
The Nephrology Division is focused on preventing kidney disease in the context of overall cardiovascular risk reduction
Neurology, Alan and Barbara Mirken Department of NeurologyNeurology, Alan and Barbara Mirken Department of Neurology
The Alan and Barbara Mirken Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Medical Center is a leader in the treatment of brain disorders and diseases of the nervous system. Our physicians are experts at diagnosing and treating neurological conditions, including all the major subspecialty areas of neurology.
NeurosurgeryNeurosurgery ›
Our neurosurgeons have broad experience, having trained at the most renowned neurosurgical programs in the United States. We employ cutting-edge diagnostics and state-of-the-art neurosurgical techniques to produce successful outcomes for a wide range of neurological conditions.
Non-invasive Transcranial Direct Current StimulationNon-invasive Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ›
Noninvasive Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation is a new non-pharmacological therapy for the treatment of chronic pain. Our mission is to relieve chronic pain in those patients whose pain does not respond to conventional therapies.
Our OB-GYN practice offers a strong base in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as significant experience in the subspecialty fields of gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, urinary incontinence, family planning, maternal-fetal medicine, and midwifery.
Orthopedic SurgeryOrthopedic Surgery ›
When it comes to orthopedic surgery, experience counts. Beth Israel orthopedic surgeons work at one of the highest volume orthopedic centers in New York, performing more than 9,000 procedures in the past year alone and providing comprehensive care in every specialty of orthopedic surgery.
Ostomy ProgramOstomy Program:
Patients who are considering elective ostomy surgery or need support after having ostomy surgery can take advantage of the comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services available at the Beth Israel Ostomy Program. Our specialized and caring Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) provide pre-operative stoma site selection, ongoing education and training for patients and family in caring for your ostomy as well as emotional counseling on lifestyle adjustments.
OtolaryngologyOtolaryngology ›
Whether you are looking for advanced head and neck cancer care…minimally invasive skull-base surgery… or innovative sinusitis treatment, you'll find the state-of-the art services you need at the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center (BIMC).
Pain Medicine and Palliative CarePain Medicine and Palliative Care ›
The Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care's Pain Division offers a broad array of therapies for all types of chronic and acute pain. Our Palliative Care Division provides patients with serious or life-threatening illness of any type, and their families, an individualized plan of care to maintain quality of life, and reduce suffering from pain and other symptoms.
Patient and Family EducationPatient and Family Education ›
To help you meet the challenges of pregnancy, birth, and starting a new family, the Parent/Family Education Program offers a variety of educational programs and services. We are dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate, family-centered care that promotes a positive childbirth experience.
Patient Care RepresentativesPatient Care Representatives ›
Patient Care Representatives can facilitate contact and communication with your health care providers, and help with the many questions patients may have. We take pride in providing an environment that respects patient's dignity as well as patient's cultural, spiritual, and personal needs.
Pediatric OrthopedicsPediatric Orthopedics ›
Because of still-developing musculoskeletal systems, many children's orthopedic problems are different from those of adults. Beth Israel pediatric orthopedists see them all, and have special expertise in club foot, cerebral palsy, growth problems, and preventive interventions.
Peripheral Nerve CenterPeripheral Nerve Center ›
The Peripheral Nerve Center is a comprehensive center for the treatment of peripheral nerve conditions. An expert surgical team works in a multidisciplinary fashion with other medical specialists to accurately diagnose problems and to create the best treatment approaches.
Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery ›
The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Division provides regionally recognized expertise in all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including complex reconstructions following surgery or trauma, reconstruction of congenital abnormalities in children, and cosmetic procedures.
Primary CarePrimary Care ›
Beth Israel offers many primary care locations with extended hours and convenient locations.
PsychiatryPsychiatry ›
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is committed to providing comprehensive care for all patients. The department is large enough to offer a wide range of services, yet small enough to ensure individualized attention.
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (Div., Medicine)Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (Div., Medicine) ›
The Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division of Beth Israel Medical Center has gained regional and national recognition in the fields of pulmonary hypertension, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), pulmonary function testing, medical simulation training, and critical care ultrasonography.
Radiation OncologyRadiation Oncology ›
The Departments of Radiation Oncology at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York are recognized among the largest and most sophisticated in the country. Our world-renowned, highly skilled specialists and innovative technologies attract patients from around the world.
RadiologyRadiology ›
New York Radiology Partners combines accuracy and excellence in diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology for every referring physician and patient. We regard service excellence and compassion as our highest priorities.
RheumatologyRheumatology ›
Beth Israel's rheumatologists specialize in all rheumatic diseases, and have extensive experience treating osteoporosis, vasculitis, systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma.
Shoulder and Elbow SurgeryShoulder and Elbow Surgery ›
Not every general orthopedist readily takes on the challenge of a damaged shoulder or elbow. Our fellowship-trained shoulder and elbow surgeons treat all conditions affecting these joints and also perform complex shoulder replacements.
Senior Health and House Calls (Dept. of Medicine)Senior Health and House Calls (Dept. of Medicine) ›
Beth Israel Senior Health is a geriatrics practice affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center. Staffed by specialists trained in the care of older adults, we offer primary medical care, consultations with other physicians, and a wide range of support services, including house calls to the homebound and caregiver support services.
Speech-Language and Learning CenterSpeech-Language and Learning Center
The Center consists of a team of NYS licensed and ASHA certified speech-language pathologists who provide assessment and treatment to infants, children, adults and their families.
Spine InstituteSpine Institute ›
The Spine Institute of New York offers a full range of services for chronic back pain and spinal disorders. Our physicians are routinely chosen for their comprehensive treatment options and an established reputation for excellence.
Sports MedicineSports Medicine ›
When active people develop injuries during recreational exercise or competitive sports, our Sports Medicine experts are in a unique position to take care of both the weekend warrior and the elite player.
SurgerySurgery ›
Our Department of Surgery has a mission to provide first-rate, state-of-the-art quality care. The department is proud of its extraordinary history and its current role as a major provider of tertiary surgical care for the New York metropolitan area.
Surgical OncologySurgical Oncology ›
The Surgical Oncology Division at Beth Israel Medical Center provides surgical diagnostic and treatment approaches to solid, cancer tumors throughout the body.
Thoracic OncologyThoracic Oncology ›
The Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program of the Continuum Cancer Centers of New York provides patients with a comprehensive approach in the prevention, screening, detection, treatment and support of all aspects of thoracic malignancis.
Thoracic SurgeryThoracic Surgery ›
The Thoracic Surgery Division provides regionally recognized expertise in all aspects of pulmonary, esophageal, chest wall, mediastinal (central thorax) and foregut (upper digestive system) surgery. We are also one of the city's leaders in minimally invasive thoracic procedures.
UrogynecologyUrogynecology ›
The Urogynecology Program is part of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Medical Center. Its physicians specialize in the diagnosis and management of pelvic floor disorders in women.
UrologyUrology ›
The Sol and Margaret Berger Department of Urology offers comprehensive care for all urologic conditions in men, women, and children, including male infertility and prostate conditions. The strength of our urology program lies in the broad scope of our faculty's interests, as well as the availability of the most sophisticated technologies currently utilized by the urologist community.
Vascular and Birthmark Institute of New YorkVascular and Birthmark Institute of New York ›
The Vascular Birthmark Institute of New York provides the most advanced treatment options for birthmarks, including port-wine stains, hemangiomas, and vascular malformations in children and adults.
Vascular and Endovascular SurgeryVascular and Endovascular Surgery ›
The Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division offers a full range of regionally recognized expertise in the latest therapies for the treatment of arterial and venous disorders. Our vascular surgeons are able to perform many procedures with minimally invasive techniques.
Women's Heart NYWomen's Heart NY ›
Women's Heart NY is a multi-site comprehensive heart program designed specifically for women who are at risk for, or have a history of heart disease.
Wound CareThe Advanced Wound Healing Center ›
The Advanced Wound Healing Center at Beth Israel Medical Center offers comprehensive wound care treatment and care for patients suffering from chronic or non-healing wounds that have not healed after six weeks.
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Center for Health & Healing
245 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016Learn More About Center for Health & Healing ›
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At Beth Israel we strive every day to be a model and a leader in quality and safety, and to ensure that we are doing everything possible to meet your health care needs. Enhancing quality and patient safety is an ongoing process–and a commitment shared by every member of the Beth Israel community.Learn More ›


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A Different Life
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Like Stars on Earth (Taare Zameen Par in Hindi), is a
movie - the popular name for Hindi-language films that are made in
Mumbai - which was released in the UK in 2007. Characteristic of
most Bollywood films, it is long at 156 minutes and uses songs and
dance, which are relevant to the storyline by offering the
opportunity to explore what may be going on in the mind of a
character or to anticipate an event that has or is about to occur.
The songs may usefully be seen as 'dream sequences', which allow
things to happen that are not founded in reality.
The soundtrack is a significant part of the final
product and is often released separately to the film, as it is in
this case, where the CD is enclosed within the DVD box. For a good
introduction to Hindi-language cinema, the British Film Institute
website has an excellent
article by Shyam Benegal.
The film opens with Ishaan, an eight-year-old boy,
trying to net some small fish in the water by the side of a street,
oblivious to the waiting school bus nearby. He is delighting in the
task of fishing and completely absorbed in the task. In the next
scene at school, Ishaan gazes out of the window of his classroom,
distracted from the lesson he is in, which gets him into trouble
and it becomes clear that he is repeatedly failing to attend to and
complete his school work. At home, his older brother is a high
achiever, to the clear approval of his aspirational parents. In
contrast, Ishaan is drawn to the world of creativity, with a love
of painting, puzzles and model building, which his brother is alone
in praising. The first song sequence perfectly portrays the
difference between Ishaan's inner world and that of his striving
goal directed family.
It is only after a series of failures in his class
tests that Ishaan truants from school and gets his brother to fake
the absence note. The head teacher finally makes his parents aware
of the extent of his problems and suggests that he cannot proceed
to the next year. His mother, who has tried to coach him in reading
and writing at home, is frustrated by Ishaan's apparent lack of
concentration and ability in his studies whilst trying to counter
her husband's exasperation that Ishaan is being deliberately
stubborn and lazy. As a result, Ishaan is sent away to a strict
boarding school to be 'sorted out'. Here he continues to fail
academically and Ishaan soon becomes increasingly low in mood and
more withdrawn socially, interacting only with another physically
disabled pupil, who becomes his friend. During this period, he also
loses enthusiasm for his creative activities, which have always
brought him so much pleasure, as he struggles to cope with the loss
of his family and his home environment.
It is only with the arrival of a temporary Art
Teacher at the boarding school, called Ram Shankar Nikumbh, that
there is hope for Ishaan. This teacher uses different methods to
engage the pupils, as illustrated by his introductory song, in
which he introduces himself to the class dressed as a colourful
clown. Nikumbh soon becomes aware that Ishaan is not a happy child
and begins to suspect the true nature of his difficulty. Nikumbh's
alternative attitudes to learning and his emphasis on creative
freedom eventually engage Ishaan, as he realizes that they share a
similar way of viewing the world that is acceptable. It is through
this bond that Nikumbh eventually reveals he too suffered similar
difficulties as a child, giving Ishaan a positive role model and a
way out of his depression. Gradually, Ishaan's self-esteem recovers
with the sensitive encouragement of Nikumbh, who highlights
Ishaan's artistic talents to his parents and headmaster, who are
finally able to be proud of him for his unique achievements.
As an introduction to the topic of dyslexia, Like Stars on
Earth provides a wonderful case history that highlights not
only the first hand experience of dyslexia in a young child but
also the consequences of a missed diagnosis. Although viewers might
find it hard to believe that Ishaan's experiences at school could
actually happen in the UK, it is important to recognise how easy it
is for children to be labeled naughty or stupid when, in fact, they
are struggling with dyslexia. As the actress
Greta Scacchi writes, in her recent article for the Evening
Standard newspaper, her son suffered from significant problems as a
result of his dyslexia in the earlier years of his schooling in the
UK, in both the state and the private sector.
The clever use of animation, in the song bheja
kum, provides the viewer with an opportunity to experience
what a dyslexia sufferer may see when they look at a page of print
or numbers and the symbols dance around. As such, it would be a
perfect springboard for a discussion about the symptoms of
dyslexia. But this song sequence, with its fantastical
exaggerations, also offers the viewer an important insight into the
effect on a child of repeatedly failing in their academic studies
and being made to feel stupid and lazy at such a young age. In
turn, it becomes very easy to understand why there is a close
association between dyslexia and both conduct and mood
Dyslexia or specific reading disorder is
defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-IV) as 'reading achievement (that is, reading
accuracy, speed or comprehension as measured by individually
administered standardised tests) that falls substantially below
that expected given the individual's chronological age, measured
intelligence and age-appropriate education. The disturbance in
reading significantly interferes with academic
achievement … If a sensory deficit is present, the
reading difficulties are in excess of those usually associated with
According to the Dyslexia
Research Trust, a UK charity, '1 in 10 children suffer
from dyslexia. Dyslexia is the most common cause of childhood loss
of self-esteem, leading to profound misery and even suicide, or
vandalism, violence and criminality. 50% of convicted criminals are
thought to be dyslexic'. There is a genetic basis to the condition,
as confirmed by twin studies, which causes differences in the
development of the brain, including microscopic differences in the
arrangement and connection of neurons. These tend particularly to
involve visual and auditory 'magnocellular' systems which are
specialised for rapid information processing. Dyslexia is more
common in males than females and there is often an overlap with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders and
with dyspraxia. The film offers an excellent opportunity to
consider the issue of co-morbidity when considering Ishaan's
behaviour at various stages of the story.
NHS choices website has some very informative
pages on dyslexia, with a good discussion of the symptoms, causes
and treatment options. It is interesting to note that brain imaging
studies have shown that people with dyslexia use different parts of
their brain, and that they make more use of the right hemisphere,
which is involved in the more creative aspects of thought. Ishaan's
story helps to reinforce this different way of engaging with the
world that people with dyslexia often have and that this can be
used to their advantage once the condition has been recognised and
the educational supports are in place. People with dyslexia are
often very good at thinking 'outside the box' in an innovative and
creative way. There is further information available about all
aspects of the condition at the British Dyslexia
Association website.
For psychiatrists, there were two excellent
review articles, published in 2010 in Advances in Psychiatric
Treatment, written by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr
M.S. Thambirajah, entitled Developmental dyslexia: An overview
(Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2010 v. 16, p. 299-307
& Developmental dyslexia: clinical aspects (Advances in
Psychiatric Treatment 2010 v. 16, p. 380-387 abstract).
These articles could be read alongside a viewing of Like Stars
on Earth to provide comprehensive learning about dyslexia for
anyone interested in working in Child and Adolescent
This post is dedicated to C.P.
Thanks to my colleague Dr S.S. for the film
• Further information about Like Stars on Earth is
available at IMDB,
as is a short
• The film can be purchased at
• Minds on Film is written by Consultant
Psychiatrist, Dr Joyce Almeida.
Subscribe to this post's comments using
If you don't have an account please
Click here to Register
Minds on Film is a monthly blog that explores
psychiatric conditions and mental health issues as portrayed in a
selection of readily available films.
Please note that this blog may contain
plot spoilers. Any views expressed are purely my own.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Alumni Association
Welcome to the California State University, Northridge Alumni Association. CSUN alumni have every right to be proud. With more than 35,000 students the demand to attend your alma mater grows stronger each year. The Alumni Association understands the importance of not only keeping alumni informed, but providing you with the ability to reunite and network with one another for personal and professional benefit. Staying in touch with fellow alumni and the university is one of the main benefits of membership in the Alumni Association. As a dues paying member, you can search the more than 200,000 alumni records in our online database. Alumni members also receive discounts from local vendors and campus services, access to the Delmar T. Oviatt Library and an annual subscription to the Northridge Magazine.
In addition to providing you with many valuable benefits, your membership dues support many important campus programs. The Alumni Association sponsors several student scholarships and participation in academic conferences and competitions, recognition for outstanding alumni achievement, alumni networking opportunities and mixers, cultural programming, legislative advocacy on behalf of higher education and so much more. Join your fellow alumni in achieving new levels of excellence in the next century.


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#1 Food Allergies In Kids Wildly Overstated.02-03-2009, 11:54 AMMany "allergies" are false alarms
By Jennifer Brown
The Denver Post
Posted: 02/03/2009 12:30:00 AM MST
Updated: 02/03/2009 12:36:40 AM MST
The list of foods that supposedly would trigger an allergic reaction in 18-month-old Alesha Virgin was long: dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy, rice, wheat, beans, beef, pork, watermelon, apples, bananas.
But it turns out, after her mother avoided them all for half a year, the toddler's allergies aren't nearly that extensive.
Doctors at National Jewish Health in Denver are discovering that up to two-thirds of allergies in children are misdiagnosed.
Blood tests for food antibodies and skin-pricking tests apparently aren't as reliable for diagnosing allergies as once thought, according to new research. National Jewish doctors, using a medically supervised allergy test called a "food challenge," have ruled out dozens of allergies diagnosed through blood tests.
"The best test of whether you are allergic to a food is whether you can eat it or not," said Dr. David Fleischer, a pediatric allergist at National Jewish. "There is a big misconception that there is more food allergy out there than there is."
The findings are significant given the rise in food-allergy diagnoses in children during the past decade. More children are on restricted diets, and families are paying for high-priced, hypoallergenic foods, perhaps unnecessarily.
From 1997 to 2007, reported food-allergy cases increased 18 percent among children under 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About four out of every 100 children have a diagnosed food allergy, according to a 2007 report from the National Center for Health Statistics.
The presence of antibodies for certain foods doesn't mean that person is allergic to the food and would have a physical reaction, Fleischer said.
Also, there is a lot of cross-reaction in diagnosing food allergies through antibodies if a person is allergic to milk, a blood test might also make it seem the person is allergic to chicken and turkey, for example, Fleischer said.
Diagnoses cut in half
In their research, National Jewish doctors found that food challenges cut down diagnoses of allergies by at least one-half and maybe up to two-thirds.
They studied 125 children from around the world who came to the hospital's two-week program. On average, each child had been told he or she was allergic to eight foods. After food challenges, the average number of food allergies dropped to three or four.
"Lots of foods are taken out of people's diets unnecessarily," Fleischer said. "It complicates families' lives and children's lives."
Fleischer cautioned that parents should never attempt a food challenge at home but should find a hospital that performs the test. A food challenge typically costs from $200 to $400 for each food.
Previous research has found that about 25 percent of people think they have a food allergy when in fact only about 8 percent do, he said.
Denver Post
I wonder how much is allergies to the actual food, or allergies to the stuff used to process food. Allergy tests would at least be able to tell if the kid is allergic to the food.
I knew kids who were allergic to cow's milk as little kids, and had to drink goat's milk. They pretty much grew out of the allergy by kindergarten.
You can de-sensitize a kid with minor allergies, and it probably is good for them. There's no de-sensitizing peanut or shellfish allergies, though.
|« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


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Leaving the Freedom Movement in the Lurch
For two weeks now, Egyptians have been demonstrating for democracy, freedom and civil rights. With admirable courage, they have put up with discomfort and danger and have put their lives and their health on the line. For two weeks now, an entire population of freedom fighters has taken to the streets and squares to demand democratic participation and justice.
The demonstrators have waited in vain for support from the West, from democracy's core countries, from Europe and the US. "Without us" is the message being sent out by Berlin, Rome, London and Paris.
One shouldn't aim for new elections too quickly, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told delegates at the Munich Security Conference, and she was backed up in this view by Washington. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi – not much of a supporter of democracy in his own country over the years – even spoke out in favour of keeping Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in office. For his part, French President Nicolas Sarkozy backed his foreign minister, a woman with private ties to the group surrounding ousted Tunisian President Ben Ali.
Europe's short memory
Truly, none of these are signals that one would wish Europe to be sending out 20 years after the victory of pro-democracy movements on its own soil. The way the western nations are reacting to the drive for freedom of the peoples in the Arab world is shameful. Instead of encouragement and support for the courageous protesters, there is nothing but admonishment, doubt and hesitation.
And that despite the fact that western politicians and journalists for years praised democracy as the only viable form of government. Again and again, they held the absence of democracy responsible for the economic inequality and the lack of progress in the Arab world and even for the standstill of the Middle East peace process.
Alone against their dictators
Former US President George Bush named as his favourite book a work by former Israeli minister Natan Sharansky. What characterises democracy, according to the author, is that citizens can go to the market place and shout out their dissatisfaction with the government. Lasting peace in the Middle East is only possible, he wrote, if the Arab countries have that kind of democracy.
In Cairo and Alexandria, Mansoura and Suez, people have for two weeks been crowding the cities' market places, shouting out their anger and frustration about the dictatorial Mubarak regime.
But the West is leaving the freedom movement in the lurch. It fears for the stability of the region, for the graveyard peace that can only be guaranteed by rulers of the ilk of Mubarak, Ben Ali, Bouteflika or King Abdullah.
It is equivalent to an admission of failure that Western governments lack clear words of support for the democracy movement in Egypt.
It is doubly shameful that Europe's citizens have also held back, that western capitals have seen no mass demonstrations, no shows of solidarity with the people in the Arab world – the people who are, after all, our neighbours.
Bettina Marx
© Deutsche Welle 2011
Editor: Aingeal Flanagan/Qantara.de
US Reaction to the Protests in Egypt
The Good Dictator
The United States' reaction to the ongoing protests in Egypt has been markedly different to its reaction to the popular protests in Iran 18 months ago. It also contrasts sharply with the vision of the world outlined by Obama in his speech in Cairo in June 2009. Joseph Mayton investigates why this is so
Arab Protest Movements and the West
The Spectre of the Muslim Brotherhood
Faced with popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Western politicians are having trouble ridding themselves of their black-and-white view of the Arab-Islamic world. Michael Lüders sends us this analysis
Interview with Saad Eddin Ibrahim
"Europe Should Work for the Promotion of Democracy"
Saad Eddin Ibrahim is an Egyptian-American sociologist and one of Egypt's leading human rights and democracy activists. He is severely critical of Hosni Mubarak's regime. Giancarlo Bosetti spoke to him about the prospects for democratic change in the Islamic world


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Better start shining those dancing shoes.
"Dancing With the Stars" officially announced the full cast of celebrities for its upcoming 22nd season on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday, and also revealed which professional dancer they'll be performing with when the show premieres on March 21.
Along with previously announced cast members Jodie Sweetin, "GMA's" own Ginger Zee and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Antonio Brown, viewers can expect to see "The O.C.'s" Mischa Barton, Geraldo Rivera, former Mrs. Donald Trump Marla Maples and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta's" Kim Fields compete for the mirroball trophy.
And bad news for fans hoping Derek Hough would make a surprise appearance to announce he's competing after announcing he was sitting season 22 out to star in "Singin' in the Rain" on Broadway: That didn't happen.
Here is the full list of the competing celebs and their professional partners:
Marla Maples, dancing with Tony Dovolani
Mischa Barton, dancing with Artem Chigvintsev
Antonio Brown, dancing with Sharna Burgess
Doug Flutie, dancing with Karina Smirnoff
Wanya Morris, dancing with Lindsay Arnold
Paige VanZant, dancing with Mark Ballas
Von Miller, dancing with Witney Carson
Geraldo Rivera, dancing with Edyta Sliwinska
Kim Fields, dancing with Sasha Farber
Ginger Zee, dancing with Val Chmerkovskiy
Jodie Sweetin, dancing with Keo Motsepe
Nyle DiMarco, dancing with Peta Murgatroyd
While head judge Len Goodman is returning to the judges' table after sitting season 21 out, Julianne Hough is taking a breather. Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli are both also set to return.
"DWTS" premieres Monday, March 21 on ABC.
PHOTOS: Meet the "DWTS" season 22 cast now
CLICK: "Dancing With the Stars": Meet The Latest NFL Superstar to Join Season 22


text:
Today marks the 78th anniversary of the death of Maria 'Mary' Fitzpatrick Ball, my maternal grandmother. Maria (pronounced Mariah) was born 22 June 1894 in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. She was the second born child, and the first born daughter, of Thomas Fitzpatrick and Maria Hynes Fitzpatrick. In 1921, Mary married Patrick Ball, for whom she bore eight children, one of whom died in 1928.
Mary Ball died seven months after her daughter — my own mother Mary — celebrated her 5th birthday, yet even into the 81st and last year of her life, my mom still had very clear memories of her mother, and of life in their home around the time of my grandmother's death. They were recollections of sight and sound, scent and feeling, instead of what we might consider actual memories, but they were with her until the day my mother died.
They say that women learn how to be mothers from their own mothers, but for my mother the lessons never took place, because she was only five and a half years old when her mother died. Mary Ball died of blood poisoning, the result of an infection of a cut on her face, a cut possibly made by her young baby John's tiny fingernails. Penicillin, which could have saved her, was invented in 1928, but was not widely available, so she never received it.
The image of the mark on her mother's face was emblazoned on my mother's brain. There was a look in Mom's eyes each time she talked about it, at exactly that moment, she was seeing the mark and remembering what followed from it. This loss had an impact so profound for my mom that I will never truly understand it. My mother described the mark in exactly the same way each time she mentioned it, and she gestured to show on her own face precisely where it was, followed always by the exhortation, 'God Bless the mark'. Mom would say, "A slender purple line, with blue and grey behind it, going from here to just there", and I would imagine the colours soft and smudged, like those in a Renoir pastel.
My mother's memories were the memories of a five year old child. She did not remember the neighbourhood women coming to the house to prepare the body, and lay her mother out in the bed Mary Ball had shared with her husband for sixteen years. Mom did not recollect precisely when the mirrors in the house were covered with black crepe, or when the death announcement appeared, rimmed in black paper, or the black arm bands each man wore on his sleeve. Intellectually, my mother knew each one of these rituals were a part of that day, but she did not remember them because her memories were the emotional memories of a child.
Mom recalled wearing a very pretty dress, but the colour of it was lost to her. Instead, what remained was the feeling of a stiff lace collar which felt slightly itchy against her skin. She and her sisters wore pristine white knee socks and their black hornpipe dress shoes. She recalled the stilled faces of the adults, and their hushed conversation. She recalled standing on tip-toes looking out the window with her sisters, Bernadette and Kathleen, each time the funeral cortege passed their house, as it ritually circled the block once, twice, three times. She recollected the muscular black horses, the steam emitting from their noses, the tall black plumes which crowned each one of their heads, the sound their hooves made as they struck the cobbled pavement. For my mother these moments were locked in time. Each and every time she recounted the story, she was once again that five year old little girl.
When Mary Ball died she was only 42 years old. At the time of her death, her youngest son John was less than a year old, and her youngest daughter Kathleen was only three and a half. Neither has any memory of her. Her eldest son Anthony was not yet fourteen.
On Christmas morning, perhaps there was a small parcel awaiting each child — a pencil box, or handkerchiefs, or a tiny baby doll — but these things were of no consequence to a little child. All that mattered on that morning was the absence of a beloved mother, a loss no sort of Christmas magic could restore.
There were no sprigs of holly hanging on the door at 69 Gordon Street in Ringsend, Dublin. Instead, wrapped round the iron door knocker was a length of black ribbon — its long tails blowing in the winter wind — telling all that death had visited the Ball family. For them, that year there was no Christmas.
(Some of this post first appeared in 2011).


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Sentry Management Inc.
About Us
Sentry Management's only business is the management of communities, homeowner associations and condominiums. Sentry supervises your community association maintenance and contracted services, enforce covenants and violations and prepare monthly reports to the status of each violation, and collect, budget and account for all funds. A community manager attends Board of Director Meetings and provides written follow-up. CommunityPro , Sentry's exclusive HOA administrative software, 24/7 access to real time Board financials, free community websites and 24 hour live answering service are a few of the standard services provided to all communities managed.
Sentry Management Services
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Company President, James W. Hart, Jr., founded the organization in 1975. Jim is a REALTOR, CERTIFIED PROPERTY MANAGER and is a past Chapter President of the Community Associations Institute (CAI). Sentry is accredited as an AMO (Accredited Management Organization) by the Institute of Real Estate Management, providing community associations an independent evaluation that Sentry has one of the highest operating and financial standards in the homeowner association management industry. As another testament to Sentry Management's integrity, always know there is no ownership of or affiliation with any HOA or condominium contractors or suppliers. Sentry does everything possible to assure your community always gets the lowest price and the best quality from vendors.
Sentry Management, Inc. is known for innovation, know-how and integrity.
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text:
Building an Internet Router
Although you are encouraged to discuss ideas with others, your programs are to be completed independently and must be your own, original work, or the work of you and your partners. Whenever you obtain significant outside help (from other students, the TAs, etc.) you should acknowledge this in your program write-up, e.g. "The idea for how to implement ARP decoding came from a discussion with Helen." You can never get in trouble for plagarism if the help is properly credited.
The final thing we need to mention is that the Computer Laboratory uses screening systems to compare student submissions. Such systems are very sophisticated and highly effective, and we use it to identify submissions that need to be scrutinized further by course staff. Using systems of this type is common practice at many universities, and it has proved to be an effective deterrent to improper collaboration.
Programming is something you learn by doing. If you copy someone else's work, you can expect the following:
- You will not learn what the assignment was meant to teach you.
- Your copied work will be brought to the attention of the relevant administration.
(This was blatantly plagiarised from the Stanford CS344 web page!)
The emphasis is on developing the required functionality and achieving interoperability with other's solutions. We will pay careful attention to your writeup of who contributed what in each team!
Weekly milestones: We will provide a feedback for each weekly submission. Feedback will be one of "Satisfactory", "Satisfactory plus", or "Unsatisfactory", together with a brief set of comments as appropriate. The purpose of the weekly milestones is to ensure that you remain on-track throughout the course.
Milestone delivery: If you are late for a milestone, then you lose 2 points per day, up to 3 days late. After that you receive zero for that milestone. Over the quarter each team has a total of 3 free late days that you can use however you want for any milestone - except the final 10-Jan-2010 deadline - without penalty.
Marks are awarded to an individual (I) or the team (T).
|This will be a subjective judgement by us based on aspects such as our interaction with you in regular meetings, your team's final write-up on who did what, and by watching the online discussions.
|Your router should interoperate correctly with the routers from all other teams. We will conduct an interoperability test session to verify interoperability. 6 points if your router interoperates in a topology of our choosing with several instantiations of our reference router. 2 additional points for each other team's router you interoperate with (under the same conditions), to a maximum of two teams (i.e. 4 points max). (This breakdown will change if there are a significant number of teams.)}
|The code deliverables.
|The documentation deliverables.
|10 (T) Bonus
|A presentation by each group covering the architecture of their design (hardware and software), the problems encountered, etc. Marks for clarity, technical material (don't tell us things we already know such as how NetFPGA works!) and for providing insights into the issues you encountered and how you overcame them (or didn't). Approximately 20 minutes per group.


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In the 1998 Zagat Survey Chicago Guide, of the 40 restaurants with the highest food ratings (based on popular opinion), 20 of them were French.
In the most recent Chicago Guide, fifteen years later, that list of 40 includes maybe five French restaurants.
I say "maybe" because Zagat lists suburban restaurants separately these days (Tallgrass and Michael Restaurant would make the top 40 if the lists were combined), and though Zagat considers Tru, Takashi and the since-shuttered Bonsoiree to be French restaurants, I do not.
The French-cuisine-in-decline trope has been going on for years, usually resurfacing whenever a long-loved French restaurant (Le Francais,...


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MCV got the chance to speak with Yosuke Hayashi about the future of fighting games, the franchise's portrayal of women and more.
How have things changed with this being the first Dead or Alive game without Tomonobu Itagaki at the helm?
When we finished Dead or Alive 4, the fighting game kind of split up and went off to do different projects. At the time, we didn't really see the future of Dead or Alive, and Itagaki didn't talk to us about any type of new or future directions for the series. Obviously, after Dead or Alive 4, he left.
So when we did start talking about DOA5, we decided we wanted to make the game both wider and deeper than it was, and set about making it a more technical experience than it currently was.
The online play, tournaments etc is the direction fighting games have been heading in. We wanted to make sure that we were creating a game experience which could be played through for quite a long time.
In saying that we wanted to make it wider, we wanted to ensure an accessibility and try to get new players interested in fighting games.
You've previously mentioned that DOA5 is more 'sophisticated' than previous iterations. Can you elaborate on this?
We've greatly accentuated the visual style. We really wanted the first look at our characters to first of all expand from the original designs, have them be re-touched and refined so that players kind of come back and be a little bit surprised in seeing the way the characters have evolved.
We really wanted to make the game look good in motion, and not shy away from adding a layer of filth and grit. We're making a game that looks like it could be a blockbuster movie, while being grounded in a fighting game.
Has anything about the production or marketing of Dead or Alive 5 been changed in any way after the recent furore surrounding representations of women in games, considering that the franchise is known for its oversexualised female characters?
With the representation of female characters in the Dead or Alive franchise, we've always wanted to make the girls look as attractive as possible, and that's something that's not going to change for us at all.
We are a Japanese developer, and we're making the female characters with our common sense and our creative sense. When you take that to countries outside of Japan, it tends to be very misinterpreted in some cases, people considering it sexist or derogatory etc.
For us, within our culture, we're showing women like that, and we're trying to make them look attractive. We can't help if other cultures in other countries around the globe think that it's a bad representation. Within our nationality and within our national borders, we obviously have morals that we create our female characters from, but within our Japanese sensibilities, we've made those characters the way they are and we're not going to stop doing that.
You said in an interview recently that fighting games (and games generally) have changed a lot in the seven years since DOA4 came out. Can you clarify what you see as having changed?
Firstly, online has become a big thing. If you look back, even after we finished Dead or Alive 4, around that time Call of Duty 2 didn't even have an online mode. Fighting games did actually have online modes, but the expansion of that online functionality was the biggest trend which happened.
The way games have changed is that in the past they were more like a hobby for you to sit down and just play, more like that. A single person having fun, I guess.
Right now, they've changed and now impact upon peoples' lifestyles, way more than before. In the communities themselves, and playing online with friends, you can now get online and play a lot more than you could in the past.
This is the first time the Dead or Alive series has embraced the idea of crossover characters from other franchises. Why now, and why Virtua Fighter?
In terms of our collaboration with Virtua Fighter, looking back at the series, when we made the very first Dead or Alive game, we borrowed the Sega Virtua Fighter arcade boards and actually made Dead or Alive on those. At the time, with Tecmo, they really wanted to surpass Virtua Fighter.
We always looked to Virtua Fighter as the forefather of 3D fighting games, and we always treated them with respect. We've been behind their series in terms of numbered titles and with DOA5 we've kind of caught up, so we really wanted to pay our respect.
We spoke to the team and said 'Wouldn't it be great if we could celebrate this occasion?', and we kind of decided that we didn't want to treat this as a business deal, but more as a celebration.
We consider the games almost like a family.
Is this a trend you think will continue in fighting games?
Even for us over in Japan, we've always had this culture of someone vs someone, even in our pro-wrestling scene. It's always been a big hit over here. In terms of fighting games, I think it's a fairly exciting prospect. It makes things more fun. It's an interesting concept and one that we hope keeps going.
Thank you for your time!
This interview was conducted as a video conference call via a translator.
To register for the MCV Pacific News Digest, head to the registration page:http://www.mcvpacific.com/user/index/register/journey/register


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October 4, 2012
Researchers at the University of Toronto investigated complications associated with the use of polyalkylimide filler in patients with HIV-related facial lipoatrophy or facial wasting -- a side effect of HIV treatment with certain drugs. The filler was manufactured under the name Bio-Alcamid and was widely used to treat a variety of aesthetic defects including facial lipoatrophy. The researchers were aware that patients presented with infections years after treatment. They retrospectively identified 267 patients who had been treated with polyalkylimide filler. Infection complications were documented in 56 patients. The median time from treatment to infection was 32 months, and the probability of developing an infection by 38 months after the first filler treatment was 25 percent. Risk factors for infection included the severity of facial lipoatrophy, a previous history of facial manipulation including polyalkylimide touch-up treatments, cosmetic surgery, facial trauma, and dental work. The researchers did not find any association between the development of infection and the level of immune suppression by HIV. They suggest antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered in patients with filler prior to dental work or facial manipulation.
The study titled, "HIV/AIDS: Infectious Complications of Bio-Alcamid Filler Used for HIV-Related Facial Lipoatrophy," was published prior to print by the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases [August 31, 2012 doi:10.1093/cid/cis745].
Adapted from:
Modern Medicine
10.03.2012; Heather Onorati
No comments have been made.
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WASHINGTON—A former campaign aide to District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray has been sentenced to 2 years of probation for lying to investigators about payments from the Gray campaign to another candidate.
Howard Brooks is one of three former Gray aides who pleaded guilty to crimes related to the 2010 campaign. Gray defeated incumbent Adrian Fenty in the Democratic primary and handily won the general election.
Brooks admitted he lied to the FBI about payments to Sulaimon Brown, a minor candidate who prosecutors say was paid to stay in the race and disparage Fenty.
Prosecutors said Brooks earned the sentence of probation by providing "substantial assistance" in their ongoing probe of corruption in city politics. Brooks apologized at his sentencing Wednesday afternoon, saying he embarrassed himself and his family.


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Message Board
Sally Mackenzie Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Mackenzie has written!
Author Mackenzie's Book Reviews
The Naked Marquis
Charles Draysmith has returned to Knightsdale as the new Marquis since the death of his brother and his wife two months earlier. He arrives to discover that his brother was very much an absentee lord whose left his two young daughter orphans and in the care of Charles himself. Emma Peterson is the local vicar's daughter and she has taken up residence in Knightsdale's castle to act as a governess for the two young girls until their regular gov...


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Editor's note: Tony Sauro, a former Record sports writer currently writing for the LENS section, was Pacific's sports information director when Tigers head men's basketball coach Bob Thomason was a senior guard under the late Dick Edwards. Sauro shares some of his memories about Thomason, the player.
Editor's note: Tony Sauro, a former Record sports writer currently writing for the LENS section, was Pacific's sports information director when Tigers head men's basketball coach Bob Thomason was a senior guard under the late Dick Edwards. Sauro shares some of his memories about Thomason, the player.
This is the first in a series of articles written by former and current Record sports staff who covered the Tigers during Thomason's 25 years at the helm. Thomason is retiring at the end of the season and will coach his final games at Spanos Center on Thursday and March 9.
Bob Thomason played the way he coaches.
He doesn't rip off his jacket and throw it in technical-foul outrage after questionable officiating calls. That was a hallmark of the late Dick Edwards, his mentor at Pacific.
However, Thomason - who has been known to stomp his feet in protest - exemplifies many of Edwards' coaching and competitive standards.
It's all about mastering the fundamentals - with the occasional emotional outburst.
Mostly, he was a poised pure shooter, drilling set shots from improbable distances with quick wrists and a full follow-through. Swish.
Never flashy or selfish, No. 14 was money at the free-throw line (83.7 percent during his career).
In his senior season, he made 85.5 percent of his 138 free throws on an NCAA playoff team (22-6) that revolved around future NBA center John Gianelli and led the nation with a 58.7 rebounding average.
Thomason made his long shots back when players still wore short-shorts.
Who knows how many more points he would have scored if he'd played in the era of 3-point shots and 35-second shot clocks?
"No, don't shoot! ... Hey, nice shot!" That was the kind of reaction Thomason often prompted.
He wasn't very quick or fast. He wasn't a big leaper. His slightly plodding style prompted plenty of friendly goofing.
But always workmanlike, Thomason relied on fundamentals and a fierce competitive spirit to offset that. He knew how the floor at Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium ("The Pit") dipped slightly in the northwest corner, baffling opposing shooters and defenders.
Thomason was a relentless, tough-minded defender, a disciplined ball-handler and a master of Edwards' scheme: A physical, tireless defense - shifting from man-to-man to zone and forcing turnovers - and rugged defensive rebounding that generated a fast-break offense (84.9 points a game in his senior season, when he averaged 17.2).
Thomason flourished in a "pound-the-ball-inside" offensive concept. If defenses concentrated on neutralizing that, he made them pay.
Thomason finished his three-year varsity career (1968-71) as a championship practitioner of a fundamental style of basketball he's coached at his alma mater since 1988.
Contact Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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When a girl is giving head she puts her hand around the base of the cock so a guy cannot test her gag reflex.
Kelly used the governor last night while blowing me.
by HomerT February 13, 2007
A term widely used to describe the following sexual ceremony: While engaging in sexual intercourse, preferably from behind, and as the money shot approaches, the male "doer" spits on his partners back. When he/she turns around in disgust, the "doer" ejaculates into one eye of his partner and firmly punches the other eye, exclaiming "you have been Governed!". The "doer", now also known as "the Governor", then parades his triumph and is later honoured, by his judicators, with a t-shirt declaiming "The Governor!"
by JB September 26, 2005


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During early April this year, thousands of quiet, sad memorials were held across Rwanda. Holy Week also fell in early April, but the passion that Rwanda re-enacted is uniquely its own. Ten years ago, on April 6, 1994, a raging genocide was unleashed that claimed over 800,000 Rwandan lives in 100 days. This densely populated and beautiful central African country was decimated and two million of its people displaced. The world was both shocked and paralyzed.
From 1993 to 2000, I was a frequent visitor to the Great Lakes region, as the central African countries are often called because of the 15 inland lakes there. Since early 1993 I had been on several missions to neighboring Burundi, because the agency I then directed, Jesuit Refugee Service (J.R.S.), had been invited to help displaced people and refugees to return home. With the outbreak of violence in Rwanda, we went to Bukavu, a city in Zaire (now Congo) near the southern shore of Lake Kivu (which forms the southwest border of Rwanda), to prepare for the possible arrival of refugees. The community at a large Jesuit school, Alfajiri College, agreed to assist, although none of us could have imagined the deluge of humanity that would soon wash over this remote corner of the country.
Once the fury of the conflict ebbed, I made my way to Rwanda's nearly deserted capital, Kigali. At our Jesuit retreat house, Centre Christus, I found the blood-stained room where just a few months before, on April 7, the first day of the killings, a group of people had been assassinated. Among them were three Jesuits, Innocent Rutagambwa, Chrysologue Mahame and Patrick Gahizi. Patrick was the superior of the Jesuits in Rwanda and the director of the local J.R.S. program, helping refugees who had fled Burundi after the assassination of its president the previous October. I picked up a spent bullet cartridge that I still keep as a relic, along with others I have saved from Liberia and Bosnia.
Whenever I chance upon these relics, I search for some meaning to these events. What really happened? Why did it happen? How could the international community be so quick to respond to the humanitarian tragedy, yet so impotent to intervene in order to prevent it? How can the Rwandan people mourn their losses, find a realistic sense of justice and be reconciled and united as a people?
What happened? It was portrayed by many in the media as an ethnic conflict, as if that truth was also an answer or an explanation. On April 6, 1994, the plane carrying Rwanda's president, Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down as it landed in Kigali. The president, a member of the majority Hutu ethnic group, had been preparing, under intense international pressure, to sign into law the Arusha Agreement, which would allow a more democratic process in the country despite the risk of losing his own 20-year grip on power. Immediately the Rwandan Armed Forces and Hutu militia (the interahamwe) set up roadblocks and went from house to house, killing moderate Hutu politicians and Tutsi. The following day 10 Belgian soldiers with Unamir (the U.N. peacekeeping forces), assigned to guard the moderate Hutu prime minister, were killed along with the prime minister herself. In these attacks, which precipitated the genocide, extremist Hutu groups first targeted moderate Hutu individuals and any other moderate figures, without regard to ethnicity.
Prying open the layers of Rwandan society, one can find factors that help us at least to begin to understand. The withdrawal of colonial power after Rwanda became independent from Belgium in 1962 appeared to accentuate ethnic divisions, which were often manipulated through media propaganda, inequity in employment practice and discrimination in government-run education policies. Exclusively ethnic conceptualizations of what it meant to be Rwandan were also promoted.
Rwanda's population, some 3 million in the 1960's, had risen to around 7.5 million in 1994, and its density was among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. The new experience of nationalism in Africa made borders rigid and rendered impossible the nomadic way of life of previous centuries. By the mid-1980's, the traditional family farming plots had been divided up as much as possible, leaving many second, third and fourth sons with no income and with no future. At around this time, the international market for Rwanda's principal commodity, coffee, lost half its value. Another difficulty was the growing scourge of H.I.V./AIDS, which left many young people without the care and direction of their parents.
After Rwanda gained independence, the Belgians intensified their aid to education for the Hutu population. As a result, many boys and a high proportion of girls (by African standards) had the opportunity for secondary school education. So there was a significant population of young people whose hopes and expectations had been raised by their schooling, but who were by this point uprooted and left landless, jobless and futureless. Rwanda was like a dry forest after a long drought, lacking only the spark to create an inferno. The struggle for power and the attendant fear provided that spark. Individuals with political aspirations exploited the discontented mass of young people, using radio broadcasts to send them to the Rwandan hills with a poisoned message of ethnic hatred. Ethnic hostility, intensified by poverty, was exploited by individuals for corrupt reasons, allowing the conflict to escalate steadily until the planned and speedily implemented genocide of 1994.
Could the international community have done something to stop the genocide in Rwanda? Alerted by the warnings of nongovernmental organizations (like my own J.R.S.) that were present in the country, could not powerful nations have done something? General Roméo Dallaire, the Canadian chief commander of Unamir (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda) from 1993 to 1994, tried in vain to persuade his superiors (Kofi Annan was then head of peacekeeping at the United Nations) to send more troops. (General Dallaire left Rwanda in 1994 with post-traumatic-stress disorder and recently published his autobiography, Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, which gives a first hand account of the genocide.) The reluctance of the United States concerning humanitarian intervention, shaped by its humiliating "Black Hawk Down" incident in Somalia, influenced other powers in their vacillation and tragic inaction.
What can be done now? The Rwandan people have put enormous energy into reconciliation and into rebuilding and overcoming the country's debilitating history. Last year the people cast their votes peacefully, approving a new constitution that outlaws incitement to ethnic hatred. Steps are being taken to achieve a sense of national unity and a more inclusive, ethnically heterogeneous national identity. Both structures and rhetoric are intended to hold the people together as one nation. Despite their pride in these efforts, there is still grief. Of course, people cannot forget what has happened.
Creative attempts to seek justice have been made in Rwanda. Because of the immense number of people accused of involvement in the genocide, and because of the limited number of people competent to implement the proposed justice system, many of the accused were still awaiting trial years after 1994. So a village justice system, called gacaca, was set up to help all Rwandans acknowledge the truth. Last year 40,000 people were released under the gacaca system. But not only are the prisoners released, so too are the survivors, who risk becoming prisoners of the past. It has been important to find a system of justice that will not be so heavy that the whole society is unable to carry its burden.
Rwanda's experience is in some ways unique, but it carries echoes of other stories of survival after crisis. In my 20 years with the Jesuit Refugee Service I came into contact with survivors in many countries, including East Timor, El Salvador, Guatemala, Cambodia, Angola and Bosnia. Those who have experienced such brutal atrocities have found a range of emotional and psychological survival tactics. While some survivors choose to forget, others were clear that only by remembering could they be helped to recover. Most wanted to know the reasons and to learn every detail about what had happened and who was responsible for the disappearance or death of their husbands, mothers, siblings, friends and colleagues. They wanted to bring those responsible to justice and so be able to begin to put the past behind them. They said, "We don't seek revenge but justice, and the perpetrators have to be held responsible for their acts." They want reconciliation, but reconciliation with justice. They do not want past events to recur.
One cannot come to justice until the truth comes out. One cannot come to reconciliation if justice is bypassed. In El Salvador I learned that there is a natural progression from truth to justice to reconciliation. Then in Rwanda we learned that one cannot begin to inquire into the truth of what happened until the mourning is finished. And mourning does not end until the bodies are properly buried and the spirits of the dead are able to rest in peace. As the time for mourning passes, the possibility grows, in the calm that follows, to learn what really happened. Judgments can then be made on the basis of the facts, establishing the truth as far as that can be done and making possibile decisions about reconciliation. Yet while the truth must come out, there is a risk that by continually repeating the stories, sentiments will only harden.
The immense heaviness of the Rwandan story was from the beginning lightened for me by the qualities of many people whom I met, both in Rwanda and in the refugee camps. I witnessed great kindness and repeated acts of courage. Hundreds of families took in orphaned children, as the most natural and most African thing to do. Tutsi widows helped their Hutu neighbors prepare food to bring to the men in prison, who may have killed their husbands. In his book, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families, Philip Gourevitch tells the stories of two groups of school girls in Kibuye and Gisenyi, who during an attack on their schools were roused from their sleep and ordered to separate themselves into groups—Hutu and Tutsi. The girls refused, saying they were simply Rwandans, so they were beaten and shot indiscriminately. Gourevitch concludes, "Mightn't we all take some courage from the example of those brave Hutu girls, who could have chosen to live but chose instead to call themselves Rwandans?"
Should we hold memorials, or should we try to forget? No one can tell a grieving widow to forget the love of her life or the child of her flesh. Ten years is a short time for mourning and recovery from such an immense national tragedy, and memory is important. But alongside the tragedy, it is important for the Rwandan people to remember the heroism shown by those girls. And it is important for Rwanda's international friends to know that side of the story too. Rwanda remains poor; the extreme pressure for land remains. The Rwandan people deserve our prayers certainly, but also our solidarity in looking to the root causes of the injustices they have suffered and of their grief.
Thanks too for "Rwanda Ten Years Later" (4/19) and your editorial urging "the need for the American public to be better informed about African politics." The U.S. bishops argued for such self-education and involvement in public policy in their November 2001 "A Call to Solidarity with Africa." Unfortunately, very few American Catholics, even professionals in ministry, seem to have heard of this. A student in our Jesuit school in Bukavu, Congo, recently asked me, "Why do your people know so little about us, when we know so much about America?"
To counterbalance the usual bad news, your authors also highlight the hopeful "antidotes"—so many beautiful, faith-filled people here who struggle daily to combat the heavy forces against them (including, too often, some from the "civilized" world). I long for the day when Africa begins to get the good attention that so many Americans gave to Latin America in the 1980's. Africa also has heroic witnesses to the faith, even martyrs worthy of canonization. At a recent Mass in Rwanda, I heard the large, mostly young adult congregation singing, "You are at the center of our lives; you are alive." Immediately after the genocide in 1994, the Africa bishops proclaimed, "The Risen Christ Is Our Hope."
The U.S. bishops remind us of the power of prayer but go on to advocate more diocesan/parish twinning (including Catholic schools and retreat houses). For those to whom it applies, they call for more corporate responsibility and responsible investment. Could my company/investment somehow be making things even worse for those who are already poor? What about my country?
Finally, I have come to learn that there is no better means to solidarity than personal contact, trying to get to know some Africans in the United States or, even better, somewhere here.
We in the United States live in a very violent country, but I cannot imagine that we would kill our neighbors just because we were told to do so. We are not trained in obedience, and no one will excuse any bad behavior just because we "were only following orders." I often think that obedience has been too often overstressed. But we need to teach everyone and learn ourselves that no act of obedience can turn a bad behavior into a good one. It is frightening to think of all the evil perpetrated in the name of obedience throughout the centuries. Maybe our rebelliousness is not so bad after all.
The oldest of these, Chrysologue Mahame, the very first Rwandan Jesuit, was a classmate of mine in theology at College Saint-Albert, Louvain, Belgium. We were ordained together in 1961. In our final year, when we both took a seminar to prepare a licentiate paper, Chris chose as his topic St. Augustine's treatise on the Trinity. I think of him, pray to him now as an authentic martyr, one who has witnessed to the Trinity, that holy and divine community.