Story Ideas for Media 5/3/10

Research

Ohio State study: Darwin was right to worry that marriage to his cousin affected his offspring. New research suggests that Charles Darwin's family was a living human example of a theory that he developed about plants: that inbreeding could negatively affect the health and number of resulting offspring.
Darwin was married to his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood. They had 10 children, but three died before age 10, two from infectious diseases. And three of the six surviving children with long-term marriages did not produce any offspring - a "suspicious" sign, researchers say, that these Darwins could have had reproductive problems because of their lineage.
Studies have shown that susceptibility to infectious disease and unexplained infertility are risk factors of consanguineous marriage - unions of people related by birth.
Scientists at Ohio State University and in Spain traced the genealogy of the Darwin and Wedgwood families for four generations. Darwin's mother and grandfather also were Wedgwoods, and his mother's parents were third cousins.
Tim Berra, lead author of the study and professor emeritus of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at Ohio State's Mansfield campus, says, "He fretted that the ill health of his children might be due to the nature of the marriage, and he came to that because of his work on plants. He realized that with breeding of any kind, it's better to cross-breed than to put close relatives together.caldwell.151@osu.edu SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/darwin.htm

Ohio State study: Domestic violence victims have higher health costs for years after abuse ends. Victims of domestic violence endure significantly higher health costs than other women for three years after the abuse ends, a new study finds.
Abuse victims had health care costs that averaged more than $1,200 above non-abused women for the first two years after the abuse ended and about $400 above others in the third year.
Study co-author Amy Bonomi, professor of human development and family science at Ohio State says, “Women may continue to experience physical and emotional consequences even years after their abuse ends, and that is reflected in their health care costs.”
The study is the first to look at how health care costs of abused women change from year to year after abuse ends. This study looked at costs during the years of abuse and then during each year up to 10 years later.
The results suggest that domestic abuse acts on health care costs much like chronic health conditions, Bonomi said. CONTACT: Jeff Grabmeier, (614) 292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu. SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/healthcosts.htm

Events

President Gee to cast his ballot in favor of State Issue 1– May 4. Like many of us, Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee will vote before heading to the office on Election Day. Media are invited to watch as President Gee casts his ballot in favor of State Issue 1, the measure to renew Ohio’s Third Frontier Program. He will vote at Jeffrey Mansion in Bexley, 165 North Parkview Ave. at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday (5/4). CONTACT: Shelly Hoffman, (614) 247-4748.

See what you’ll be driving in the future – May 3. Reporters are invited to drive the cars of the future, including vehicles powered by fuel cells, electricity, batteries and natural gas at 1 p.m. on Monday (5/3) at the Ohio Expo and State Fairgrounds parking lot. The “Ride and Drive” event is part of the national conference, Moving Ahead 2010: Sustainable Transportation Solutions for the 21st Century, which is hosted by Ohio State at the Ohio Union through May 4. The media preview precedes the Moving Ahead 2010 Ride and Drive event, which is open to the public from 2-5 p.m. CONTACT: Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385."> SEE: www.movingahead2010.com

Free eye exams for service dogs at Ohio State – May 3, 5, 17 and 24. Veterinary ophthalmologists from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center will offer free sight-saving eye exams for service dogs on May 3, 5, 17 and 24 at the Veterinary Medical Center, 601 Vernon Tharp St. Service dogs include those who assist people with physical limitations, as well as search and rescue dogs, lead dogs, and pilot dogs. In order to participate, dogs must be active “working dogs” that were certified by a formal training program.
Two Ohio State professors, Drs. Anne Gemensky Metzler and David Wilkie, board certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, are among the 150 specialists across the U.S. and Canada offering these eye assessments to thousands of service dogs nationwide as part of the national service dog exam day.
Reporters are welcome to observe the exams. SEE: http://vet.osu.edu/6553.htm

Our dogs understand Czech and German - how about you? – May 6. Students of German and Czech and those interested in Criminology are welcoming the Central Ohio K-9 Search, Rescue, and Recovery unit to campus from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday (5/6) in 180 Hagerty Hall. Ron Cassady, his dog Toby, and other dogs and handlers with the K-9 unit will talk to students about how and why they train their dogs using foreign language. They will also give an outdoor demonstration on the Oval. This event is part of the GOAL series organized by the OSU Foreign Language Center. CONTACT: Karen Sobul, (614) 292-4361 or sobul.1@osu.edu.

Former Astronaut Buzz Aldrin to headline inaugural OSU STAR event – May 5. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin will be the keynote speaker for The Ohio State University’s Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program’s Faces of Resilience luncheon at noon on Wednesday (5/5) at the Ohio Union, Archie Griffin Ballroom, 1739 N. High St.
Aldrin is probably best known for being one of the first two people to walk on the moon. Many are unaware that the year before his historic flight, his mother committed suicide. Following his return, he battled with depression and alcohol addiction for 10 years. His new book, “Magnificent Desolation: The Long Road Home,” chronicles his lunar chronicles his famous mission and his recovery from addiction and mental illness.
The STAR Program will address the tremendous need in our community for comprehensive and compassionate treatment, education and research on behalf of victims of traumatic loss including war, medical illness, injury, violent crime and abuse. The Program will also focus on the needs of medical and mental health staff who work with traumatized populations on an ongoing basis. CONTACT: Doug Flowers, (614) 293-3737. SEE: http://psychiatry.osu.edu/12973.cfm

Social Work students run to fight poverty – May 9. The College of Social Work and its student association will host the “Fight Against Poverty 5k” to raise awareness and funding for Central Ohioans in poverty. The event will be held on Sunday, May 9, at 9 a.m., at Ohio State’s Fred Beekman Park. Funds raised will benefit the Columbus Federation of Settlements, a coalition of seven neighborhood-based organizations that helps individuals and groups build upon their strengths and draw upon community resources. SEE: http://premierraces.com/2010Races/FightPoverty.html. CONTACT: Frankie Jones-Harris, http://premierraces.com/2010Races/FightPoverty.html, (614) 292-3540.

Faculty panel discusses America’s Wars – May 10. A panel of leading security and area experts will discuss “America’s Wars: The Way Forward in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.” at 5 p.m. next Monday (5/3) at the Wexner Center Film/Video Theatre, 1850 College Rd. Panelists will explore possible military, economic, cultural, and diplomatic strategies as the Obama administration seeks to wind down the U.S. commitment in Iraq, achieve success in Afghanistan, and ensure the security of Pakistan. Panelists include, Richard Herrmann, professor of political science at Ohio State and director of the Mershon Center for International Security Studies; Sean Kay, professor of politics and Government and chair of International Studies at Ohio Wesleyan University, Peter Mansoor, Gen. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair in Military History at Ohio State, John Mueller, Woody Hayes Chair of National Security Studies at Ohio State, Alam Payind, director of the Middle East Studies Center at Ohio State, and Fred Andrle, Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities and former WOSU radio talk show host. The event is co-sponsored by the Mershon Center for International Security Studies and the Humanities Institute. CONTACT: Cathy Becker, becker.271@osu.edu. SEE: http://mershoncenter.osu.edu/events/09-10 events/May10/americaswarsmay10.htm

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