What sound? Popular music devices could be dialing up hearing losses

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? The popularity of personal music devices like iPods and other MP3 players and their lack of sound-limiting controls has a Harris Health System ear specialist concerned. These devices, when combined with attached ear buds and headphones, can generate sound levels up to 115 decibels, well above the highest level of 85 decibels recommended by most hearing experts.

"Unfortunately, children who suffer noise-induced hearing loss from these devices are risking permanent damage that will affect them as adults and for their entire lives," says Dr. Sancak Yuksel, otorhinolaryngologist, Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, and assistant professor, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, about 28 million Americans suffer partial or permanent hearing loss and another 30 million are exposed to dangerous noise levels daily.

Signs of potential hearing loss:

• Raises voice to talk
• Complains of ringing in ear
• Turns up TV or radio volume
• Fails to understand conversations in large gatherings
• Feels people are mumbling or talking too quickly
• Gets up close or sits in front to listen

Hearing loss occurs when the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged. Sudden or prolonged damage can lead to permanent hearing loss or complete deafness.

"Aside from the intensity of the sound or a noise, my concern is how long the person is exposed to that sound or noise," Yuksel says.

While everyone is susceptible to hearing loss, Yuksel worries that children risk more long-term issues when they don't fully complete their speech and learning development. He estimates 15 percent of children under age 18 suffer some sort of noise-induced hearing loss.

Recommendations for using ear buds or headphones:

• Adjust volume of device in quiet environment
• Use sound-limiting controls
• Take periodic breaks of 15-20 minutes when listening to loud music to allow ears to recover
• Use loose-fitting ear buds or headphones to minimize intensity of sound

"Basically, everyone should avoid noises that are too loud, too close or last too long," he says.

Common decibel readings:

• Refrigerator -- 45 decibels
• Normal conversation -- 60 decibels
• Heavy traffic noise -- 85 decibels
• Vacuum cleaner -- 85 decibels
• Rock concerts -- 115-120 decibels
• Motorcycles, firecrackers -- 125 decibels
• Jet engine -- 130 decibels

People who attend a rock concert for longer than an hour at a sustained 115-decibel level can suffer damage to the inner ear. The result could be a temporary threshold shift (a brief loss of hearing) or tinnitus (a ringing in the ears). Most individuals tend to recover from these conditions; however, those with prolonged damage could suffer permanent hearing loss or ear ringing.

Yuksel suggests using ear plugs to minimize the effects of loud sounds. Some ear plugs can reduce sound by 20-30 decibels, while more expensive headphones can reduce sound even more.

For more information on hearing loss, visit the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/).

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Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/LUCnBxmwOHg/121127190033.htm

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India set to become second-largest steel producer by 2015, Frost & Sullivan says

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Source: http://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3123409/India-set-to-become-second-largest-steel-producer-by-2015-Frost-and-Sullivan-says.html

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Colbert Tackles the Very Real Dangers of Wind Turbine Herpes

One of the things you can expect from another four years of the Obama administration: wind turbines. Lots and lots of wind turbines. And with them as Stephen Colbert reports, come a slew of illnesses. Or at least, accusations of such: More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/k2RxPtt5Tk4/colbert-tackles-the-very-real-dangers-of-wind-turbine-herpes

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All About Riding Lawn Mowers | Cabez Ade Japi Home ...

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Source: http://www.cabezadejapi.com/all-about-riding-lawn-mowers.html

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Learn About Asante Samuel Jerseys Distinct Ways To Get Self Help

Self improvement is a method to increase as a person and grow an improved individual. Through the use of personal development coaching it is possible to become a person that you usually imagined you can be. The key to personal build is education and comprehending what is required to attain your individual development goals. The subsequent article contains several fantastic tips to help you together with your personal development.

End putting off your desires. Ambitions are great what you should have. Nevertheless, it is very important turn them into desires. A dream you are doing nothing about when a quite pointless factor to obtain. Make an effort to attain your desires. Even if they are improbable, you can expect to sensing greater for having tried.

That will help you boost your self privately, training every day is crucial. Workout may help you boost your concentrate, boost your ability in a variety of sports activities and customarily improve your health and well being. Exercises are also factor to self improvement Julio Jones Jerseys considering that exercise releases hormones, that are a frame of mind booster and market a much more optimistic view on lifestyle.

Boosting discipline can help you to work with self improvement. An easy tactic to is usually to awaken early each day, if at all possible simultaneously. Not merely do you have to decide on this step, additionally it opens time to construct with other skills within your search for self improvement.

When you should be seeking to improve your self improvement and motivation, understand that our company is often unmotivated whenever we are doing points we truly feel are certainly not well worth our time. Get carry of the things you spend time on, and find out if it is really needed for one other elements in your life. There exists a minimal amount of time on this planet, so make sure you devote it intelligently.

Act usually and undertake it now. The sooner you have methods to help your objectives, the more effective off you will end up. By using motion now, you can expect to instantly commence to produce the best practices necessary to help you where by you would like to be. The techniques that you start to take nowadays may become secondly nature tomorrow.

Concentrate on on your own before you decide to worry about what other people might imagine. This doesn?t mean you need to be self-centered, however it does mean you will need to center on your expections first. Work with boosting individuals regions of your individuality that seem the most significant to you personally prior to concern yourself with things that other individuals John Abraham Jerseys say you want make improvements to.

Give attention to one single project at the same time. By trying to do a couple of issue at the same time, every project will require you for a longer time to perform. Get rid of multi tasking and you?ll possess the additional time that you need to do what you want.

As was reported at first of this report, dealing with your self improvement is a method to enhance who you really are as being a particular person as well as to improve the need for your lifestyle. Self improvement is difficult so it is important to know and comprehend the rules behind the most effective personal development techniques. Keep to the advice in this article and you?ll be well on your way to becoming a person you may have generally imagined getting.

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Source: http://www.defaulttricks.com/learn-about-asante-samuel-jerseys-distinct-ways-to-get-self-help/

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WORLD WIDE EDUCATION: >>Financial aids - new articles on

?Funds and scholarships are provided in limit. Therefore, students are encouraged to complete their applications early as? priority is given to earlier applications.

Many opportunities for grants for graduate study are available from public and private institutions. Information about these outside sources of funding may be available in a student's academic department. To assist you in identifying these external sources of financial assistance, we are providing the following information

Students are supposed to get scholarships and aids not only from their respective universities/college, but there are also some external sources for funds. The fund providers are:

General Graduate Fellowship Sources

Peterson's Grants for Graduate Study, 4th edition, 1995.

A Selected List of Fellowship and Other Support Opportunities for Advanced Education for United States Citizens and Foreign Nationals, 1993. Information listing a number of grant opportunities. Includes a list of the names (and addresses) of thirty-three publications. This information is no longer available in booklet format. Homepage address is: http://www.nsf.gov/? or EMail address: Pubs@NSF.gov .

Chronicle Financial Aid Guide, 1996-97, Chronicle Guidance Publications, 1996.

http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/

Money for Graduate Students in the Humanities, 1996-98, 1st. ed., Schleicher, Gail A. & R. David Weber, Reference Service Press, 1996.

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans 1996: A Guide to Education-Related Financial Aid Programs for Students and Professionals, 11th ed.,? Sandra, ed., Gale Research, 1995.

Fellowship Sources for Minorities

Dan Cassidy's Worldwide Graduate Scholarship Directory, 5th Ed., Cassidy, Dan, Career Press, 1995.

http://www.careerpress.com/

The Graduate School Funding Handbook, Hamel, April Vahle, University of Philadelphia Press, 1994.

http://www.upenn.edu/

Directory of Financial Aids for Minorities, Schlachter, Gail Ann, Redwood City, California: Reference Service Press, 1997.

The Black Student's Guide to Scholarships: 600+ Private Money Sources for Black and Minority Students, 4th ed., Madison Books, Lanham, MD, 1996.

Fellowship Sources for Women

Directory of Financial Aids for Women, 1991-92, Schlachter, Gail Ann, 1991, published by Reference Service Press, Redwood City, California.

The Higher Education Money book for Women and Minorities, Bruce- Young, Doris Marie, Young Enterprises, Washington, DC, 1997.

Additional Opportunities

Award for Graduate Students who obtain External Support:? This program provides supplemental research funds for individual students who are successful in obtaining fellowship support for a research project in excess of $6,000 per year from an external agency. Awards are made in the amount of $1,000 for the student and $1,000 to his/her advisor. Appointment to an institutional training grant or the granting of an academic scholarship does not qualify a student for this support program. Money is to be used for research support purposes only.

Requests should be in memo format and addressed to Gloria Heppner, Associate Vice President for Research. Memos should include a brief description of the research project, projected budget, and advisor's name. Please include a copy of the award verification with the request and deliver to to 4032 F/AB or fax to 577-3626.

Spin Searches: SPIN WWW is the World Wide Web version of the Sponsored Programs Information Network database and is currently available to WSU researchers connected to the University network. SPIN WWW contains thousands of federally and non-federally funded research opportunities. The listings are current and include funding opportunities for graduate student research and fellowship information. Instructions for accessing this service and other assistance are available from Vance Brice land in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at

Source: http://eduinfo2014.blogspot.com/2012/11/financial-aids.html

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Source: http://new-articles-on-technology.blogspot.com/2012/11/world-wide-education-aids.html

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Source: http://hierarchy-casablanca.blogspot.com/2012/11/world-wide-education-aids-new-articles.html

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Obama? Romney? Nation decides after long campaign

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney smiles as he speaks to a U.S. Secret Service agent before boarding his plane in Bedford Mass., for Cleveland, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney smiles as he speaks to a U.S. Secret Service agent before boarding his plane in Bedford Mass., for Cleveland, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama calls out to people outside a campaign office in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, after a visit with volunteers on the morning of the 2012 election. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A long line of people waiting to vote winds through the Great Hall of the Purdue University Memorial Union Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, on campus in West Lafayette, Ind. After a grinding presidential campaign, Americans are heading into polling places across the country. (AP Photo/Journal & Courier, John Terhune)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and wife Ann Romney vote in Belmont, Mass., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama visits with people outside a campaign office the morning of the 2012 election, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama won Vermont and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney countered with Kentucky Tuesday in a duel for the White House shadowed by a weak economy and high unemployment that crimped middle class dreams for millions.

Romney led in the early popular vote by a margin of 63 percent to 35 percent, unsurprisingly so since many of the early reporting precincts were from reliably Republican Kentucky and Indiana.

In the competition for electoral votes, where the outcome will be decided, the challenger had 8, Obama 3, with 270 needed to win the White House.

Voters also chose a new Congress to serve alongside the man who will be inaugurated president in January, Democrats defending their majority in the Senate, and Republicans in the House. Eleven states picked governors, and ballot measures ranging from gay marriage to gambling dotted ballots.

The economy was rated the top issue by about 60 percent of voters surveyed as they left their polling places. About 4 in 10 said it is on the mend.

More than that said conditions are as bad or getting worse, but a significant fraction said former President George W. Bush bears more of the responsibility than Obama. The survey was conducted for The Associated Press and a group of television networks.

The long campaign's cost soared into the billions, much of it spent on negative ads, some harshly so.

In the presidential race, an estimated one million commercials aired in nine battleground states where the rival camps agreed the election was most likely to be settled ? Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada. They accounted for 110 of the 270 electoral votes needed for victory, and they drew repeated appearances by the 51-year-old president and Romney, 65.

Romney raced to Ohio and Pennsylvania for Election Day campaigning and projected confidence as he flew home to Massachusetts to await the results. "We fought to the very end, and I think that's why we'll be successful," he said, adding that he had finished writing a speech anticipating victory.

Obama made get-out-the-vote calls from a campaign office near his home in Chicago and found time for his traditional Election Day basketball game with friends. Addressing his rival, he said, "I also want to say to Gov. Romney, 'Congratulations on a spirited campaign.' I know his supporters are just as engaged, just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today." Romney, in turn, congratulated the president for running a "strong campaign."

Other than the battlegrounds, big states were virtually ignored in the final months of the campaign. Romney wrote off New York, Illinois and California, while Obama made no attempt to carry Texas, much of the South or the Rocky Mountain region other than Colorado.

There were 33 Senate seats on the ballot, 23 of them defended by Democrats and the rest by Republicans.

The GOP needed a gain of three for a majority if Romney won, and four if Obama was re-elected. Neither Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada nor GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was on the ballot, but each had high stakes in the outcome.

All 435 House seats were on the ballot, including five where one lawmaker ran against another as a result of once-a-decade redistricting to take population shifts into account. Democrats needed to pick up 25 seats to gain the majority they lost two years ago.

Depending on the outcome of a few races, it was possible that white men would wind up in a minority in the Democratic caucus for the first time.

Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, raised millions to finance get-out-the-vote operations in states without a robust presidential campaign, New York, Illinois and California among them. His goal was to minimize any losses, or possibly even gain ground, no matter Romney's fate. House Democratic leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California campaigned aggressively, as well, and faced an uncertain political future if her party failed to win control.

In gubernatorial races, Republicans hoped to gain seats after Democratic retirements in New Hampshire, Washington, Montana and especially North Carolina.

Romney was in Massachusetts after his Election Day dash to Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In a campaign that traversed contested Republican primaries last winter and spring, a pair of political conventions this summer and three presidential debates, Obama, Romney, Vice President Joe Biden and Republican running mate Paul Ryan spoke at hundreds of rallies, were serenaded by Bruce Springstein and Meat Loaf and washed down hamburgers, pizza, barbecue and burrito bowls.

Obama was elected the first black president in 2008, and four years later, Romney became the first Mormon to appear on a general election ballot. Yet one man's race and the other's religion were never major factors in this year's campaign for the White House, a race dominated from the outset by the economy.

Over and over, Obama said that during his term the nation has begun to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression. While he conceded progress has been slow, he accused Romney of offering recycled Republican policies that have helped the wealthy and harmed the middle class in the past and would do so again.

Romney countered that a second Obama term could mean a repeat recession in a country where economic growth has been weak and unemployment is worse now than when the president was inaugurated. A wealthy former businessman, he claimed the knowledge and the skills to put in place policies that would make the economy healthy again.

In a race where the two men disagreed often, one of the principal fault lines was over taxes. Obama campaigned for the renewal of income tax cuts set to expire on Dec. 31 at all income levels except above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.

Romney said no one's taxes should go up in uncertain economic times. In addition, he proposed a 20 percent cut across the board in income tax rates but said he would end or curtail a variety of tax breaks to make sure federal deficits didn't rise.

The differences over taxes, the economy, Medicare, abortion and more were expressed in intensely negative advertising.

Obama launched first, shortly after Romney dispatched his Republican foes in his quest for the party nomination.

One memorable commercial showed Romney singing an off-key rendition of "America The Beautiful." Pictures and signs scrolled by saying that his companies had shipped jobs to Mexico and China, that Massachusetts state jobs had gone to India while he was governor and that he has personal investments in Switzerland, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

Romney spent less on advertising than Obama. A collection of outside groups made up the difference, some of them operating under rules that allowed donors to remain anonymous. Most of the ads were of the attack variety. But the Republican National Committee relied on one that had a far softer touch, and seemed aimed at voters who had been drawn to the excitement caused by Obama's first campaign. It referred to a growing national debt and unemployment, then said, "He tried. You tried. It's OK to make a change."

More than 30 million voters cast early ballots in nearly three dozen states, a reflection of the growing appeal of a relatively new phenomenon.

___

Associated Press writers Julie Pace in Chicago Philip Elliott in Cleveland contributed to this repo

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-11-06-Election%20Rdp/id-2a10aa23a6e642b196e8962045d3da2e

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Mechanism of General Anesthesia Involves Disrupting Brain Communication

A rapid onset of slow oscillation brain waves has now been linked to anesthesia's coma-like state

By Mo Costandi and Nature magazine

How general anaesthetic works is poorly understood. Image: Fuse/Getty

From Nature magazine

General anesthetics induce a coma-like state within seconds, allowing patients to be operated on without feeling pain or discomfort. Yet very little is known about how these drugs work. Now research published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that they change the activity of specific regions of the brain and make it difficult for the different parts to talk to each other.

Neuroscientist Laura Lewis of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge and her colleagues used microelectrodes to measure the activity of single cells and networks of neurons in the brains of three people who were about to undergo neurosurgery for epilepsy. Each patient was given a single dose of the general anesthetic propofol, and their ability to respond to auditory stimuli was used to determine when they slipped into unconsciousness.

The researchers found that loss of consciousness coincided with the rapid onset of brain waves known as slow oscillations.

?We were surprised to find that slow oscillations began so abruptly,? says Lewis. ?Their onset was sudden, and precisely timed to when patients lost consciousness.?

The oscillations started at different times in different regions of the cerebral cortex, and individual neurons became markedly less active overall, with their activity spiking at the same time as the slow oscillations in that region.

The researchers propose that the slow oscillations are making the processing of information within specialized brain regions less efficient, and preventing different parts of the brain from communicating with each other.

?The finding that they were asynchronous across the brain provides a new explanation for how slow oscillations could disturb communication between different brain areas,? says Lewis.

But Nick Franks, a biophysicist at Imperial College London who studies how anesthetics act, says that it is still not clear whether the slow oscillations actually cause loss of consciousness or are simply a consequence of it. Further work will be needed to determine whether the onset of slow oscillations is enough to induce unconsciousness.

Lewis and her colleagues say that it is possible that their participants may have different brain activity from healthy people because of their seizures and the medication that they had been taking for their epilepsy. But they think this is unlikely, because they placed the electrodes at least 2 centimeters away from the abnormal tissue causing the seizures, and because the behavioral effects were the same as those seen in healthy people.

The researchers say that their findings could lead to improved ways to monitor the effects of anesthesia, and to the development of better anesthetic drugs.

They now plan to investigate whether other general anesthetics act in the same way. ?It's very likely that this will apply to other anesthetic drugs,? says Lewis.

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on November 5, 2012.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=25dab0f329c9bacf810646e97c503138

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Tiger mosquito, vector of chikungunya virus and dengue fever, is more flighty than first thought

ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2012) ? Female tiger mosquitoes, vectors of the chikungunya virus and of dengue fever, had been thought to mate only once during their short few weeks of life. They are apparently much less faithful than imagined, however. A team representing the IRD and its partners(1) has discovered that they may in fact mate with several males during their short lives. What is more, the same clutch of eggs can be engendered by different fathers! For their part, the males can mate with over 10 different females.

These recent studies, conducted on the island of Reunion and published notably in the journal PLOS ONE, will make it possible to perfect the "sterile insect technique." This innovative approach to fighting against vectors of disease consists of fooling females into mating with infertile males so as to reduce the population of mosquitoes in the wild. Researchers will, in particular, be able to establish what quantity of sterilised males to release in order to compensate for the infidelities of the females.

Dengue fever and the chikungunya virus continue to take their toll all over the world. In the absence of either a vaccine or effective treatment, attacking the vector remains the sole course of action. If this new method proves promising, it will offer an ecologically acceptable alternative to the use of insecticides.

Female tiger mosquitoes, the vectors of the chikungunya virus, are much less faithful than entomologists had previously thought. A team of researchers from IRD and its partners(1) recently discovered that the ladies of the Aedes albopictus species, to give them their scientific name, mate several times during their short lives. Until now specialists had thought that they copulated with a single male during their few short weeks of existence. According to this generally accepted hypothesis, once they had been impregnated they developed an aversion to any further insemination. The discovery of an unexpected sexual appetite on their part has major implications for the newly-developed "sterile insect technique."

Objective: to fool the females

IRD researchers on the island of Reunion have been working on this antivector strategy for several years. Based on the sterilisation of male mosquitoes, it is intended to reduce the population of vectors found in natural conditions. The method consists of releasing sterilised, and therefore infertile males in order to 'deceive' the females, who had been thought to mate only once, into doing so with these infertile individuals. As shown in previous studies, male mosquitoes sterilised by radiation(2) in the laboratory nevertheless succeeded in mating normally with the females. The latter continue to produce a large number of eggs, but they are non-fertilised and will thus produce no offspring.

One mother, several fathers

To optimise this new antivector technique, a good understanding of biology, ecology and the behaviour and competitiveness of mosquitoes is essential. The researchers thus attempted to determine whether the eggs of the female tiger mosquitoes captured in Reunion actually came from a single male or had involved several male progenitors. Thanks to genetic markers, they were able to demonstrate that the same clutch of eggs could be the result of mating with several different males. The new study, published in PLOS ONE, thus reveals that the females are in reality likely to have recourse to multiple inseminations. This result suggests that the repulsion felt by females of the species for any new union after mating a first time is not systematic.

Highly active males

During a previous study, the research team had also shown that male tiger mosquitoes are very efficient. They remain sexually active for over 14 days. Moreover, scientists have underlined the high number of females impregnated by a single male: the tiger mosquito is capable of mating with over ten females on average during this period. Where does this great reproductive success come from? This fundamental question remains unanswered. Sterilised male mosquitoes do, however, seem a little less competitive.

These results will enable researchers to maximise the effectiveness of the sterile male technique, and in particular to specify how many infertile males should be released in order to increase the probability that a female will mate with one of them and so as to compensate for their slightly lower attractiveness.

Dangerous females

The much-feared tiger mosquito is responsible for the transmission of several diseases throughout the world. It is the main vector of the chikungunya virus and the second of dengue fever -- after another mosquito of the genus Aedes. As in the case of the famous members of the anopheles genus that carry malaria, it is the females that transmit the viruses to men and to animals. They in fact bite the latter in order to feed on their blood and thus ensure the development of their eggs.

Rarely fatal, the chikungunya virus is nevertheless considered a major public health problem in Asia, South America and Africa. In 2006 on the island of Reunion, the infection affected almost a third of the population, equivalent to hundreds of thousands of people in total throughout the Indian Ocean. The most frequent symptoms are fevers, joint pains and headaches. No vaccine or treatment has been developed to date. The only available means of action thus continues to be the antivector strategy.

In light of this, the sterilisation of male mosquitoes could offer an alternative that is more respectful of the environment and of ecosystems than the use of insecticide sprays. If at the end of the laboratory research phase this approach is indeed judged promising, researchers may proceed in the next few years with experimental releases in the field. A significant effort is needed beforehand in order to increase awareness, however, to ensure that the new method is well accepted and supported by the local population.

(1) These studies were conducted in partnership with the Centre for the Study and Monitoring of Emerging Diseases in the Indian Ocean (CRVOI) in Reunion, the Indian Ocean Regional Health Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Austria.

(2) Sterilisation by radiation consists of exposing a body very briefly to a source of radioactive emissions. This procedure is currently used on food and sanitary products, etc.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD). The original article was written by Ga?lle Courcoux, DIC.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal References:

1. Sebastien Boyer, Celine Toty, Maxime Jacquet, Guy Lemp?ri?re, Didier Fontenille. Evidence of Multiple Inseminations in the Field in Aedes albopictus. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (8): e42040 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042040
2. S. Boyer, J. Gilles, D. Merancienne, G. Lemperiere, D. Fontenille. Sexual performance of male mosquito Aedes albopictus. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2011; 25 (4): 454 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00962.x

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/I60bjVppzNk/121105081501.htm

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Pope Tawadros II, Egypt's New Coptic Leader, Opposes Religious ...

CAIRO -- Egypt's new Coptic pope said Monday the constitution now being drafted will not be acceptable if it is overtly religious, a sign he would campaign with his Christian minority and secular groups against increasing Islam's role in the new charter.

In an interview aired Monday, a day after he was selected patriarch of Egypt's Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II said the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak last year has opened the way for a larger Coptic public role.

He said as pope, he will encourage the Christian community to participate more in political and public life, as well as elections. He charged that the country's Christian minority has been "intentionally" marginalized for years.

"After tens of years of marginalization and fake democracy, this has made some Copts isolated," he said in the interview aired on the private TV station ONTV.

"This is changing bit by bit, and it will take time. It needs encouraging, and so long as society is fair, and democracy is built fairly, you will see participation."

Tawadros said Egypt's richness lies in its cultural mix between Muslims and Christians.

Tawadros appeared to addressing his wary community about the rising political power of Islamists. A series of violent attacks on churches and a crackdown on freedom of worship and expression have caused them to worry about their future.

The election of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi heightened fears among the Copts that their rights might be curtailed. The fears have been further fueled by the process of writing a new constitution, which is dominated by Islamist groups seeking to increase the role of Islam in legislation.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has said the constitution must be based on Islamic Shariah law, though that statement is open to different interpretations.

Tawadros said the country's new constitution, being drafted by a panel led by Islamists, will not be acceptable if it is too religious. He said religious laws have no place in the constitution.

"The constitution is for us all to live together, a common life, we need each other. This is the constitution that will bring us together," he said. "Any additions or hints that make the constitution religious will not be acceptable, not only to Copts but to many sectors in society."

Tawadros called on Morsi to reassure the Copts because of what he said were repeated messages through the media or in public that have constituted "threats" or "disrespect" to the community. He called them "unacceptable."

Tawadros didn't name specific incidents, but there have been increasing reports of crackdowns against Christian places of worship. Court cases were recently filed against Christians accused of insulting Islam, and villagers have reported they were denied access to their place of worship.

Egypt's Coptic Christians have long complained of discrimination by the state and the country's Muslim majority. Clashes with Muslims have occasionally broken out, sparked by church construction, land disputes or Muslim-Christian love affairs.

Tawadros succeeded Pope Shenouda III, a charismatic leader who died in March after four decades at the head of the Coptic Church.

The new pope takes office during a shift in Christian attitudes on their relation to the state. For years, Christians largely relied on the Church to secure some protection for their rights, using Shenouda's close relationship with Mubarak.

With Mubarak's ouster in a popular uprising last year and Shenouda's death, many have been emboldened to act beyond the Church's hold and participate more directly in the nation's politics to demand rights, better representation and freedom of worship.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/06/pope-tawadros-ii-egypt-copt-opposes-religious-constitution_n_2082480.html

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Luck, Martin latest rookies to impress

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) throws against the Miami Dolphins during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. Luck threw for 433 yards and two touchdown passes, breaking Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's single-game passing record (422 yards) for a rookie as he led the Colts to a 23-20 win. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) throws against the Miami Dolphins during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. Luck threw for 433 yards and two touchdown passes, breaking Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's single-game passing record (422 yards) for a rookie as he led the Colts to a 23-20 win. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck celebrates as he leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. The Colts won 23-20. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) stiff arms Oakland Raiders defensive back Tyvon Branch (33) as he runs for a 45-yard touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) smiles as he walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. The Buccaneers won 42-32. The rookie rushed for a franchise-record 251 yards and four touchdowns. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs for a 67-yard touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

In what is turning into a memorable year for rookies, Andrew Luck and Doug Martin took the excellence to a record level.

Luck broke the NFL's single-game rookie record by throwing for 433 yards in leading Indianapolis over Miami 23-20. He was 30 of 48 with two TDs and broke Cam Newton's mark of 422 yards set last season. And it came on the day coach Chuck Pagano returned to Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time since being diagnosed with leukemia.

"His presence is felt every day in the facility," Luck said. "But to see him in the flesh, in the locker room, to hear him speak I think gave all the guys a boost."

Luck, the first overall draft pick, showed it the most as Indianapolis (5-3) won its third straight after winning only twice a year ago. He has four 300-yard passing games, tied with Peyton Manning (1998) for the most by a rookie in a season.

"The kid, he continues to amaze," Reggie Wayne said after catching seven passes for 78 yards. "Hopefully I can help, you know, add on to his legacy that he's about to build."

Martin could be doing the same for Tampa Bay (4-4). The Buccaneers' first-round pick rushed for a franchise-record 251 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-32 victory at Oakland ? his hometown. He scored on runs of 1, 45, 67 and 70 yards in the second half as he gashed what had been an improved run defense for the Raiders (3-5).

Martin, the 31st pick in April out of Boise State, became the first back since at least 1940 to score on three TD runs of at least 45 yards in one game, according to STATS LLC.

About 60 friends and family members witnessed Martin's magic.

"Everybody was there. It was awesome," he said. "It's surreal right now. I'm just doing my job out there. I'm honored."

He finished 45 yards shy of tying Adrian Peterson's single game record of 296 set in his rookie season in 2007 and joined Denver's Mike Anderson as the only backs with at least 250 yards rushing and four TDs in a single game.

"He's turned into a heck of a player here these last two weeks," Bucs veteran safety Ronde Barber said. "He's really jumped onto the scene, just the way he's handled the pressure that he's had to be the main guy here in our offense these past couple of weeks. It's impressive, man."

In other games, it was Atlanta 19, Dallas 13 as the Falcons remained the league's only unbeaten team; Chicago 51, Tennessee 20; Houston 21, Buffalo 9; Green Bay 31, Arizona 17; Denver 31, Cincinnati 23; Pittsburgh 24, the New York Giants 20; Baltimore 25, Cleveland 15; Seattle 30, Minnesota 20; Carolina 21, Washington 13; and Detroit 31, Jacksonville 14.

On Thursday night, it was San Diego 31, Kansas City 13.

Monday night's game has Philadelphia (3-4) at New Orleans (2-5).

Off this week were New England (5-3), San Francisco (6-2), St. Louis (3-5) and the New York Jets (3-5).

FALCONS 19, COWBOYS 13

At Atlanta, Matt Bryant made four field goals and Michael Turner had a tiebreaking 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Turner had 20 carries for 102 yards and Matt Ryan had a season-high 342 yards passing for the Falcons (8-0).

Tony Romo completed all six passes for 78 yards, including a 21-yard scoring pass to Kevin Ogletree, on the Cowboys' touchdown drive in the fourth period, but Atlanta used up 5 minutes, 4 seconds, leaving only 17 seconds left after Bryant's 32-yard field goal.

The Falcons have never been undefeated halfway through a season.

BEARS 51, TITANS 20

At Nashville, Chicago's defense was dominant once more.

Brian Urlacher returned an interception for a touchdown, while cornerback Charles Tillman forced four fumbles and Chicago created five turnovers while winning its sixth in a row.

The Bears (7-1) scored a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter. They took control by forcing three turnovers in the first 13 minutes and turning them into 14 points. Urlacher went 46 yards for his score.

Jay Cutler threw three TD passes to Brandon Marshall.

The Titans (3-6) had only Chris Johnson's 80-yard run as a highlight.

TEXANS 21, BILLS 9

At Houston, Matt Schaub threw two touchdown passes, Arian Foster ran for 111 yards against Buffalo's NFL-worst rushing defense, and Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 118 yards. Foster scored for the fifth straight game for Houston (7-1), which has the AFC's best record.

Mario Williams had a sack and five tackles in his return to Reliant Stadium after signing with the Bills (3-5) in the offseason. The Texans made Williams the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft and he's still Houston's career sacks leader (53).

"I was at least going to get one," Williams said. "I couldn't just come in here and not. I had to at least somehow, some way get one. I wish it would have been more. I definitely had some more opportunities."

PACKERS 31, CARDINALS 17

At Green Bay, Tom Crabtree's 72-yard touchdown was the Packers' longest of the season, and Randall Cobb added two TD catches. The Packers (6-3) also found a running game with a season-high 176 yards on 39 carries.

Green Bay goes into its bye week with a four-game winning streak. The break comes at a good time for the Packers, who lost star linebacker Clay Matthews, WR Jordy Nelson and tackle Bryan Bulaga to injuries.

Arizona (4-5) is going the other way with five straight losses.

BRONCOS 31, BENGALS 23

At Cincinnati, Peyton Manning overcame a pair of interceptions by throwing three touchdown passes, and Trindon Holliday returned a kickoff a Broncos-record 105 yards for a touchdown.

Manning improved to 8-0 against Cincinnati (3-5), which has lost four in a row for the first time in two years. But the four-time MVP threw a pair of interceptions ? one in the end zone ? that led to 10 points and a 20-17 Cincinnati lead early in the fourth quarter.

Then Manning threw a 1-yard touchdown to Joel Dreessen that put Denver (5-3) back ahead. After Andy Dalton was picked off by Champ Bailey, Manning put it away with a 4-yard pass to Eric Decker.

It marked Manning's 48th winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, passing Hall of Famer Dan Marino (47) for the most in the NFL since 1970.

STEELERS 24, GIANTS 20

The Steelers arrived in New Jersey hours before the game because of logistical issues stemming from the superstorm. That might have accounted for their carelessness. They had the fewest giveaways in the NFL entering the game, but were careless with the ball and in pass coverage; cornerback Keenan Lewis had 87 yards on two pass interference penalties, and they wasted some great kick returns, too.

Still, Isaac Redman ran for 147 yards, and scored the winning touchdown from a yard out with 4:02 remaining. The Steelers (5-3) snapped New York's four-game winning streak.

Temporary relief from the destruction of Superstorm Sandy was what New York's fans sought, and the Giants (6-3) provided it for a while. Just not long enough.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone else who are going through so much," said Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for two TDs. "There were so many emotions going on, I didn't know what to expect from it. But maybe we were able to take their minds off their problems just a little."

RAVENS 25, BROWNS 15

At Cleveland, the Ravens (6-2) kept up their dominance within the division. Joe Flacco threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith with 4:26 remaining as Baltimore won its 11th straight game inside the AFC North.

"Whew," coach John Harbaugh said. "That was a fight. That's a really good football team. They are well coached, tough and physical. They are building something here. They are an up-and-coming AFC North-style team. That was an AFC North battle."

The Ravens beat the Browns (2-7) for the 10th consecutive time. It was also Baltimore's 15th straight win following a loss.

Phil Dawson kicked five field goals for the Browns.

SEAHAWKS 30, VIKINGS 20

At Seattle, Marshawn Lynch ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, rookie QB Russell Wilson threw three first-half touchdowns, and Seattle overcame 182 yards rushing by Adrian Peterson in a matchup between the top two rushers in the NFL.

Lynch ran for a 3-yard TD in the third quarter, while Wilson threw TD passes of 11 yards to Sidney Rice, and TDs of 6 and 11 yards to Golden Tate for the Seahawks (5-4).

Peterson and the Vikings (5-4) had 197 yards on the ground in the first half, but only had 46 yards rushing in the second half.

PANTHERS 21, REDSKINS 13

Cam Newton passed for 201 yards with a touchdown and ran eight times for 37 yards and a score as Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak. The visiting Panthers (2-6) were in desperate need of a win after a series of close defeats that had players questioning the team's leadership.

Referee Carl Cheffers admitted there was an inadvertent whistle by the line judge on a first-quarter play when Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams scored on a 30-yard run.

According to a pool report, Cheffers said the touchdown stood after the officials discussed the play because, "We just felt when the whistle blew, that the player would have already scored."

Robert Griffin III was 23 for 39 for 215 yards, ran 11 times for 53 yards and was sacked four times as the Redskins (3-6) lost their third straight.

LIONS 31, JAGUARS 14

At Jacksonville, Mikel Leshoure ran for touchdowns of 7, 1 and 8 yards, becoming the first player in franchise history ? including Hall of Famer Barry Sanders ? to run for three touchdowns in the first half.

Leshoure finished with 70 yards rushing as Detroit improved to 4-4, and Calvin Johnson had five receptions for 99 yards before the Jaguars (1-7) even managed first down. He finished with seven catches for 129 yards despite playing through a knee injury.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-05-FBN-NFL-Rdp/id-7fdb793383c943e389adda8042f938f1

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Sports ? Rodeo

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Samsung Confirms 30 Million+ Channel Sales Of Flagship Galaxy SIII Smartphone Globally In ~5 Months, 3x Faster Sales Rate Than SGSII

Another impressive sales milestone for Samsung. A few days after confirming it's sold more than three million Galaxy Note II devices in around a month of sales, Samsung has revealed that channel sales of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy SIII, have passed 30 million in the roughly five months since the launch of the smartphone.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xgHyjDVTTPg/

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GOP likely to hold House after $1B campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) ? You can do a lot with a billion dollars ? but still not change much. This Election Day, it's likely to produce another Republican-led House that's little different from the existing version.

Candidates, both political parties and hordes of corporate, labor, ideological and other groups have spent a record $1.1 billion on House races since this campaign cycle began last year, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Yet by the time the last votes are counted Tuesday, Democrats may pick up a handful of districts but are widely expected to miss their goal of gaining the 25 additional seats they need to grab control of the chamber.

The reasons:

?The redrawing of congressional districts to reflect the new census. Both parties protected incumbents but Republicans shielded more.

?A preponderance of at-risk Republican-held seats that the GOP offset with extra financial muscle.

?A close presidential race that has prevented either party from gaining a sweeping coattail advantage.

?Overarching national issues have not tilted the playing field to one side or the other.

"First and foremost it's redistricting," said Democratic pollster Dave Beattie, citing how GOP-led state legislatures were able to redraw congressional maps. "Institutionally, they were able in a redistricting year to protect the House gains they made in 2010," when Republicans captured House control.

Like most years, the vast majority of both parties' incumbents are likely to win. The percentage of victorious House members seeking re-election has dipped below 90 percent only twice since 1974 ? in 2010 when the GOP stormed into control and 1992, when Democrats were hurt by a scandal involving the House post office.

Out of 435 House seats, around 60 are seriously competitive this year. About three dozen are currently held by Republicans and two dozen by Democrats. A handful of others are either new districts with no incumbents or races in which current House members are squaring off against each other.

In districts from one ocean to the other, Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to gut Medicare, the popular health insurance program for the elderly, and slice domestic programs like education while seeking tax cuts for the rich. They've also accused them of attacking women's rights with measures to curb abortion and cut funds for Planned Parenthood.

"Is he representing you?" asks an ad by the House Majority PAC, a political committee steered by House Democratic leaders, that attacks Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., for his votes on Medicare and other health issues.

The GOP has lambasted Democrats for supporting President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and other big spending programs like Obama's economic stimulus package. Democrats also are accused of cutting Medicare themselves and boosting taxes on the middle class.

"He is out of touch with central New York," an ad by the House GOP campaign committee says of former Democratic Rep. Dan Maffei, who is seeking to return to Washington. The spot faults Maffei for businesses leaving the district.

Through October, the GOP has enjoyed the spending edge.

Current House GOP candidates have spent $500 million from their own campaigns, reinforced by $99 million from outside groups like American Crossroads and $65 million from the House Republican campaign organization, according to the center.

Democratic candidates have spent $374 million, plus $71 million from outside groups like the Service Employees International Union and $61 million from the House Democratic campaign committee.

Added together, that's given the GOP the upper hand by $664 million to $506 million.

Among those targeted by outside groups: Orlando area Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., the focus of $1.1 million in ads being run by Independence USA PAC, a political action committee run by billionaire New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent.

"It's Michael Bloomberg coming in from storm-ravaged New York. I don't think in our district that if that were known that would play very well," said Webster campaign consultant Kirsten Borman.

The American Action Network, affiliated with House GOP leaders, launched an ad attacking Webster's Democratic rival, former Orlando police chief Val Demings, for supporting Obama's health care revamping.

Mitt Romney recorded a TV spot for Republican House hopeful Mia Love of Utah, where the GOP presidential candidate is overwhelmingly popular. "I trust Mia to protect seniors," Romney says.

Those in uncertain races include about two dozen House GOP freshmen from the 87-strong class of newcomers whose rise to power was energized by tea party voters. Among them is Rep. Scott DesJarlais from central Tennessee, a physician and abortion foe whose re-election seemed assured until recent reports that he once pressed a mistress to have an abortion.

The nation's most expensive competitive House campaign: freshman GOP Rep. Allen West's re-election battle in South Florida against Democrat Patrick Murphy, which has seen $17.2 million in spending. West, a firebrand conservative and prolific fundraiser, has spent $13.8 million of the total.

Republican pickups of three seats are possible in New York and likely in North Carolina, where three veteran Democrats are retiring following redistricting, further trimming the roster of both parties' moderates in Congress.

The GOP is also hoping to knock off Democratic incumbents in California and win other seats in Utah, Arkansas and Oklahoma. They could even defeat Massachusetts Democrat John Tierney, beset by a gambling scandal that has involved his wife and two brothers-in-law. Massachusetts hasn't had a House GOP member since 1997.

Democrats are hoping for big days in California and Illinois and their own pickups in New York ? states where Obama is expected to win decisively. Especially in New York and Illinois, redistricting has not helped tea party-backed Republicans like Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh and New York Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle.

Reflecting areas in play, Democratic and GOP political groups have poured money in recent days into House races in Arizona, Minnesota and Rhode Island in addition to California, Illinois and New York.

Contests that pit two members of Congress against each other are often among the most bitter and costly. This year is no exception.

In Los Angeles, a pair of veteran Democrats ? Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman ? argued nose-to-nose at a debate last month until they were separated by a deputy sheriff. Including each man's campaign and outside spending, their race has cost $13 million, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a bipartisan group that follows campaign spending.

A contest in northeast Ohio pitting GOP Rep. Jim Renacci against Democrat Betty Sutton has drawn $9.7 million in outside spending by the Congressional Leadership Fund controlled by House GOP leaders, House Democrats' campaign organ and numerous other groups.

The only House race where there has been more outside spending is the Pennsylvania contest between Democratic Rep. Mark Critz and GOP attorney Keith Rothfus, where it has surpassed $9.9 million.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gop-likely-hold-house-1b-campaign-181851465--election.html

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