Kudos

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Honors and Awards

Michael C. Braun, M.D., assistant professor at the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) and assistant professor in pediatric nephrology, Medical School (MS), has been named Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). This designation is for ASN members who “achieve a distinct level of excellence in clinical or investigative nephrology.” Braun also is a faculty member in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS).

Yang Xia, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, MS and GSBS, received the Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award at the Second Annual Symposium of the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences July 24-27 in Keystone, Colo.

Presentations

Kathleen Becan-McBride, Ed.D., coordinator of Texas-Mexico Border Health Projects and professor of family and community medicine, MS, presented “Binational Harmonization of Medical and Laboratory Personnel Standards” June 23 at the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Association meeting in Laredo and “Global Harmonization of Clinical and Medical Laboratory Personnel Standards” July 26 at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry/International Congress of Clinical Chemistry meeting in Orlando, Fla. McBride also is assistant director for Academic Partnerships for the Greater Houston Area Health Education Center.

Barbara Foorman, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics, MS, and director of the Center for Academic and Reading Skills, gave the keynote address at the Fourth Annual Network Conference of the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, which has members from 30 Canadian post-secondary institutions and more than 100 partnerships with industry, government and research affiliates. The conference was June 26-29 in Toronto, Ontario. Foorman is commissioner of education research in the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Ferid Murad, M.D., Ph.D., IMM director and holder of the John S. Dunn Sr. Distinguished University Chair in Physiology and Medicine, gave lectures at meetings and universities in Italy, Prague, Spain and Germany. He chaired the jury for the Rey Jaime Research Prize in Spain. Murad also is professor of integrative biology and pharmacology, MS and GSBS.

Holly C. Rice, registered dental hygienist and clinical assistant professor in the School of Dental Hygiene, Dental Branch, presented a poster, “A Comparison of the Academic Performance of Certificate Students and Baccalaureate Students in a Dental Hygiene Program,” June 23 at the American Dental Hygienist’s Association annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nev.

School of Nursing (SON) faculty, D.S.N. students, alumni and colleagues from other institutions made presentations July 13-16 at the International Sigma Theta Tau conference in Hawaii.

Poster presentations included: Shyang-Yun P. K. Shiao, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing for target populations, “Clinical Care Guidelines for Glycemic Control in Long-Term Care: Utilizing the Best Evidence,” “Clinical Care Guidelines for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: Utilization of Best Evidence,” and “Validation of Culturally Sensitive Care in Reducing Health Care Disparity.”

Sandra K. Hanneman, Ph.D., the Jerold B. Katz Distinguished Professor for Nursing Research and director, Center for Nursing Research, and alumnus Gary Michael Gusick, D.S.N., St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, “Oral Care and Patient Positioning in Critical Care: A Replication Study.”

Papers included: Gwen D. Sherwood, Ph.D., former professor and executive associate dean, and Jeanette McNeill, Dr.P.H., professor of nursing for target populations, “Evidence-Based Practice to Change Pain Management Outcomes.”

Sherwood and Eric Thomas, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine, Medical School, “Multidisciplinary Views of Teamwork:Working Together for Patient Safety.”

Janet C. Meininger, Ph.D., the Lee and Joseph Jamail Distinguished Professor; Wenyaw Chan, Ph.D., professor of biostatistics, School of Public Health (SPH);Thong Q. Nguyen, research assistant, Nursing Systems and Technology; alumna Heeseung Choi, D.S.N., College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago; and William H. Mueller, Ph.D., former professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences, SPH, “Ambulatory Blood Pressures of Adolescents in Relation to Hostility and Social Defensiveness.”

Symposium: Rebecca J. Helmreich, D.S.N. student; Shiao; Kara Helfenbein, student; and Linda S. Dune, Ph.D., assistant professor, Acute and Continuing Care, “Meta-Analyses of Acupressure Studies: Effects on Nausea- and Vomiting-Related Symptoms in Three Patient Populations.”

Alumnae Glenda Smith, D.S.N., and Margaret Moss, D.S.N., presented aspects of their dissertation research.

Publications

SPH researchers critically reviewed scientific data from 1983-2004 on the impact of mass media on the sexual knowledge, beliefs, behaviors and attitudes of adolescents aged 11 to 19 in a supplement to the July 5 issue of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their report, “Impact of the Media on Adolescent Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors,” breaks down the exposure, content and effects that television, advertising, movies, radio, music, magazines and the Internet have on young people. Liliana Escobar-Chaves, Dr.P.H., is principal investigator of the study and a faculty associate. Other authors from the school’s Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research include: Susan Tortolero, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology, and Christine Markham, Ph.D., assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences.

SON graduate T. Rodriquez was first author on “Substitution of Liothyronine at a 1:5 Ratio for a Portion of Levothyroxine: Effect on Fatigue, Symptoms of Depression, and Working Memory Versus Treatment with Levothyroxine Alone,” published in the July/August issue of Endocrine Practice. Co-authors were members of his dissertation committee, which was chaired by Janet Meininger, Ph.D., the Lee and Joseph Jamail Distinguished Professor, SON. Other co-authors were Victor R. Lavis, M.D., professor of internal medicine-endocrinology, MS; Asha S. Kapadia, Ph.D., professor of biostatistics, SPH; and Linda Stafford, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing for target populations, SON. This was a replication study with stronger methodological rigor than the original study, which showed superior effectiveness of using two thyroid hormones rather than one to treat hypothyroidism. In the new study, no effect was shown on the outcome measures.