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WPCNR East Ender. By John F. Bailey. September 30, 2004: WPCNR has received correspondence from Udo Klein, Managing  Director of ACCEL Instruments GmbH of  Gladbach, Germany, the creators of the new compact superconducting medical proton therapy system  for the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center in Munich, being built by Pro Health AG also of Munich, now under construction, scheduled to be commissioned in 2006.

 

Mr. Klein tells WPCNR the New York Presbyterian Hosptal proton accelerator under consideration, manufactured by Optivus systems is not easily adaptable to the cyclotron stable beam technology developed for the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, as New York Presbyterian Hospital apparently assumes from today’s statement issued by Geoff Thompson, the NYPH spokesperson.

FIRST IN A SERIES OF GERMAN CENTERS

WPCNR has also learned that the ACCEL system  “stable beam technology” is the type of proton accelerator system, a compact accelerator (cyclotron) with a direct beam capability, is expected to replace all of Germany’s 400 linear accelerators as well as the gamma knive systems, with 10 to 20 proton centers similar to  the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center, which will be operated a private commercial center.

 

There is also a new study out this year, providing more evidence that proton therapy works to stop cancer tumours cold, without side effects, making it, apparently a more valuable asset to New York Presbyterian Hospital if they select the correct technology. The University of Pennyslvania Health System in Philadelphia is, according to Mr. Klein, “are in touch with us and others.” WPCNR has placed a call to the University of Pennyslvania Health System for confirmation of the seriousness of these explorations by that 2.7 Billion Dollar institution.

 

Beam Me, Scotty.

 

New released research appearing in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics in 2004  report  the proton therapy as practiced at the Loma Linda University Medical Center  in California is effective in curing cancer even among patients with high P.S.A. counts, the blood count indicating presence of cancer in the body.

 

From 1992 to 1997, the Loma Linda beamed cured 90% of persons diagnosed with tumour cancers with a low P.S.I. rate of less than 4.0,  and 82% of those patients with a P.S.I. rate of 4 to 10. Patients with P.S.A.s between 10 and 20, were cured at the rate of 62%, and patients with PSA’s of more than 20, experienced a 45% cure rate. The study evaluated 1,255 patients treated at Loma Linda between October 1991 and December 1997. All were treated with protons and X-rays; none had prior surgery or hormonal therapy. Three consecutive rises of PSA were used to indicate biochemical failure.

 

  Curiously, according to statistics provided by Pro Health Ag, the owner-developers of the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center, 50% of all U.S. Cancer malignancies are surgically removed. The remaining 50% treated with radiotherapy. In Europe, 50% of cases are also treated surgically, 40% by radiotherapy (X-Rays), and 27% of those by radiotherapy alone, and 13% combined treatment.

 

The results are that only 45% of cases are cured. The radiotherapy cure rate varies form 0% to 96%.

 

Loma Linda Pioneering Device has a Second Generation Model

 

WPCNR (from first reports last week by SwissInfo note previous story), learned that the compact proton accelerator which ACCEL manufactures requires less space, less power, and delivers a more effective, accurate proton punch to cancer tumours than the Loma Linda accelerator manufactured by Optivus, previously planned by the New York Presbyterian Hospital. The new cyclotron with the fixed beam was developed by the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.

 

Mr. Klein explains the difference between the new compact accelerator and the Loma Linda pioneer device: “The Loma Linda type accelerator is a synchrotron, which has a discontinuous beam by nature and needs a higher controlling effort to get it stable. Cyloctrons (the Accel accelerator) instead deliver a continuous and stable flow of protons. Upgrading (a synchrotron) is a very costly and time consuming thing, interrupting operations.”

 

WPCNR asked if the new ACCEL device was U.S. F.D.A.-approved, and Mr. Klein advised “FDA approval for proton therapy systems is a process ALONG with engineering design and manufacturing according to our discussions with them.”

 

Less Costly?

 

WPCNR inquired about the cost of the ACCEL cyclotron being installed in Munich?  Klein explained Munich has ONE cyclotraon and FIVE treatment rooms, four with a gantry and one fixed beam room. Total project costs including the whole facility are on the order of 120 Million Euro, (or $144 Million ).

 

When the proton accelerator Optivus, Loma Linda model was originally proposed by the New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2002, it was estimated to cost $100 Million. The price tag of the actual facility now being asked to have its site plan renewed Monday at the October 4 Common Council meeting have never been accounted for by New York Presbyterian Hospital. It may cost the NYPH considerably more for that unit when they finally sign the contract, whenever that may be. Mr. Thompson did not say when the NYPH actually would start building.

 

Doctor Reaction?

 

Mr. Klein said doctors like the more versatile beam on the new ACCEL compact cyclotron: “Doctors are more interested in the treatment modalities, beam characteristics, patient environment, planning systems, integrated software, etc. They don’t care so much about the accelerator although this is the heart of the system defining beam quality, scanning speeds to a large extent.”

 

Power Use of New Accelerator Slightly More Efficent.

 

Klein said the Munich cyclotron used “several hundred kilowatts less” than the Loma Linda accelerator model. A thousand kilowatts equals one megawatt. The NYPH Environmental Impact Statement prepared in December 2001 for this project said that the peak power demand for the Center’s equipment would be approximately 9.25 Megawatts. The new Accelerator in Munich would cut that demand and cost by approximately 300 KW, (if “several” means 2 to 300 kilowatts), bringing the peak power demand slightly under 9 Megawatts, just by rough guestimate.

 

To put this into perspective, 9.25 Megawatts the peak power demand (the EIS appears not to mention the average power demand), is enough power to light 92,500 100 watt light bulbs, and to light 4 light bulbs in every one of the 25,000 households in White Plains.

 

 

The Treatment Difference.

 

WPCNR wanted a layman’s definition of the main difference between the Loma Linda accelerator and the ACCEL accelerator in Munich, Klein writes, “The basic difference is SCANNNG versus SCATTERIN. For scattering, like in Loma Linda, you need to shape and collimate the beam with heavy and patient-specific material to match the shape of the tumor. With scanning, you control the irradiated field with the software.”

 

Klein whose company which is creating the proton accelerator for the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center, said regarding the treatment: “We believe and we can demonstrate that ACCEL delivers the most compact and most innovative system worldwide. The Loma Linda system uses a synchrotron which we do not consider the appropriate choice for today’s fast scanning proton therapy. It cannot be expected that protons can be produced, accelerated and precisely guided for radiation therapy pruposes in considerably smaller systems in the future.”

 

Building Does Not Have to Be As Large.

 

WPCNR asked if the ACCEL accelerator could fit into an existing building. Klein said this was not possible but  did allow that it was “compact” as its description implies:

 

“The requirements of the footprint of a proton therapy system plus the radiation shielding necessities usually require a tailor-made building. There are only a few cases worldwide where parts of existing buildings could be used for proton therapy systems brought in. Those buildings however had been used for housing other accelerator equipment before.”

 

For extensive coverage of the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center, WPCNR suggests a trip through cyberspace to www.rptc.de, the Center’s website.

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WPCNR East Ender. By John F. Bailey. September 30, 2004: Last week WPCNR posed a list of questions to Thompson & Bender, public affairs consultants to New York Presbyterian Hospital,  regarding the two year delay in beginning the proton accelerator project in the center of their property in White Plains. Tuesday a meeting was held among New York Presbyterian Hospital executives and Mr. Thompson to discuss the answers to WPCNR’s queries.

Wednesday afternoon, WPCNR received the answers to those questions.

The written statements indicate the hospital blames the delay on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation when they changed standards in 2003, one year after the approval of the project (August, 2002).

The hospital maintains their proton accelerator is still state of the art, and will “upgrade as needed.”

The hospital states that funding will be finalized after the site renewal is granted, but do not say specifically when the money will come in, whether it will be all state money, partners’ money, or NYPH money, or private money. The hospital, in addition did not indicate who their partners were at the present time, saying they would be announced after the approval.

SITE OF PROTON ACCELRATOR/BIOTECH LAB: Street on right is Bryant Avenue. Street to bottom of map is Mamaroneck Avenue. The “X” on lower left is Bloomingdale’s.  Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Here is the text of Mr. Thompson’s answers, with WPCNR’s questions:

THE FORMER DRIVING RANGE on New York Presbyterian Hospital property. June, 2002. Site the two-building complex up for Site Plan Permit Renewal. Photo, WPCNR News Archive

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education. September 29, 2004: Twenty-one White Plains High School seniors have been recognized in the 2005 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Semi-Finalists are:  Danielle M. Cohn, Elizabeth A. Newman, Matt Oliveri, Michael D. Schwartz, Rachel L. Silverman and Naana C. Wrightman.  They now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for Finalist status, on the basis of their SAT scores, academic records and principal recommendations. 

 Fifteen students were named National Merit Scholarship Commended Students on the basis of their outstanding performance on the qualifying test.  They are:  Andrea Busch, Amanda L. Culp, Zachary A. Glass, Robert C. Hollahan, Constance Hsiung, Aaron S. Jurist, Sarah A. Kellogg, Janice Kim, Brian B. Kirkpatrick, Daniel T. Pasternack, Timothy T. Pennucci, Michael K. Rahimi, Elizabeth J. Rie, Harry A. Waksberg and Shira Wrightman.  They rank among the top five percent of more than one million students in the competition. 

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. September 26, 2004: As fall fast pitch softball gets underway, and talk and media focus turns to baseball fall classics, WPCNR returns to celebrate in verse and photograph the splendid triumph of the Champions Nobody Knew About, except the thousands who love them: The New York-New Jersey Juggernaut, Champions of the National Pro Fastpitch league. 

To do the honors in the Grantland Rice style, we turn to the bard of the diamond, the Howard Cosell of poets, the Shakespeare of sports verse, Fast Pitch Johnny:

Hail to the Juggernaut

By Fast Pitch Johnny

 

The–a Juggernauts Win! Photo, Courtesy, NY-NJ Juggernaut

 

 

 

The women who play are scattered to East and West.

Not to be forgotten their moments in hazy sun the diamond yields

Beautiful and strong they assembled in spring dedicated themselves to a dreamer’s quest

Now they depart as summer rays cast sharp shadows on empty fields.

 

Championship Lineup, August 29, 2004, Akron, Ohio. Photo, Courtesy Nick Leto.

 

From campus, office, field, school and lab they came,

To create a big league game for girls of the future

Though dismissed by media blasé as playing just a girls game

The Juggernaut, the Riptide, Thunder and Racer, Sunbird, and Heat,

The NPF did nurture.

 

Opening Night, June 1. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

In openers uncovered by AP or ESPN, with promises not kept by big leaguers

And nasty editors who should know better, they played before first a hundred

Then more. Fans paid a bargain to watch amazed as Amanda the Great Scott would beleaguer

The best girls who ever played, and Lightning Leto would slap deftly, diving in dirt without dread.

 

The Jugheads (Superfans) with Carri Leto. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

Jugheads whipped their necks at the krush of a Killer Kel

Liner in the night to the rumble of the Jersey Transit line.

Little girls from Cobras, Tornado and Explosion  admired the swat of Clipper Klein

Squealing at young women with little girl in them humming the yellow ball.

 

 

L’il Fastpitchers  with softball cheers urged Kaci on in the circle

For 22 lnnings she windmilled, matching  greats Babe Adams, Marquard, Nehf, Cy and Grimes

When the Riptide and Juggernaut played 27,  a 21^st century miracle,

Til Venus singled in Klein for the win in the Milkman’s Matinee classic for our times.

 

Kaci Clark. Photo, Courtesy NY-NJ Juggernaut

 

Assembled by Paul the Peerless Leader, who better than Chance took a chance

Putting his bankroll on 14 strong women, hearts stolen by the game.

Changing managers twice and stalking the bench like The Tall Tactician

He defied convention pulled out stops and would not accept less than the girls’ best game.

The 21st Century Connie Mack: Paul Plemenos, left, Jen Carlo, Rich Perrotty. Photo, Courtesy, Nick Leto.

 

Standing in pinstripes in white beside young fastpitchers players, admiring in awe

Holding heads high there was ethereal Venus in left, and Laura in center, that hitters fear

Spiderlady Jackie at the hot corner, and Everything Oaks at  first to enthrall,

With Amazing Amanda at 15-7, staring down to sis Courtney — battery without peer.

 

A Naut Tradition. National Anthem with Fastpitch Team of the Night 

Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

They played a season in the moonlight in the Little Ballpark by the Railroad Line

Creating dreams in girls’ hearts, impressing with effort and unflinching resolve.

From Iancin’s dramatic drilled drives with Nauts on the pond, looking so fine.

To the relentless wand of Germaine, tiring Williams and McHugh, ripping  yellow lasers up the middle to the fence after fouls aplenty, the stuff rallies are made of.

Jen Smith in Right on the Moondeck. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

Memorable struggles with Thunder and Racer, with come-from-behind rally

When all seemed over, the Juggernaut made friends for life, showed how to play this fastpitch thing

Dead-tired from intense inning by inning effort, they would sign for

Adoring ponytails and cornrows into the night with smiles and good cheer,

Not for money, not turning away any request, they were all a softball ambassador

Introducing the best game a girl, a teen, a woman can play in any year.

 

Autograph Alley. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

As season wound down they finished # 2 , with playoffs to come.

Amazing Amanda assured the outcome, 2-0, on Kellie’s Booming Fly.

And a Venus bingle.

 

Amazing Amanda Scott Aces Akron, 3-2 to Pitch Nauts into the Championship Game. Photo, Courtesy, Nick Leto

 

On faithful Friday, The Blonde Who Rules the World, came through with a never-say-die,

With Harms charms and Sis Courtney’s homer putting the Nauts into the final game.

Right down to the last out, they ousted Racers on Lightning Leto’s Twin Killing.

Setting up a showdown with doughty New England.

 

Laura Harms, Kellie Wilkerson, Gina Oaks Romp off the Diamond.

Photo, Courtesy Nick Leto.

 

The Great Scott Mows Down New England for the Championship, August 29. Photo, Courtesy, Nick Leto

 

 With Riptide succumbing to New England curse, her majesty Klein singled in one

Dynamic G singled home 2, and the Riptide was through.

Innings later, Killer Kel  klonged a 3-run shot

To show New England never belonged,

As Carri and Lisa supported The Great Scott all the way.

 

Wilkerson on third, Leto on Second, prior to Germaine Fairchild’s Game Buster .

Photo, Courtesy, Nick Leto

 

Put it in the Books! The Nauts Championship Moment.

Photo, Courtesy, NY-NJ Juggernaut.

 

Holding the first Cowles Cup, the Juggernaut started a tradition – The Juggernaut way.

Champions of the NPF, the  comely competitors  relentless all the way.

Now red dirt diamonds grow dark and languish lonely in autumn sun

We remember the nights we watched the Juggernaut play.

 

Carri Leto. Photo, Courtesy, NY-NJ Juggernaut

 

To see Jaclyn’s flash of leather to snare a liner and steal a double

Leto’s sprawl and flip for miracle force at second, or nip a Racer at first.

The Spiderwoman, Jaclyn Pasquerella.

Photo, Courtesy, NY-NJ Juggernaut

 

To watch Kaci fine, paint the corner time after time, no-hitting the Heat on YES!

 Amanda and Gina reaching back to ease out of trouble.

KACI Clark’s Final No-Hitter Pitch.

Photo Capture from YES Network.

 

Watching Crafty Courtney choreograph an AB and grab risers hard.

Calling for Amanda’s riser, Gina’s slider, or K.C. heat

At exactly the right count to record another K on the card

Celebrating sisters in ball high five Lyndsey , Kelly and G at the home plate meet.

 

Not to forget role players awaiting their chance to deliver again,

Coming through from the bench, Iancin and Hansen and elegant Jen,

Gina Everything filling in the dependable third circle shift

Rookie Harms who sparked a down-the-stretch lift.

 

Here’s a Champagne Toast to  Walter Mitty, the persistent Paul

Coach of Champions, who made his ball team dream come true,

Proving a fan can manage and lead, and make decisions too,

Outmanaging legends of the game,  winning his first year,

Something even Steinbrenner did not do.

Paul Plemenos, the Juggernaut played because of you.

 

 

In the Little Ballpark by the Railroad Line, with M.C. Kellie

Keeping us amused between innings with many a quip,

To tasty dogs and burgers fried up with a smile

At fair prices that made us come back in a little while.

 

The Juggernauts in the Little Park made friends for life

Young and old, sons and daughters and parents, too.

We love  you, wherever you go. Thank you for giving yourselves

To us on golden summer evenings.

 We look up to you and wish our daughters

could grow up just like you.