GALVESTON, Texas - Several members of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the Southeast Texas Poison Center participated in the Galveston Independent School District’s back to school fair held on Aug. 15 at the Galveston Island Convention Center. (more)
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 27, 2008
In their Keeping Kids Healthy column, UTMB’s Drs. Sally Robinson and Keith Bly, taking note of the death of two children in the Houston area who were left in a car, caution that it’s never safe, even on a relatively mild day, to leave a child unattended in a car. “None of us likes to meddle in others’ business because we don’t want others to meddle in ours. But if you see a child (or pet) locked alone in a hot car, don’t turn away. Take the heat yourself. Try to find the parents. If you can’t, find a police officer or call 911. Your willingness to act may save a life.”
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 27, 2008
UTMB’s Dr. David Herndon is quoted in this article about Marathon Oil Corp. contributing $50,000 to the expansion of the Truman G. Blocker Burn Unit. Herndon said the gift will “will not only allow us to increase our ability to care for more patients but also better accommodate their families.”
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 26, 2008
UTMB is embarking on a pilot program of a four-day work week for some employees in an effort to reduce utility costs. The program initially will affect about 150 employees, but officials are considering a four-day, 10-hour work schedule for as many buildings as possible. From the article:Â For obvious reasons, hospitals and correctional care buildings won’t convert to shorter weeks. But the medical branch, one of the county’s largest employers, is considering a four-day workweek for outpatient clinics. “Some may be able to offer longer hours on four days of the week and potentially improve the access to patients,” said Mike Shriner, vice president for facilities and campus services.
 Stillwater News Press, Aug. 25, 2008
This feature story about UTMB’s Dr. Richard T. Jennings is about his efforts to go into space and his work and research for NASA. Jennings, who is residency director of the UTMB/NASA aerospace medicine residency, refers to himself as a two-time loser in NASA’s selection of astronauts and says his medical work is not that different from most doctors, except for a few added difficulties - like operating without gravity and having clients who could be hundreds of thousands of miles away. “We use traditional medicine, but we are really helping create geographic diversity for humans,” Jennings said. “We are helping people get off the planet to get to the moon, to get to Mars, a permanent presence in space, which gives us redundancy on human existence. There is a certain imperative to do that.”
 Austin American-Statesman, Aug. 26, 2008
This article is about separate studies at UT Austin and UTMB in the fight against influenza. UTMB’s Dr. Christine Turley, who is heading up a study for a universal influenza A vaccine, comments on the UT Austin study in which researchers have discovered a “tricky protein” that attaches itself to a protein in human cells and prevents the immune system from mounting a defense against the virus. “This is a great step forward,” Turley said. “It’s an early stage discovery … but the more we understand about the structure of that (virus) and the interactions of the proteins at the molecular level, the more we’ll be able to develop good drugs.” Turley said the vaccine she is testing has shown promise in clinical trials. Turley is expected to present early test results Oct. 25-28 at a joint meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington.
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 26, 2008In his weekly “It’s Your Health” column, UTMB’s Dr. Michael Warren writes that there really is no good excuse for not exercising. “There are many types of good exercise, depending on your personal preferences. Walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are all extremely healthy forms of exercise that require little or no expense and can be personally monitored.” He also encourages people to participate in the Oct. 18 D’Feet Breast Cancer Run and Walk.
 Houston Chronicle, Aug. 23, 2008
UTMB’s Susan Rosenthal, lead author of a study about the use of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil), is quoted in this article. The study found that a mother’s decision to have her daughter vaccinated was not influenced by her opinions of pre-marital sex. “This is a decision about parenting, vulnerability and vaccine attitudes, not sexuality,” said Rosenthal, a UTMB pediatric psychologist and the study’s lead author. “Mothers who haven’t had their daughter vaccinated yet most often said they want more time to learn about the vaccine.”
 The HPV study is being picked up and widely distributed online. This one is posted on the Web site for the Center for the Advancement of Health, which is funded by the Annenberg Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. http://www.hbns.org/getDocument.cfm?documentID=1762
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 25, 2008
This society news column has an item about a UTMB planning meeting for the Komen Race for the Cure in October. The item mentions that Teri Wenglein-Callender is serving as honorary chairwoman for the cancer center team.
 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 24, 2008
UTMB’s Gerald Cleveland is quoted in this article about the 10,000 step exercise program. Cleveland cautions that someone who does not have an exercise routine should not suddenly try to do the 10,000 steps a day program and advises other types of exercise to complement the program. “The majority of adults and children in the United States get very little exercise, so any activity is better than nothing. However, to achieve overall fitness, a plan that includes strength training, flexibility and core movements should be added to cardiovascular training.”
