Could hamsters help keep us thin?
   Siberian hamsters can do easily what most humans can't: lose weight effortlessly. While most people struggle with shedding extra pounds, hamsters' lives depend on seasonal weight fluctuations. Georgia State University biology professor Tim Bartness is trying to understand what allows a hamster's weight to oscillate with such ease. He's found that nerves leading directly from the hamster brain to fat cells actually stimulate the breakdown of fat, and the same type of involuntary actions that control heartbeats and pupil dilation control fat disintegration. Bartness hopes the research can be used to stimulate the innervation of fat in humans to cause fat breakdown. Contact him at 404-651-2766 or bartness@gsu.edu.

Not just fun and games: Eliminating recess can be harmful to kids
   Across the country, school systems are eliminating recess from the curriculum in order to maximize classroom time and focus on improving test scores. But removing that unstructured break from the school day can have adverse effects on children's ability to learn, says Olga Jarrett, an associate professor of early childhood education at Georgia State University. "Kids can't maintain concentration for long periods of time - and adults can't either," said Jarrett, whose research has shown that without recess, children fidget more and are less likely to stay on task. She can be reached at 404-651-2584 or ojarrett@mindspring.com.

Rural Georgia fights to stay in shape
   The number of Georgia citizens without health insurance is estimated at 1.3 million and growing. This problem is even worse in rural areas of the state, where the health care system has been in danger for some time. Tina Anderson Smith, who heads the rural health program of the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University, is working on answers with an initiative called Access Georgia, a program designed to build a critical health care network across Georgia. Contact Smith at 404-651-0929 or alhtas@langate.gsu.edu.

Black Press Day: March 16
   On March 16, 1827, in New York City, Freedom's Journal became the first African-American owned and operated newspaper in the United States. Since then, the African-American press has played a vital role in our society, according to Leonard Teel, professor of communication at Georgia State University. From the abolitionist press in the 1830s and 1840s to the civil rights advocacy that began in the 1930s, the black press has consistently lived up to the statement made on the first front page of Freedom's Journal, "We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us." Contact Teel, an expert on the African-American press, at 404-651-2697 or joulrt@langate.gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Conference: Terrorism and Justice
   The Jean Beer Blumenfeld Center for Ethics at Georgia State University will present a conference to discuss terrorism and justice April 4-5 in the George Manners Room (Room 710) of the Robinson College of Business. The conference will bring together leading thinkers on terrorism and the many ethical issues it raises. Topics include: What is terrorism? Is terrorism ever morally justified? How should we balance the competing concerns of fighting terrorism and protecting civil rights? What types of things which are ordinarily impermissible might be considered permissible if necessary to effectively fight terrorism? For a schedule and list of speakers, visit http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwphl/EthicsFramesIndex.html. For more information, contact Beth Flannigan at 404-651-3574 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly email publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404-651-3574 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404-651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404-655-3456.

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