The community refrigerator project was planned and executed by medical students at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who approached the church with the idea that was part of a project to battle food insecurity. “What better way is there to address food insecurity and prevent food waste,” said Nicole Michael, a fourth-year medical student at the medical branch. “There are a lot of resources to get people food, like the food bank and churches. The thing that’s different about this is the community sustainability piece of it.”

About 1 out of every 20 COVID-19 tests administered in Galveston County since the early days of the pandemic has been paid for through a county-funded program meant to help keep the tests easily accessible. Since Galveston County and the University of Texas Medical Branch began the local testing program in May 2020, more than 36,000 uninsured people have used the service, according to numbers released by the county.

A UTMB professor says the virus can be especially harmful to pregnant women since the infection can cause birth defects. Dr. Pei-Yong Shi, a professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UTMB Galveston, says the virus is carried by the bite of infected mosquitoes. It can be especially harmful to pregnant women since the infection can cause certain birth defects. "That virus can infect the fetus's brain, leading to the baby born with a small head.” Austin-based KXAN also reported on UTMB’s research that found a single mutation in the Zika virus could lead to a “major outbreak.” The Indian news outlet Sakshi Post also reported this news.

The Australian news outlet story about intimate partner violence included quotes from Dr. Jeff Temple, an expert on teen dating violence at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “Practice is huge for when they get into that situation in real life,” Temple said. “What the research tells us is that kids who are able to resolve conflicts and manage their emotions are less likely to be in violent relationships later on.”

Women who have certain pre-existing medical conditions – such as thyroid disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and/or lupus – should note any changes in their condition during pregnancy. “If your thyroid hormone levels are too high or too low, you may be at increased risk of miscarriage,” says Dr. Gayle Olson, a maternal-fetal specialist at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. “If your blood sugar isn’t tightly controlled, you may be at increased risk of miscarriage or fetal abnormalities. Any flare-up in an underlying condition is a red flag and should be followed.” Several other international news outlets included this health story from WebMD.

“For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Sir William Osler, he’s one of the most legendary figures in modern medicine, medical education, and the intersection of science and the humanities,” writes Dr. Victor S. Sierpina in his column. “His methods of clinical bedside teaching, the requirements for a college degree before medical school, two years of basic science followed by two clinical years as the core of medical school, and a progressive residency program were innovative, setting the standard for our current system of medical training over a century ago.”

After any disaster or crisis parents can start to talk to their children by asking them what they’ve seen or heard, writes Dr. Sally Robinson in her column. No matter what age the child is, it’s better to be straightforward and direct. It’s suggested that it’s best to share basic information but not graphic or unnecessary details. Keeping young children away from the repetitive graphic images and sounds that appear on television, radio, social media and computers is strongly suggested. Perhaps it’s better to record the news and watch it later or with your older children so it can be stopped and discussed.

A few years ago, studies showed that transferring blood from young animals to older animals improved the older animals’ memory. In new research, scientists assessed whether blood plasma from active mice would lead to improvements in the brains of “couch potato” mice. In Medical Discovery News, Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel consider the possibilities. Remember where you read it.

Tongue-tie is a condition that’s present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. Dr. Sally Robinson explains the condition.

Body odor is usually a strange topic to talk about, but not for Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel. Some new scientific work identified a body odor chemical produced by babies’ skin that makes men less aggressive and women more aggressive. Let’s bottle this scent.