December 17, 2001
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Doctors should reduce penicillin use for women in labor, study says – Nearly a quarter of the estimated 4 million women who give birth each year in the United States receive an antibiotic during labor in order to protect their infants from developing a serious infection. But these women may be getting five times the necessary dose of medication, say Ohio State University researchers. David Colombo, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State, says physicians may be using too much penicillin. Penicillin is commonly given to a woman at risk of transferring the bacteria group B Streptococcus (GBS) to her newborn. Penicillin protects the baby against GBS, which can cause sepsis, a sometimes-fatal blood infection. In addition to an overall worry about overuse of antibiotics, Colombo has found that a lower dose of penicillin provides levels sufficient enough to protect a newborn from potential infection. His study appears in a recent issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Contact: David Colombo, 614-293-4652; see http://www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/penbaby.htm
Balled Tree Care From the Home to the Yard – Live trees chosen to shelter Santa's gifts on Christmas Eve can also offer wildlife shelter when planted in your backyard after the holiday season. Extra attention in choosing, caring for and planting your live tree will help ensure the perfect holiday addition to your backyard, said Randy Heiligmann, an Ohio State University Extension forestry specialist. Keep the tree inside no more than eight days and keep the room temperature 65 degrees or lower. After the holidays, the tree should be planted outside in a pre-dug hole. Before Christmas, decide on a spot for the tree, keeping in mind that most Christmas trees eventually grow from 60 to 100 feet tall. The hole, which should be dug before the ground freezes, should be the height of the ball and 20 to 25 inches in diameter. Contact: Randy Heiligmann, (614) 292-9838.
OSU Marching Band practices for return to Outback Bowl – Dec 28-31. The Ohio State football Buckeyes aren't the only ones practicing for a return to the Outback Bowl. The 225-musician Ohio State University Marching Band is also preparing for a trip to Tampa and a national TV appearance. The band plans to perform its acclaimed feature show, United We Stand during the pre-game portion of the Outback Bowl. Five minutes of the halftime show will be devoted to the Ohio State University Marching Band as it performs “Buckeye Battle Cry,” “Sloopy” and a DOUBLE Script Ohio.
Before leaving Columbus, the band will rehearse at French Field House on Friday (12/28) from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. In Tampa, media are encouraged to cover the band's open rehearsal at Clearwater High School, Gulf to Bay Blvd. at Hercules Ave., at 10 a.m. on New Year's Eve. Last year, more than 1200 fans and local residents made their way to the event, turning the rehearsal into a full-blown performance. Contact: In Columbus, David Carwile, (614) 292-9678 ext. 4-9841; or Jon Woods, band director, (614) 292-2598. In Tampa, at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, contact Jon Woods or David Carwile, at (727) 461-3222, or by cell at (614) 323-4046.
Olympic Torch relay will pass through campus – Jan. 2. The Ohio State campus will be a prime viewing spot when the Olympic Torch Relay passes through Columbus on Jan. 2. The torch caravan will pause for a 15-minute rest break at the Ohio Union between 4 and 5 p.m., and there will be opportunity for spectators to take photos and get a close view of the blazing torch, which is being relayed by runners and a variety of vehicles from Atlanta to Salt Lake City along a 13,500-mile, 46-state path.
Intelligent control system could benefit U. S. forging, steel industries – An intelligent forging process control system promises to help save jobs and dramatically boost productivity in the nation's beleaguered steel and forging industries. The Smartsmith system, now being developed by engineering researchers, could also cut pollution and slash energy use in industries that manufacture products with high-temperature forming processes. Once perfected, Smartsmith will do something now impossible: automatically handle, inspect and measure the dimensions of auto crankshafts, aircraft engine turbine blades and other machine parts hot forged in a production line.
Rajiv Shivpuri, Ohio State professor of industrial, welding and systems engineering, and Raman Grandhi, a Wright State University engineering professor, are developing a major Smartsmith component: a computer program that simulates the hot forging process. It also will predict the room-temperature dimensions of red-hot forged parts. If the computer program detects parts with serious dimensional or surface defects, Smartsmith will immediately adjust the forging process to correct the problem. A prototype of the forging control system is now undergoing further development to become ready for the actual production of crankshafts in a Michigan Ford plant and for sale to other companies. Contact: Rajiv Shivpuri, (614) 292-7874; shivpuri.1@osu.edu
Mark your calendars: Due to the seasonal holidays, Ohio State will be closed on Dec. 24-25, Jan. 1. There are no classes and offices will be closed. Winter quarter classes begin Jan. 7, 2002
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; Randy Dunham, (614) 292-8295; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.