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Page Five Dr. Caroline McCagg Co-Authors Number-Two Science Story A letter published in the journal Nature, titled, “Behavioural improvements with thalamic stimulation after severe traumatic brain injury,” was selected as number-two in Discover magazine’s Top 100 Science Stories of 2007. The article discussed the use of deep brain stimulation to elicit responsiveness in a patient who had been in a minimally conscious state for six years following an accident. The co-authors included several members of the RWJMS clinical faculty, including Caroline O. McCagg, MD, clinical associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and director, JFK Johnson Center for Head Injury. Joseph T. Giacino, PhD, assistant clinical professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, was a co-author of the article. Cell Stem Cell Publishes Findings of Dr. Yufang Shi:
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Dr. John Kostis Advocates for Treating Hypertension in Very Old Persons An editorial slated to appear in the May 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, states that it is never too late — or too early — to start drug treatment of hypertension. The author is John B. Kostis, MD, the John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, professor of medicine and chair, Department of Medicine, and chief of medical service at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
The 3,845-patient study group ranged in age from 80 to 105 years old, constituting the largest clinical trial ever to look at the effects of lowering blood pressure solely in those aged 80 and over. “Although there is overwhelming evidence that favors antihypertensive drug therapy in younger age groups, HYVET focused specifically on very old persons who are often not included in clinical trials,” adds Dr. Kostis. For Elderly, Conservative Management Can Be a Viable Option in Early-Stage Prostate Cancer
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Yufang Shi, PhD, professor of molecular genetics, microbiology and immunology, was lead investigator in a study that demonstrates that mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow can become potently immunosuppressive through concerted action of chemokines and nitric oxide.
Dr. Kostis noted that the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET), the results of which were recently presented at the American College of Cardiology Conference, “proves the benefit of treating hypertension in people over 80 and provides clear direction for physicians and writers of management guidelines.” 
A new study led by Grace Lu-Yao, PhD, MPH, associate professor of environmental and occupational medicine, shows that conservative management can help preserve the quality of life for older men diagnosed with Stage I or Stage II prostate cancer. The study, “Prostate Disease Trajectory of Untreated Localized Prostate Cancer in Elderly Men: A Population-Based Study,” was presented at this year’s annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.