Story Ideas for Media - 02/28/05
Experts
Expert says AIDS research needs women, minority participants -- Anti-HIV medications have prolonged thousands of American lives, but AIDS researchers continue to seek treatment improvements, new classes of drugs and ways to counter the toxic side effects of the so-called drug cocktails. OSU AIDS specialist Dr. Michael Para notes that more minorities and women are needed for research concerning HIV treatments. “As we look for new therapies for all diseases, if we just study their effectiveness in men, then we really don\'t know if they work in women. If we just study whites, we\'re not going to know how well they will work in African Americans,” said Para, co-principal investigator of the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at OSU Medical Center. The number of new infections reported each year in the United States has not declined in a decade, but what has changed is the demographics of those who become infected, Para says. Women and minorities are more likely to become infected with the virus than white men, with women representing one-third of the roughly 40,000 new reported cases each year. For more information, see http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/mediaroom/press/article.cfm?ID=1949 CONTACT: Emily Caldwell, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737.
Research
New dinosaur raptor found, first in Southern Hemisphere -- Scientists at Ohio State and the Argentine Museum of Natural History have identified a new species of raptor dinosaur from fossils found in Patagonia, the very southern tip of South America. While they are the first raptor fossils found in the Southern Hemisphere, indications are that Neuquenraptor argentinus wasn\'t much of a standout compared to other raptors. It was only of average height and weight for its kind, measured six feet from head to tail, and brandished a razor-sharp claw for slashing prey, said Diego Pol, a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State. Until March 14, Pol can best be reached by e-mail. CONTACT: Diego Pol, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Dpol@mbi.osu.edu; or Pam Frost Gorder, University Relations, (614) 292-9475.
Events
Ohio Senate to recognize National Book Award recipient – March 1. -- The Ohio Senate will recognize Associate Professor of History Kevin Boyle\'s 2004 National Book Award for non-fiction at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday (3/1) in the Senate Chambers. Boyle\'s book is titled, “Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age.” More than 200 publishers submitted a record 1,074 books written by U.S. citizens and published in the United States between Dec. 1, 2003, and Nov. 30, 2004. In addition to the non-fiction category, awards were given for young people’s literature, poetry and fiction. CONTACT: Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.
Holbrook, Glenn will help dedicate the ‘new’ Page Hall – March 3. -- Board of Trustees Chair Tami Longaberger and President Karen A. Holbrook will be joined by Senator John Glenn, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Moyer and Mayor Michael Coleman for the dedication of Page Hall, which houses the university’s John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy and the School of Public Policy and Management. The event is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday (3/3) in Page Hall, 1810 College Road. The formal program begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Policy Forum, on the first floor of Page Hall. CONTACT: Laura Sipe, John Glenn Institute, (614) 247-6369.
Ninth grade researchers to display science projects on posters – March 3. -- Students from Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center in the Columbus Public Schools will present their year-long science projects, including one on the detection of soil pollution, which are associated with the Environmental Molecular Science Institute (EMSI) at Ohio State. The presentations will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday (3/3) in room 170 in the 209 W. 18th Ave. Building. The ninth graders are participants in the EMSI Student Scientists’ Program, which introduces students to laboratory research by teaching them how to conduct their own experiments. CONTACT: Melissa L. Weber, College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, (614) 292-2254; or Megan D. Moses, Environmental Molecular Science Institute, (614) 247-6956.
Art, physics departments present holographic exhibition – through March 16. -- The College of the Arts and College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences are teaming up to present an exhibition of works by internationally acclaimed holography artists through March 16. “Translating Solids: The Holographic Image” will fill Hopkins Hall Gallery with works by artists from the United States, Europe and Australia. The show will include holographic transmission and reflective mixed-media sculptures and three-dimensional images. Experimental works produced by students and faculty in the Art/Physics Holography Lab at Ohio State will also be featured. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The exhibition is free and open to the public. CONTACT: Victoria Ellwood, College of the Arts, (614) 292-6299.
The person listed as CONTACT will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story – Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Liz Cook, (614) 292-7276; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.
