2/24/99

   Here is the February edition of the Ohio State University Research News Service. The stories below report on only a few of the research projects under way here. For more information on these stories, please go to http://www.acs.ohio-state.edu/units/research/

Increased Arctic Temperatures Could Speed Up Global Warming

   New research suggests that an increase in arctic temperatures as a result of global warming could result in significantly higher levels of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. This, in turn, could fuel global warming even more. The study found that artificially elevating summer temperatures by about 2 degrees Celsius (3.6F) on plots of arctic tundra increased the CO2 emissions by 26 to 38 percent under normal snowfall. When snowfall on some plots was increased -- which is one possibility under global warming -- CO2 emissions increased 112 to 326 percent. (From a recent issue of the journal Arctic and Alpine Research.) Contact: Michael Jones, (614) 292-6454.

Exhaust System Reduces Auto Emissions, Boosts Engine Performance

   A new automobile exhaust system reduces pollution and boosts engine power at the same time. The single design takes the place of multiple parts in the standard auto exhaust assembly, including the manifold, muffler and catalytic converter. A study showed the new system increased overall engine performance by 5 percent while also cutting emissions by 15 percent. It also weighs about 15 percent less than a typical exhaust system. The new design has been labeled a “perforated muffler manifold catalyst,” or PMMC. (From a recent issue of the Journal of Sound and Vibration.) Contact: Ahmet Selamet, (614) 292-4143.

Obese Black Teens at High Risk for Diabetes, Study Suggests

   A new study suggests that obese Black teenagers have a greater risk of developing diabetes as adults than do their white counterparts. Researchers found significantly higher levels of three indicators for the onset of type II diabetes in obese Black adolescents, compared to those of obese white adolescents. “There are racial and ethnic differences in glucose metabolism that put obese Black adolescents at a greater risk for type II diabetes,” said a researcher. “Our results show a need for early aggressive weight management in Black teens.” (From a recent issue of the American Journal of the Medical Sciences.) Contact: Dara Schuster, (614) 292-5201.

Infrared Thermometers A Good Alternative for Use on Newborns

   Taking a newborn’s temperature with an infrared thermometer placed under the arm is just as reliable as taking a rectal temperature, new research suggests. Researchers found that using an infrared thermometer to take the axillary (or underarm) temperature of a newborn baby yielded results very similar to rectal temperature measurements -- at least for babies who were not under a radiant warmer. However, “it takes less than two seconds to get a result from an infrared thermometer,” said a researcher here. (From a recent issue of the journal Clinical Pediatrics.) Contact: John Seguin, (614) 722-4528.

Jeff Grabmeier
Managing Editor

Earle Holland
Director
Science Communications