Restivo Op-ed Publishes in Salon

Jan 29, 2019

Solitary confinement is dangerous for juveniles. It causes severe psychological harm and impedes reintegration into society, writes Emily Restivo, Ph.D., associate professor of behavioral sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, in a Salon op-ed. “It's time to put convicted teenagers in correctional facilities with people their own age, and prohibit solitary confinement for those under the age of 18,” she notes.

Solitary confinement does nothing to rehabilitate young offenders. “We need to ensure children tried and convicted as adults are placed in juvenile facilities. Once there, they should be given opportunities to socialize with other kids and receive the support services they need to one day become productive, law-abiding adults,” she adds.

 

Kim on The Academic Minute: Inclusive Architecture at DMZ Border Can Improve Inter-Korea Relations

Jan 29, 2019

During NYIT Week on The Academic Minute, School of Architecture and Design’s Dongsei Kim examines architecture’s impact on nation-state borders, and how lines drawn at different scales can be inclusive. Kim notes that by deconstructing the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) through architectural methods, architects and designers can challenge long-held assumptions and preconceived views to better understand the “other” beyond the border.

“My research examines the nature of spatial borders that define us versus them, so that architects can visualize spatial conditions of borders like the DMZ and remap them to envision new alternative futures,” he says.

 

Treister Explains How Hospitals Can Avert The Cost of Uncompensated Care on The Academic Minute

Jan 28, 2019

For NYIT Week on The Academic Minute, School of Health Professions’ Pamela Treister discusses her research on the fiscal state of healthcare. Since the 1986 passage of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, ER staff is required to treat all patients, whether or not they have insurance. As Treister explains, this has resulted in an increased volume of uncompensated care, which has caused many healthcare facilities to close and nearby centers to become overcrowded.

To ease this fiscal burden, Treister advocates for preventative treatments among undocumented immigrants, many of whom rely on Emergency Medicaid, and improved understanding of Health Savings Accounts among high-deductible insurance holders.

“Emergency Medicaid costs the nation about $2 billion each year, and one premature birth resulting from lack of prenatal care can cost the same as a dozen healthy births,” says Treister. “Primary and preventative care can avoid exacerbation of symptoms, costly ER visits, and public health crises. Reallocating federal funds to prevent and manage chronic health conditions for undocumented immigrants could greatly reduce uncompensated care.”

 

Anid Comments on High Demand for Tech Graduates in Newsday

Jan 25, 2019

In the Newsday article, “Tech Talent Shortage Squeezing Long Island Businesses,” Nada Anid, Ph.D., vice president for strategic communications and external affairs, discusses how Amazon's arrival will create an even higher demand for tech graduates. Currently, hundreds of jobs are going unfilled, and experts say the hiring problem may get worse under Amazon's plan for Queens. With the increased competition from New York City employers, Long Island firms will likely be forced to increase salaries, says Anid, who also notes an upside for smaller or medium-sized companies.

“What I see happening is an influx of companies into Long Island because of its proximity to Queens and New York City," she says. "It’s going to be this whole solar system that revolves around Amazon.”

 

Happel Shares Pespective on Physician Performance and Diabetes Guidelines in Healio

Jan 24, 2019

Comments from diabetes expert Patricia Happel, D.O., associate professor of family medicine, NYITCOM, and associate medical director, NYIT Academic Health Care Center, have been featured in the medical news outlet Healio. Happel shares her perspective on research claiming there is a “substantial gap” in primary care physician (PCP) adherence to the American Diabetes Association’s guidelines for monitoring diabetes. She notes several factors that may have affected this study, including whether patients were seen by endocrinologists, rather than PCPs, for their diabetes management. She also poses solutions to track diabetes testing, and cites NYIT Academic Health Care Center’s own success in this area.

“If a patient with diabetes has his or her condition managed by an endocrinologist, then the PCP may not be responsible for ordering the HbA1c and/or lipid panel. Many patients with type 1 diabetes, as well as type 2 diabetes, with difficulty managing blood sugar levels may rely on their endocrinologist to order and manage their testing,” says Happel.

 

CBS Features Center for Sports Medicine Concussion Research

Jan 21, 2019

In a segment that aired nationally on CBSN and locally on several network affiliates, such as New York’s WCBS, NYIT Center for Sports Medicine’s Hallie Zwibel, D.O., discusses his team’s findings that children experience concussion symptoms longer than adults. In addition to the length of symptoms in children, the study also found that strict rest, traditionally prescribed to concussion patients of all age groups, may not be as beneficial as previously believed.

“We found that more than 48 hours of strict rest actually has negative consequences. So getting children, adolescents, adults back in their activities–school, work–is actually producing better outcomes,” said Zwibel.

 

Haar Echoes the Benefits of Fiber in Healthline

Jan 18, 2019

Comments from nutrition expert Mindy Haar, Ph.D., have been featured in a Healthline article on daily fiber intake. In the story, Haar agrees with a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and New Zealand researchers, which recommends consuming between 25g and 29g of fiber per day.

“In the past few years, increasing attention has been on the microbiome, the intestinal flora,” Haar told Healthline. “Fiber acts as a prebiotic, boosting the proliferation of probiotics in the intestine. There are many kinds of probiotics that promote good health, so consuming a variety of high-fiber foods optimizes the gut environment.”

 

Foley eSports Op-ed Publishes in VentureBeat

Jan 17, 2019

In an op-ed in VentureBeat, NYIT President Hank Foley highlights new research showing that gaming improves cognitive and social skills and is a growing industry with big business potential. “Colleges can play a role in preparing students for this burgeoning industry by investing resources in video gaming and related academic programs,” he writes.

Video games also improve "computational thinking," an advanced problem-solving approach that is becoming increasingly crucial in the professional world.

Foley also notes that many universities are setting up eSports teams, including NYIT, and while only a few students will become professional gamers, many could work in the wider eSports industry, as long as schools equip them for success. eSports careers abound in the medical field, too, he adds, citing the Center for eSports Medicine at NYIT.

 

Molnar Shares Perspective on Peer Anatomy Research in Multiple U.S. Outlets

Jan 16, 2019

As seen in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and PBS News Hour, Julia Molnar, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy at NYITCOM, recently commented on reptile evolution research from Humboldt University. The study used a robot to theorize how the prehistoric lizard Orobates pabsti walked, and could help scientists to better understand how our distant ancestors came to live on land. Molnar, who uses 3-D models of fossils and living animals in her own anatomy research, attests to the study’s potential to improve this understanding. In PBS News Hour she states:

“There are a relatively small number of fossils that are equally related to humans, birds, dinosaurs, and lizards. Whatever you can learn about [Orobates] is going to affect how you can understand all these different animals.”

 

Cohn Describes Research Into Gift Outcomes

Jan 16, 2019

Deborah Y. Cohn, Ph.D., who studies consumer behavior, published an article in The Conversation today describing her research into the question, “What do people do with their unwanted gifts?”

“The problem doesn’t end when you’ve awkwardly thanked someone and thrown away the wrapping paper,” says Cohn, a marketing professor in the School of Management. “Based on my research, I have come to understand the price paid by the people who get unwelcome gifts.” She continues by explaining people's options, which depend on their thinking about the meaning of gifts.