Story Ideas for Media 4-3-06

Research

COX-2 inhibitors significantly reduce risk of cancer – Results from a new, five-year study show that regular use of popular prescription pain relievers may reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 71 percent and may offer similar benefit in the prevention of prostate, colon and lung cancers. The study findings were released today (4/3) at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. “We believe this is the first study to show that selective COX-2 inhibitors have significant chemopreventive effects against breast cancer,” says Dr. Randall Harris, professor and director of the Center for Molecular Epidemiology and Environmental Health in The Ohio State University College of Medicine and lead author of the study. The results come from a larger, case-control study of NSAID use and its impact upon the four leading types of cancer in the United States: breast, lung, prostate and colon cancer. NSAIDs are non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs that block the COX-2 enzyme pathway that is often activated in inflammation, cancer, heart disease and other disorders.
Harris and his colleagues studied the use of celecoxib (Celebrex), rofecoxib (Vioxx), regular aspirin, low-dose aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen among 323 women with breast cancer from 1999-2004. CONTACT: Michelle Gailiun, Medical Center Communications, 614-293-3737, cell: 614-390-9832, or michelle.gailiun@osumc.edu

Study shows how men and women use news media differently to manage anger – When men and women are angry, they both choose the news media articles they read with the goal of regulating their moods, according to a new study co-authored by Sylvia Knobloch-Westerwick, assistant professor of communication at Ohio State. But, in some circumstances, men choose to read articles that will fuel their anger, while women choose articles that will dissipate it. Researchers found that when men were angered and anticipate the chance to retaliate, they chose to read negative online news stories, presumably to sustain their anger until their opportunity to get even. When faced with the same situation, women chose to read more positive news to help dissipate their anger before a possible confrontation.
Knobloch-Westerwick says, “For women, it is not seen as appropriate for them to retaliate when they\'re angry, but it is OK for men. And that\'s reflected in their selection of media content. This shows that even our news consumption is not motivated just by information concerns. We use news to regulate our moods.” CONTACT: Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, (614) 292-6801; Knobloch-Westerwick.1@osu.edu (E-mail is best way to reach Knobloch-Westerwick)

Events

Lecture examines video games as learning tools – April 4. Video games can provide more than idle entertainment – they can be a useful learning tool for America’s youth. James Paul Gee, professor of reading at the University of Wisconsin will be the featured lunch speaker at
11:30 a.m. on Tuesday (4/4) at the Faculty Club, 181 S. Oval Drive. Gee is author of “What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy”, which provides 36 reasons why video games produce better learning conditions than many of today’s schools. Sponsored by the John Glenn Institute, the lecture is the first in the new Deborah Jones Merritt BookMarks Lecture series. The series, which features authors who focus on public policy trends and research, honors Merritt’s five years of leadership to the John Glenn Institute. CONTACT: Laura Sipe, Glenn Institute, (614) 292-4545.

Ohio Nanotechnology Summit: big plans for research on tiny scale – April 4-5. What industries and discoveries will nanotechnology yield in Ohio? Nanotechnology is the branch of science devoted to producing devices on an atomic scale. Experts from academia, industry, and government will plan the future of nanotechnology in Ohio at the second annual Ohio Nanotechnology Summit April 4-5, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 500 N. High Street. Tours of Ohio State nanotechnology labs will be offered; special panel sessions will focus on the real-world impacts of nanotechnology, such as new developments in energy, health and safety, and computing. The complete program is at http://www.ohionanosummit.org. CONTACT: Pam Frost Gorder, (614) 292-9475.

Oran to deliver Chen Lecture – April 6. Elaine S. Oran of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory will present the Second Annual Michael S.Y. Chen, Ph.D., Lecture on Thursday (4/6) at
3:30 p.m. in 250 Knowlton Hall. Oran, a member of the National Academy of Engineers and a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Physical Society, will present “Matchsticks, Scramjets, & Black Holes: Numerical Simulation Faces Reality.” The Chen Lecture is hosted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Graduate School. CONTACT: Mo Samimy, (614) 292-6988 or Samimy.1@osu.edu

Ohio State University Trustees to meet – April 6 and 7. The Ohio State University Board of Trustees and its committees will meet on Thursday and Friday (4/6 and 4/7) at the Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Road. The schedule includes a meeting of the Medical Center Affairs Committee at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday (4/6). On Friday (4/7), the schedule includes meetings of the Fiscal Affairs committee at 8 a.m., and the Academic and Student Affairs committee at 8:15 a.m. The formal Board meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanders Grand Lounge. Trustees will recess into Executive Session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CONTACT: Shelly Hoffman, (614) 247-4748.

Biological diversity museum hosts second annual guest lecture and open house – April 7-8. Ohio State’s College of Biological Sciences and Museum of Biological Diversity welcome the university community to its second annual two-part weekend event, April 7-8. At 7:30 p.m., April 7, Richard Prum, professor of ornithology, ecology and evolutionary Biology at Yale University, will present “Why Birds Are Dinosaurs and Why We Should Care” at a public lecture in 250 Knowlton Hall. The Open House on April 8, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. is at the museum, 1315 Kinnear Road. Activities include museum and collection tours, a variety of hands-on educational activities for children and the opportunity to bring your own natural history specimen to be identified by experts. Special displays, a gift shop, prizes and refreshments round out the day\'s events. All events are free and open to the public. CONTACT: Biological Sciences, (614) 292-7773.

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