Story Ideas for Media 12/6/10

News

Traffic Alert: commencement and men’s basketball game coincide, congestion expected. A large autumn quarter graduating class and a home men’s basketball game with Western Carolina is expected to bring more than 30,000 people to campus on Sunday (12/12). Commencement will be held at the Schottenstein Center; mens basketball takes place at St. John Arena. Both events have a 2 p.m. start time, which means that highways, campus streets and parking facilities will be unusually congested.
Both events have a 2 p.m. start time, which means that highways, campus streets and parking facilities will be unusually congested. Graduates and their families are encouraged to arrive early if possible. If approaching campus via SR 315, exit at either North Broadway or Ackerman, and park in the surface lots west of the Olentangy River.
Ticket holders for the basketball game should exit at Lane Avenue or King/Kinnear or Med Center exits and park in the surface lots or parking garages east of the Olentangy River. Uniformed officers will be stationed throughout the area to assist fans and visitors to the closest parking spot, which may be past their designated venue. SEE: http://commencement.osu.edu/

Research

Narcissistic students don’t mind cheating their way to the top. College students who exhibit narcissistic tendencies are more likely than fellow students to cheat on exams and assignments, a new study shows.
The results suggested that narcissists were motivated to cheat because their academic performance functions as an opportunity to show off to others, and they didn't feel particularly guilty about their actions.
“Narcissists really want to be admired by others, and you look good in college if you're getting good grades,” said Amy Brunell, lead author of the study and assistant professor of psychology at Ohio State University at Newark.
“They also tend to feel less guilt, so they don't mind cheating their way to the top.” CONTACT: Jeff Grabmeier, (614) 292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu. SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/acadnarc.htm

Researchers find link between sugar, diabetes and aggression. A spoonful of sugar may be enough to cool a hot temper, at least for a short time, according to new research.
A study found that people who drank a glass of lemonade sweetened with sugar acted less aggressively toward a stranger a few minutes later than did people who consumed lemonade with a sugar substitute.
Researchers believe it all has to do with the glucose, a simple sugar found in the bloodstream that provides energy for the brain.
“Avoiding aggressive impulses takes self control, and self control takes a lot of energy. Glucose provides that energy in the brain,” said Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University.
“Drinking sweetened lemonade helped provide the short-term energy needed to avoid lashing out at others.” CONTACT: Jeff Grabmeier,(614) 292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu. SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/sweetagl.htm

Polluted air increases obesity risk in young animals. Exposure to polluted air early in life led to an accumulation of abdominal fat and insulin resistance in mice even if they ate a normal diet, according to new research.
Animals exposed to the fine-particulate air pollution had larger and more fat cells in their abdominal area and higher blood sugar levels than did animals eating the same diet but breathing clean air.
Researchers exposed the mice to the polluted air for six hours a day, five days a week for 10 weeks beginning when the animals were 3 weeks old. This time frame roughly matches the toddler years to late adolescence in humans.
The exposure levels for the animals subjected to polluted air resemble the fine-particulate pollution that can be found in urban areas in the United States.
“This is one of the first, if not the first, study to show that these fine particulates directly cause inflammation and changes in fat cells, both of which increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes,” said Qinghua Sun, an associate professor of environmental health sciences at Ohio State University and lead author of the study. CONTACT: Emily Caldwell, (614) 292-8310; caldwell.151@osu.edu. SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/obeseair.htm

Experts

Coping at Christmas – Celebrating the holidays away from loved ones who are away and serving in the military can be especially difficult as Christmas approaches. Families of soldiers may find it one of the most emotionally difficult times they’ll face. Experts in The Ohio State University College of Social Work are available to discuss how families can cope. CONTACT: Frankie Jones-Harris, College of Social Work, (614) 292-3540 or (614) 330-2206 or jones-harris.1@osu.edu.

Events

Ohio State students taking final exams this week. Students are studying for and taking final exams for autumn quarter this week. Winter break begins December 10 and winter quarter classes begin January 4, 2011.

Graduates celebrate at autumn commencement – Dec.12. David L. Tomasko, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and associate dean for Undergraduate Education and Student Services in the College of Engineering, has been selected to speak at Ohio State’s autumn quarter commencement. Approximately 2,100 students will receive degrees at the ceremony, which begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 12, at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
In addition, four individuals will be honored at the ceremony. Ohio State will award honorary degrees to John Tinsley Oden, director of the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, and Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
The university will also present the Distinguished Service Award to John Riedl, retired dean and director of Ohio State’s Mansfield campus; and William Wells, president and CEO of Davis & Son, Inc. CONTACT: Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385.

Scientist will receive honorary degree, deliver lecture – Dec. 10. John Tinsley Oden, associate vice president for research and founding director for the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, will deliver “Foundational Issues in Computational Science: Model Validation, Error control, Multiscale Modeling, and Uncertainty Quantification” at 2:30 p.m. on Friday (12/10) in E100, Scott Lab, 201 W. 19th Ave. Oden will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree at commencement on Sunday (12/12).
Oden is one of the most highly cited researchers in the world in refereed, peer-reviewed journals. His current research focuses on the development of computational methods for multi-scale modeling, with applications to semi-conductor manufacturing and on computer models for the adaptive control of laser therapies for cancer. CONTACT: J.K. Lee, professor of mechanical engineering. (614) 292 7371 or lee.71@osu.edu

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