In the News

November 2007

Change of Heart
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 29

Two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese, and recent studies have linked that to increasing levels of high blood pressure in children and death from heart disease in younger women. More doctors are taking the threats seriously, but getting patients to change their lifestyle remains a challenge, says Shawn Robinson, MD, assistant professor at the School of Medicine. Change requires a diet low in fat and salt, 30 minutes of daily exercise, quitting smoking, and getting blood pressure and cholesterol checked.
www.baltimoresun.com

Names in the News
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 29

J. Marc Simard, MD, PHD, professor at the School of Medicine, is the University of Maryland, Baltimore's Research Lecturer of the Year. Simard is a professor of neurosurgery, pathology, and physiology at the School, and chief of neurologic surgery at the Baltimore VA Medical Center.
www.baltimoresun.com

Thinking Green
The Jewish Standard (New Jersey) - Nov. 30

Rabbi Irving Breitowitz, JD, the leader of Woodside Synagogue Ahavas Torah in Silver Spring, Md., and associate professor at the School of Law, told attendees at a panel discussion at a New Jersey synagogue that the notion of preserving the earth derives from two Jewish ideas: first, that every Jew is responsible for his or her fellow Jew and that by helping the planet continue its natural cycle, we ensure the safety and well-being of every Jew worldwide, and second, "the wonder and awe of God's creations."
www.jstandard.com

UMB Lends a Hand to an 'Old' Friend
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 30

The University of Maryland, Baltimore's new partner in Italy reopened this year after being shuttered in 1811. Though its origins go back before the 10th century, the Western worldýs first medical school near Salerno in Italy accepted guidance and assistance from Americaýs oldest public medical school for its rebirth. Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, of the School of Medicine, presented a Deanýs Gold Medal to University of Salerno Rector Raimondo Pasquino in honor of the schoolýs first medical classes in 196 years. Salerno accepted the help of an engineer from UMB in designing the campus, as well as collaboration with the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, headed by professor Alessio Fasano, MD.
www.examiner.com

All Give Thanks For Something
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 23
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 23
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. - Nov. 22; 6 a.m. - Nov. 23
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13, 11 p.m. - Nov. 22; 6 a.m. - Nov. 23
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45, 5 and 10 p.m. - Nov. 22; 6 a.m. - Nov. 23

The School of Medicine held its 18th annual Project Feast on Thursday, which provides Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless. Not only did everyone receive a full-course meal, they also had the opportunity to pick up shoes, toiletry bags, first-aid kits, and clothing. Funding for all the donations was provided through several organizations at the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. "It's just a great thing to do as a community. We just wish we could do this more often," said Sarah Bui, a second-year medical student and one of the organizers of Project Feast. Students publicized the effort by calling all the local homeless shelters in advance, said Lindsay Appel, a first-year medical student.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.examiner.com
media.umaryland.edu:8080

Baltimore Seeks to Require Fire-Safe Cigarettes
The Associated Press - Nov. 21

Baltimore officials are hoping to require fire-safe cigarettes before the state law takes effect in July, although cigarette companies argue the city doesnýt have the authority. Kathleen Hoke Dachille, JD, an assistant professor and director of the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation, and Advocacy at the School of Law who supports the cityýs proposal, said she initially had similar concerns but found they were unwarranted. "I think that's a good question to ask as lawyers, but they're wrong," said Dachille.
www.wtopnews.com

Celebrating a New Start
Alexandria (Va.) Gazette Packet - Nov. 21

Gov. Tim Kaine is spearheading an effort to reform Virginia's foster-care system as part of his "For Keeps" initiative, launched earlier this year by first lady Anne Holton. Last month, the National Foster Parent Association and the School of Social Work released the first-ever state-by-state calculation of support for children in foster care. The report revealed widespread deficiencies in the reimbursement rates across the nation, with Virginia coming in second to last in terms of the financial support for foster care families. Currently, Virginia pays $368 a month for children four and under; $431 a month for children 5 through 12, and $546 a month for children 13 and over.
www.connectionnewspapers.com

Church's Shock Tactics Another Test to Free Speech
USA Today - Nov. 26

A jury awarded Albert Snyder nearly $11 million last month after members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketed his son's military funeral. The jury said the church violated the family's right to privacy, and Snyder hoped the verdict would curtail the church's activities. Constitutional law experts say the verdict probably violated the church's First Amendment right of free speech and possibly their right to freely exercise their religion. "It's a very unattractive defendant, but the law is on their side," said Mark Graber, JD, Phd, MA, professor at the School of Law. "We can declare cemeteries off limits to protesters," Graber said. "Until we do, the mere fact that one protest is more vulgar than another just isn't relevant."
www.usatoday.com

Indonesian Health Minister Blasts U.S. Doctor
International Herald Tribune (an AP story published in France) - Nov. 26

Indonesia's health minister lambasted a U.S. doctor for taking home blood and tissue samples from a patient to diagnose his illness, saying they could be used to make vaccines that the poor could not afford. Anthony Gaspari, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, acknowledged that samples belonging to the patient, who has massive root-like warts growing from his arms and legs, were sent to the United States. But he said the sole motivation was getting treatment for the man, who came into the international spotlight after appearing on television this month. The man, who goes by the single name of Dede, had gone untreated for years. "We did take samples, and the reason we did was to render a diagnosis. We did it for humanitarian reasons, to help the patient," Gaspari said by telephone, adding that he would be willing to put in writing that the samples were not for commercial use.
www.iht.com

Program Partners With Army Nurse Corps
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 25

The School of Nursing has called in the Army to address the nationwide shortage of nursing faculty. As part of an innovative program this fall, six Army Nurse Corps (ANC) masterýs prepared expert clinicians began teaching nursing students at the School in a bold new partnership that is the first of its kind in the nation. "The impetus for this partnership was the nationwide faculty shortage," says Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School.

Programs Connect Students With the Community
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 25

When college students leave the ivy-covered campus for field work in the "real world," many contribute greatly to the community around them. The School of Medicine brings high school students to its campus each year via its Baltimore City Public High School Summer Research Program. Jordan Warnick, PhD, assistant dean for student education and research and professor of pharmacology at the School, says the program offers a wide array of knowledge with hands-in experience. The School of Social Work has provided mental health services to students and their families at six Baltimore City public elementary and middle schools since 1994. ýWe take the approach of bringing teachers and parents together to help establish structure and give positive reinforcement to the kids,ý says Ann Marie Bond, assistant director of the Schoolýs outreach service, known as SWCOS, who notes that graduate level students work within the schools as part of the requirement and fieldwork necessary to earn a master's degree in social work.

Ravens Veteran Reveals Secret Condition that Forced Him to Sidelines
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 22

Samari Rolle, the Baltimore Ravens veteran cornerback, revealed last week that he has epilepsy, a neurological condition that affects the nervous system and can cause seizures. He decided to publicly talk about his epilepsy "because it's under control now. Right now, I'm not scared." Elizabeth Barry, MD, associate professor at the School of Medicine, said "if his epilepsy is mild and well-controlled, there's no reason he can't play football."
www.baltimoresun.com

Temperature Itself Has a Little Fever
The Los Angeles Times - Nov. 26

Doctors and researchers have observed that normal body temperature varies from person to person and changes depending on the time of day. In 1992, three doctors working at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Baltimore took several daily temperature measurements of 148 men and women over three days. In a now oft-cited paper, they published their results: The average temperature was 98.2. But the doctors, led by Philip Mackowiak, MD, MBA, a professor at the School of Medicine and chief of the Veterans Administrationýs Medical Care Clinical Center, were hesitant to put too much stock in this average. They found that body temperature rose and fell during the day, from a low at 6 a.m. to a peak at around 6 p.m. Mackowiak's team found other influences on temperature variation. Women in the study were slightly hotter than men (98.4 versus 98.1), and blacks were slightly warmer than whites (98.2 versus 98.1).
www.latimes.com

When Abusers Become Deadly
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 25

Gail Louise Pumphrey, who was murdered with her three children over the holiday weekend, tried to protect herself against her abusive husband. According to records, the 43-year-old Howard County woman secured a protective order against David Peter Brockdorff in April, after their divorce. While they were still married, she won a $13,030 judgment against him in a domestic-violence case. It is a "very difficult situation because the laws protect both parents," said Laurel Kiser, PhD, MBA, an associate professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and co-principal investigator for Family-Informed Trauma Center.
www.baltimoresun.com

Cigarette Plan Ignites Dispute
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 21

National cigarette companies argue that Baltimore officials don't have the legal right to require that all cigarettes sold in the city meet enhanced fire-safety standards, according to documents released by city health officials yesterday. Kathleen Dachille, JD, said she also had concerns about such legal issues when the city proposed the regulation but, with research, has concluded that they are unwarranted. "I think that's a good question to ask as lawyers, but they're wrong," said Dachille, assistant professor and director of the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation and Advocacy at the School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com

County Adopts Civil Fines for Tobacco Sales to Minors
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 21

Selling tobacco to anyone younger than 18 is now a ýcivil offenseý under legislation the Baltimore County Council approved Monday night in hopes the change will bring broader enforcement. "While they are dealing with these heinous crimes ý murders, robberies with the use of a gun, kidnappings ý they are also supposed to be prosecuting this sale of tobacco to minors," said Michael Strande, JD, an attorney with the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation and Advocacy at the School of Law. "Theyýve got a lot of big fish to fry."
www.examiner.com

Obesity Conceals Cancer
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 21

The most common blood test for prostate cancer often fails to catch early signs of the disease in obese men because they have more blood than other patients, according to a new study. "The fat guys had lower PSA levels but had just as much cancer as thin guys," said Michael Naslund, MD, professor at the School of Medicine and director of the prostate center at University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.baltimoresun.com

Traffic Citations for Sale by the State
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45, 10 p.m. - Nov. 20

Courts in the State of Maryland are selling lists of traffic citations to attorneys so they can solicit clients through the mail. Some of the recipients of this mail are objecting, but Abraham Dash, JD, professor at the School of Law, says that a single solicitation by attorneys is legal and making the lists public was the result of a court decision.
media.umaryland.edu:8080

Ate Too Much? Tight Pants May Be Your Smallest Worry
The New York Times - Nov. 20

This week marks the beginning of the gluttony season, the time when even the most health-conscious diner succumbs to the temptations of the holiday buffet. The average American consumes about 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat throughout Thanksgiving Day, according to the Calorie Control Council. "It's like a tsunami of fat coming into the body," said Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, clinical assistant professor at the School of Medicine.
www.nytimes.com

Balto. Co. Council OKs Tobacco-Sale Civil Fines
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 20

Stores caught selling tobacco to minors will face civil fines of up to $500 under legislation approved last night by the Baltimore County Council. Six other Maryland jurisdictions have imposed civil fines for tobacco sales to minors: Baltimore City and Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince Georgeýs, and St. Maryýs counties. Michael Strande, JD, deputy director of the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation, and Advocacy at the School of Law, said that officials from those jurisdictions have provided anecdotal evidence that the fines discourage sales to minors. "The people who are fined tend to just pay rather than fight or be required to go to trial" and then become less likely to sell to minors, Strande said.
www.baltimoresun.com

Check Family's Heart History
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 20

Check your family's heart history this Thanksgiving, said Miriam Blitzer, PhD, professor at the School of Medicine, because hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes can affect many members of the same family, crossing generations. "You can identify trends in families and identify people who might be at risk for certain disorders," she said.
www.examiner.com

New Guidelines for How to Treat a Person's First Unprovoked Seizure
Doctor's Guide.com - Nov. 20

A guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology recommends a routine electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain scans be considered when diagnosing and treating adults who experience their first unprovoked seizure. "Since even one seizure is a frightening, traumatic event with serious potential consequences, such as loss of driving privileges, limitations for employment and bodily injury, information about optimal, evidence-based approaches for treating people with a seizure is important," said guideline author Allan Krumholz, MD, a professor at the School of Medicine and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
www.docguide.com

New MELD Liver Transplant Criteria Have Decreased Waiting List Death Rate
MedPage Today.com - Nov. 20

Allocating donor livers based on disease severity rather than time on a waiting list shortened time to transplant and decreased waiting list mortality, researchers reported. But doling out livers based on the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score did not improve short-term post-transplantation survival, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery. In an invited critique, Benjamin Philosophe, MD, PhD, associate professor, and Stephen Bartlett, MD, professor at the School of Medicine, note that the effect of MELD on survival remains controversial. "The impact of the MELD scoring system on total burden of end-stage liver disease cannot be fully assessed by the study," Philosophe and Bartlett write.
www.medpagetoday.com

Report: 'Tree Man' May be Barred from Traveling to U.S. to Receive Treatment
FoxNews.com - Nov. 20
AFP - Nov. 20

An Indonesian villager referred to as "Tree Man" for massive bark-like warts growing on much of his body may be barred from traveling to the United States to receive treatment for the debilitating disease, according to a report Tuesday from French news agency AFP. Anthony Gaspari, MD, a professor from the School of Medicine, examined the man as part of a Discovery Channel documentary. Gaspari called the health ministry's decision to bar the man from traveling to the U.S. disappointing, but said it would not interfere with treatment of the massive growths believed to be a combination of the human papilloma virus and a genetic disorder.
www.foxnews.com
afp.google.com

A Bold Step Toward Nursing's Future
Nurse - Nov. 19

Maryland's nursing and hospital leaders are dealing with a current nurse vacancy rate nearing 13 percent in the state. They predict a shortfall of 10,000 nurses by 2016. "It's critical that we act now," says Janet D. Allan, RN, PhD, CS, FAAN, dean and professor at the School of Nursing and a member of the "Who Will Care? The Case for Doubling the Number of RNs Educated in Maryland" work group. The group launched a plan that would expand the number of nurse educators and ultimately the number of nurses.
include.nurse.com

Any Choice is a Good Choice
Scientific American - Nov. 19

Researchers at the School of Medicine were studying how neurons in the pleasure center of rats' brains respond to different rewards. When a rat knew it had hit the jackpot, neurons in its pleasure center jumped for joy. But these "happy cells" reacted the same way in rats who were allowed to choose, whether or not the animals went on to claim the better prize.
www.sciam.com

BioParks' Lure: Universities and Low-Interest State Loans
The Gazette - Nov. 16

In a few weeks the University of Maryland, Baltimore will open Building Two of its UMB BioPark in West Baltimore. Before construction began, the school changed course on the 10-acre research park project to better integrate some of its own programs within the park as potential partners with the next tenants. The course correction is part of a national trend in university research parks, according to a new survey. Jane Shaab, the Universityýs assistant vice president for economic development, said that when state and city officials announced the opening of the UMB BioPark's first building two years ago, "We had no intention of partnering, having a piece of the University in the park at that time."
www.gazette.net

Chasing HIV, One Failure at a Time
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 18

One thing that Dave Pauza, PhD, professor at the School of Medicine, drills into his graduate students is the inevitability of seemingly endless, maddening failure in the work they do in the lab. He refuses to give pep talks, telling them they should quit if they can't handle the frustration. He and others at the University of Maryland's Institute of Human Virology are testing what could be a vaccine to halt the spread of HIVýor what could just as easily be another setback on a path already full of them. Robert Gallo, MD, who is credited with co-discovering the AIDS virus and who runs the 300-employee institute, brought Pauza to Baltimore seven years ago.
www.baltimoresun.com

Court Telegraphs Approval for Limited Discovery in Breach of Lease Actions
The Daily Record - Nov. 16

In what it deemed ýconsidered dicta,ý the Maryland Court of Appeals clarified whether limited pretrial discovery was allowed in district court in a breach of lease action. ýAs a matter of constitutional law there is no prohibition against rendering advisory opinions and Rule 8-131 seems to even encourage the practice,ý said Dan Friedman, JD, special counsel at Saul Ewing and an adjunct professor at the School of Law. "If the answer is clear and the court can save parties' litigation, and can save itself a subsequent appeal, that is an efficient way of doing business."
www.mddailyrecord.com

Doc: Indonesian Man Who Grew ýRootsý Can Be Saved
FoxNews - Nov. 18

An Indonesian fisherman who feared that he would be killed by the gnarled tree-like growths covering his body has been given hope of recovery by an American doctor. Dede, now 35, baffled medical experts when warty "roots" began growing out of his arms and feet after he cut his knee in a teenage accident. After testing samples of the growths, Anthony Gaspari, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, believes that Dedeýs affliction is caused by the human papilloma virus, a fairly common infection that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers.
www.foxnews.com

Nursing Students Get a Lesson in Compassion
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 17

Towson University nursing students have been working with Helping Up Mission residents since 2003, after their instructor, Mary Lashley, met some of the men at her church and was moved by their stories. Since 2005, they have teamed up with students at the Dental School and their instructors to provide oral health services, including dentures and oral cancer screenings.
www.baltimoresun.com

Poppleton Redevelopment Gets Additional $2 Million
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 15

A major city-led redevelopment effort in the Poppleton neighborhood of West Baltimore received an additional $2 million from the cityýs affordable-housing program fund yesterday for acquisition and demolition―part of an effort to clear the site for 1,600 new homes. Housing officials noted the 13.5-acre site's proximity to the UMB BioPark and other development.
www.baltimoresun.com

Sex Wonýt Necessarily Harm the Heart
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13, 6 p.m. ý Nov. 15

Researchers say that for men aged 40 to 65, with or without coronary artery disease, peak heart rates and oxygen consumption levels during sex are comparable to walking at a rate of 2.5 to 3 miles per hour, climbing stairs, or performing household chores such as vacuuming. Mandeep Mehra, MD, professor at the School of Medicine, says having sex won't necessarily harm the heart. "I can guarantee you that less than 5 percent of physicians will even ask patients about their sexual function," he said.
wjz.com

Stem Cell Commission Pushes Back Application Deadline
Baltimore Business Journal - Nov. 16

With nearly $23 million to dole out in 2008, the Maryland Stem Cell Commission has pushed back to Nov. 30 an application deadline for researchers trying to win state funds. Academic researchers at Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, and University of Maryland, College Park dominated the first batch of grants awarded May 18 by the commission.
www.bizjournals.com

The Porcelain Project
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 19

When Steven Soifer, PhD, MSW, was 11 years old, bullies tried to break into the bathroom stall he was using. Soifer, an associate professor at the School of Social Work, has been avidly interested in public facilities ever since: their construction, privacy, and accessibilityýin short, their role in civilized life. Soifer is a co-founder of the Baltimore-based American Restroom Association, an advocacy group that demands more and better communal bathrooms.
www.baltimoresun.com

Well-Earned Kudos for an ADR Pioneer
The Daily Record - Nov. 19

Twenty-five years ago, mediation and alternate forms of dispute resolution were not part of an effective lawyer's practice. Now they are. And for that we have Roger Wolf, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Dispute Resolution, to thank. He was one of a few forward-thinking people who long ago recognized that the win-at-all-costs approach to dispute resolution was neither a satisfying nor a healing process, and then dedicated his professional life to doing something about it. For this, Wolf was recently honored with the Chief Judge Robert M. Bell Award for Outstanding Contribution to Alternative Dispute Resolution in Maryland.

'Tree Man' With Rare Disease Could Be Cured
Live News (Australia) - Nov. 16
News.com (Australia) - Nov. 16

An Indonesian fisherman who feared that he would be killed by the gnarled tree-like growths covering his body has been given hope of recovery by an American doctor. Dede, now 35, baffled medical experts when warty "roots" began growing out of his arms and feet after he cut his knee in a teenage accident. After testing samples of the growths, Anthony Gaspari, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, believes that Dede's affliction is caused by the human papilloma virus, a fairly common infection that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers.
livenews.com.au
www.news.com.au

BioParks and Beyond
The Gazette - Nov. 16

High vacancy rates, emerging research bioparks and the long-awaited maturation of the stateýs biotech industry are heating up competition among real estate brokers looking to land life science companies in new spaces. Scheer, CBRE, Alexandria, Cushman & Wakefield and other brokers are competing to put companies into the developing University of Maryland BioPark in West Baltimore and the Science + Technology Park next to Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore.
www.gazette.net

Call Renewed on Ethics
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 16

Joseph W. Rutter Jr., a former Anne Arundel planning officer-turned-developer who was cleared to work as a consultant on the countyýs once-a-decade growth plan, has sparked a renewed call to bolster the county's ethics rules. The difference in Rutterýs case, legal experts said, is that Rutter is working for the county, so his expertise would presumably benefit his former employer, said Abraham Dash, JD, a professor at the School of Law. Dash said that Rutter followed the highest level of ethics. "To me, I don't see where he's doing anything wrong," the professor added.
www.baltimoresun.com

Come, Let us Reason
Jewish Journal (Los Angeles) - Nov. 16

Strip away the brand-name products and gossipy inside Hollywood milieu of the writersý strike, and what you have is a question of fair compensation and just treatment of labor. ýBusiness ethics is the arena where the ethereal transcendent teachings of holiness and spirituality confront the often grubby business of making money and being engaged in the rat race that often comprises the marketplace,ý writes Rabbi Yitzchok (Irving) Breitowitz, JD, an associate professor at the School of Law. "It is the acid test of whether religion is truly relevant or religion is simply relegated to an isolated sphere of human activity. It is business ethics, one could posit, above all, which shows God co-exists in the world rather than God and godliness being separate and apart."
www.jewishjournal.com

Construction Materials Increase Cost of Two USM Projects
Baltimore Business Journal - Nov. 16

Rising costs in construction materials forced the University System of Maryland to allocate an additional $10.8 million for two state university campus projects. In at least one project, the additional costs could mean more in student fees. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, a new $49 million student campus center, which will replace the student union on Lombard Street, required an additional $5.6 million. At College Park, the $9.7 million renovation of three sorority houses needed an additional $5.2 million to complete the project. College Park officials said higher construction costs also were the reason behind the need for more funding.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

March for Justice
CNN, 11:20 a.m. - Nov. 16

Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, a professor at the School of Law, was interviewed live during a segment focused on racial discrimination within the judicial system and tied to a march on Washington, D.C., in regard to this issue. Real Player is required to view the segment. Click here: http://media.umaryland.edu:8080/ramgen/oea/071115-ifill-cnn-civilrightsmarch.rm

Old Age Is Harder for the Overweight
NYTimes.com - Nov. 15

Obesity doesn't increase cancer risk, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported. But that doesn't mean it's time to celebrate a fuller figure. "So they aren't dying of cancer," said Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, clinical assistant professor at the School of Medicine, of the recent reports. "But can they get up out of a chair?"
well.blogs.nytimes.com

Q and A with Adam Pertman
The (Baltimore) Jewish Times - Nov. 16

Adam Pertman, author of Adoption Nation and executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, delivered the keynote address at a national conference on adoption, held at the School of Social Work.

Students Sleeping on the Streets to Raise Awareness for Homelessness
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 16

Students from Loyola College; University of Maryland, Baltimore; Coppin State University; Morgan State University; Johns Hopkins University; and University of Maryland, Baltimore County slept out on the streets to raise awareness for homelessness. The event coincided with National Hunger and Homelessness Week and blossomed into one of the largest demonstrations for the cause the city has ever seen. "Twenty-five years ago, the city identified homelessness as a problem, but obviously we're not solving it," said Adam Schneider, a student at the School of Social Work and one of the sleep-outýs organizers.
www.examiner.com

Law School Has Flying Start on Historic $50M Fundraiser
The Daily Record - Nov. 15

The School of Law will kick off the public phase of its most ambitious capital campaign tonight with a celebration honoring its major donors, whose dollars have contributed nearly half of the schoolýs $50 million goal. It is part of the $650 million campaign the University of Maryland, Baltimore announced last month, which will run through 2012. "This is more for our heart and soul," Dean Karen H. Rothenberg, JD, MPA, said earlier this week. "It's about engaging people and believing in this institution."

Names in the News
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 15

Jane Kapustin, PhD, MS, CRNP, has been named assistant dean for master's studies at the School of Nursing. She has served on the School's faculty for seven years as an assistant professor and director of the Adult Nurse Practitioner program. Kapustin holds a PhD from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The School has named Robin Newhouse, PhD, MS, MGA, assistant dean for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and associate professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health. Newhouse has 30 years of clinical and leadership experience and holds a PhD from the School.
www.baltimoresun.com

Red Laser Puts Tooth Decay in a New Light
The New York Times - Nov. 15

The next time your dentist tells you to open wide, consider this: dentists fail to accurately diagnose cavities 20 to 30 percent of the time. "Especially in the pits and fissures on the surfaces of molars, it's easy to miss early signs of tooth decay," said Howard Strassler, DMD, a professor and the director of restorative dentistry at the Dental School. "And sometimes what you think is a cavity isn't."
www.nytimes.com

Strength Under Pressure
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 15

As Americans live longer than previous generations, dentists are increasingly working on teeth made brittle by time. Meanwhile, modern dental care has allowed older patients to forgo dentures and keep their natural teeth into old age. Dentists need to prepare for baby boomers reaching retirement age and beyond, experts say. "They are going to get slammed with them," said Janet Yellowitz, DMD, MPH, director of the geriatric program at the Dental School. "If you are a dentist in general practice, you are going to see more older adults than ever before."
www.baltimoresun.com

Study: Atkins a Heart Risk
Louisville Courier-Journal - Nov. 15

"I think the Atkins diet is potentially detrimental for cardiovascular health if maintained for a long duration and without attempts to lose weight," said Michael Miller, MD, lead author of the study, associate professor at the School of Medicine, and director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.courier-journal.com

AIDS Vaccine's Failure Deals Big Blow
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 14

The failure of Merck & Co.'s once-promising AIDS vaccine has cast a pall over research efforts and forced delays in trials of other experimental vaccines as scientists ponder what went wrong. A vaccine in the pre-clinical trial stage at the School of Medicineýs Institute of Human Virology, which received a $15 million grant this summer from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is based on antibodies, an approach considered more difficult. Officials there declined to comment on the impact of the Merck failure.
www.baltimoresun.com

Defibrillator Enables Doctors to Remotely Monitor Patients
The Washington Times - Nov. 13

The CRT-D type of defibrillator is used by patients who have conduction problems where the left side of the heart closes later than the rest, says Stephen R. Shorofsky, MD, PhD, professor at the School of Medicine and director of the Clinical Electrophysiology Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

GSA Confers 2007 Joseph T. Freeman Award to University of Maryland's Goldberg
Medical News Today - Nov. 14

Andrew Goldberg, MD, professor at the School of Medicine, has been chosen by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) to receive its 2007 Joseph T. Freeman Award. Goldberg has made important contributions to the field of exercise, diet, and metabolism in aging and is an internationally recognized authority in this area.
www.medicalnewstoday.com

Health Care Leaders Seek $59M to Ease Nursing Shortage
The Gazette - Nov. 14

Maryland health care leaders last week called for more money for nursing teachers, education programs, and classrooms to help fill what they say is a critical shortage in nurses. "Ending the nursing shortage is crucial to the public health," Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing, said in a statement. "A solution is in sight, and it is our responsibility to act now."
www.gazette.net

Illicit Tobacco Sales Targeted
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 14
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 14

The Baltimore County Council is considering legislation to impose civil fines of up to $500 against stores caught selling tobacco products to minors. Michael Strande, JD, deputy director of the Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation, and Advocacy at the School of Law, said that, with the imposition of civil fines for the sale of tobacco, stores would be treated similarly to businesses caught selling alcohol to minors.
www.baltimoresun.com
www.examiner.com

Law School Dean Awarded
The Daily Record - Nov. 13

Karen H. Rothenberg, JD, MPA, dean of the School of Law, received Equal Justice Worksý Dean John R. Kramer Award for 2007. Rothenberg is the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law, and founding director of the Law & Health Care Program. The award honors her dedication to nurturing an outstanding spirit of public service at the school. M. Teresa Schmiedeler, director of pro bono and public service initiatives for the school, nominated Rothenberg for the Kramer Award, praising her for her tireless support of students interested in public service opportunities.
www.mddailyrecord.com

Law School Faculty Member Speaks to Three Issues
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. - Nov. 14

Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, spoke about three issues on Channel 9 this morning: CIA videotapes of the interview process for Al Qaida prisoners; the first day on the job for the new CIA director; and the discovery that an FBI agent who later worked for the CIA was able to fake her citizenship credentials and has been passing along information to Islamic extremists.
media.umaryland.edu:8080

Symbols of Hate
Hartford Courant - Nov. 14

Because of the young age of the Jena noose-hangers and many of those who deface Jewish temples and graves, some religious and civil rights leaders say a stronger education in U.S. and world history may be part of the answer. "Many white people are unaware of the incredible power of the lynching story for African Americans," Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, a professor at the School of Law and a former civil rights attorney, told the San Francisco Chronicle recently.
www.courant.com

'24': All in a Day's Schoolwork
The Daily Record - Nov. 13

An adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center is teaching a class this spring called ýThe Law of ý24,ýý which discusses legal issues of counterterrorism raised in the showýs plot. Taunya Lovell Banks, JD, professor at the School of Law, said "no one looked at me twice" when she proposed the Law in Film class seven years ago, a seminar course that explores the function of law in society by examining legal decisions, statutes, and legal commentaries in the context of films. Banks said the School will be hosting a symposium in February about the portrayal of the criminal justice system in documentaries. Robert Percival, JD, MA, professor at the School and director of the Environmental Law Program, approaches the concept from the other side: he turns his environmental law students into filmmakers. Each year some of his students form groups and make a short documentary film about an environmental issue of their choosing.

Avoiding Conflicts in Business Mediation
The Daily Record - Nov. 13

Over the past 15 years, lawyers have increasingly relied on mediation as an alternative to complex litigation. A mediator must balance the confidentiality pledge made to each party against a commitment to a conscionable agreement emerging from the mediation, according to Roger Wolf, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Dispute Resolution. Louise Phipps Senft, JD, adjunct professor at the School and founder of Baltimore Mediation, said a mediator must be mindful of anything he or she has a strong opinion about, or anything that is "still raw" from a recent event, such as a lawsuit. She said "self-awareness" and "one's own transparency of process" is the only way to remain impartial.

Foster Care Costs in Wisconsin ý Enough or Too Little?
Wisconsin State Journal - Nov. 13

"Hitting the M.A.R.C.," authored by New York-based advocacy group Childrenýs Rights, the National Foster Parent Association, and the University of Maryland School of Social Work, found that all but Arizona and the District of Columbia fail to reimburse foster parents enough to cover the costs of caring for foster children. Wisconsinýwhich pays base rates of between $317 and $411 a month, depending on the age of the childýis particularly stingy, according to the report, and essentially would have to double its reimbursement if it expects to properly meet foster childrenýs needs.
www.madison.com

Heart-Liver Transplant Performed at University of Maryland
The Associated Press - Nov. 13
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13, 5 p.m. - Nov. 12
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11, 5 p.m. - Nov. 12
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45, 10 p.m. - Nov. 12
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2, 5 p.m. - Nov. 12
The Washington Post - Nov. 13

A 33-year-old Maryland man is recovering after receiving a heart and liver transplant last month at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the first of its kind to be performed in Maryland. Trevanoyn Shelton had a fairly rare heart condition known as restrictive cardiomyopathy, according to Sina Moainie, MD, assistant professor at the School of Medicine and a cardiac surgeon who led the heart transplant team. "His heart muscle became fibrotic and stiff, preventing the heart from filling with blood. As a consequence, the heart couldn't pump the blood forward into his body," Moainie said. Shelton's malfunctioning heart caused his liver to become congested and fail, according to Benjamin Philosophe, MD, PhD, associate professor and a member of the liver transplant team. Finding compatible donor organs also was difficult, said assistant professor Erika Feller, MD. Luis Campos-De-La-Borbolla, MD, an assistant professor and a transplant surgeon, said performing the liver transplant right after the heart transplant was like sailing in uncharted waters.
www.examiner.com
media.umaryland.edu:8080
www.washingtonpost.com

Law School Professor to Join ALI
The Daily Record - Nov. 13

Max Stearns, JD, professor at the School of Law, has been elected to the American Law Institute, a group that publishes model codes, restatements of the law, and recommendations for legal reform.

Plan for Hospital Ship Questioned
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 13

A former World War II hospital ship that has spent much of its retirement languishing in Baltimore will soon be towed to Greece, under a plan thatýs raising concerns from a Seattle environmental group. The group has contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maryland Port Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency with allegations that the ship contains polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, thought to cause cancer. The EPA would have to give an exemption to the ship for it to be sent abroad and broken up, which can net the owner millions if it were done in a developing nation where labor is cheap. "One of the big loopholes with these ships and other things, is [people will] claim they're not really waste," said Robert Percival, JD, MA, professor at the School of Law and director of the Environmental Law Program.
www.baltimoresun.com

'Tree Man' Who Grew Roots May Be Cured
Telegraph (U.K.) - Nov. 12

An Indonesian fisherman who feared that he would be killed by the gnarled tree-like growths covering his body has been given hope of recovery by an American doctor. Dede, now 35, baffled medical experts when warty "roots" began growing out of his arms and feet after he cut his knee in a teenage accident. After testing samples of the growths, Anthony Gaspari, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, believes that Dede's affliction is caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), a fairly common infection that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers.
www.telegraph.co.uk

Atkins Diet Comes Under Fire Again
MedHeadlines.com - Nov. 10

The Atkins diet, which has come under significant fire in recent years, received more negative press last week in a study released by the School of Medicine. "I think the Atkins diet is potentially detrimental for cardiovascular health, if maintained for a long duration, and without attempts to lose weight," said Michael Miller, MD, associate professor at the School, lead author of the study, and director of the Center of Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.medheadlines.com

CSA Hears Challenge to BGE Rate Hike
The Daily Record - Nov. 9
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45, 10 p.m. - Nov. 8; 6 and 7 a.m. - Nov. 9

Five months after Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. (BGE) customers began feeling the effects of the companyýs 50 percent rate hike, attorneys argued before the Court of Special Appeals at a session at the School of Law that the Public Service Commission's approval of that increase violated Maryland laws that protect consumer interests. "I think suddenly BGE is arguing that they have the discretion to set rates and if they do it in an imprudent formula, then there's no law that's being broken," said Lisa Fairfax, JD, professor at the School and director of the Business Law Program. "The question is, to what extent should the commission and the court be trying to ascertain what's the appropriate rate, given that there's not necessarily a stable rate established?"

Keep a Grip on Security
Investor's Business Daily - Nov. 12
CNNMoney.com - Nov. 12

According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization, more than 25 million records containing sensitive personal information have been involved in security breaches since 2005. The Federal Trade Commission does take action against negligent companies, but can handle only a handful of cases at any given time, according to Danielle Citron, JD, assistant professor at the School of Law. "That's six or seven cases out of what are probably 200 breaches in the last six months," she said.
money.cnn.com

Mayor Looks Beyond the Inner Harbor
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 12

How will Baltimore's newly elected mayor and first female chief executive, Sheila Dixon, put her stamp on Baltimore's physical environment? She would like to see Poppleton take advantage of its proximity to the UMB BioPark and become "another Georgetown."
www.baltimoresun.com

Out of Sight, and In the Water; Fly Ash Concerns Smolder in Maryland
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 11
Baltimoresun.com - Nov. 11

The Maryland Department of the Environment is drafting tighter regulations for all coal ash dumps, after revelations that one in Anne Arundel County polluted local wells, drawing a $1 million fine. State officials havenýt said exactly what they will require, but say the new mandates might include putting liners under every ash landfill to prevent rain from seeping through to contaminate underground water supplies. Jane Barrett, JD, associate professor at the School of Law and director of the Environmental Law Clinic, said the question of whether hazardous metals are seeping out of ash waste landfills into groundwater should be investigated statewide. "All these sites need to be looked at," she said.
www.baltimoresun.com

The Skinny on Abs
The (New Jersey) Times - Nov. 12

Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, clinical assistant professor at the School of Medicine and author of Fight Fat After Forty and Body for Life for Women, refers to this type of weight gain as ýtoxic weight.ý Abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat, is more deleterious to our health than fat in the extremities because it accumulates near the heart. That raises our risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems such as diabetes.
www.nj.com

Unfair for Courts to Admit Unreliable Evidence
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 10
Baltimoresun.com - Nov. 10

In this letter to the editor, Aaron Gavant, a second-year student at the School of Law, examines the issue of whether partial fingerprint evidence is admissible in court. "After reading Baltimore County Circuit Judge Susan Souder's ruling on the use of fingerprint evidence, it seems clear to me that significant doubts exist over whether the methodology behind fingerprinting forensics is reliable. It appears that expert opinions in the field are colored by subjectivity and can be relied upon only to a very limited degree, if at all," said Gavant, a former intern for Judge Souderýs court.
www.baltimoresun.com

Aqua Dots Toys Recalled
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13 - 5, 6, and 11 p.m. - Nov. 8

Bryan Hayes, PharmD, of the Maryland Poison Center explained that parents who are worried about their children playing with Aqua Dots, a craft game with pieces that are suspected of being coated with a chemical that turns into GHB, a dangerous and potentially fatal drug, should watch for symptoms that mimic drunkenness and to see if their kids are not acting like themselves. Jacquelyn Goodrich of the Poison Center described some of the calls from worried parents that have been coming into the center.
wjz.com

CSA Hears Challenge to BGE Rate Hike
The Daily Record - Nov. 9
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2 - 5:30 p.m. - Nov. 8

Saying the link between Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., and its parent, Constellation Energy Group Inc., negatively impacted consumers, Cynthia Green-Warren argued for the state Office of Peopleýs Counsel that the rate increases did not properly distinguish between a "financial arrangement for business purposes" and setting rates for a regulated public utility. "That's where you get the difference," Green-Warren said during Thursday's court session at the School of Law.

On the Move
The Daily Record - Nov. 9

Cleveland Barnes, MSc, is the new director of public safety and chief of police for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Barnes is a veteran of the department and previously held the position in an "acting" capacity. He joined the University in 1971, after completing an enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps, which included a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam.

Yellow Means Go Faster
On the Record - Nov. 9

Leave it to Chief Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr. to keep it real at the Court of Special Appeals, even when the court goes on a road trip to one of the state's law schools, as it did on Thursday. "Let's just all take judicial notice of the way human beings drive through a yellow light," he interrupted, which sent the Moot Courtroom at the School of Law into waves of laughter.
mddailyrecord.blogspot.com

'Notable Quotable'
The Baltimore Sun - Nov. 8

"The consumer has got to be made aware that the high price they are paying does not necessarily reflect supply and demand, but rigged markets by hedge funds and big banks that are profiting greatly from this kind of trading," said Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor at the School of Law and an expert on futures markets, in a pullout quote in the editorial section.

Businesses Feel the Fuel Pinch
The Baltimore Sun - Nov. 8

Investors watched global oil markets yesterday as the price of crude flirted with the $100-per-barrel milestone, raising the prospect of higher costs for everything from gasoline to groceries. Investors from hedge funds to banks are pouring money into unregulated oil futures markets, which industry officials often refer to as "dark markets" because they lack oversight. "It just so happens that these kinds of futures contracts can be manipulated if nobody is watching," said Michael Greenberger, JD, a professor at the School of Law and an expert on futures markets.
www.baltimoresun.com

Names in the News
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 8

Karen Kauffman, PhD, RN, MS, associate professor at the School of Nursing, has been appointed chairwoman of the Department of Family and Community Health. Christopher Plowe, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of the malaria section at its Center for Vaccine Development, has been named a 2007 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator for his research on malaria vaccines. Renee Fox, MD, associate professor in the School of Medicine, is among eight health professionals named Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows for 2007-2008. Fellows spend a year working in Washington in a congressional office or the executive branch.
www.baltimoresun.com

Popular Diet Could Lead to Heart Trouble
Ivanhoe.com - Nov. 8

A team of researchers at the School of Medicine led by Associate Professor Michael Miller, MD, compared the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet and the Ornish diet and studied their impact on cholesterol, the effect they had on blood vessels, and the presence of inflammation caused by hardening of the arteries.
www.ivanhoe.com

Task Force on Voting Irregularities to Meet
The (Salisbury) Daily Times - Nov. 8

Voters can share experiences or problems associated with ballot-casting during 2006 primary and general elections at a Nov. 12 public hearing on the Wye Mills campus of Chesapeake College. The hearing is one of several across Maryland since the task force, co-chaired by Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, professor at the School of Law, was created earlier this year by Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler. The task force will compile a report detailing irregularities and make recommendations to resolve problems identified.

Antioxidants Could Provide All-Purpose Radiation Protection
FoodConsumer.org - Nov. 6

The study led by researchers from the University of Maryland found inositol and inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), both potent antioxidants, protected both human skin cells and a skin cancer-prone mouse from exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation found in sun rays. The results were reported today at the American Association for Cancer Research Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine held Nov. 4-8, 2007. "Both of these potent antioxidants have been shown to have broad-spectrum anti-tumor capabilities, and now our studies confirm the degree to which these molecules protect against the DNA-damaging effects of ionizing radiation," said Abulkalam Shamsuddin, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at the School of Medicine.
foodconsumer.org

Experimental Drug Fights Prostate Cancer
Forbes.com - Nov. 7

In mice, an investigational agent called VN/14-1 proved effective in treating human prostate cancer, say researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. "This potent agent causes cancer cells to differentiate, forcing them to turn back to a non-cancerous stateýwhich is what we expected it would doýbut it also stops cancer growth by arresting the cell cycle and pushes cells to die by inducing programmed cell death," senior investigator Vincent Njar, PhD, associate professor in the department of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics at the School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
www.forbes.com

Nursing Professor Shortage Affects Admissions
WAMU Radio - Nov. 6

Nursing schools in Maryland have had to turn away thousands qualified applicants because the schools lack the teachers and resources to train them. Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing, says schools need bigger incentives to recruit nurses who have the qualifications to teach.
www.wamu.org

Nursing Shortage Can Impact Student Admissions
WJZ-TV, Ch. 13, 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - Nov. 7

The School of Nursing, like nursing schools around the county, are struggling to grow fast enough to address a nursing shortage crisis. Student Hershaw Davis was a victim of the problem. "I was denied admission to the University of Maryland, not because of lack of credentials but because of a lack of professors," said Davis, who is now attending the School. He was one of 2,000 turned away across the state of Maryland each year, according to the chair of a studies workgroup.
wjz.com

Reimbursement Rates Are Too Low
The Daily Herald (Ill.) - Nov. 7

A new study reveals Illinois reimburses foster parents at a rate far below the actual costs of caring for a foster child, according to a report released in October by the National Foster Parents Association, Children's Rights, and the School of Social Work. "Lawmakers need to meet their responsibility to pay the cost of feeding foster children under their care," writes Margaret Berlind, president and CEO of the Child Care Association of Illinois in a letter to the editor.
www.dailyherald.com

Sex After Heart Failure OK?
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 7

Most patients with chronic heart failure, when properly screened and treated, can safely engage in sexual activity, said Mandeep Mehra, MD, professor at the School of Medicine, in a statement. Men with heart failure can be treated for sexual dysfunction with medications such as sildenafil.
www.examiner.com

Worst 'Atkins Will Kill You' Study Ever
Male Pattern Fitness - Nov. 7
New York Post - Nov. 7
CTV.ca.com - Nov. 7
Reuters.com - Nov. 7
Atlanta Journal Constitution - Nov. 7

Michael Miller, MD, associate professor at the School of Medicine, set out to discover what various diets do to a personýs cholesterol levels if that person doesn't lose weight. "Some markers of inflammation were increased by as much as 30 to 40 percent during the Atkins phase, whereas during the South Beach and Ornish phases, the markers either were stable or went down, some by as much as 15 to 20 percent," Miller said.
www.malepatternfitness.com
www.nypost.com
www.ctv.ca
www.reuters.com
www.ajc.com

An Epidemic's Unseen Cause
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 4

The sale of sex for drug money is an important but largely overlooked reason why Baltimore has the nation's second-highest rate of AIDS diagnoses, trailing only Miami. Sharon Williams is one such woman who is sharing her story of a life of drugs and prostitution. She gave doctors at the Evelyn Jordan Center at the School of Medicine permission to discuss her medical history. "The fact that she has gonorrhea means she's having unprotected sex and [potentially] spreading HIV as well," said Ronald Reisler, MD, MPH, assistant professor at the School and Williams' doctor at the center. "The problem is, she doesn't come to clinic, doesnýt take medicines," he said. "If she continues on this path, I would expect her life expectancy to be short."
www.baltimoresun.com

Army's Aggressive Surgeon Is Too Aggressive for Some
The New York Times - Nov. 6

Since the war in Iraq began, Col. John Holcomb has been working to change the way the military takes care of its wounded. Under his watch, Army surgeons have become aggressive users of a controversial drug called Factor VII, which promotes clotting in cases of severe bleeding. John Hess, MD, MPH, professor of pathology at the School of Medicine, said the Army was right to use Factor VII aggressively. Severe bleeding, he noted, quickly exhausts the natural resources of Factor VII. In trauma patients, "hemorrhage is the second-leading cause of death," behind only brain injuries. "But you can do something about it."
www.nytimes.com

L.A. Clinic Is First in U.S. to Treat Chagas
Los Angeles Times - Nov. 6

A Los Angeles County hospital has opened the first clinic in the country devoted to studying and treating Chagas disease, a deadly parasitic illness that has long been the leading cause of heart failure in Latin America and is now being seen in immigrant communities in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a test for screening the blood supply. "We've been suspecting that the number was going to be large, but finding that it is large is still surprising," said James Maguire, MD, MPH, professor at the School of Medicine and former chief of the parasitic diseases branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. "Screening the blood supply was absolutely the right thing to do."
www.latimes.com

Maryland Plan for More Nurses Unveiled
The (Baltimore) Sun ý Nov. 6
The Baltimore Business Journal - Nov. 6
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 6
The Washington Post - Nov. 6
WBFF-TV, Ch. 45, 10 p.m. - Nov. 5, 6:30 a.m., 6:50 a.m. - Nov. 6

In an effort to ease a worsening nursing shortage, state hospital and university leaders announced an ambitious plan yesterday to double the number of registered nurses educated in Maryland in two years. Without intervention, Maryland is predicted to be short 10,000 nurses in 10 years, just as the population of baby boomers requires an increased level of medical care, the Maryland Hospital Association said. ýItýs a hot topic,ý said Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. "It's a very good time for us to approach the governor. No one has a zero percent vacancy rate, in any business," she said. "Hospital officials also pledged to make more efficient use of the nurses they have. Often a nurse only spends half of an eight-hour shift in direct contact with patients."
www.baltimoresun.com
www.bizjournals.com
www.examiner.com
www.washingtonpost.com
media.umaryland.edu:8080

Study Finds Promise In Heart Scans
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 6

Computed tomography is nearly as effective as the invasive and expensive surgical methods typically used to diagnose coronary blockages, according to new research by Johns Hopkins cardiologists. The CT scans are almost as reliable and accurate as cardiac cathetersýthe current standard of practiceýin evaluating chest pain and other serious heart symptoms, the researchers said yesterday at the American Heart Association's annual conference in Florida. David Zimrin, MD, an assistant professor at the School of Medicine and director of the cardiac catheterization lab at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said that from a medical standpoint, he will be happy when CT scans replace some diagnostic catheterizations, but he worries that doctors might become too quick to refer patients for CT scansýcosting the health care system more in the long run. "It'll be used much, much, much, much more than diagnostic catheterization," he said.
www.baltimoresun.com

University of Maryland to Open Trauma Center for Families
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 6

The harsh realities of Baltimore's violence levels, paired with the city's university researchers and medical centers, make it an ideal place for one of 10 trauma centers across the nation specifically geared toward helping families. The University of Maryland's School of Medicine and School of Social Work, along with the Kennedy Krieger Family Center and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, are starting a Family-Informed Trauma Treatment Center with a $2.4 million federal grant. "We have families who never go out at night. Think about what that means in terms of their psyche," said Fred Strieder, PhD, MSSA, a clinical associate professor at the School of Social Work. "Traumatic experiences such as domestic violence, school violence, and child abuse derail families," said Laurel Kiser, PhD, an associate professor at the School of Medicine, who believes living in Baltimore's roughest neighborhoods is traumatic in itself.
www.examiner.com

Why States Are Resisting U.S. on Plan for Standardized ID
CBSNews.com - Nov. 5

The federal government's efforts to create a standardized, secure driver's license that would also serve as a national ID card have hit some significant stumbling blocks. One reason is the price tag, estimated at $14.6 billion. There's also concern about how difficult it would be to implement. Homeland security experts say such a standardized identification system would be helpful in maintaining security. "This could assure you that people are not using false identifications and boarding planes under false pretenses," said Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security. "But there are a lot of strong arguments against it. It has become very unpopular, politically."
www.cbsnews.com

Academics Still Cool
Jamaica Observer - Nov. 5

Two men conferred with honorary degrees for outstanding service in their respective fields of endeavor. The second man to be conferred with an honorary degree was Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
www.jamaicaobserver.com

Be in Demand: Become a Nurse
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 5

In an Q and A with Janet Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing, the nursing shortage and the nursing faculty shortage are discussed. "Last year, 42,000 qualified applicants to nursing programs across the nation were denied admission because of a lack of faculty and buildings," she said.
www.examiner.com

Getting the (Text) Message Out
The Daily Record - Nov. 5

After the shootings last April at Virginia Tech, many colleges instituted text message systems to send emergency alerts to the mobile phones of students, faculty, and staff. But those systems only work if the intended recipients are registered to receive the messagesýand encouraging them to do so has proven to be a challenge, according to officials at local schools. "We can't seem to get them to sign up," said Robert Rowan, MS, assistant vice president of facilities management and director of the emergency response team at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. UMB has signed on about 1,000 users to the $40,000 UMB Alerts system, provided by Roam Secure, since it launched Sept. 12. "That's far less than the goal," said Rowan.

Many Steps to a Fresh Start
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 5

Prostitution may be the direct or indirect cause of 20 percent to 40 percent of new HIV infections, estimated William Blattner, MD, professor at the School of Medicine and director of epidemiology at the Institute of Human Virology. "I think there are certain taboos to even admit that it [prostitution] exists," said Blattner.
www.baltimoresun.com

McCready Paved the way for Black Students
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 5

Esther McCready, the first black student to attend the School of Nursing is profiled about her experience. McCready, now 76, said she never intended to become a civil rights trailblazer, she just wanted to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse without having to leave Baltimore. She matriculated into the School in 1950, after Thurgood Marshall, filed a suit on her behalf.
www.examiner.com

On Constitutional Law
The Daily Record - Nov. 5

A federal jury in Baltimore awarded nearly $11 million to the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, deciding that the family's privacy had been invaded by a Kansas church whose members waved anti-gay and anti-war signs at the funeral. "Before citizens and attorneys begin mutual congratulations," writes Mark Graber, JD, PhD, MA, professor at the School of Law, in this Op-Ed, " "questions should be asked about whether there was a law against [church leader] Fred Phelps and whether that law is worthy of celebration. American history suggests caution about jury decisions that find hated speakers have violated some law and merit exceptionally severe sanctions."

On the Move
The Daily Record - Nov. 2

M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, executive director of the Health and Human Services Library (HSHSL) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, has been elected to a three-year term in the PALINET Board. PALINET is a cooperative membership organization representing hundreds of libraries, information centers, museums, archives, and other similar organizations throughout Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and beyond. Stefanie Warlick, MLS, liasion and outreach services librarian at the HSHSL has been named a 2008 Emerging Leader by the American Library Association.

The Pharmacist Is In
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 5

Pharmacists should simply be part of a health care team on which the primary care doctor serves as the anchor. They should have to meet certain licensing and regulation standards-which those trained at the School of Pharmacy already do-and serve mostly as an auxiliary, quick access source of advice and counseling.
www.baltimoresun.com

U Recruits Nanotechnology Researchers
The Daily Utah Chronicle - Nov. 5

The U recently hired two prominent scientists in the field of nanotechnology as part of the stateýs new Utah Science Technology and Research initiative. Marc Porter from Arizona State University and Hamid Ghandehari, PhD, associate professor at the School of Pharmacy start at the U within the next few weeks and bring with them research programs, private and public research funding, and promising innovative technology for business commercialization in Utah. The USTAR initiative provides funding for the U to hire more scientists.
media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com

Why States are Resisting U.S. on Plan for Standardized I.D.
The Christian Science Monitor - Nov. 5
CSMonitor.com - Nov. 5

The federal government's efforts to create a standardized, secure driver's license that would also serve as a national ID card have hit some significant stumbling blocks. One reason is the price tag, estimated at $14.6 billion. Thereýs also concern about how difficult it would be to implement. Homeland security experts say such a standardized identification system would be helpful in maintaining security. "This could assure you that people are not using false identifications and boarding planes under false pretenses," said Michael Greenberger, JD, professor at the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security. "But there are a lot of strong arguments against it. It has become very unpopular, politically."
www.csmonitor.com

Heroes: A Flooded Market?
The New York Times - Nov. 2

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg caused a public fury when he said that a police officer who had died of a drug overdose-not because of the toxins he inhaled during hundreds of hours working at ground zero-was not a hero. In the process, he reinforced the sentiment that the whole subject of heroes has turned into a rhetorical third rail. This state of affairs gets more complicated in comparison to another recent headline: race in America. Despite a feeling to the contrary during protests in Louisiana, "I don't regard Mychal Bell or the other teens that comprise the Jena 6 as 'heroes,'" Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, professor at the School of Law, wrote on a blog called Blackprof.com.
thelede.blogs.nytimes.com

Higher Education Needs Dedicated State Funding
The Daily Record - Nov. 2

"We have a responsibility to elevate the intellectual, social, and cultural well-being of the state of Maryland," writes William E. Kirwan, PhD, chancellor and president of the University System of Maryland. "Our institutions are not simply in the community; they are of the community. Every year at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, faculty members, students, and staff provide more than two million hours of community service."

If Church Doesn't Pay, Father Still Wins
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 2

A federal jury in Baltimore awarded nearly $11 million to the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, deciding that the familyýs privacy had been invaded by a Kansas church whose members waved anti-gay and anti-war signs at the funeral. C. Christopher Brown, JD, associate professor emeritus at the School of Law, said it can be difficult but not impossible to collect damages. He won damages for a client against a child abuser three years ago and is still trying to collect; but in another case, it took a mere couple of months. Sometimes, he said, "It's a paper victory. You have piece of paper that says you've been awarded $11 million." Though he continued, "You still have to hunt it down. You can spend a lot of money hunting it down."
www.baltimoresun.com

Kids Running With Purpose
The (Baltimore) Examiner - Nov. 2

Baltimore's Marathon Kids will hold their Ceremonial First Mile of the free, 26.2-mile, six-month running/walking and nutrition program Saturday at Towson University. "Any program that encourages sustained exercise and activity is a much-needed counter to an epidemic of childhood obesity," said Steven Czinn, MD, head of the Hospital for Children and professor and chairman of pediatrics at the School of Medicine.
www.examiner.com

Maryland Magazine Wins Platinum PR Award
The Daily Record - Nov. 2

Maryland magazine, the University of Maryland, Baltimoreýs annual research magazine, has won a national award from PR News for best external publication. Maryland magazine was recognized with a Platinum PR Award as an outstanding public relations effort. The University began planning the bicentennial issue of the magazine a year in advance, determined to celebrate its 200 years of excellence in a fitting manner while promoting its current education and research programs.

UM Health System's Planned Hospital on Hold
Baltimore Business Journal - Nov. 2

Construction of a nearly $350 million hospital project at the University of Maryland Medical Center slated to open by 2010 is on hold, leaders of the University's medical school and health system said. "We've been told it's on hold," E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vice president for medical affairs of the University and dean of the School of Medicine, said of the ambulatory care center project. His faculty members, who also are doctors for the Medical Center, were to staff the new health complex. Officials of the University of Maryland Medical System, which owns the hospital, said rising construction costs and a reduction of previously approved increases in rates that the state's hospitals can charge patients and insurers have prompted reconsideration of some aspects of the project.
baltimore.bizjournals.com

Druggists Seeking Enlarged Care Role
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 1

The School of Pharmacy began a pilot program last year in Western Maryland to help diabetes patients better manage their disease. Called P3, it is modeled on a successful initiative in North Carolina that resulted in improved health for patients, decreases in health care costs for doctor visits and hospitalizations, and fewer employee sick days. "What's happening is physicians are being overloaded with what we call simple cases," said Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the School. "For those uncomplicated situations, why canýt someone else manage that so physicians will have more time for the more complicated cases that they have?"
www.baltimoresun.com

Learning About Periodontal Health
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 1

Although no one is claiming that there is a causal relationship between poor periodontal health and other systemic diseases, there is a great deal of research aimed at further defining these associations, says Harlan Shiau, DDS, DMSc, assistant professor of periodontics at the Dental School.
www.baltimoresun.com

Marine's Father Awarded $11 Million for Funeral Protest
The (Baltimore) Sun - Nov. 1 (published in five newspapers and Web sites)
The Associated Press - Nov. 1 (published in 35 newspapers and 23 Web sites)

A federal jury in Baltimore awarded nearly $11 million yesterday to the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, deciding that the familyýs privacy had been invaded by a Kansas church whose members waved anti-gay and anti-war signs at the funeral. Mark Graber, JD, PhD, MA, professor at the School of Law, said the size of the award, which included $8 million in punitive damages, could have a chilling effect on speech. "This was in a public space," Graber said. "While the actions are reprehensible, the First Amendment protects a lot thatýs reprehensible."
www.baltimoresun.com
www.examiner.com