In the News

January 2005

Academy Award Winner Takes on Documentary About Hippodrome
Annapolis Capital - Jan. 30

Filmmaker Bill Whiteford, of the Annapolis-area community of Cape St. Claire, has prepared a documentary, "Showtime at the Hippodrome," that will air next week on Maryland Public Television. The film chronicles the history of the ornate theater and its multimillion-dollar renovation. UMB President David Ramsay, DM, DPhil, is among the key civic leaders who envisioned the possibilities for the revitalized theater. Whiteford and film-making partner Susan Hannah Hadary, with whom he has shared an Oscar, work for the University of Maryland School of Medicine Video Press.

State to Divert Tobacco Money
Baltimore Business Journal ý Jan. 30
MSNBC ý Jan. 30

State support for research into smoking-related illnesses, funded with part of Maryland's share of the historic $243-billion national settlement with the tobacco industry, would be slashed 27 percent under a proposed spending plan from Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. A top cancer researcher in the School of Medicine is concerned about the potential cuts. "This is going to collapse what we've been building. This doesn't just stop our progress, it throws it backwards," says Kevin Cullen, MD, professor, School of Medicine.
msnbc.msn.com

Study of "Cox-2 Inhibitors"
The Economist - Jan. 27

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine compares the safety of "Cox-2 inhibitors" (painkillers such as Vioxx) with medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The study, led by Fadia Shaya, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, indicated that Cox-2 inhibitors did not increase cardiovascular risk over nonnaproxen NSAIDs in a high-risk Medicaid population that was mostly female (70 percent), younger (70 percent were 50 years old or younger), and largely African-American (50 percent).

UM Law Launches Community Justice Program With Crime-Reduction Theme
Daily Record - Jan. 28

A three-year, $500,000 grant from the Charles Crane Family Foundation of Baltimore to the clinical program in the School of Law will help to establish a community justice center to focus on violence reduction in southwest Baltimore. Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law; Brenda Bratton Blom, JD, assistant professor, School of Law; and Karen H. Rothenberg, JD, MPA, dean and professor, School of Law, are quoted.

Whelley Named VP at Colliers Pinkard
Daily Record - Jan. 27

Former Downtown Partnership of Baltimore president Michelle Whelley has been named senior vice president of Colliers Pinkard, the state's largest commercial real estate company. Colliers Pinkard already performs leasing duties for the UMB BioPark.

Hippodrome and West Side Renaissance Film Premiere
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 ý 5 p.m., Jan. 25

A new film by Academy Award winning director Robert Whiteford was premiered at the Hippodrome Theatre on Jan. 24, showing the history and restoration of the theatre. The news story can be viewed online under "WBAL-TV Video."

Road to Fitness Begins Slowly
Washington Post - Jan. 25

Beginning exercisers face a range of workout options that offer the most likely prospects for long-term success. Ten-minute walks on her treadmill were the "baby steps" that helped Mariellen Synan, community outreach coordinator, School of Medicine, begin a process in which she lost 65 pounds. Suzanne Sysko, MD, medical director, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, School of Medicine, offers exercise strategies for beginners.
www.washingtonpost.com

Securing a Nominee
U.S.News & World Report - Jan. 24

President Bush recently selected federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to be the nation's new Homeland Security director, turning to a former federal prosecutor who helped craft the early war on terror strategy. Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, says Chertoff "combines sharp elbows with tact," which could offset his lack of management experience.

Law Schools Help Make Public Careers Feasible
Daily Record - Jan. 25

Under the new Loan Repayment Assistance Program at the University of Baltimore School of Law, alumni working at a nonprofit organization can apply for a loan from the school. That loan can be forgiven in a year's time, as long as the graduate meets the program's requirements. A similar loan assistance program began in 1995 at the School of Law, and, in 2002, the School began the University of Maryland School of Law Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program. M. Teresa Schmiedeler, JD, director of public interest programs in the School, is quoted.

Our First President: Getting to the Tooth
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 26

The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, played host on Jan. 25 to researchers who used lasers to scan a set of George Washingtonýs dentures. It's one of many steps being taken to get a fresh take on what he looked like at critical points in his life.
www.baltimoresun.com

Upscale Ambitions for Pigtown
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 26
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - Jan. 25

Pigtown, on the southwestern outskirts of downtown not far from Camden Yards, is well-situated for growth. Its proximity to MARC commuter trains could lure D.C. commuters, and it is just a few blocks from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and its burgeoning biotech facilities.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.thewbalchannel.com

Four-Year-Old Accidentally Overdoses on Aspirin
WBOC-TV.com (Salisbury, MD) ý Jan. 24

A 4-year-old girl from Salisbury mistook children's aspirin for candy and ate more than 50 pills. The girl recovered from the incident. Advice on poison-control practices from the Maryland Poison Center in the School of Pharmacy is cited.

Study of "Cox-2 Inhibitors"
Manchester Evening News (United Kingdom) - Jan. 24

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine compares the safety of "Cox-2 inhibitors" (painkillers such as Vioxx) with medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The study, led by Fadia Shaya, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, indicated that Cox-2 inhibitors did not increase cardiovascular risk over nonnaproxen NSAIDs in a high-risk Medicaid population that was mostly female (70 percent), younger (70 percent were 50 years old or younger), and largely African-American (50 percent).
www.manchesteronline.co.uk

University System Opens New Center
Baltimore Sun ý Jan. 24
Hagerstown Herald-Mail ý Jan. 25

Faculty from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the University of Maryland, University College, and Frostburg State University will teach courses at a new campus, the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. Economic development officials are optimistic that Hagerstown will prove more attractive to businesses once the school starts producing highly qualified workers.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.herald-mail.com

West Side Baltimore Building Sold
Daily Record - Jan. 20

The sale of a downtown Baltimore office building could bring another residential building to the growing West Side neighborhood, where loft apartments are renting for more than $2,000. University Suites at Fayette Square, a housing initiative marketed to graduate students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, is mentioned.

New Colleges Spur City Development
Daily Record ý Jan. 21

The University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the University of Maryland, University College were set to welcome their first students on Jan. 24 at a new campus, the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. Economic development officials are optimistic that Hagerstown will prove more attractive to businesses once the school starts producing highly qualified workers.

Shy Bladder Syndrome
Baltimore City Paper ý Jan. 19

Steven Soifer, PhD, associate professor in the School of Social Work and president of the International Paruresis Association, discusses paruresis, a social phobia also known as shy bladder syndrome. In a question-and-answer feature, Soifer discusses recent efforts throughout the world to help people who suffer from the condition.
www.citypaper.com

UMB Lends Dental School $16 Million to Bridge Funding Gap
Baltimore Sun ý Jan. 23

A $16 million "bridge loan" from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, to the Dental School is designed to help ensure that the School's new building will be completed and open next year. Cited or quoted in the story are President David J. Ramsay, DM, DPhil; Christian Stohler, DMD, Dr Med Dent, dean, Dental School; James Hill, MPA, vice president for administration and finance; and Kate McManus, construction project manager, Dental School.
www.baltimoresun.com

Ann Bianco Alexander, Actress, Had Prevailed Over Lymphoma
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 17

Ann Bianco Alexander, a Baltimore actress, died of pneumonia on Dec. 13. Alexander was diagnosed in 1997 with lymphoma. "It was a large and very aggressive mass that affected her heart and lungs, and did not respond to chemotherapy," says Aaron Rapoport, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine. She had a stem-cell transplant from a sister. "The stem-cell transplant was successful, and she never had a recurrence of lymphoma. It really was a miracle," Rapoport says.

Lawyers in Love
Baltimore Magazine - February issue

Karen H. Rothenberg, JD, MPA, dean and professor, School of Law, is pictured outside the School and featured in the magazine's "B Side" section. The School, the story notes, "is consistently ranked in the top tier in the U.S.News & World Report's annual (and influential) graduate school guide, one of the most coveted lists around." Taunya Banks, JD, professor, School of Law, and attorney Paul Bekman, JD, chair, Board of Visitors in the School of Law, are also mentioned.

Fallout from University of Michigan Admissions Case
Chronicle of Higher Education - Jan. 14

The Office for Civil Rights is already investigating the University of Virginia for possible discrimination against white undergraduate applicants, and has been asked by the Center for Equal Opportunity to look into similar allegations involving North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and the law schools at the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary (The Chronicle, December 17, 2004).

Foundation Helps Disabled Move Along
Maryland Gazette - Jan. 15

Kids on Wheels Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by Millersville resident Ronald Wade, director of the Division of Anatomical Services, School of Medicine, is profiled. The foundation collects used mobility equipment, refurbishes it, and distributes devices free to those in need. "I'm kind of a public service guy. It's my mentality," Wade says. "You try to help people out."

Naturopaths Hope to Win Some Respect
Los Angeles Times - Jan. 17

The state of California recently licensed naturopathic doctors for the first time, becoming the 13th state to do so. Ken Pelletier, PhD, clinical professor, School of Medicine and professor, University of Arizona School of Medicine, says patients can benefit from greater cooperation between naturopaths and medical doctors and further research into the benefits of natural medicine.
www.latimes.com

Navy Says It's Exempt from Maryland's "Flush Tax"
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 15

The U.S. Navy is challenging whether it must pay the governor's new "flush tax" at its numerous facilities in Maryland, a move that could prompt all military installations and federal agencies in the state to do the same and create a major funding shortfall for the landmark legislation. Garrett Power, LLM, professor, School of Law, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Chertoff, Federal Judge, is Choice for Homeland Security
Morning Call (Allentown, PA) - Jan. 12
The Record (Bergen Co, NJ) - Jan. 12

President Bush selected federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to be the nation's new Homeland Security director, turning to a former federal prosecutor who helped craft the early war on terror strategy. Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discussed the Chertoff nomination and called him "a very highly respected judge." Greenberger added that Chertoff is likely to win quick confirmation, although he does lack experience working with "first responders" such as police officers and firefighters.
www.mcall.com

Dispute in Maine Draws Attention to Organ Banks' Practices
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 17

Hundreds of brain and tissue banks like the University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders operate under varying state laws and self-imposed regulations. A dispute in Maine is drawing attention to the macabre aspects of this corner of medicine. H. Ronald Zielke, PhD, professor, School of Medicine, and director of the Brain and Tissue Bank, and David Fowler, MB, ChB, clinical instructor, School of Medicine, and Maryland's chief medical examiner, discuss the Maine case. They also comment on the stringent ethical standards that are applied in Maryland.
www.baltimoresun.com

Health Care Consumers More Open to Alternatives
Marshfield News (Wisconsin) - Jan. 8

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers will assess if the pain relief from acupuncture was sufficient to reduce or eliminate the need for pain medications.

Judges Deal With Sentencing Rules Fallout
Associated Press - Jan. 13
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 13

The U.S. Supreme Court recently invalidated part of the nearly 20-year-old federal sentencing system. The system is still in place, but only as a discretionary guide for judges. Therefore, judges are free to decide for themselves what a fair sentence is. Frederic Smalkin, JD, senior judicial fellow and lecturer, School of Law, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Oral Cancer and Treatment
WBAL-TV, morning newscast - Jan. 16

In a live interview for the health segment, Robert Ord, DDS, MD, chair of the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Dental School, says there is an increase in the number of women and non-smokers being treated for oral cancer. Alexander Pazoki, DDS, MD, program director in the department, says there are opportunities for head and neck reconstruction after the cancer is treated.

Triple Homicide Brings Attention to City's Unlicensed Group Homes
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 12

A triple homicide on Jan. 10 inside a drug and alcohol recovery facility in Remington has opened a window into a cottage industry in the City of Baltimore: small, unlicensed, and unmonitored group homes where recuperating addicts and alcoholics go to live. "I think that the vast majority of group homes are well-run. I don't know anything about this particular group home, but from my understanding, the situation itself is an aberration," says Ellen Weber, JD, assistant professor, School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com

U.S. Drops Charges Against Ex-Maryland Official
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 13

A federal investigation criticized by Democrats for its election-year timing in 2002 officially ended when prosecutors dropped charges against a former state agency accused of misusing grant funds. Those allegations tarnished the gubernatorial campaign of former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Abraham Dash, JD, professor, School of Law, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Chertoff's Challenges
The Progress Report - Jan. 12

President Bush selected federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to be the nation's new Homeland Security director, turning to a former federal prosecutor who helped craft the early war on terror strategy. Says Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, "The president clearly sacrificed having someone with deep knowledge of critical areas within the department for someone who will be safely confirmed." The publication is produced by the American Progress Action Fund.

Letter to the Editor: Welfare Reform a Success Story for Maryland
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 13

Catherine Born, PhD, associate professor, School of Social Work, writes in a letter critical of a recent Sun editorial that its "implication that welfare reform has increased foster care caseloads is just not correct. Curiously, the writer (of the Jan. 5 editorial, 'Independence Pains') also seems to view post-welfare receipt of medical coverage as a negative thingý The welfare reform glass in Maryland is simply not as empty as the writer has concluded."
www.baltimoresun.com

National Panel Urges Testing, Standards for Diet Supplements
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 13

Alternative therapies ranging from Chinese herbs to high-dose vitamins and dietary supplements should be more rigorously tested to ensure that they're safe and actually work, a national panel of experts recommends. Poor quality control has also hampered research into alternative medicine, says Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine. Berman is a member of the panel, which was convened by the Institute of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com

Acupuncture Found Helpful in Easing Arthritis Pain
Newsday - Jan. 11

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine, is the study's lead investigator.
www.newsday.com

The War on Terror
WYPR-88.1 FM - 1-to-2 p.m., Jan. 14

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, was a guest on "The Marc Steiner Show." The guest panel discussed elements of the U.S. war on terror and related concerns involving international law.

Wanted: Spy Chief With Know-How and Experience
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 12

The person President Bush will soon name the nation's new director of national intelligence should have his visible support and also have experience in dealing with the intelligence community, intelligence specialists say. "It has to be somebody who really knows intelligence and the intelligence community," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com

Chertoff, Federal Judge, is Choice for Homeland Security
CNN ý Jan. 12
WUSA TV News ý Jan. 12
Los Angeles Times ý Jan. 12
Baltimore Sun ý Jan. 12
Dallas Morning News ý Jan. 12
Staten Island Advance ý Jan. 12
Knight-Ridder Newspapers ý Jan. 12
Kansas City Star ý Jan. 12
San Jose Mercury News ý Jan. 12
NBC Nightly News ý Jan. 11
National Public Radio ý Jan. 11
WTOP News Radio ý Jan. 11
WFMD News Radio ý Jan.11
Federal News Radio ý Jan. 11

President Bush selected federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to be the nation's new Homeland Security director, turning to a former federal prosecutor who helped craft the early war on terror strategy. Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discussed the Chertoff nomination and called him "a very highly respected judge." Greenberger added that Chertoff is likely to win quick confirmation, although he does lack experience working with "first responders" such as police officers and firefighters.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.npr.org
www.latimes.com
www.mercurynews.com
media.umaryland.edu:8080

Inauguration and Security
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. - Jan. 12

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed measures being taken by organizers of the presidential inauguration later this month to prevent acts of terrorism.

Learning to Forgive is Healthy, Studies Show
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel ý Jan. 11
Baltimore Sun ý Dec. 26

Like acupuncture, meditation, and other alternative healing strategies, forgiveness has only recently become a respectable topic of scientific studies. In his clinical practice, Fred DiBlasio, PhD, professor, School of Social Work, has found that using forgiveness can speed up therapy. Also quoted is Lydia Temoshok, PhD, professor, School of Medicine, and director, Behavioral Medicine Program, Institute of Human Virology.
www.sun-sentinel.com

Pharmacist Shortage Seen Rising in U.S.
Washington Times - Jan. 11

Next year's implementation of a new Medicare drug benefit is expected to increase the nation's demand for pharmacists, who already are in short supply. "The good news is although there is a shortage of pharmacists, there is no shortage in the number of people who want to become pharmacists," says David Knapp, PhD, dean, School of Pharmacy.
www.washingtontimes.com

Demand Strong for West Side Biotech Park
Daily Record - Jan. 10

With nearly 70 percent of the first building of the UMB BioPark leased, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, will make room for small, emerging companies. With growing demand from these smaller companies, the fourth floor of the building will be divided, developer and partner Townsend Capital LLC announced. Three companies already have committed to the BioPark as anchor tenants, including UPM Pharmaceuticals, a contract drug developer spun out of the School of Pharmacy.

Footnotes to History
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 8

Walter Reed and James Carroll helped rid the world of the yellow fever menace. A rare collection of letters, acquired last month by the Health Sciences and Human Services Library, documents a personal relationship between the two that veered from mutual respect to jealousy and distrust before their time together was through. "This is a major gift, the most significant in my 20 years here," says Richard Behles, preservation officer in the library's special collections department. M.J. Tooey, MLS, deputy director of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library, is also quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Handicapped Accessibility During Fires
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - 11 p.m., Jan. 7

Parents of handicapped students at a Carroll County public high school are critical of a plan that sends wheelchair-bound students to stairwells during a fire, but does not provide for removing them from the burning building. Special wheelchairs used by the University of Baltimore to evacuate students down stairwells were shown. Andrew Levy, JD, adjunct professor, School of Law, discussed the need for this equipment. Levy, who uses a wheelchair, keeps one of the $900 chairs at his office.

Space Available at UMB BioPark for Smaller Companies
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 8

The developer of the first building at the UMB BioPark has announced new plans for the fourth floor to accommodate small, emerging businesses that require office or wet lab space. Nearly 70 percent of the building has been leased. Tenants are scheduled to begin to move in as early as May.
www.baltimoresun.com

Teaching More Than 'Just Say No'
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 9

Twelve graduate students from the School of Pharmacy spoke recently to nine classes at Elkton High School as part of a weeklong drug and alcohol education program, offered through the School's Student Committee on Drug Abuse Education. School of Pharmacy students quoted are Nick Tsourounis, Paul Ku, Jeffrey Kang, and Dave Heirholzer. A photo accompanies the story.
www.baltimoresun.com

Gonzales Nomination
CBS Morning News - 7:10 a.m., Jan. 6

Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor in the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed the Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales.

Gonzales Nomination
WYPR-FM - Jan. 6

Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor in the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, was a guest on 'The Marc Steiner Show' during a break in the Senate confirmation hearings regarding U.S. Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales. Greenberger discussed the nomination and the issues Gonzales is addressing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mercury Poisoning
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - 6 p.m., Jan. 6

Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, project manager with the Environmental Health Education Center in the School of Nursing, discussed mercury poisonings and related environmental hazards.

Tsunami Relief
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2 ý 5 p.m., Jan. 6

Dick Cook, MSW, director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) initiative in the School of Social Work, and student Ronda Ansted discussed fund-raising efforts by SWCOS to aid victims of the tsunami disaster. They also discussed the upcoming trip to India by SWCOS members to assist the victims.

Tsunami Relief
WRC-TV, Ch. 4 ý Jan. 6

Students who participate in the Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) initiative in the School of Social Work were interviewed about their fundraising efforts to aid victims of the tsunami disaster. The students also discussed an upcoming trip to India to assist the victims.

Update on Homeland Security
WTOP Radio - 6:20 a.m., Jan. 7

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discussed the current homeland security climate and the recent observation by Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge that his agency is detecting less "chatter" from the international terrorists it monitors.

50th Anniversary of Greater Baltimore Committee
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 5

Baltimore business leaders formed the Greater Baltimore Committee 50 years ago today to help revitalize a city in decline. Among its most recent initiatives has been advocating for an important biotechnological project, the UMB BioPark on the city's west side.
www.baltimoresun.com

Baltimore-Area Lawyers Reveal New Year's Resolutions
Daily Record - Dec. 31

While modern-day New Year's resolutions rarely survive beyond Super Bowl Sunday, a handful of lawyers in the area were not only willing to make them this year, but also to see them in print. Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, resolves to learn how to turn to the right while on skis. "I can turn left," he notes.

Gonzales Nomination
WUSA-TV, 9 a.m. ý Jan. 5
XM Satellite Radio, Public Radio Channel "Bob Edwards Show" ý Jan. 5

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discussed the Senate confirmation hearings, scheduled for Jan. 6, regarding U.S. Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales.

Stopping the Hurt
Washington Post - Jan. 4

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers will assess if the pain relief from acupuncture was sufficient to reduce or eliminate the need for pain medications. "From clinical experience, that's what we do think is happening," says Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine, the study's lead investigator.
www.washingtonpost.com

Vial From Cardinal Health Pharmacy Part of Hepatitis Probe
Miami Herald ý Jan. 5
Philadelphia Inquirer ý Jan. 5
Associated Press ý Jan. 5

State health officials have traced a hepatitis C infection, resulting in the death of a Glen Burnie man, to a radioactive isotope commonly injected into the bloodstream during stress tests and other routine diagnostic procedures. A nuclear pharmacy in Timonium, owned by an Ohio company, prepared the suspect isotope. Fadia Shaya, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, who chairs the state's advisory council on hepatitis C, says "the whole event is unlikely, so all possibilities (of the source of the infection) should be explored."
www.fortwayne.com

Acupuncture Found Helpful in Easing Arthritis Pain
U.S.News & World Report - Jan. 3

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine, is the study's lead investigator.
www.usnews.com

Beads of Hope for Liver Cancer
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 31

A new procedure at the University of Maryland Medical Center that sends microscopic beads of radiation directly to tumors is extending the lives of cancer patients. David Van Echo, MD, professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Dental Care for Babies, Toddlers
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11, 9 a.m. - Jan. 2

Harold Goodman, DMD, associate professor, Dental School, discussed dental care for babies and toddlers to promote healthy teeth and gums.

Disease Next as Tsunami Toll Rises, Experts Say
Reuters ý Dec. 31
Sydney Morning Herald ý Dec. 31

Malaria, diarrhea, and even meningitis and flu may be waiting to cause a second wave of misery across Indian Ocean coastal areas devastated by the tsunami of Dec. 26. "The worst is yet to come, because of the breakdown in sanitation facilities," says Robert Edelman, MD, professor, School of Medicine.
www.reuters.co.uk

Drug Reimportation Debate
Drug Store News - November issue

The U.S. government policy against drug importation was debated by Tom Perez, JD, assistant professor, School of Law; Cynthia Boyle, PharmD, director of the Experiential Learning Program, School of Pharmacy; William Hubbard, senior associate commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and Peter Rost, MD, vice president of Pfizer, Inc. David Knapp, PhD, dean, School of Pharmacy, moderated the debate, which was conducted in the ceremonial moot courtroom of the School of Law.

Health Food Firm Borrows Cup Elvis Used
Rocky Mountain News - Jan. 4

Nutballz, a Denver-based health food firm, has won an Ebay auction to borrow a 27-year-old Styrofoam cup that reportedly was once used by Elvis Presley. At a fundraiser later this month, attendees will indeed pay to have their picture taken with the cup. A portion of the money raised by the company, which makes cookies free of wheat or refined sugars, will benefit the Center for Celiac Research in the School of Medicine.
www.rockymountainnews.com

Justice Expands 'Torture' Definition
Washington Post - Dec. 31

The Justice Department published a revised and expansive definition on Dec. 30 of acts that constitute torture under domestic and international law. An earlier definition of torture figured prominently in complaints by Democrats and human rights groups about White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, now the nominee for U.S. Attorney General. "Clearly the release of this now is backfilling for Gonzales' confirmation hearing," says Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law. "These memos have been a tremendous source of embarrassment to both Gonzales and the administration."
www.washingtonpost.com

Man's Death From Hepatitis C Shrouded in Mystery
Baltimore Sun - Jan. 4

State health officials have traced a hepatitis C infection, resulting in the death of a Glen Burnie man, to a radioactive isotope commonly injected into the bloodstream during stress tests and other routine diagnostic procedures. A nuclear pharmacy in Timonium, owned by an Ohio company, prepared the suspect isotope. "It's very unusual and not expected at all," says Fadia Shaya, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy, who chairs the state's advisory council on hepatitis C. "This kind of thing should not happen."
www.baltimoresun.com

Tensions Between Banks and Futures Exchange SROs
Securities Week - Dec. 13

Some of the nation's large investment banks trading in the futures market are not happy with their relationship with the self-regulatory organizations (SROs) in futures exchanges. "The investment and commercial banks feel they are sort of left out. They would like to have some influence over SRO policies," says Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law and former director of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's division of trading and markets.

Acupuncture Found Helpful in Easing Arthritis Pain
WJLA-TV, Ch. 7 - Dec. 23
Kansas City Star - Dec. 24

In the largest study of acupuncture to date, researchers have found the 2,000-year-old Chinese treatment can supplement traditional therapies to help relieve pain and improve functions in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study's results are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "Conventional medicine doesn't have all the answers," says Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine, the study's lead investigator. Marc Hochberg, MD, MPH, professor, School of Medicine, is also quoted.
www.kansascity.com
www.greatfallstribune.com

African-American Patients Say Less to Doctors, Research Suggests
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 24

Physicians tend to do more of the talking during examinations when their patients are African-American, suggesting that race plays a role in how doctors and patients communicate, according to a new study. Amid concerns that minorities tend to receive lower-quality health care than non-minorities, the School of Medicine established its own Center for Health Disparities last summer. It is aimed at promoting health care in urban and rural communities with concentrations of racial minorities and low-income whites.
www.baltimoresun.com

Errors Found in Release from Two Maryland Prisons
Washington Post - Dec. 23

Maryland prison officials routinely miscalculated early release dates at two prisons, resulting in some prisoners being released too soon and others being confined too long. Doug Colbert, JD, professor, School of Law, says he is most troubled by the cases in which inmates were held longer than they should have been. "It's deplorable for someone to be deprived of their freedom longer than necessary," Colbert says.
www.washingtonpost.com

FDA Urges Limited Use of Painkillers
Baltimore Sun - Dec. 24

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended limited use of the painkilling drugs Celebrex and Bextra, urging patients who are at high risk for heart attacks and strokes to avoid the drugs, if possible. Marc Hochberg, MD, MPH, professor, School of Medicine, says the FDA is taking a sensible course at a time safety issues remain unclear.
www.baltimoresun.com

Rates of African-Americans Applying To Colleges Dropped
BET Nightly News - Dec. 24

Thomas Perez, JD, assistant professor, School of Law, discussed reasons the rates of African-Americans applying to colleges might be dropping. Perez discussed how recent Supreme Court decisions and related economic factors could have contributed to this trend.

Rumsfeld Facing Criticism
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. ý Dec. 23

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, was interviewed about the criticism of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and information released by the FBI about improper treatment of prisoners in the Guantanomo Bay prison.

United States: Little 'Chatter' on New Terror Plot
Associated Press - Dec. 23
San Francisco Chronicle ý Dec. 23
Boston Globe ý Dec. 24
Philadelphia Inquirer ý Dec. 26

The threat of a terrorist attack on the U.S. still exists, but counterterrorism officials say there is a conspicuous lack of intelligence "chatter" being picked up. Still, officials and outside experts say the relative calm and lack of an al-Qaida attack on the U.S. homeland should not be viewed as evidence of decisive victory over terrorists. "When we're in a state of high alert, that's when things are not going to happen," says Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security.
www.philly.com
www.sfgate.com