November 9, 1999

Here are descriptions of the radio stories available on the Ohio State University Info Line, November 12 through November 19, 1999. Stories are changed at noon. 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 11/12-Monday 11/15 - Doctors at the Ohio State University Medical Center are performing heart bypass surgery without laying a hand on the patient. Dr. Robert Michler, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, talks about the newest technology to affect medicine--robotic surgery.

Monday 11/15-Wednesday 11/17 - Bats are among the most mysterious of mammals. Unseen and unheard, they take flight at night to eat insects. Now Ohio State University researchers are using computer technology to estimate how many bats are in an area. Stephen Burnett, a graduate student in the College of Biological Sciences, uses a microphone to record the bats’ high-pitched vocal and echolocation sounds. The sounds are transferred to a computer where a voice recognition program differentiates between the distinct vocal patterns of individual bats. Burnett says the technology can help naturalists and others who want to count bats without disturbing them in their natural habitat.

Wednesday 11/17-Friday 11/19 - Despite the prevalence of violence in inner-city neighborhoods, elementary school children living there seem to have favorable views of at least parts of their community. Barbara Polivka, a nursing professor at Ohio State, studied children at a Columbus public elementary school and found that most kids found places they consider safe, quiet and beautiful in a community they sometimes perceived as dangerous, dirty and noisy.

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www.osu.edu is Ohio State’s Internet address. News releases (including this rundown sheet) from University Communications and many other offices are posted on the website. The site is also a great source for answers to frequently asked questions about OSU.