In the News

February 2006

Appeals Court Finds for Students on In-State Tuition
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 24
The Diamondback - Feb. 27

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled yesterday in favor of four University of Maryland, Baltimore students who believed they had been unfairly denied lower in-state tuition. The students challenged the way in which the University System of Maryland decides whether a student qualifies for the advantageous in-state tuition.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.diamondbackonline.com

Commentary: Union Accused of Hiring Homeless to Walk Picket Lines
The Daily Record - Feb. 24

There are concerns that the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is hiring homeless people to protest how much a construction company is paying workers on a job near Baltimoreýs Inner Harbor. Marley Weiss, JD, professor at the School of Law, said paying picketers is a longstanding union practice. She said it is legal and really no different from politicians hiring workers to go door to door in the name of a candidate.

Millions of Lab Rodents Used in Medical Research Because of Near-Human Genes
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 24

The number of mice in labs has exploded during the past five years-there might be 90 million mice under study in labs around the world-as scientists recording the human and mouse genetic codes have discovered that the creatures share all but about 300 of their 30,000 genes. "In terms of studying the role of a specific protein in a disease," said Margaret McCarthy, PhD, professor at the School of Medicine, research using mice "surpasses all previous approaches that we had."
www.baltimoresun.com

UMB Scientists, Regional Biotech Team on Drug Delivery
The Baltimore Business Journal - Feb. 23

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Rockville, Md. biotech company, is partnering with the School of Pharmacy's Center for Nanomedicine and Cellular Delivery to develop drugs targeting cancer and central nervous system disorders. As part of the arrangement, a postdoctoral fellow from the School will work at Rexahn's headquarters to help apply nanomedicine techniques to the firmýs drugs in development.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

Vaccine Could Prevent Strep Throat
KFSN-TV, Ch. 30 - Feb. 27

A School of Medicine study on a vaccine to prevent strep infections has found one that works. It produced an immune response to the bacteria in all 28 adults. "About 1,500 people die each year from those serious, invasive group A infections, and probably 10 times that develop the infections," said lead researcher Karen Kotloff, MD, professor at the School of Medicine.
abclocal.go.com

Voting Rights for Ex-Offenders
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 25

In this letter to the editor, James Kunz, PhD, assistant professor at the School of Social Work, examines the issue of allowing voting rights to ex-offenders. "Why not view it as a way to advance a fundamental right and as part of a comprehensive strategy to reintegrate ex-offenders into their communities, so that they once again work and contribute to society, not only by paying taxes but also by participating in the political process?" he writes.
www.baltimoresun.com

Port Controversy
WTOP-AM, 1500 AM, 6:20 a.m. - Feb. 24

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed the controversy surrounding an Arab company running the operations at several major American ports, including the Port of Baltimore.

White House Report Advises Revamping Disaster Response
The New York Times - Feb. 23
Bloomberg News - Feb. 23

The Bush administration is advocating giving federal agencies from the Pentagon to the Department of Justice a greater role in the nationýs disaster response playbook. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, said the changes might dilute the homeland security secretaryýs powers.
www.nytimes.com
www.bloomberg.com

Clean Air
Pacifica Radio - Feb. 21

Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, a project manager at the School of Nursing's Environmental Health Education Center, discussed clean air and pollution controls on this live radio interview.
www.pacifica.org

GBC Bioscience Awards Highlight Percolating Regional Industry
Baltimore Business Journal - Feb. 21

Alba Therapeutics, which raised $30 million last summer, was honored for the best collaboration between industry and academia by the Greater Baltimore Committee in an award ceremony designed to show that the region's bioscience industry is "percolating." Alba Therapeutics, which has offices in the UMB BioPark, works closely with Alessio Fasano, MD, professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology, and director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center at the School of Medicine.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

Port Controversy
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. - Feb. 22
NPR News - Feb. 22

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed the controversy surrounding an Arab company running the operations at several major American ports, including the Port of Baltimore.

Science Project May Benefit World's Poor
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 22
NPR News - Feb. 22

After countless hours at the School of Medicine, 16-year-old Serena Fasano has discovered a component of yogurt that seems to eradicate the leading cause of diarrhea, which kills 6 million people each year. Fasano is the daughter of Alessio Fasano, MD, professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology, and director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center at the School of Medicine, who was quoted in the story.
www.baltimoresun.com

A New Goal for Aging
The Washington Post - Feb. 21

Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, warding off diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol may drastically reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and add 10 years to your life, according to the latest results from the Framingham Heart Study. "Cessation of smoking and maintenance of body weight are the two most readily modifiable risk factors," said Mandeep Mehra, MD, interim visiting assistant professor at the School of Medicine.
www.washingtonpost.com

Acupressure Eases Low Back Pain
Forbes - Feb. 21

Marcos Hsu, LAC, ND, acupuncture specialist at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the School of Medicine, is quoted in this story about acupresssure, in which therapists push with their fingertips at the same body points used in acupuncture. According to a Taiwanese report, acupressure gave patients better, long-lasting relief for low back pain than conventional physical therapy.
www.forbes.com

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals: A Year in Review
Genetic Engineering News - Feb. 21

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, has much to be proud of as it reflects on 2005 and pursues its goals in 2006, including a merger with a public company. This story references an alliance between Rexahn and the Center for Nanomedicine and Cellular Delivery in the School of Pharmacy.
www.genengnews.com

Analysis: The Trials of Michael Chertoff
Newhouse News Service - Feb. 17

Michael Chertoff, who heads the Department of Homeland Security, detailed his plan to remake the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during his testimony before a Senate committee that is investigating the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, said Chertoff needs to make good on his promises to change things at FEMA if he wants to save his job.

Hospitals Offer Innovative Rapid Response Teams to Reduce Mortality
The Daily Record - Feb. 17

Eleven hospitals in the Baltimore area, including the University of Maryland Medical Center, are developing new methods to intervene before patients' vital signs reach the most critical point: when their heart stops or they cease breathing. The medical center is developing its mobile practitioner team--its own take on the rapid response concept. "Its team may feature critical care nurses and respiratory therapists to help floor nurses when a higher level of expertise is needed to assist patients," said Carl Shanholtz, MD, associate professor at the School of Medicine.

Nurse Midwifery Program Teaches Next Generation
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 19

While volunteering at the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky, Katie Huffling found her calling and decided she wanted to become a nurse midwife. She is now a student at the School of Nursing's certified midwifery program. Carol Snapp, CNM, director of the program, Catherine Salam, CNM, MS, a clinical instructor, and Debra Spunt, MS, RN, FAAN, assistant professor and manager of the School's clinical simulation lab, describe the program.

Party Remembers Agony and Ivory
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 20

Dozens of visitors came to see the first president's infamous choppers at the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore, which was holding its annual George Washington's birthday celebration.
www.baltimoresun.com

Pilot Program to Give Bigger Role to Maryland Pharmacists in Health Care
WWAY television Web site - Feb. 20
Frederick News-Post - Feb. 17
Associated Press - Feb. 16

The School of Pharmacy is joining the Maryland Pharmacists Association, employers, and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide free diabetes medicine and supplies to patients who agree to meet regularly with pharmacists for treatment counseling.
www.wwaytv3.com

Questions on Video Assisting Justice
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 20

After resisting the practice for years, a growing number of police agencies nationwide, and locally including Howard, Harford, and Baltimore counties, are videotaping interviews with suspects, sometimes with surprising results. "We all would rather do our jobs without having our activities videotaped," said Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security. But he said videotaped interrogations generally make police cases stronger, if the interrogations are conducted properly-without "trickery and browbeating."
www.baltimoresun.com

Study Links Calcium, Vitamin D to Easing of PMS Symptoms
Chicago Tribune - Feb. 19

The latest in a series of studies revealing unexpected benefits from vitamin D has shown that a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D may reduce the risk of premenstrual syndrome. Chandra Graham, MD, instructor at the School of Medicine, said 40 to 50 percent of women experience symptoms, but only 10 to 15 percent have severe PMS.
www.chicagotribune.com

The Harmful Effects of Donning Fake Adornments to Teeth
WMAR television - Feb. 16

Tracy King, DDS, a clinical assistant professor at the Dental School, discussed the harmful effects of placing "fronts" or "grills" -popular fake adornments-on teeth. The trend is popular among young people who emulate rap singers who have glamorized wearing gold and platinum fronts.

The Health Benefits of Fatherhood
Parents.com - Feb. 17

Research has consistently found that having an involved dad benefits kids. A study at the School of Medicine concluded that children who have active fathers learn better, have higher self-esteem, and are less prone to depression than those who don't.
www.parents.com

What Price to Save a Life
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 19

School of Pharmacy Associate Professor Linda Simoni-Wastila, PhD, comments on a California drug maker's plans to charge as much as $100,000 per year for an experimental cancer treatment.
www.baltimoresun.com

Homeland Security Readiness
PRI'S The World, BBC News - Feb. 14

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, was interviewed about a forthcoming Congressional report that says America is still not ready to respond effectively to a catastrophe.
www.theworld.org

MD Court of Appeals Vacates Child-Killer's Death Sentence
The Washington Post - Feb. 17

Prince George's County prosecutors will try for a fourth time to convict Christopher Kargbo of first-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of a Mitchellville man. Douglas Colbert, JD, professor at the School of Law, said prosecutors should consider whether retrying a defendant three times may "offend a community's sense of fairness. Unless there's new evidence, that would suggest a conviction would be unlikely," Colbert said.
www.washingtonpost.com

New Program Allows Pharmacists to Work Closely with Diabetics
The Associated Press - Feb. 16
WHAG TV, Ch 25, 5, 6, and 11 p.m. - Feb. 16
WAMU-FM (public radio) - Feb. 16
CTV TV, Ch 76 and Ch 70
Montgomery County Cable, p.m. - Feb. 16
WTOP.com - Feb. 16

The School of Pharmacy is joining the Maryland Pharmacists Association, employers, and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide free diabetes medicine and supplies to patients who agree to meet regularly with pharmacists for treatment counseling. The program, called P3, was unveiled at a news conference with key lawmakers in Annapolis. School of Pharmacy student and Hagerstown native, Brian Hose, was quoted.
www.nbc25.com
wtop.com

The Rules of Engagement
The Daily Record - Feb. 17

Louise Phipps Senft, JD, an adjunct professor at the School of Law, wrote an opinion column about what she calls the basic "rules" of mediation.

Who Should Decide How to Tax?
The Daily Record - Feb. 17

Dan Friedman, JD, an adjunct professor at the School of Law, wrote an opinion column about Benson v. State, a recent case in which the Court of Appeals of Maryland chose not to directly address the core question of democratic accountability for the imposition of taxes.

Adoption and Race Out of the Discussion
Hartford Courant - Feb. 16

Howard Altstein, PhD, professor in the School of Social Work, wrote an Op-Ed encouraging adoptions across racial lines. "If there's a goodness of fit between an available child in foster care of a race different from an eligible adoptive family, don't talk about race," he says.
www.courant.com

Cheney Victim Suffers Setback
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 15

Harry Whittington, the 78-year-old hunter accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney, returned to intensive care after suffering a mild heart attack. Mandeep Mehra, MD, interim visiting assistant professor at the School of Medicine, said the pellet might have ended up in the pericardium, the heartýs protective covering. If so, it could have inflamed the covering, and inflammation can spread to the heart's chambers.
www.baltimoresun.com

Maryland Business Incubators Help Fledgling Life Science Ventures Take Off
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 14

More than 85 percent of incubator companies were still in business at last count, and Maryland is using this leg-up for bootstrap operations to supercharge its high-tech and life-sciences industries. The Baltimore Sun reported that the University of Maryland opened the stateýs first incubator in 1985, when the concept was just beginning to catch on nationwide. The University of Maryland, Baltimore BioPark on the city's west side includes "accelerator" space for businesses that are further along in the early life cycle, and companies will move in this spring.
www.baltimoresun.com

Maryland's Air Pollution a Killer, Study Says
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 16
WJZTV, Ch 13, 11 p.m. - Feb. 15

Air pollution from Maryland's six largest coal-fired power plants is estimated to cause about 700 premature deaths and 30,000 asthma attacks a year, according to a study by a Harvard School of Public Health scientist. "Power plant pollution is a major public health problem in Maryland, and this public health study documents the problem," said Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, a project manager and co-director at the School of Nursing's Environmental Health Education Center. "This makes a telling case for public action. Death and illness strike the most vulnerable among us, the youngest and elderly."
www.baltimoresun.com

Pilot Program to Give Pharmacists Bigger Role in Health Care
The Associated Press - Feb. 16
www.Wwaytv3.com - Feb. 16

Pharmacists will take a bigger role in helping some Marylanders manage their health under a program set to launch July 1, starting in Allegany County. The School of Pharmacy is joining the Maryland Pharmacists Association, employers, and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide free diabetes medicine and supplies to patients who agree to meet regularly with pharmacists for treatment counseling.
www.wwaytv3.com

Study Shows Supplements Help Bones Only Slightly
The Washington Post - Feb. 16

Supplements containing calcium and vitamin D provide only modest protection against bone fractures, according to a large government study that fell short of showing a strong advantage to taking the commonly used nutrients. "These negative results might give people the feeling that diet doesn't matter," said Volker Mai, PhD, MPH, assistant professor at the School of Medicine. "Diet does matter. The problem is we donýt know enough about diet to know what specifically matters."
www.washingtonpost.com

Boosting Tech Startups
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 14

Startup companies have a 50-50 chance of folding within five years. But the odds are a lot better for those nurtured in a business incubator. The UMB Biopark on the city's west side includes "accelerator" space for businesses that are further along in the early life cycle, and companies will be moving in this spring.
www.baltimoresun.com

MD Court of Appeals Vacates Child-Killer's Death Sentence
The Daily Record - Feb. 14

A man on death row for killing his girlfriend's 8-year-old daughter should get a new sentencing hearing because of errors at his trial, Maryland's highest court has ruled. The four Court of Appeals judges who voted to overturn his death sentence disagree on why the man should receive a new hearing. "Whenever you have an opinion with various individual rulings, it speaks to how divided a court is about that particular issue, so the death penalty in Maryland is an issue which has divided our highest court," said Douglas Colbert, JD, professor at the School of Law.

Pellet Near Heart Could do More Damage
USA Today - Feb. 15

Doctors say the greatest risk facing Harry Whittington, the lawyer shot by Vice President Cheney in a hunting accident, is that a shotgun pellet lodged near his heart could travel elsewhere and cause more damage. The pellet apparently migrated to Whittington's heart, causing heart rhythm disturbances and muscle damage that signals a "silent" heart attack. "Of course, the individual in question has been under stress," says Mandeep Mehra, MD, a professor and chief of cardiology at the School of Medicine. "And of course, stress alone can cause a heart attack."
www.usatoday.com

"Heartbreak" is Real
Indystar.com - Feb. 14

The cases sound too trite to be true: the widow who collapses at her husband's funeral, and the woman who passes out at her surprise birthday party. But such cases have helped doctors identify a condition called "broken heart syndrome." To help people deal with the syndrome, a recent study by School of Medicine researchers showed that laughing aided blood flow and improved the health of the heart.
www.indystar.com

Bone Condition Hampers Soldiers' Recovery
United Press International - Feb. 14

Many soldiers who lose limbs in Iraq or Afghanistan are developing bone problems that have been seldom seen in previous wars or civilian life and that can complicate their recoveries, military doctors say. Although the problem rarely occurs in civilian amputees, it is more common among the victims of blast injuries. High-intensity blasts, which can shred muscles, tendons, and bone, appear to stimulate adult stem cells to heal the damage, says Vincent Pellegrini Jr., MD, a professor and chairman of the orthopedics department at the School of Medicine.
www.upi.com

House Report Critical of Department of Homeland Security
WTTG-TV 10 p.m. - Feb. 14

A U.S. House of Representatives committee is issuing a sharply critical report on the evacuation of thousands of New Orleans residents after the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina. A draft of the report, to be issued Wednesday by an 11-member committee, says the Bush administration was informed on the day Hurricane Katrina hit that the levees had been breached. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, was interviewed about the report.

Inhaled Medicine May Boost Lung Transplant Survival
PH Neighborhood - Feb. 10

An inhaled drug designed to reduce the odds of a new lung being rejected after a transplant may dramatically improve survival afterward, says a new study from the University of Pittsburgh. "Inhaled cyclosporine is the first drug ever to show a decline in the incidence of chronic rejection, the leading cause of death following a lung transplant," explained Aldo Iacono, MD, the study's lead researcher and an associate professor at the School of Medicine.
www.phneighborhood.com

Laugh For Your Heart
ABC7Chicago.com - Feb. 14
News14 Carolina - Feb. 14
RockyMountainNews.com - Feb. 14
The Pueblo Chiefton Online - Feb. 14

Heart health is a serious matter, but one doctor at the University of Maryland says laughter may be just what our hearts need to stay healthy. Michael Miller, MD, a cardiologist at the School of Medicine, says, "In heart disease, we always look at the negative aspects. In other words, what causes heart disease? The real question is, what are the factors that may prevent heart disease? We thought that perhaps a positive personality factor such as laughter may be important."
abclocal.go.com
www.news14charlotte.com
www.rockymountainnews.com
www.chieftain.com

Trans Fat Ignored in a Study That Bashed Low-Fat Diets
San Francisco Chronicle - Feb. 12

The study in last week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association surprised and puzzled many consumers. Trans fat and saturated fat contribute to elevated blood cholesterol levels and increase heart disease risk, research shows. A strategy that simply cuts back on all dietary fats ignores this distinction and other knowledge that experts say they've gained. "Ten years ago, our mind-set was to lower the fat-the lower the fat, the better. That clearly has changed," said Michael Miller, MD, a cardiologist from the School of Medicine.
www.sfgate.com

Women Face Weighty Issues As They Age
OrlandoSentinel.com - Feb. 14

Women older than 40 face some formidable obstacles to looking and feeling fit. Aging, along with perimenopause brings about physiological changes that make it tougher to stay trim and toned. "Before perimenopause, estrogen directs fat to the hips, thighs, and buttocks, so unless a woman has been eating right and exercising, she may enter her 40s with an ample lower half. Then, as her estrogen levels decline, fat storage shifts to her upper body," says Pamela Peeke, MD, a assistant professor of medicine at the School of Medicine.
www.orlandosentinel.com

Bone Condition Hampers Soldiers' Recovery
USA Today - Feb. 12

Many soldiers who lose limbs in Iraq or Afghanistan are developing bone problems that have been seldom seen in previous wars or civilian life and that can complicate their recoveries, military doctors say. Although the problem rarely occurs in civilian amputees, it is more common among the victims of blast injuries. High-intensity blasts, which can shred muscles, tendons, and bone, appear to stimulate adult stem cells to heal the damage, says Vincent Pellegrini Jr., MD, a professor and chairman of the orthopedics department at the School of Medicine.
www.usatoday.com

House Report Critical of Department of Homeland Security
WTOP Radio 1500 AM, 8:20 a.m. - Feb. 13

A U.S. House of Representatives committee plans to issue a sharply critical report on Wednesday. A draft of the report says the Bush administration was informed on the day Hurricane Katrina hit that the levees had been breached, even though the president and other top administration officials said earlier they had learned of the breach the next day. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, was interviewed about the report.

Law May Let Authors, Heirs Take Back a Transferred Copyright
St. Louis Daily Record - Feb. 11

James Astrachan, JD, an adjunct professor at the School of Law, wrote an opinion column explaining how the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act allows authors to terminate the rights of grantees to whom authors had transferred rights in the original work.

Risk-Based Homeland Security Spending
The New York Times - Feb. 11

After mounting complaints that politics was skewing the way homeland security funds are apportioned, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced a change in the way funds will be distributed through the Urban Area Security Initiative. While generally praising the program, Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, says he is concerned the application process "is overwhelming and highly bureaucratic," so much so that the "policy could fail under the weight of its own underpinnings."
www.nytimes.com

Bush says U.S. Stopped Plot to Attack Los Angeles
Bloomberg News - Feb. 9

President Bush said the U.S. and its allies foiled a plot hatched a month after the Sept. 11 attacks to hijack a commercial jet and fly it into a Los Angeles building that is the tallest on the West Coast. Bush's speech "was all part of an effort to push back" congressional critics of the National Security Agency's eavesdropping program, said Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security.
www.bloomberg.com

Exercise Food Sense, and Exercise
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 9

Federal researchers following two groups of women for eight years found no statistically significant differences between the group assigned a low-fat diet and the group that ate anything it wished in rates of colon cancer, breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke-all the things that doctors hoped a healthy diet would prevent. "Ten years ago, our mind-set was to lower the fat-the lower the fat, the better. That clearly has changed," said Michael Miller, MD, associate professor at the School of Medicine and director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.baltimoresun.com

Democrats Consider Widening Ehrlich's Air Pollution Plan
WTOPNews.com - Feb. 8

Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich's plan to slash toxic emissions from power plants doesn't go far enough to protect public health, Democrats said as an alternate plan to cap emissions went before a House committee in the Maryland General Assembly. Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, a project manager at the School of Nursingýs Environmental Health Education Center, said that Maryland would be unwise to put off pollution controls because other states donýt have them.
www.wtopnews.com

NSA Spying
The Marc Steiner Show, WYPR - FM 12 p.m. - Feb. 8
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9 9 a.m. - Feb. 8

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed the ongoing controversy surrounding the Bush administration's authorization for the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens.

Postdoctoral Partnership
The Washington Post - Feb. 9

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Rockville, Md. biotech company, is partnering with the School of Pharmacyýs Center for Nanomedicine and Cellular Delivery to develop drugs targeting cancer and central nervous system disorders. As part of the arrangement, a postdoctoral fellow from the School will work at Rexahnýs headquarters to help apply nanomedicine techniques to the firmýs drugs in development.
www.washingtonpost.com

As AIDS Cases Grow, A Call For New Fight
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 7

With Baltimore facing a growing AIDS caseload and an epidemic that increasingly strikes women, a city commission is urging officials to make good on a "state of emergency" declared three years ago. "It's not an issue that's at the forefront as it used to be," William Blattner, MD, a professor at the School of Medicine, an associate director at the Institute of Human Virology, and the commissionýs chairman, said at a news conference. "But it's at the heart of the city and it's eating away at the heart."
www.baltimoresun.com

DUI Lawsuit
WBFF-TV, 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. - Feb. 7

A Baltimore family is suing the drunk driver who killed three relatives two years ago while driving an airport taxi van. The lawsuit also names Enterprise Leasing, which leased the van to the man's employer, Baltimare Shuttle. Christopher Brown, JD, associate professor at the School of Law, said the court will try to find out if Enterprise in any way controlled the action of Baltimare's employees.

Democrats Consider Widening Ehrlich's Air Pollution Plan
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 7

Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich's plan to slash toxic emissions from power plants doesn't go far enough to protect public health, Democrats said Tuesday as an alternate plan to cap emissions went before a House committee in the Maryland General Assembly. Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, a project manager at the School of Nursing's Environmental Health Education Center, said that Maryland would be unwise to put off pollution controls because other states donýt have them.
www.baltimoresun.com

Ethics Reforms Likely to Take Hold, But Might Not Have Teeth
Fox News - Feb. 8

Political momentum continues to build in Washington, D.C., for a change in laws governing lobbying and ethics rules to define lawmakers' relationships with lobbyists. "My guess is something called the 'Ethics Reform Act of 2006' is going to pass," said Mark Graber, JD, professor at the School of Law. "There reaches a certain point in which the public anger is such that politicians feel the need to respond with a law."

Ancient Divorce Laws' Modern Quandary
The Washington Post - Feb. 5

Sarah Rosenbloom and her husband divorced seven years ago in Maryland civil court. But she remains married under Jewish law because he has refused to give her a religious divorce document known in Hebrew as a get. Women in Rosenbloom's situation are called agunah in Hebrew, which means "chained woman." "The agunah problem is a very serious one. [It] is one aspect of a greater recognition of family problems that maybe weýve been sweeping under the carpet," said Irving Breitowitz, JD, associate professor at the School of Law and a rabbi who wrote a book about agunah.
www.washingtonpost.com

Border Plan Swells Budget
The Arizona Republic - Feb. 7

The Bush administration wants billions of dollars for 1,500 more border patrol agents, 6,700 new beds in immigration detention facilities, and increased prosecution of employers of undocumented workers and other border security measures. "The increases in funding are more than welcomed," said Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security. "But it all depends on the ability of the government's ability to effectively implement the programs."
www.azcentral.com

Defense Department Sends $1 Million to Shock Trauma
TheWBALChannel.com - Feb. 6

The U.S. Department of Defense is investing $1 million to create a trauma resuscitation lab at the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.
www.thewbalchannel.com

High Court Stays Execution
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. - Feb. 6

The Maryland Court of Appeals issued a stay of execution Monday for Vernon Evans Jr. Doug Colbert, JD, professor at the School of Law, said the high court's ruling may signal a re-examination of the death penalty in Maryland.
www.thewbalchannel.com

Judicial Picks at Issue in Maryland Race
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 4

Whoever is elected governor in November will have an unusual opportunity to quickly shape Maryland's highest court because of the mandatory retirement of three of the seven judges in the first 18 months of the next gubernatorial term. "The three judges who will retire the soonest are among the most conservative on the top bench," said Christopher Brown, JD, assistant professor at the School of Law, who has analyzed split decisions by the court.
www.baltimoresun.com

Jury Selection Begins in Moussaoui Sentencing Phase
ABC World News Tonight - Feb. 6

Jury selection began in the sentencing phase of confessed al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, described Moussaoui's demeanor in the courtroom as "hostile."

Law May Let Authors, Heirs Take Back a Transferred Copyright
Kansas City Daily Record - Feb. 3

James Astrachan, JD, an adjunct professor at the School of Law, wrote an opinion column explaining how the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act allows authors to terminate the rights of grantees to whom authors had transferred rights in the original work.

Report Gives Warning on Cough Medicines
NorthJersey.com - Feb. 7

A new set of treatment guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians suggests that taking over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine may do no good for a cough tied to the common cold. Parents who reach for a cough and cold medicine for their child, said Richard Colgan, MD, an assistant professor in the School of Medicine, "may be doing nothing else other than making themselves feel better."
www.northjersey.com

Bill Would Force UM to Get Sale Approval
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2

A Harford County delegate plans to introduce a bill that would require legislative approval before the University System of Maryland could sell historic properties such as the Donaldson Brown estate.
www.baltimoresun.com

Did Pain Add Power to Great Works of Art?
MSN Health and Fitness - Nov. 23

The notion of the "suffering artist" has long been a potent one, and a new examination of masterpieces from the past suggests it may not be far off the mark. Philip Mackowiak, MD, vice chairman of the Department of Medicine at the School of Medicine, who has written numerous papers on historical clinical pathology, stressed that "it's very hard to go back in time, with limited records, and make a diagnosis."
health.msn.com

Ergonomics in the Workplace
LLAM News - February

Chris Esgro, MS, ASP, an occupational safety associate at the University's Environmental Health and Safety Department, gave a January presentation at the law school's library about workplace design, specifically about librarian stations. It was featured in the Law Library Association of Maryland newsletter.

Homeland Security Issuing Child Preparedness Kits
NPR - Feb. 2

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a disaster preparedness program for children. Critics of the new program say it duplicates information distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's children's preparedness program. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed how two Web sites for child preparedness "with two different characters is confusing."
www.npr.org

Series of Fill-in Leaders is Seen as Hampering FDA Effectiveness
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 4

Michael Taylor, MD, a former deputy Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner for policy who is now a professor at the School of Medicine, commented in this story about how a series of fill-in leaders is affecting the FDA.
www.baltimoresun.com

Air Pollution Measure Backed
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2

After opposing a similar bill last year, the Ehrlich administration said that it will support legislation to reduce air pollution as long as it does not limit global warming gases and isnýt too strict about mercury emissions. Testifying in favor of the bill yesterday were representatives of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Maryland Public Interest Research Group, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the School of Nursing. They argued the limits would prevent asthma attacks, deaths from soot pollution, and brain damage to infants from mercury.
www.baltimoresun.com

Double Vision-The Synergy of Dual Degrees
Social Work Today - Jan./Feb. issue

Are two perspectives better than one when it comes to social work education? What do you get when you combine a top 10-ranked MSW program with the nationýs No. 1-ranked master's program in nonprofit management? Employers banging at your door. Geoffrey Greiff, PhD, associate dean at the School of Social Work, has conducted a study on dual degree programs, and this article focuses on his research findings.
www.socialworktoday.com

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design Debate Rages
The Diamondback - Feb. 2

This week, scholars took up the historic debate over evolution versus creationism through a series of discussion panels and performances of The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial at the University of Maryland, College Park. Mark Graber, PhD, JD, professor at the School of Law, discussed the effect politics have had on the American court system, tracing legal precedents and cases from the 19th century through the present.
www.diamondbackonline.com

Law May Let Authors, Heirs Take Back a Transferred Copyright
The Daily Record - Feb. 3

James Astrachan, JD, an adjunct professor at the School of Law, wrote an opinion column explaining how the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act allows authors to terminate the rights of grantees to whom authors had transferred rights in the original work.

Names in the News
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3

Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, associate professor at the School of Nursing, has been named editor of the journal Geriatric Nursing. Resnick is also a visiting professor at Hebrew University and Hadassah Nursing School, both in Jerusalem, and a nurse practitioner at Roland Park Place, a retirement community. Also, Carolyn F. Waltz, PhD, RN, FAAN, director of international activities and professor at the School of Nursing, won a 2005 Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing in the nursing research category.
www.baltimoresun.com

Officer to Testify in Theft
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3

A Baltimore police officer whose wife tried to pawn jewels he had recovered from an armed robbery at a Harford County store will not face criminal charges after he agreed to resign and testify against the men to be tried in the holdup, according to prosecutors in Baltimore and Harford counties. Douglas Colbert, JD, professor at the School of Law, said he thinks that not charging David Williamson could hurt another criminal case involving the same robbery suspect.
www.baltimoresun.com

Overwhelming Pressure Can be a Game-Breaker
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3

The witching hour is almost here. It's time for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks to show whether they have the stuff of champions. No, itýs not the Super Bowl. It's the Saturday before the Super Bowl. "Some folks are better at handling stress than others," said Eric Morse, MD, a sports and addiction psychiatrist, who is on the faculty at the School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com

Bill Would Force UM to Get Sale Approval
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2

Del. Mary-Dulany James, a Harford County Democrat, said that she plans to introduce a bill that would require legislative approval before the University System of Maryland can sell historic properties. James said she wants to expand the requirement to university system properties because the system is proposing to sell the Donaldson Brown estate. University President David J. Ramsay, DM, DPhil, said during a legislative hearing that the building lacks amenities such as air conditioning and is losing about $100,000 a year.
www.baltimoresun.com

Dependency vs. Addiction
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2

In this op-ed, Anthony Tommasello, PhD, MS, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy and director of the Office of Substance Abuse Studies, writes that "the story of Baltimore sportscaster Keith Mills is a reminder that we must draw a distinction between the drug addict and the person who develops a physical dependency on painkillers brought on by legitimate medical treatment for physical pain."
www.baltimoresun.com

Evans' Appeal on Execution Turned Down
The Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2

A U.S. District Court judge has denied a request from death row inmate Vernon Lee Evans Jr. to postpone his scheduled execution. Two doctors testified that intravenous heroin abuse left Evans without any peripheral veins that could support the flow of the three drugs that Maryland uses in lethal injection. An intravenous line would have to be inserted into one of three major veins in a surgical procedure that should be done by a specially trained doctor, according to Thomas Scalea, MD, physician-in-chief of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and professor at the School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com

Statements Cannot be Used if State Revokes Deal
The Daily Record - Feb. 2

In a decision recognizing the importance of plea bargains to the court system, the stateýs highest court has ruled that a defendantýs incriminating statements, obtained during negotiations for a plea agreement, are inadmissible at trial if the state rescinds the agreement. Jerome Diese, JD, a professor at the School of Law, said there is an overriding concern about fairness when a plea deal goes bad and the state wants to get out.

Academic Medicine Plays Crucial Role in Preparations for Potential Pandemic
The AAMC Reporter - January 2006

The School of Medicine is one of three medical schools around the country that is holding an avian flu vaccine trial. James Campbell, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine and principal investigator for the trial, said that so far the trial seemed to hold considerable promise. The article also mentioned how the School of Medicine has collaborated with other schools and departments at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. They include the Schools of Pharmacy and Law, which hosted a symposium in Baltimore last month.

Capital Budget Spotlight Falls on Education
The Baltimore Sun - Jan. 31

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. unveiled yesterday a capital budget heavy on projects for Maryland's public colleges and universities, making what he said are critical investments in the state's future at a time of surging enrollments and increased selectivity. Among the projects slated for funding: $7 million for the new Dental School facility.
www.baltimoresun.com

Mini-Med School Graduates Largest Class
The Maryland Gazette - Jan. 11

A School of Medicine public health program targeting Latinos in Montgomery County graduated the largest class in its history in December. Organizers came up with topics they thought were significant for the Latino population, including diabetes, Hepatitis B, obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, heart care, and oral health, said Claudia Baquet, MD, MPH, associate dean for policy and planning at the School of Medicine.

State Homeland Security Director Tours New Dental School Facility
Greater Baltimore Committee newsletter - January

The Dental School hosted Dennis Schrader, director of the Maryland Office of Homeland Security, on Jan. 30 as part of its plan to launch discussions on using the new dental school facility as an emergency response center. Louis G. DePaola, DDS, MS, executive director of quality assurance and biosafety for the Dental School's Clinical Operations Board, says that "in the event of a natural disaster, the outbreak of disease, or terrorist attack, we want the local authorities and the community to know that we have the facility, modern equipment, and personnel to respond to an emergency."
www.gbc.org

Study Shows Acupuncture May Help IVF
WJZ-TV Ch. 13, 5 p.m. - Jan. 31

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center are trying to discover if acupuncture can improve the odds of pregnancy for infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. "As we place an embryo in the uterus, if there's good blood flow, the lining is healthier, more receptive to the embryo implanting and producing pregnancy," says Laurence Udoff, MD, assistant professor at the School of Medicine.
wjz.com

Trauma Center Gets $1 Million Donation
The Washington Post - Jan. 17

One of the largest single contributions ever to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center has been announced, with its giver calling the doctors and nurses there "heroes" for their care of more than 7,000 critically injured patients annually. Fred F. Mirmiran, chief executive of a civil engineering firm based in Baltimore County, made a $1 million donation as part of his self-proclaimed obligation to help others. Every year, people are rushed to the center, part of the University of Maryland Medical Center, from across a multi-state region.
www.washingtonpost.com