And in Pittsburgh...  

   Maxine Bruhns and her husband spent 15 years working with refugees in Cambodia, Greece, Lebanon, Vietnam and other countries. 

   In 1965 she began a 54-year career at the University of Pittsburgh, bringing cultures and traditions from around the world, as director of Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs. Pitt's Cathedral of Learning had 19 rooms on the ground floor dedicated to foreign nations. She expanded that to 31 rooms and mini-museums representing immigrant populations of Pittsburgh, attracting more than 25,000 visitors a year.  

   Before diversity and inclusion became "in," Bruhns wove other nationalities into the culture at Pitt. The chancellor said "She will be deeply missed - her incredible legacy has left an indelible mark, and her love of learning, history and culture will live on."

   Bruhns retired last January at 94, and died in July.

Steroid for Survival

   An international team led by clinician-scientists at Pitt found an inexpensive steroid that improves the odds that very sick COVID-19 patients will survive. The study's lead author says, "It's rare in medicine that you find drugs where the evidence of their effectiveness is so consistent."

   "This is, in many respects, the single clearest answer we've had so far on how to manage terribly ill COVID-19 patients," the professor said. 

   The study pooled data from 121 hospitals in eight countries. The World Health Organization is updating its COVID-19 treatment guidance as a result of the findings.   

       Jimmy