July 16, 2001
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OSU Scientists link rapid bone loss to chemotherapy – Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center say chemotherapy in young, early-stage breast cancer patients often leads to rapid and significant bone loss within months of beginning treatment. Interim findings in the trial were so startling that a part of the study was halted to allow participants to seek intervention with their primary care physicians. The findings are published in the July 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study, under the direction of Dr. Charles L. Shapiro, director of breast medical oncology at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and colleagues at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, examined 49 women premenopausal with Stage I or II breast cancer. Researchers found changes normally associated with chemotherapy-induced menopause. But they were surprised to find the women also suffered rapid and dramatic bone loss. Shapiro says the results support a role for bone density scans and earlier intervention to halt bone loss. Contact: Michelle Gailiun, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737.
Sunny days at the stock exchange give lift to the market –When the sun is shining on Wall Street, it does more than put the brokers in a good mood - it also gives a lift to the stock market. David Hirschleifer, the Kurtz Chair in Finance at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, has found that morning sunshine at the sites of 26 leading stock exchanges around the world including the New York Stock Exchange, is linked to positive market returns that day. The results showed that the daily difference in expected market returns between a completely overcast day and a sunny day is nine basis points (0.088 percent), or an annualized excess return of 24.8 percent. Hirschleifer says there’s a lot of evidence from psychology that sunshine helps put people in a good mood, and people in good moods make more optimistic choices. Contact: David Hirschleifer, (614) 292-517; see http://www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/sunstock.htm
Keep an Eye Out for Ticks, OSU Researcher Recommends – With tick season in full force through the end of July, Ohio State University tick expert Glen Needham is recommending that people examine themselves, their children and their pets for ticks after hiking through parks or if they live along wooded areas. Ticks are usually found on the edge of where grassy and woodland areas meet. Needham said ticks have been getting a bad rap over the years because of the severe diseases various species carry, mainly Lyme disease and spotted fever. Needham says the best way to extract a tick is to grab it as close to the skin as possible with a pair of tweezers and slowly pull the tick out. He says techniques like nail polish, rubbing alcohol, petroleum jelly or a hot match don't work. Contact: Glen Needham, Entomology, (614) 688-3026, needham.1@osu.edu
School Superintendents go to school at OSU – July 17-20. The College of Education’s 18th annual National Academy for Superintendents draws school leaders from across the nation for a four-day school focusing on “The Balancing Act of the Superintendency: Leading for Improved Achievement.” School superintendents will hear from Joseph Johnson of the U.S. Department of Education on “Providing Leadership for High Achievement by Maximizing Available Federal Resources,” 8-10:30 a.m., Wednesday (7/18), in Pfahl Hall, 280 Woodruff Ave. Michael Curtin, president and associate publisher of the Columbus Dispatch, will discuss “Why Are Our Schools Under Such Severe Scrutiny and Criticism?” 8-9:30 a.m. Thursday (7/19) at Holiday Inn on the Lane, 328 W. Lane Ave. Paul Houston, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, will talk about “Walking the Tightrope of Leadership” 9:45-11:30 a.m. Thursday (7/19) at Holiday Inn on the Lane. The Ohio Department of Education co-sponsors the academy, which is led by Franklin Walter, professor of educational policy and leadership and former superintendent of instruction for Ohio. Contact: Diane Baugher, College of Education, (614) 292-5249 or baugher.1@osu.edu.
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; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385; Lesley Deaderick, (614) 292-0569; Karissa Shivley, (614) 292-8295, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.
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