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Work pressures help strengthen immune system, gory videos do the opposite – Engaging in stressful tasks like trying to meet a deadline may strengthen the immune system while exposure to stress that must be endured passively - like watching violence on TV - may weaken it, a researcher at Ohio State University says. Jos Bosch, a postdoctoral fellow in oral biology, says the findings lend scientific truth to the idea that a hassle away keeps the doctor away. Bosch and his colleagues conducted their experiments on a group of 34 volunteers, all of whom were male undergraduate students. The subjects were exposed to two different stressful experiences. The first was a timed memory task that required the students to memorize some given material and take a subsequent 12-minute test. In the second activity, the subjects were shown a gruesome 12-minute video on surgical procedures. The difference between the two kinds of stresses - both of which are considered acute, rather than chronic, stress - was that participants were actively engaged in the memory task whereas the video had to be watched passively. Contact: Jos A. Bosch, (614) 292-3562; see http://www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/acustrs.htm
Professor: Don’t throw every treatment in the book at mental disorders – Combining medication with behavior modification therapy may not be the best way to help a patient overcome a psychological disorder. Intuition leads many mental health professionals to believe that the most effective way to deal with a psychological disorder is to throw every treatment in the book at it and hope for a good result, according to Brad Schmidt, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University. Schmidt is co-editor of the new book Combined Treatments for Mental Disorders. It addresses the viability of combining treatments for a variety of psychological disorders, from nicotine addiction to obsessive/compulsive disorder. He says behavioral treatments for certain disorders, such as anxiety and phobias, are often better than drug treatments and they don't carry the risks of dependence that sometimes result from using certain medications. Contact: Brad Schmidt; (614) 292-2687; see http://www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/combobk.htm
Trick or Treat at Ohio State – Oct. 31. Young witches, goblins, brides, princesses and other-costumed children are invited to trick or treat in the safety and warmth of several residence halls at Ohio State. The floors will be decorated and college students will be giving out candy to trick-or treaters from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday (10/31) at the following locations: Baker Hall, 129 W. 12th Ave.; Stradley Hall, 138 W. 11th Ave. Park Hall, 110 W. 11th Ave.; Smith Hall, 92 W. 11th Ave., and Steeb Hall, 70 W. 11th Ave. The celebration for children is sponsored by the Office of Housing and Residence Education. Contact: Jenny Klein, Housing and Residence Education, (614) 292-3930.
And you think YOU had a tough weekend! Nov. 1. A team of 10 Ohio State Army ROTC members did it all over the weekend and ended up placing first in a Ranger Challenge and second overall in a competition with 30 other university teams at Ft. Knox, KY. The competition challenged Ohio State's Army ROTC team in six Ranger events culminating with a 10K run over hilly terrain at night. Each team member carried a 20 lb. pack and other equipment. Team members also built a rope bridge atop a creek, conducted land navigation, and executed an assault hand grenade course. In the patrolling test at Ranger Challenge, students were assigned a mission that included tactical patrolling, an ambush, and a written test. The team will be recognized in a ceremony at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday (11/1) in the French Field House. Contact: Col. Gumbert, Army ROTC, (614) 292-6075.
Board of Trustees meets – Nov. 2. The Ohio State University Board of Trustees will meet in regular session at 10:45 a.m. on Friday (11/2) at the Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Road. Committee meetings, where most of the discussion takes place, begin at 9 a.m. Contact: Melinda Sadar, University Relations, (614) 292-8298.
Dignitaries will dig at groundbreaking for new Aronoff Lab – Nov. 2. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Stanley J. Aronoff Laboratory of Biological Sciences is at 1:30 p.m. on Friday (11/2) adjacent to the site at 318 W. 12th Avenue, between Parking Garage K and the Botany & Zoology Building (B&Z) at 12th and Neil Avenues. When completed in 2003, this five-story, $26 million building will house department offices as well as 32 research laboratories plus cold rooms, autoclave rooms, darkrooms, microscope rooms, and other research support spaces. Researchers in the building will study things like insect behavior and physiology; restoration ecology; metabolic engineering, Lake Erie plants and animals, ecological impact of transgenic plants; space biology; and social behavior in animals. The new facility, named for former Ohio Senate president Stanley J. Aronoff, is the second phase of the three-phase process of renovating and developing the buildings in the College of Biological Sciences. Contact: Sandi Rutkowski, College of Biological Sciences, (614) 292-4759.
Gov. Celeste is first speaker in terrorism series – Nov. 5. Richard F. Celeste, former Ambassador to India (1997-2001), Ohio Governor (1982-90) and Peace Corps director (1978-81), will deliver “South Asia: Uneasy Allies in the Struggle Against Terrorism,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5, at the Faculty Club, 181 S. Oval Drive. The lecture is the first in the series “Affirming Freedom: One World Against Terrorism,” developed by The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Prior to the lecture, at 3:30 p.m., Celeste, Senator Glenn, and university Provost Edward Ray will be available to reporters in the library of the Faculty Club. An audio mult box will be provided at both the media availability and the lecture. Contact: Amy Murray, University Relations, (614) 292-8385; or Dorie Herman, John Glenn Institute, (614) 247-6369.
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; Lesley Jenkins, (614) 292-0569, Randy Dunham, (614) 292-8295; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, Natalie Warling, (614) 292-8427 and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.
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