Each month staff in the Office of University Relations report on Ohio State research and connect reporters with experts across the University. They then monitor articles that mention Ohio State in the 50 largest U.S. and select world media markets. The dozens of articles each month are just one indication of the high profile the University enjoys in the national media.

International media attention was focused this month on a new study co-authored by Karla Zadnik, associate professor of optometry. Her study found that, contrary to previous research, leaving a light on in a sleeping infant's room won't increase the child's chance of becoming nearsighted. Coverage included: the Agence France Presse, the Associated Press, CNN, Reuters, Scripps Howard News Service, and United Press International, March 8; the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, Indianapolis Star, London (England) Daily Telegraph, London (England) Times, Los Angeles Times, Memphis Commercial Appeal, New Orleans Times-Picayune, NPR's"Morning Edition," Philadelphia Inquirer, and USA Today, March 9; Washington Post, March 13; London (England) Guardian, March 15; and Science News, March 25.

The Feb. 20 Orange County (Calif.) Register included an article about research by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry; Ronald Glaser, professor of microbiology; and William Malarkey, professor of internal medicine. Their research has examined how the stress of abrasive marital arguments can weaken the immune system of married couples to the extent where it can make it harder for a person to recover from illness. Research by Glaser and Kiecolt-Glaser was also mentioned in the March 2000 Self. The article was about research they led that found psychological stress can increase the level of certain hormones in the blood to the point where it affects the way a wound heals.

President Kirwan was quoted in the Feb. 22 Newsday about steps Ohio State is taking to make the campus safer for students. Kirwan spoke at a seminar at the State University of New York-Stony Brook on how to end school violence.

A Feb. 24 New York Times article mentioned that a 19th century Ohio State scholar helped compile a list in 1898 of"station masters" who helped guide slaves North on the Underground Railroad.

Mauro Ferrari, director of biomedical engineering, was quoted Feb. 26 in articles which ran in the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News in Denver and the San Diego Union-Tribune, about a recent development by California researchers of a way to mate human cells with circuitry in a"bionic chip." Such a chip could play a key role in medicine and genetic engineering.

Steven Conn, assistant professor of history, wrote an op-ed column for the Feb. 27 Philadelphia Inquirer questioning whether the growing use of the Internet will lead to growing social isolation.

The March 2000 Essence included an article about research by Karen Ahijevych, associate professor of nursing. Ahijevych has found women who smoke menthol cigarettes are more likely to inhale deeper and take in more nicotine than do smokers of non-menthol cigarettes.

Mary Jo Bowman, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, was quoted in the March Parents about how it is important for parents to follow up with the prescribed treatment after they take their child to the emergency room for an illness or injury.

The March 2 Houston Press quoted Mark Branham, graduate student in entomology, about the difficulty scientists have in breeding fireflies for their research.