November 30, 2009

Distance runners who live at high altitudes with low oxygen levels are known to improve their performance during races in areas that are at sea level. Can heart failure patients, who suffer from fatigue, improve their exercise performance by staying in a tent-like, high-altitude simulator? That is the question being studied among 15 heart failure patients at Montefiore Medical Center. "The goal of the FDA-approved study is to see if high altitude simulation is safe and feasible for heart failure patients. And, more specifically, will low-oxygen exposure improve their skeletal muscle function, cardiac function and exercise capacity," said Simon Maybaum, MD, medical director of the Montefiore-Einstein Center for Advanced Cardiac Therapy. "It seems counterintuitive to put heart failure patients in a low-oxygen tent to improve their performance," said Dr. Maybaum. "But, we know that athletes, as they acclimate to an oxygen-low environment, benefit physiologically. In just a few weeks, they show improvement in the oxygen carrying capacity of their blood, in tissue oxygenation and in physical performance. We want to see if similar physiological changes would be beneficial to heart failure patients," he said. Full release.

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and THOMAS E. PEREZ, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, announced today that a long-term federal investigation has found that conditions at the Westchester County Jail systematically violate the constitutional rights of inmates. Key findings of the investigation conclude that the jail has failed to adequately protect inmates from physical harm caused by excessive force used by staff; and failed to provide adequate medical and mental health care, particularly with respect to juveniles housed in the jail's punitive segregation unit, all resulting in unconstitutional living conditions. The comprehensive findings are contained in a 42-page letter (the "Findings Letter"), which was delivered on November 19, 2009, to Westchester County Executive ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Commissioner of Correction JOSEPH K. SPANO, and Westchester County Attorney CHARLENE M. INDELICATO, and made public today. Full release.

TheBody (www.thebody.com), the #1 HIV/AIDS resource online, today launched My Health Tracker, an online and mobile tool offering HIV/AIDS-infected patients the ability to save, track and analyze their medical data. The tool, created with sponsorship from Merck, is available at www.thebody.com/tracker and is able to be updated through text messaging. "We are proud to officially launch My Health Tracker to help those coping with HIV/AIDS better manage this life-changing condition," said Christopher M. Schroeder, CEO of HealthCentral, TheBody.com's parent company. "Tracking lab results and medication is a critical component to good HIV management. This tool empowers patients to take control of their health, creating the ideal patient-doctor relationship: a partnership, not one-way communication." With already more than 2,000 registrants, the feature-packed My Health Tracker is a user-friendly tool for HIV-infected patients. Using the tool, people with HIV can actively track various aspects of their health securely and anonymously. They can also keep a log of their medication history, observe how their lab results change over time and keep a detailed journal. A unique feature is the ability to use a cell phone to update lab results critical to HIV-infected patients - CD4 counts and viral loads - or to add a new journal entry via text message. Full release.

Having reviewed preliminary findings regarding a breach of security at the White House State Dinner last Tuesday, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, announced his intention to hold a Full Committee Hearing on the matter this Thursday, December 3, at 10 a.m. in room 311 of the Cannon House Office Building. Thursday's hearing will focus on the breakdown in security arrangements on the evening of Tuesday, November 24, deficiencies in security planning leading up to the State Dinner, actions taken to correct the vulnerabilities and identify any violations of Secret Service policy or management failures at the agency. The Committee plans to invite testimony from Mr. and Mrs. Salahi, who managed to attend portions of the State Dinner without proper White House and Secret Service clearance, and Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan, who is responsible for the safety of Secret Service protectees and the plans his agency develops and implements to secure them. "This is a time for answers, recognition of security deficiencies past and present, and remedies to ensure the strength of the Secret Service and the safety of those under its protection," said Chairman Thompson. "This is not the time for political games or scapegoating to distract our attention from the careful oversight we must apply to the Secret Service and its mission," Chairman Thompson cautioned. "My confidence in the management of the Secret Service hangs in the balance." Full release.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of an updated version of its popular Employment Law Guide, an online publication that describes the major employment laws administered by the department. The Guide helps the public -- workers and employers -- understand many of the laws affecting the workplace. For instance, it helps small businesses develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies. It also benefits employees and employee representatives who need information about worker rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws. "Fair and safe practices in the workplace are a top priority for the Department of Labor, and we want to make it simple for both employers and workers to understand the federal policies that protect them," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Our new Employment Law Guide provides updated and user-friendly information and guidance. We encourage everyone to use it." Full release.

Army Col. Mike Bird is about to move a mountain. And he won't be doing it alone. Bird, the commander of Defense Logistics Agency -- Central Command will have help from members of his own team, a DLA support team and participants from several agency primary-level field activities. But that doesn't make the task of helping the military services draw down a mountain of equipment and supplies accumulated during six years of operations in Iraq any less daunting. As the Department of Defense's combat logistics support agency, DLA is responsible for providing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. These services include procuring and distributing nearly five million separate line items such as rations, medical supplies and equipment, clothing and textiles, repair parts for land, sea and air weapons systems and platforms, fuel and energy services. DLA is also responsible for reutilizing and disposing excess property received from the military services, to include disposing of hazardous waste and material. Full release.

Simultaneous studies, released this week by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), document the true costs of illegal immigration in Maryland and demonstrate strong voter objections to the burdens placed on them by illegal immigration. The price tag associated with providing education, health care and incarceration of criminal illegal aliens is at least $1.3 billion a year, finds The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders. The impact is clearly recognized by Maryland voters. A new Pulse Opinion Research poll of 1,000 likely voters across the state found that, by a large margin, Marylanders believe that illegal immigration is harming their state. The cost study is based on an estimate that the illegal alien population in Maryland is now 250,000 persons. The illegal alien population of Maryland has grown exponentially during this decade, nearly quadrupling since 2000. In a separate report English Learners and Immigration: A Case Study in Prince George's County, Maryland, FAIR examines the impact of mass immigration in local schools in Prince George's County. Because of large-scale legal and illegal immigration, the county has seen its non-English proficient student population grow from 7,064 in 2004 to 13,825 today. Programs to teach immigrant students English cost the county more than $66 million a year. Full release.

In response to the high-risk road travel holiday season and the record number of families traveling by car, a coalition of national and state medical, safety and business representatives gathered today at Christiana Hospital to encourage safe driving and urge lawmakers to pass strong traffic safety laws. Each year nearly 40,000 people die and two million more are injured in highway crashes in the U.S. The December holiday season typically sees a higher incidence of traffic crashes, deaths and injuries. Most at risk are novice teen drivers for whom highway crashes are the leading cause of death and disabling injury nationwide. Each year more than 6400 die in crashes involving a teen driver. Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE) spoke about legislation he is co-sponsoring, the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act (H.R. 1895), which sets minimum standards for state graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws. Research shows that comprehensive GDL laws dramatically reduce deaths and injuries among young beginning drivers and those who share the road with them. Full release.

As individuals, communities and organizations across the globe get ready to mark World AIDS Day 2009, ONE is launching "Coming Together as ONE" -- a new PSA campaign designed to mobilize young people to get involved in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease. The public service announcements, which debut online today and will first appear on TV during the Dec. 2 episode of Gossip Girl on The CW, feature young stars from some of the hottest entertainment properties. The spots were created by filmmaker Jesse Dylan who is known for a variety of films, music videos and the Emmy Award-winning "Yes We Can" Barack Obama campaign video collaboration with will.i.am. The PSAs feature actors and actresses Leighton Meester, Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl; Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed and Jackson Rathbone from Twilight; Hayden Panettiere from Heroes; Corbin Bleu from High School Musical; Tristan Wilds from 90210; John Cho from StarTrek and Brandon T. Jackson from Tropic Thunder. Full release.

On Friday, November 27, 2009, Disbar Torture Lawyers, www.disbartorturelawyers.com, a group of NGOs representing over a million members, filed complaints with the Washington, D.C. Board of Professional Responsibility requesting disbarment of Bush Administration attorneys John Yoo, Michael Haynes, and Alberto Gonzales. The detailed complaints and supporting documents set forth the illegal and unethical conduct of the attorneys with regard to the issue of torture against detainees held by the United States. All of the legal advice and written opinions of the three attorneys have been rejected and rescinded by the Department of Justice. The three complaints were filed in the District of Columbia because the attorneys were practicing in Washington at the time of their illegal conduct. Jurisdiction for the filings is based on the McDade Amendment, 28 U.S.C. Section 530B, which states in relevant part, "(a) An attorney for the Government shall be subject to State laws and rules, and local Federal court rules, governing attorneys in each State where such attorney engages in that attorney's duties, to the same extent and in the same manner as other attorneys in that State." Full release.

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