In the News

August 2004

A New Form of Acupuncture: 'Cupping'
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 29

Cupping, an obscure Chinese acupuncture technique, is being used to treat back pain by such high-profile patients as the actress Gwyneth Paltrow. "Now patients are asking me, 'What is this thing called "cupping?' No one ever asked about it before," says Lixing Lao, PhD, an associate professor and the director of traditional Chinese medicine research in the Center for Integrative Medicine in the School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com

Healthcare Changes Hard on the Backs of Nurses
American Journal of Public Health ý Aug. 2
ErgoWeb.com ý Aug. 2
Reuters Health ý Aug. 2
Macon (Ga.) Daily ý Aug. 2

Organizational changes in health care have led to an increase in musculoskeletal disorders among registered nurses, independent of the effects of physical job demands associated with nursing, according to a study conducted by Jane Lipscomb, PhD, RN, FAAN, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, and colleagues in the School. The findings are reported in the American Journal of Public Health.
maconareaonline.com
www.ergoweb.com

Letter: Don't Import Prescription Drugs
Washington Post ý Aug. 26

In a letter to the editor, Cynthia Boyle, PharmD, director of the Experiential Learning Program in the School of Pharmacy and president of the Maryland Pharmacists Association, writes, "Allowing imported drugs from Canada, as the Montgomery County Council is considering, is a potentially dangerous decision based on politics and economics rather than on established pharmaceutical best practices." Cited in the letter is council member Thomas Perez, JD, a professor in the School of Law.
www.washingtonpost.com

Material Witnesses
WBAL-TV, 11 p.m. ý Aug. 26

Andrew Levy, JD, an adjunct professor in the School of Law, discusses material witnesses and their roles in court cases. The interview followed the arrest of Ismail Selim Elbarasse, the Virginia man being held as a material witness in relation to a Chicago case involving the militant group Hamas. Elbarasse was arrested recently after videotaping the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland.

Revision of City Demolition List Sought
Daily Record ý Aug. 28

A plan to acquire hundreds of West Baltimore homes to make way for a massive urban renewal project near the University of Maryland, Baltimore BioPark could be altered to preserve historic row houses. Baltimore Heritage Inc., a nonprofit historic preservation group, is working with the city Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation to have blocks of significant row homes preserved and renovated.

Say 'Aah,' Please
Daily Record ý Aug. 28

Students in the School of Medicine must pass exams testing bedside manner before they see real patients in their third and fourth years of medical school. David B. Mallott, MD, a professor and associate dean for medical education in the School, is quoted. Students Clarence Lam and Elise Malecki are quoted. Kathy Schaivone, MPA, manager of the Clinical Education and Evaluation Lab in the School of Nursing, is pictured.

City Plans New Housing to Neighbor Biotech Park
Daily Record ý Aug. 25

Hoping to feed off the energy and impact of the new University of Maryland, Baltimore BioPark, housing officials in the city of Baltimore are searching for companies to kick-start the first stage of a massive urban redevelopment in West Baltimore. With the first of six buildings expected to open early next year at the BioPark, on West Baltimore Street, city and neighborhood leaders are looking to the massive redevelopment initiative to help change the face of the neighborhood. A picture of the first building is included.

DiGate Named Dean of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
Philadelphia Inquirer ý Aug. 24

Russell DiGate, PhD, who served as a professor and associate dean for research in the School of Pharmacy, has been named dean of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. His selection was announced by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
www.philly.com

Dr. Felix Heald, 82, Founded UM Program in Adolescent Medicine
Washington Post ý Aug. 25

Dr. Felix Heald, who established the adolescent medicine program in the School of Medicine and directed the program for 2 decades, died Tuesday at 82.
www.washingtonpost.com

Pfizer Discounts Its Drugs
National Public Radio "Marketplace" ý July 7

Major pharmaceutical companies have been criticized for the high prices they command for drugs here in the United States. Last month, Pfizer announced it would sharply cut the cost of its meds for the uninsured. Pfizer says some low-income patients and seniors will pay as little as $15 per prescription for drugs like Lipitor and Viagra. Daniel Mullins, PhD, a professor in the School of Pharmacy, is interviewed.
marketplace.publicradio.org

Rouse Was Key Player in Development and Philanthropy
Washington Post ý Aug. 21

The recent acquisition of Rouse Co. by Chicago's General Growth Properties Inc., appeared to be a well-kept secret. If the Rouse company moves out, "who will continue and complete parts of Columbia that are open for development?" asks Robert Tennenbaum, MS, the director of real estate development for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Tennenbaum was instrumental in designing the initial planning for Columbia in the early 1960s.
www.washingtonpost.com

Selling Prescription Drugs Over-the-Counter
National Public Radio "Marketplace" ý Aug. 4

Earlier this month, Britain became the first country to sell cholesterol-lowering drugs over the counter. The Food and Drug Administration has turned down one industry petition to sell these drugs without a prescription in the United States. Bruce Stuart, PhD, a professor in the School of Pharmacy and director of the Peter Lamy Center for Drug Therapy and Aging, is interviewed.
marketplace.publicradio.org

Torres Joins Board at School of Social Work
Baltimore Business Journal ý Aug. 24

Hector Torres, executive director of the Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs, has been appointed to the Board of Visitors in the School of Social Work.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

UMMC Names New Head of Surgical Oncology
Baltimore Times ý Aug. 20

Nadir Nabil Hanna, MD, will become head of surgical oncology later this month at the University of Maryland Medical Center and also will join the faculty of the School of Medicine.
www.btimes.com

'Data Quality' Law is Nemesis of Regulation
Washington Post ý Aug. 16

The Data Quality Act, part of a giant appropriations bill in 2000 without congressional discussion or debate, is just two sentences directing President Bushýs Office of Management and Budget to ensure that all information disseminated by the federal government is reliable. Rena Steinzor, JD, director of the Environmental Law Clinic and a professor in the School of Law, is quoted.
www.washingtonpost.com

A Step Closer to Treatment
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel ý Aug. 22

Scientists in the School of Medicine have come one step closer to developing a diagnostic test and, potentially, more effective treatments for interstitial cystitis, a chronic and often debilitating bladder disorder. Susan Keay, MD, PhD, a professor in the School and the lead investigator of a study on the condition, is interviewed.

Acne Germ Goes Under Microscope
Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale) ý Aug. 15

German researchers say they have the genetic code of a microbe that contributes to acne. Scientists hope that being armed with this genetic blueprint could lead to better drugs with fewer side effects. Lynda Kauls, MD, an assistant professor in the School of Medicine, is quoted.

After Oken, Who's Next?
The Daily Record ý Aug. 13

Convicted murderer Steven Oken was executed by lethal injection on June 17. Now the highly publicized end of one capital case brings seven others into the spotlight. Michael Millemann, JD, a professor in the School of Law and the lawyer who represents Baltimore Cityýs only death-row inmate, was interviewed.

Building on the Past
Daily Record ý Aug. 20

Owners of a proposed rubble fill in Gravel Hill, a 150-year-old community founded by ex-slaves in Havre de Grace, recently won another round in their decade-long defense of their neighborhood and the final resting place of several black Civil War veterans. Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, an associate professor in the School of Law who represents the Gravel Hill community and congregation of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, is quoted in a profile of the environmental justice movement.

Details of Iko's Autopsy Revealed
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 15

An autopsy report on a prisoner who died at Western Correctional Institution appears to confirm accounts of inmate witnesses that he was sprayed with a heavy dose of pepper spray, had a "spit-protection mask" placed over his face. But a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services says that recent investigations of the death have found that correctional officers acted properly. Douglas Colbert, JD, a professor in the School of Law, questioned the thoroughness of the 2-day grand jury investigation in Allegany County.
www.baltimoresun.com

Detainee Lawyers Decry United States Stance
National Law Journal ý Aug. 21

Despite a huge victory in the U.S. Supreme Court 2 months ago, lawyers for Guantanamo Bay detainees are girding for another hard-fought battle with Justice Department litigators. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses the case and how it might be relevant to statements from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in the Hamdi case, which concerned an American enemy combatant's habeas corpus rights.

Dr. Felix Heald, 82, Founded UM Program in Adolescent Medicine
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 16

Dr. Felix Heald, who established the adolescent medicine program in the School of Medicine and directed the program for 2 decades, died Tuesday at 82. John Sadler, MD, a clinical associate professor in the School who worked with Heald and served as his personal physician, describes him as "a man of considerable accomplishment and great wisdom."
www.baltimoresun.com

FEMA and Homeland Security
CNN (morning news broadcasts) ý Aug. 18

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses FEMA's new role under the Department of Homeland Security. The story revolved around the damage done to Florida by Hurricane Charley.

Gotten off Colas? OK, Now: Got Milk?
Memphis Commercial Appeal ý Aug. 16

A study by Anthony von Fraunhofer, DDS, a professor in the Dental School, in the July-August issue of the Journal of General Dentistry, details the problem of sodas changing the environment in the mouth, making it more acidic and damaging to enamel. His advice is, not to "sit in front of the computer and TV all day and continuously sip soft drinks."

Letter to the Editor: Stop Emissions of Toxic Mercury
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 14

Robyn Gilden, MS, RN, program manager of the Environmental Health Education Center in the School of Nursing, applauds the recent media attention to the problem of mercury contamination in fish and stresses ways to prevent it.
www.baltimoresun.com

Panel to Seek Agency Director
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 21

Days before a court-ordered deadline to find someone to lead Baltimore's social services agency, the city and state announced on Aug. 20 the formation of a six-member search committee. Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley appointed three members of the committee, including Jesse Harris, PhD, dean of the School of Social Work.
www.baltimoresun.com

Program Tackles Need for Nurse Anesthetists
Baltimore Business Journal ý Aug. 19

The School of Nursing is responding to the statewide shortage of nurse anesthetists by launching a new program to help alleviate that shortage. Janet Allan, PhD, RN, dean of the School of Nursing; Patricia Morton, PhD, RN, professor and assistant dean for master's studies; and Caleb Rogovin, MS, RN, assistant director of the nurse anesthesia program, are quoted in the story.
www.washingtonpost.com

The Builder of a Rational Environment
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 21

In the wake of the sale of the Rouse Company to a major Chicago mall operator, Robert Tennenbaum, MS, the director of real estate development for the University of Maryland, Baltimore, discusses the companyýs effect on urban planning. Tennenbaum was instrumental in designing the initial planning for Columbia in the early 1960s.
www.baltimoresun.com

US Might Free Citizen Caught In Afghanistan
Austin American-Statesman ý Aug. 12

A U.S. citizen captured on the Afghanistan battlefield might soon be allowed to walk free after 3 years in custody. Lawyers for the government and for Yaser Esam Hamdi informed a federal judge last week that theyýve been negotiating Hamdiýs release since the Supreme Court ruled June 28 that enemy combatants could not be indefinitely detained without legal rights. Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, was interviewed.

United States Tries New Legal Angles After Losses in Supreme Court
USA Today ý Aug. 20

The Bush administration surprised many lawyers by announcing it might release Yaser Esam Hamdi, an American-born suspected Taliban foot soldier captured in Afghanistan in November 2001. Government lawyers fought his case all the way to the Supreme Court, but may have concluded they have more to lose by prolonging it, says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law.
www.usatoday.com

$1.3 Billion in Research Funds Given to Three Universities
Baltimore Sun - Aug. 11

The National Science Foundation is out with its annual survey of federal research spending in American higher education. The Johns Hopkins University led the list with $1 billion, but with an asterisk showing that $540 million of that sum went to the universityýs Applied Physics Laboratory near Laurel. The University of Maryland, College Park, rose from 41st to 31st, with $194 million, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, received $117 million.
www.baltimoresun.com

Chapman Jury Asks Judge for Direction in Fraud Case
Washington Post - Aug. 12

As they began their sixth day of deliberations on Aug. 11, jurors in the fraud trial of Nathan Chapman Jr. asked what would happen if they were unable to reach agreement on one or more of the charges against the once-prominent investment banker. Says Michael Millemann, JD, a professor in the School of Law, "I think it suggests they've reached decisions on some of the counts and are having problems with others and it suggests they will come back relatively soon."
www.washingtonpost.com

U.S. Nears Deal to Free Enemy Combatant
Associated Press ý Aug. 11
Yahoo News ý Aug. 11

The U.S. government, which held Yaser Esam Hamdi incommunicado in a Navy brig for 2 years without charges, much of the time without a lawyer, has indicated it is nearing a deal that would free him altogether. Says Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor in the School of Law and a Justice Department official during the Clinton administration, "I think if you went to the mat on this and made it a cause celebre, refused him access to counsel and process and ... in the next breath you hear he may be released, that's a major embarrassment to the United States."
story.news.yahoo.com

A Biotech Approach Raises Hopes For a Strep Vaccine
Baltimore Sun - Aug. 11

Scientists report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that a new vaccine against strep (Group A streptococcus) showed strong signs of working in humans and is also safe. "This is an important first step," says Karen Kotloff, MD, a professor in the School of Medicine and the studyýs lead author.
www.baltimoresun.com

A Biotech Approach Raises Hopes for a Strep Vaccine
United Press International - Aug. 10

Scientists report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that a new vaccine against strep (Group A streptococcus) showed strong signs of working in humans and is also safe. "This is an important first step," says Karen Kotloff, MD, a professor in the School of Medicine and the study's lead author.

European Eye Jewelry Implants Come to L.A.
United Press International - Aug. 10

U.S. ophthalmologists reportedly are wary of European eyeball jewelry now available in Los Angeles. Robert Maloney, director of Los Angelesý Maloney Vision Institute, is the first U.S. ophthalmologist to perform the procedure, which he says is safe, ABC reported on Aug. 9. But many of Maloney's colleagues disagree. "There may be risks such as chronic eye redness, irritation, and even infection. The general population needs to know that this has not been thoroughly tested and that the risks are not fully known," says Allan Rutzen, MD, an associate professor in the School of Medicine.

Instincts Crucial in Terror Watch
The Record (Bergen County, N.J.) - Aug. 11

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, says recent intelligence alerts were announced in an ýalarmist fashion,ý which causes an overreaction. The sixth and latest alert was based on old information with debatable present-day relevance, he notes. "Next time we get information like this, people will not be so quick to jump," says Greenberger, the former Justice Department principal deputy associate attorney general during the Clinton administration.

Interview With Downtown Partnership Of Baltimore's New President
Daily Record ý Aug. 6

J. Kirby Fowler Jr., a private-sector lawyer who recently took over as president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, after working on economic and neighborhood development projects for Mayor Martin O'Malley, discussed his plans for the organization. Fowler mentioned the expansion taking place at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, on the city's west side.

Medical Malpractice
Annapolis Capital ý Aug. 9

The writer of a letter to the editor argues that Gov. Ehrlich is on the right track to reform medical malpractice in Maryland. In past years, the writer notes, approximately 12 medical students from the graduating classes of the School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine entered obstetrics. Recently, only three or four of these graduates have chosen to practice obstetrics.

New UM Center Aims to Narrow Social Disparities in Health Care
Washington Post - Aug. 11

Based on new evidence that minorities and the poor are less likely than others to undergo cancer screening or receive other medical services, the School of Medicine has established a center for health disparities that will coordinate patient care, research, education, and outreach efforts to promote health care in urban and rural communities. Claudia Baquet, MD, MPH, an associate dean in the School, is quoted extensively.
www.washingtonpost.com

Porter Goss Nomination
WUSA-TV, 9 a.m. ý Aug. 11

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses President Bush's nomination of Rep. Porter Goss of Florida to head the CIA.

U.S. Nears Deal to Free Enemy Combatant
Washington Post - Aug. 11

The U.S. government, which held Yaser Esam Hamdi incommunicado in a Navy brig for 2 years without charges, much of the time without a lawyer, has indicated it is nearing a deal that would free him altogether. Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor in the School of Law, and a Justice Department official during the Clinton administration, says the indication that Hamdi might be released soon is "a huge embarrassment for the administration."
www.washingtonpost.com

UM Nursing School Plans Institute to Lure Nurses into Teaching
Baltimore Business Journal ý Aug. 6ý12 print edition

The School of Nursing is addressing the worsening shortage of nurse faculty by creating an institute this fall to attract more nurses into teaching. Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School, is quoted.

Incivility the Rule, Not an Exception
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 10

Daniel Buccino, PhD, a field instructor in the School of Social Work, writes in an opinion column about the declining standards in customer service and on the effect of that trend on customers.
www.baltimoresun.com

Medication Reminder to Doctors Saves Lives, Cuts Costs
Innovations Report.com ý Aug. 8

Simply sending reminder letters to physicians caring for heart attack patients saved lives and cut costs by increasing use of a recommended but underused drug, called a beta-blocker. The research, led by Ilene Zuckerman, PharmD, an associate professor in the School of Pharmacy, appears in the American Journal of Managed Care.
www.innovations-report.com

UMMC Names New Head of Surgical Oncology
Baltimore Business Journal ý Aug. 10

Nadir Nabil Hanna, MD, will become head of surgical oncology later this month at the University of Maryland Medical Center and also will join the faculty of the School of Medicine.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

ABA May Bar Judges From Anti-Gay Groups
Associated Press ý Aug. 6
ABCNews.com ý Aug. 6 (AP story has appeared so far in 58 publications)

Judges are on the front lines of battles over legal rights for same-sex couples and should never belong to an organization that discriminates against gays, say supporters of a proposed change to the American Bar Association ethics rules. However, Frederic Smalkin, JD, a senior judicial fellow and lecturer in the School of Law and a senior U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland, says, "Judges are human beings, too. They should be allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights of free association."
abcnews.go.com

Bills Would Smooth Way for Opening Drug Clinics
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 8

The Baltimore City Council is considering two bills that would allow drug treatment clinics and group homes for the disabled to open without public approval and advocates for such clinics and homes suggest that the city should pass the bills if it wants to avoid a costly lawsuit. "It's a question of whether the city wants to spend its federal funds on litigation that is destined to fail or put the money into drug treatment," says Ellen Weber, JD, an assistant professor in the School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com

Let Doctors Dispense Discounts on Drugs
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 7

In a letter to the editor, Leeds Katzen, MD, a clinical professor in the School of Medicine, writes with co-author Emanuel Richman, an area pharmacist, that many seniors are not taking their medications properly because they simply cannot afford them. "We believe a solution to the high cost of medical drugs would be for the drug companies to supply physicians with rebates for drug discounts, with the drug companies absorbing the cost," Katzen and Richman write.

Study Unlocks Genetic Code of Acne Germ
Baltimore Sun - Aug. 9

German researchers say they have the genetic code of a microbe that contributes to acne. Scientists hope that being armed with this genetic blueprint could lead to better drugs with fewer side effects. Lynda Kauls, MD, an assistant professor in the School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com

Al Qaeda's Footprints in the United States
Christian Science Monitor ý Aug. 6

Critics calling for reform in the nation's intelligence services cite recent revelations indicating that certain terrorists might still exist in certain cells in the United States. "The fact that we've never been able to locate these people is a critique of our own intelligence and law-enforcement apparatus. It's in disarray," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law.
www.csmonitor.com

Indiana Biopharmaceutical Firm Relocates to Baltimore
Baltimore Business Journal ý Aug. 5

Alba Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that develops protein- and peptide-based drugs, has relocated from Indiana to the Emerging Technology Center at Canton. Alba is working with the University of Maryland, Baltimore, on the tech-transfer-program.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

No Sweat Surgery for Hyperhidrosis
Maryland Gazette ý Aug. 4

Mark Krasna, MD, a professor of surgery in the School of Medicine and head of the division of thoracic surgery, writes that thousands of Americans sweat profusely when doing something as simple as watching television or reading a book. It is a condition known as hyperhidrosis, excess sweating of the hands, underarms or feet, and be treated by a minimally invasive procedure.

Owners Need Variance for Project Next to Historic Black Cemetery
Daily Record ý Aug. 6

Owners of a proposed rubble fill in Gravel Hill, a 150-year-old community founded by ex-slaves in Havre de Grace, have won another round in their decade-long defense of their neighborhood and the final resting place of several black Civil War veterans. The state's highest court has stayed a lawsuit by Maryland Reclamation Associates, Inc. Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, an associate professor in the School of Law who represents the Gravel Hill community and congregation of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, welcomed the court's opinion.

Terror Alert
WJZ-TV, 11 p.m. ý Aug. 4

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses the latest terror warning for financial institutions in New York, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.

Separated Twins' Doctor Mom
WBAL-TV, 11 p.m. - Aug. 4

The conjoined Onziga twins who were successfully separated at the University of Maryland Medical Center in April 2002, were returned to Uganda with their family, but were eventually abandoned in an orphanage. This special report showed how Cindy Howard, MD, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics in the School of Medicine, brought the twins back to the United States to recover and recently adopted them.

Terror Alert
"Talk of the Nation," NPR, 2:20 p.m. ý Aug. 4
WUSA-TV, 9 a.m. ý Aug. 4
WJLA-TV, 6 p.m. ý Aug. 3

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses how the announcement of the latest terrorist alert was handled and how the terror alert was implemented in Washington, D.C.
www.npr.org

Terror Alert a Reminder of Gaps in Information
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 4

United States authorities might be concentrating on the wrong terror threats, says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law. "Just as we missed important signals prior to Sept. 11, weýre now missing important signals about future terrorist attacks," Greenberger said.
www.baltimoresun.com

Carroll Native Shoots to Train Olympic Champs
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 1

Twice a year, Robert DuVall teaches a course in the School of Medicineýs Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. The Westminster native and former national amateur trapshooting champion left recently for his third Olympic Games, where he hopes to tip the scales in favor of the U.S. Shooting Team as its physical therapist and trainer, a rigorous job both mentally and physically.
www.baltimoresun.com

Heartland at Risk, Too, Experts Warn
Plain Dealer (Cleveland) ý Aug. 3
Newhouse News Service ý Aug. 2

Federal, state, and local officials outside New York and Washington will have to work harder to prevent residents from becoming complacent, even as more money and manpower are steered to those two cities, homeland security experts say as they predict that steps taken in New York and Washington might encourage al-Qaida to look elsewhere. "If there is, God forbid, another attack, it's going to happen in the heartland," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law.
www.cleveland.com

In the Fight of Their Lives
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 1

Working with a Gaithersburg, MD, attorney, dozens of current and former firefighters are trying to establish links between the apparent cluster of cancers near their Millersville training base and the burning of carcinogenic fuel during training in the 1970s and early 1980s. "I would back away from trying to map cancers to specific one-time exposures," says Melissa McDiarmid, MPH, MD, a professor in the School of Medicine who serves as a consultant for the International Association of Firefighters.
www.baltimoresun.com

Lessans Elected to Board of Visitors
The Capital (Annapolis) ý July 31

Frances Lessans, of Severna Park, has been elected to the board of visitors of the School of Nursing for 2004ý2007. Lessans is a registered nurse and president of Passport Health.

Old Data, New Credibility
Washington Post ý Aug. 4

A Post staff writer analyzes the White House's failure to make it clear that the dramatic terrorism alert it announced 3 days ago was based on information that pre-dated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The analyst notes that Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, (in the analystýs words) "found it curious that the administration withheld the dated nature of the information at the time of the original announcement and disclosed it only after President Bush made a Rose Garden appearance Monday."
www.washingtonpost.com

Foreign Toothpastes May Pose Hazards
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2, 11 p.m. ý July 25

Foreign-made toothpastes, which have not received American Dental Association certification, may pose unknown hazards for consumers, says Anthony von Fraunhofer, DDS, a professor in the Dental School. The foreign-made toothpastes are packaged to look like American-made products and have prompted a warning from the Food and Drug Administration.

Heightened Terror Alert
WEAA Radio, 7:07 a.m. ý Aug. 3
WTOP Radio, 6:50 a.m. ý Aug. 3

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses the heightened security in Washington, New York City, and northern New Jersey after intelligence suggested that al Qaeda might be targeting financial institutions in those areas.

In Hospital Webcasts, Only the Surgeon Gets in Closer
Washington Post ý Aug. 3

University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is among the hospitals nationwide now recording surgical procedures for broadcast on the Web for patients, physicians, and the curious. Adrian Park, MD, a professor in the School of Medicine; James Gammie, MD, an assistant professor in the School; and Dave Brond, UMMC vice president of marketing and planning, are quoted.
www.washingtonpost.com

Law Student Receives National Award
Herald Mail (Hagerstown, MD) ý Aug. 2

Sarah Brull, a member of the Class of 2005 in the School of Law, won the 2004 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest, the first time a Maryland law student has won the prestigious national competition. Brull's essay, "Versatile By Nature: Exploring the Law of the American Wilderness," to be published in the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, was written under the supervision of Robert Percival, MA, JD, a professor in the School of Law and director of its environmental law program.
www.herald-mail.com

9/11 Commission Report
WEAA Radio, 7 p.m. ý July 23

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses the 9/11 Commissionýs final report.

A Step Closer to Treatment
Baltimore Sun ý Aug. 2

Scientists in the School of Medicine have come one step closer to developing a diagnostic test and, potentially, more effective treatments for interstitial cystitis, a chronic and often debilitating bladder disorder. Susan Keay, MD, PhD, a professor in the School and the lead investigator of a study on the condition, is interviewed.
www.baltimoresun.com

Did West Nile Virus Mean the End for Alexander the Great?
Miami Herald ý July 27

There is a growing consensus that an infectious disease, not poison, was the likely killer of Alexander the Great. The debate began in earnest 6 years ago when David Oldach, MD, an associate professor in the School of Medicine, and colleagues published a report tying Alexanderýs death to typhoid.

Heightened Terror Alert
WTOP Radio, 8:40 a.m. ý Aug. 2

Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law, discusses the heightened security in Washington, New York City, and northern New Jersey after intelligence suggested that al Qaeda might be targeting financial institutions in those areas.

Passports Might Be Al-Qaidaýs Most Powerful Weapon
Daily Record ý Aug. 2

In its final report, the 9/11 Commission noted the ingenuity of Islamic militants in using stolen, legitimate, doctored, and untouched passports to plan and carry out attacks worldwide. "One of the hidden criticisms (in the report) is that not only were we not prepared on Sept. 11, but the measures we've taken from Sept. 11 to today have not improved the matter that much," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law.

Passports Might Be Al-Qaidaýs Most Powerful Weapon
Associated Press (Bureau in Vienna, Austria) ý July 29
Indiana Gazette ý July 29

In its final report, the 9/11 Commission noted the ingenuity of Islamic militants in using stolen, legitimate, doctored, and untouched passports to plan and carry out attacks worldwide. "One of the hidden criticisms (in the report) is that not only were we not prepared on Sept. 11, but the measures we've taken from Sept. 11 to today have not improved the matter that much," says Michael Greenberger, JD, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor in the School of Law.