Story Ideas for Media 1-22-07

News

President Holbrook Named to NIH Advisory Committee. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected seven individuals to serve as members of the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD). Ohio State University President Karen A. Holbrook is one of the new members. Since1966, the ACD has advised the NIH Director on policy and planning issues. “These seven outstanding new members to the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director join a dedicated team of esteemed advisors,” said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. “The NIH relies on the willingness of these great minds and the efforts of other scientists and public members who participate on advisory councils and peer-review committees.” The ACD advises the NIH Director on policy matters important to the NIH mission of conducting and supporting biomedical and behavioral research, research training, and translating research results for the public. CONTACT: Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385.

Research

The nose of a fetus can give clues to its health. A measurement of the fetal nasal bone is now being used in conjunction with first trimester ultrasound screening, to detect risks of fetal abnormalities and birth defects, at the Ohio State University Medical Center. With the use of the nasal bone measurement, the test provides an even greater detection rate and a lower false positive rate than before. Ohio State’s Medical Center is among only a handful of medical centers around the country currently utilizing the measurement for prenatal diagnosis. “Standard tests do a good job of detecting the presence of Down syndrome,” says Dr. Richard O’Shaughnessy, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Ohio State, “but by considering those tests together with a measurement of the nasal bone, the number of false positive results can be reduced.” CONTACT: Betsy Samuels, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737. SEE: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/mediaroom/press/article.cfm?ID=3012

Contact lenses a good choice for children 12 and younger. Children 8 to 12 years old are just as adept as teenagers at handling and wearing contact lenses. “Optometrists traditionally don't prescribe contact lenses to children until they are at least 12 years old,” said Jeffrey Walline, an assistant professor of optometry at Ohio State University. “But we found that younger children are just as responsible with their lenses.” He and his colleagues studied 169 children and teenagers who participated in the Contact Lens in Pediatrics (CLIP) study, which compares contact lens wear in children 8 to 12 with teens 13 to 17. About half the participants were in each group. The findings confirm those of a much smaller study conducted by Walline and others, which suggested that children 8 to 12 could easily handle daily disposable contact lenses. CONTACT: Jeffrey Walline, (614) 247-6840; Walline.1@osu.edu. SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/kidviz.htm

Events

Conference to assist new state lawmakers in understanding health care needs in Ohio – Jan. 23. Ohio State’s Center for Health Outcomes Policy and Evaluation Studies (HOPES) is bringing in 100 of the state’s top health care leaders for a post-election, invitational conference, “Charting the future of health care in Ohio,” to assist the new administration in identifying and understanding the top health care needs facing the state. The conference takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Blackwell, 2110 Tuttle Park Place. The conference’s keynote speaker will be John Breaux, former three-term senator from Louisiana, who is now leading the “Ceasefire on Health Care” national health care reform campaign. Breaux will be introduced by former Ohio Senator John Glenn. CONTACT: Christine O’Malley, (614) 293-9406.

Faculty experts discuss “The Future of Moderate Republicanism” – Jan. 30. Ohio State faculty will discuss “The Future of Moderate Republicanism” from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday (1/30) at the Wexner Center Film/Video Theater. Panelists include David Stebenne, associate professor of history and author of “Modern Republican: Arthur Larson and the Eisenhower Years”; Paul Beck, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; and moderator Nancy Rogers, dean of the Moritz College of Law. The panelists will look at the last time the moderates were in charge of the national GOP, why they lost control, and their prospects now for regaining influence in the party. CONTACT: Elizabeth Tarpy Alcalde, (614) 247-4462 or Shari Lorbach, (614) 688-4532.

The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story: Liz Cook;(614) 292-7276 or cook.17@osu.edu; Shelly Hoffman;(614) 247-4748 or hoffman.511@osu.edu; Jim Lynch; (614) 247-4110 or lynch.270@osu.edu; or Amy Murray; (614) 292-8385 or murray-goedde.1@osu.edu