NYITCOM-Arkansas Researcher Shares Insight on New COVID-19 Variant

Sep 22, 2022

As seen in Fortune, Salon, and other news outlets, Raj Rajnarayanan, Ph.D., assistant dean of research and associate professor at NYITCOM-Arkansas, shared insight regarding the new omicron variant BA.2.75.2. While the existing omicron variant BA.2.75, dubbed “Centaurus,” was initially expected to be the main COVID-19 variant to wreak havoc in late 2022, Rajnarayanan, who created and maintains a number of COVID-19 data dashboards, explains that the new variant BA.2.75.2, an offspring of Centaurus, is now the one to watch. The spike protein on BA.2.75.2 binds to human cells tightly—better than any other variant so far—making it more difficult for antibodies to attack, Rajnarayanan says.

 

Esports Medicine Experts Featured on Radio Show

Sep 18, 2022

The nationally syndicated program Radio Health Journal featured an interview with the Center for Esports Medicine's Joanne Donoghue, Ph.D., associate professor and director of clinical research at NYITCOM, and Mark Gugliotti, Ph.D., associate professor of physical therapy, regarding esports injury prevention. The experts discussed physical and ergonomic strategies for competitive gamers to best prevent career-ending injuries, including how to avoid back and neck injuries due to poor posture, repetitive overuse strains, and developing the risk for deep vein thrombosis, which is known to be caused by long-term sedentary behavior. The segment also featured an interview with NYITCOM student Matthew Pinto, who competes as a member of New York Tech's esports team, the CyBears.

 

INSIDER Features Conditioning Tips from Exercise Science Expert

Sep 15, 2022

Insight and advice from Alex Rothstein, M.S., instructor and coordinator for the Exercise Science, B.S. program, is featured prominently in an INSIDER article about underrated ab exercises. Rather than advising readers to perform abdominal crunches, Rothstein recommends focusing on exercises that represent anti-extension (planks), anti-flexion (deadlift), and anti-rotation (Pallof press).

“A common belief in strength training is that performing a motion that uses the main muscle is the best way to train it,” he says. “But when training abs, the main function of the muscle is to prevent motion, [so] anti-movement exercises tend to provide the greatest benefit.”

 

InnovateLI Features Mini-Research Grant Award Expansion

Sep 14, 2022

New York Tech’s mini-research grant award (MRGA) program is expanding to focus on attracting girls to STEM studies, according to an article in InnovateLI. The MRGA program awards $300 research grants to high school students in an effort to build the pipeline for students to pursue STEM fields. “We are optimistic about welcoming more girls into the program, thanks to our high school partners and our generous funders,” said Niharika Nath, Ph.D., professor of biological and chemical sciences and founder of the MRGA program. The expanded program has received commitments from Brentwood and Uniondale high schools, as well as from Harlem Village Academies.

 

Live Science Taps Hoffmann's Expertise for Mammal Evolution Story

Sep 13, 2022

In an interview with Live Science, NYITCOM Associate Professor of Anatomy Simone Hoffmann, Ph.D., debunked a new study suggesting that an eight-inch-long prehistoric animal called Brasilodon quadrangularis was a mammal because it grew two sets of teeth over its lifetime as most mammals, including today’s humans, do. While the study’s authors claim that B. quadrangularis is now the earliest mammal known to science, Hoffmann notes that the creature was not a mammal and that it, instead, belongs further back on the evolutionary tree despite its mammal-like dentition.

 

NYITCOM Expert Quoted in the New York Times

Sep 12, 2022

As seen in the New York Times, Melissa Ventimiglia, D.O., assistant professor of family medicine, explains how popular Tik Tok health trends like gua sha and brushing may encourage lymphatic drainage. “Massaging your lymph can help restimulate its flow and prevent a feeling of bodily congestion,” she says, noting that this is especially the case after sleeping or sitting for long periods of time. She also adds that “since lymphatic vessels have one-way valves, the whole network can only circulate in one direction.” Given this, she advises massaging in the same direction as existing lymph flow in order to maximize benefits.

 

Local Media Highlights Best Colleges Rankings

Sep 12, 2022

Newsday featured several local colleges and universities in its coverage of the latest US News & World Report rankings, including New York Tech’s 2022-2023 position at No. 22 among regional universities in the north. The Island 360 detailed New York Tech’s ranking in various categories, including social mobility, campus ethnic diversity, and undergraduate engineering programs.     

 

Sotiropoulos Interviewed for Observer Metaverse Story

Sep 08, 2022

Observer interviewed consumer behavior expert Veneta Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., associate professor of management and marketing studies, regarding whether avatars of real-life fashion models will soon help marketers sell their fashion in the metaverse. She notes that, in a theoretical metaverse-dominated future, traditional advertising mediums like magazines and billboards will still exist, but they will serve to direct attention to the metaverse rather than to tangible products and brick-and-mortar stores.

“The consumer went from the in-person experience to the online experience and will eventually gravitate to the metaverse experience,” Sotiropoulos explains.

 

Jarkon Responds to State Bill Calling for K-12 Mental Health Days

Sep 06, 2022

As seen on News 12 Long Island, Bronx, Westchester, Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, and Connecticut, psychiatrist Liat Jarkon, D.O., director of the Center for Behavioral Health, responded to a New York State bill that calls for K-12 schools to accept mental health days as a valid absence. Jarkon notes that if the bill passes, there must be a system of checks and balances put in place to ensure that mental health days are not abused, including parameters between students, parents, and schools.

 

Paleontology Expert Interviewed for Dinosaur Evolution Story

Aug 29, 2022

As seen in Defector, evolutionary biologist Aki Watanabe, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy, rebutted new findings that claim T.rex fossils represent multiple species of dinosaur, and that the T.rex should, therefore, be split into multiple species.

“Almost half of the T. rex specimens they used in the original paper are owned privately or commercially,” says Watanabe, who was not involved with the study. As he notes, relying on so many privately owned fossils, which are not guaranteed to be accessible to all scientists, is generally “frowned upon in the dinosaur or paleontology community,” as this practice goes against one of the fundamental aspects of science: that all studies should be replicable.