March 2, 1999

Here are descriptions of the radio stories available on the Ohio State University Info Line, March 5 through March 12, 1999. Stories are changed at noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All feeds include one wraparound report of approximately 1:00 and at least one other actuality plus background material. If you have questions, want additional information, or need a re-feed of a missed story, call Amy Murray at 614-292-8385.

Friday 3/5-Monday 3/8 - When it comes to teaching kids, most educational software on the market just doesn’t make the grade. That’s the conclusion of a study headed by Todd Fennimore, a researcher at the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse at Ohio State University. After evaluating more than 200 software packages geared for kids in their first five years of school, Fennimore says the quality is disappointing. He says they’re either deadly boring or are entertaining but not instructional. Fennimore says programmers aren’t taking full advantage of the potential of computers in designing educational software.

Monday 3/8-Wednesday 3/10 - Over the last 10 years, Vietnamese potbellied pigs have reached the height of popularity as exotic pets in the U.S. But a new study suggests the novelty has worn off. Linda Lord, a doctoral student in veterinary preventive medicine at Ohio State, says some owners are trying to get rid of the pets because they’ve grown too big, become too aggressive or are illegal in their communities. But not all unwanted pigs are going to the humane society. Some are ending up in slaughterhouses.

Wednesday 3/10-Friday 3/12 - Researchers at Ohio State University are finding additional evidence that the hormone estrogen protects women from heart disease. Catherine Stoney, a professor of psychology at Ohio State, looked at women before and after surgically induced menopause and found increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels just three months after surgery. She says the study provides convincing evidence that estrogen plays a vital role in determining women’s risk for heart disease.

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