In response to SOPA/PIPA, I am releasing some of my photographs to the public domain.

With important sites blacked out today in protest of pending SOPA and PIPA legislation, we here at Compound Eye would like to voice our opposition with a different approach. Instead of closing down, we are opening up.

I hold the copyright to many thousands of images, mostly of insects and other natural history subjects. Copyright enables me to derive a modest income. By licensing permissions to commercial users I can afford lenses, travel to exotic jungles and, more recently, my mortgage and groceries. Copyright laws are important to me, enough so that much of my work couldn?t exist without them.

The images that sustain me now, however, are not the ones I started with when I picked up photography a decade ago. Some of my older images- even ones I used frequently at the time- are no longer doing anyone any good hidden in my archives and locked up under my copyright.

So I have released the following images to the public domain:

I have chosen these particular photographs because I have found them useful over the years for illustrating biological concepts. Ecological mutualisms. Caste differences in army ants. Life history. Behavior. I hope they will continue to be useful to others.

The way to engender public support for intellectual property laws, ensuring their future health, is to recognize when copyright has outlived its usefulness.

[gallery of Alex's public domain images]

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=44c5f10fc266da8b4eb4997bcc56c85e

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Many high-risk Americans don't get hepatitis B vaccine

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Although there is an effective vaccine for hepatitis B and public health officials have a strong sense of who is at highest risk for the infectious liver disease, tens of thousands of people in the United States contract the virus every year. According to a new study by researchers at Brown University, missed opportunities to administer the vaccine continue to be a reason why infections persist.

"This is a really simple thing that we could do and if somebody ends up getting the disease because we didn't make the effort then I think that's really a shame," said Brian Montague, assistant professor of medicine in the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a physician at The Miriam Hospital.

Yet in an analysis published Jan. 12, 2012, in advance online in the journal Infection, senior author Montague and lead author Farah Ladak found that in a nationally representative sample of high-risk adults, 51.4 percent said they were unvaccinated. More than half of them had the potential to receive the vaccine based on their reported contact with health care providers.

The study is based on responses by more than 15,000 adults to the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, which gathers health information from more than 430,000 people across the United States. The respondents in the study's analysis acknowledged engaging in risk behaviors such as certain sexual practices or needle drug use and could definitively report their hepatitis B status. Previous research has found that more than 95 percent new infections in adults occur among people with such behavioral risk factors.

Montague, Ladak, and their co-authors sought to figure out who among this highly vulnerable population was going unvaccinated and whether and where they could have received the three required shots.

They found that vaccinations were relatively infrequent among adults older than 33 (vaccinations have increased markedly in children since the 1990s), among people with less access to health insurance, and among people who have also not been vaccinated against other diseases such as the flu.

But even among people with access to health care, including people who reported specific contact with health care providers, thousands of people went unvaccinated, Ladak said. The study identifies places where improved vaccine delivery would make a substantial difference ? for instance when people are tested for HIV, such as at the doctor's office, in a hospital or clinic, and especially in jail.

For those infected as adults, hepatitis B does not always result in persistent infection and chronic liver disease, but it is especially likely to do so among people infected with HIV. Such co-infections are common because many of the risk factors for contracting either virus are the same.

"In persons visiting [HIV-testing] locations there was a high prevalence of people who had not received the vaccine," said Ladak, a Brown public health graduate. "One of the areas that really stuck out was jails and prisons. Given that many states have mandates to vaccinate incarcerated individuals, you wonder why in so many of these prisons people have not received vaccinations."

Ladak noted that the new study's figures from 2007 closely mirror similar research published in 2000, suggesting that despite widespread awareness among public health officials that vaccinations have been lacking among adults, there has not been clear progress.

Calls to do better

The study lends additional support to the urging of the Institute of Medicine, which in a 2010 report emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities to vaccinate people for hepatitis B and C. The report suggested that officials have not devoted enough resources to vaccination programs, perhaps because the infections sometimes don't present any symptoms, as a reason for the continued prevalence of the diseases.

Montague said some programs are also structured to ensure missed opportunities. For example, funding for HIV care programs allows testing and vaccination of those who are HIV positive. Funding is often not available, though, for combined screening for hepatitis B together with HIV.

"Given that the risks for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C overlap, what we need is integrated testing and prevention programs and strategies that link those cases identified with effective treatment in the community," Montague said.

###

Brown University: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau

Thanks to Brown University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116856/Many_high_risk_Americans_don_t_get_hepatitis_B_vaccine

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Canon Color imageClass MF8380Cdw

Need your small office or workgroup to print color in volume? The Canon Color imageClass MF8380Cdw ($600 street) offers a good set of MFP (multifunction printer) features, including WiFi connectivity, and provides solid output for text and photos (though not so much for graphics). ?It?s not the fastest color laser MFP around, but it?s worthy of consideration.

The MF8380Cdw is too large to share a desk with, measuring 18.9 by17.0 by19.2 inches (HWD) and weighing 68 pounds with cartridges in place. The control panel is on top and doesn?t really tilt towards you, so you?ll need to stand up to access it unless the printer is on an extremely low table. The panel includes an alphanumeric keypad, four-way controller, 5-line monochrome display, and a typical range of function buttons for print, copy, scan, and fax as well as an energy-saving mode, and ID entry for secure printing. In front is a port for a USB thumb drive.

On top is 50-sheet duplexing automatic document feeder (ADF) for copying, scanning, or faxing both sides of multipage documents. Standard paper capacity includes a 250-sheet main paper tray and a 50-sheet multipurpose feeder, and an automatic duplexer for printing on both sides of a sheet of paper. An additional 250-sheet paper tray is also available, for $200 (street), for a maximum paper capacity of 550 sheets.

The MF8380Cdw offers USB, Ethernet, and WiFi connectivity; we tested it over an Ethernet connection with driver installed on a PC running Windows Vista.

Print Speed and Output Quality

I timed the MF8380Cdw on the latest version of our business applications suite (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing), at an effective 4.8 pages per minute (ppm), about the speed we?d expect given its rated speed of 21 ppm for monochrome and 21 ppm for color. Two years ago, we timed its predecessor, the Editors? Choice Canon imageClass MF8350Cdn ($399.99 direct, 4 stars)?which had the same rated speed?at 6.3 ppm. The Brother MFC-9970CDW ($700 street, 4 stars) also tested at 6.3 ppm, while the OKI MC561? ($749 list, 3.5 stars) tested even faster, at 7.2 ppm.

That doesn?t mean the MF8380Cdw is actually slower than its predecessor. Our standard procedure for testing business printing speed is to test using a printer?s default settings, based on our knowledge that typical users are likely to stick to the defaults. Canon recently made duplexing (double-sided printing) its default on most of its new printers. Thus, we tested the MF8380Cdw in duplex mode, which tends to be a little slower than simplex (one-sided) printing. The MF8380Cdw printed each of our one-page test documents?which can only be printed in simplex for obvious reasons?at the exact same clip as did the MF8350Cdn.

The MF8380Cdw?s output quality favored text over photos and?especially?graphics. Text quality was typical of color lasers, good enough for most any business needs except ones requiring very small fonts.

Photo quality was typical of a color laser: suitable for internal business uses like printing out recognizable photos from Web pages, but not much more than that. ?Colors in some prints were a bit muted. Several test images showed posterization, abrupt shifts in color where they should be gradual. Details in dark areas showed up well, while brighter areas were sometimes washed out.

Graphics were sub-par for a color laser. Colors were generally pale, and some colors were a bit off?yellows tended to look mustardy, for example. One illustration showed significant posterization, abrupt shifts in color where they should be gradual. The graphics are okay for most schoolwork and internal business use, though I?d be reluctant to use the MF8380Cdw for PowerPoint handouts or formal reports.

Other Issues

Canon?s claimed running costs for the MF8380Cdw of 3.7 cents per monochrome page and 16.4 cents per color page are the same as they were for its predecessor, the MF8350Cdn. The world, though, hasn?t stood still since the MF8350Cdn was launched two years ago, leaving those running costs looking on the high side today. The Brother MFC-9970CDW?s running costs are 2.7 cents per monochrome and 13.4 cents per color page, while the OKI MC561?s are even lower, at 2.3 and 12.3 cents, respectively.

Its rated duty cycle is 40,000 pages per month, the same as the MF8350Cdn and more than adequate for home and micro offices and many small offices as well.

The Canon Color imageClass MF8380Cdw is a solid color MFP with a full feature set for a small office or workgroup. It prints solid text and photos, though it faltered a bit with graphics. Its speed is adequate, though unexceptional. All in all, it?s a very respectable choice for an office or workgroup looking to add color laser printing to its repertoire. The Brother MFC-9970CDW has a similar feature set (including Wi-Fi) plus a sweet touch screen and is faster, though it also has problems with graphics and has worse photo quality than the Canon. The OKI MC561 lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, though it offers greater standard and optional paper capacity and a slightly higher duty cycle.

More Multi-function Printer Reviews:

??? Canon Color imageClass MF8380Cdw
??? Epson WorkForce WF-845
??? Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4540 All-in-One Printer
??? Canon Color imageClass MF8080Cw
??? Brother MFC-J280w
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/eJlEG-sZfzE/0,2817,2398700,00.asp

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"New Girl' wins ratings night for Fox (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Fox's Tuesday-night comedy slate returned after a five-week time-out, nearly sweeping the board and giving the network an overall ratings win for the night, while ABC's "Last Man Standing" bounced back from a season low, according to preliminary numbers.

The network's roster took the top three slots of the night (though "Raising Hope" shared the No. 3 spot with "Standing"). "Glee" at 8 p.m. ran even with its last original five weeks ago, receiving a 3.0 rating/8 share in the adults 18-49 demographic and 7.4 million total viewers. "New Girl" the following hour saw a modest bump and took the night's highest numbers in the demographic with a 3.4/8 and 6.9 million total viewers. Rounding out the night at 9:30, "Raising Hope" drew even with its last original, receiving a 2.3/6 and 5.1 million total viewers.

Overall the network was top-rated with an average 2.9/7, though CBS was the most-watched network, despite airing repeats throughout the night, with an average 9.8 million total viewers.

ABC's 8 p.m. "Last Man Standing" earned a 24 percent ratings boost over last Tuesday, when it preceded the much-maligned and quickly axed "Work It." It scored a 2.6/7 and 8.5 million total viewers. Following a "Standing" repeat, "Celebrity Wife Swap" at 9 performed even with last week for a 2.1/5 and 5.8 million total viewers. "Body of Proof" at 10 also matched last week's performance with a 1.6/4 and 7.8 million total viewers.

NBC's ratings were largely flat. "Biggest Loser" at 8 tied its season low with a 2.3/6. It had 6.6 million total viewers. "Parenthood" at 10, was flat with last week's season low, taking a 1.7/5. It had 4.9 million total viewers.

CW's premiere of its new series "Remodeled" at 9 p.m. fared poorly, earning a 0.3/1 and 707,000 total viewers. It was preceded by "90210" at 8, which posted a 0.6/2 and 1.3 million total viewers.

(Editing by Chris Michaud)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/tv_nm/us_tvratings

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Super PACs: GOP rivals reap benefits of groups they claim to disdain (Washington Post)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/187949897?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Where On Earth Did Russia's Dead Mars Probe Crash? (SPACE.com)

Despite reports that a failed Russian Mars probe fell to Earth Sunday (Jan. 15) and plunged into the Pacific Ocean, some confusion remains over where exactly the spacecraft crashed, according to Russian news reports.

The robotic Phobos-Grunt spacecraft fell from space yesterday at 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GMT) somewhere over the southern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Chile, Russian military officials told the country's news agency Ria Novosti. The probe malfunctioned shortly after launch and had been stuck in orbit around Earth for more than two months.

"Phobos-Grunt fragments have crashed down in the Pacific Ocean," said Alexei Zolotukhin, an official with Russia's Defense Ministry, according to Ria Novosti.

But soon after the initial report, the news agency released an update that cited an unnamed ballistics expert who claimed the spacecraft may have re-entered somewhere over Brazil.

Russia's Federal Space Agency released an official statement today (Jan. 16) which stated that Phobos-Grunt's re-entry over the Pacific Ocean was consistent with their estimates and projections.?

However, the space agency added a caveat, stating that the re-entry analysis was based on orbital data only, and not visual confirmation of the spacecraft's fiery fall to Earth. The European Space Agency, which also monitored the spacecraft's descent, is expected to release a formal update on the Phobos-Grunt re-entry tomorrow (Jan. 17). [Photos: Russia's Phobos-Grunt Mars Mission]

So far, no eyewitness accounts of the Phobos-Grunt re-entry have surfaced, and there have been no verified sightings of any pieces of the 14.5-ton spacecraft that may have survived.

Orbital debris experts previously estimated that most of the probe would burn up in the atmosphere, but some larger components were expected to reach the planet's surface. Russia's Federal Space Agency projected that 20 to 30 pieces weighing a total of no more than 440 pounds (200 kilograms) could survive the fiery trip through the atmosphere.

Russian space officials also assured the public that the toxic fuel onboard Phobos-Grunt would burn up high above Earth and not pose any threats to people on the ground.

The $165 million probe was launched Nov. 8 on an ambitious mission to collect samples from the Mars moon Phobos and return them to Earth in 2014. The second half of the spacecraft's name, Grunt, is Russian for "soil." Shortly after launch, the spacecraft suffered a crippling malfunction that stranded it in low-Earth orbit.

Russian officials are conducting an investigation into the botched mission, which was one of a string of space failures the country suffered in 2011.

You can follow SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20120116/sc_space/whereonearthdidrussiasdeadmarsprobecrash

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(AP)

Islam is not a religion nor is it a cult. It is a complete system.
Islam has religious, legal, political, economic and military components. The religious component is a beard for all the other components.

Islamization occurs when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their so-called ?religious rights.?
When politically correct and culturally diverse societies agree to ?the reasonable? Muslim demands for their ?religious rights,? they also get the other components under the table. Here?s how it works (percentages source CIA: The World Fact Book (2007)).
As long as the Muslim population remains around 1% of any given country they will be regarded as a peace-loving minority and not as a threat to anyone. In fact, they may be featured in articles and films, stereotyped for their colorful uniqueness:

United States ? Muslim 1.0%
Australia ? Muslim 1.5%
Canada ? Muslim 1.9%
China ? Muslim 1%-2%
Italy ? Muslim 1.5%
Norway ? Muslim 1.8%

At 2% and 3% they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs:

Denmark ? Muslim 2%
Germany ? Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom ? Muslim 2.7%
Spain ? Muslim 4%
Thailand ? Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population.
They will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves ? along with threats for failure to comply. ( United States ).

France ? Muslim 8%
Philippines ? Muslim 5%
Sweden ? Muslim 5%
Switzerland ? Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands ? Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad &Tobago ? Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islam is not to convert the world but to establish Sharia law over the entire world.
When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions ( Paris ?car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats ( Amsterdam ? Mohammed cartoons).

Guyana ? Muslim 10%
India ? Muslim 13.4%
Israel ? Muslim 16%
Kenya ? Muslim 10%
Russia ? Muslim 10-15%

After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning:
Ethiopia ? Muslim 32.8%

At 40% you will find widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks and ongoing militia warfare:

Bosnia ? Muslim 40%
Chad ? Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon ? Muslim 59.7%

From 60% you may expect unfettered persecution of non-believers and other religions, sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels:

Albania ? Muslim 70%
Malaysia ? Muslim 60.4%
Qatar ? Muslim 77.5%
Sudan ? Muslim 70%

After 80% expect State run ethnic cleansing and genocide:

Bangladesh ? Muslim 83%
Egypt ? Muslim 90%
Gaza ? Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia ? Muslim 86.1%
Iran ? Muslim 98%
Iraq ? Muslim 97%
Jordan ? Muslim 92%
Morocco ? Muslim 98.7%
Pakistan ? Muslim 97%
Palestine ? Muslim 99%
Syria ? Muslim 90%
Tajikistan ? Muslim 90%
Turkey ? Muslim 99.8%
United Arab Emirates ? Muslim 96%

100% will usher in the peace of ?Dar-es-Salaam? ? the Islamic House of Peace ? there?s (supposed) to be peace because everybody is a Muslim: we know however that this isnt true is it...?

Afghanistan ? Muslim 100%
Saudi Arabia ? Muslim 100%
Somalia ? Muslim 100%
Yemen ? Muslim 99.9%

Of course, that?s not the case. To satisfy their religiously ordained blood lust, Muslims then start killing each other for a variety of reasons...and they are coming to a neighborhood near you...so keep thinking they are not going to harm you and they "accept" you.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_apnewsalert

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