Headphones found to potentially cause significant hearing loss

Loud now may mean quiet later.

College-aged students are listening to portable music players at hazardous volumes, says a new study by researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Out of 31 sampled college students, more than half of the subjects listened to their devices at decibels that could, over a prolonged period of time, cause significant hearing loss.

Scientists have long considered extended exposure to 85 decibels, around the sound of a hair dryer, dangerous. But researchers say iPods, due to their personal nature, can easily reach volumes of around 130 decibels.

“It used to be in the past, for example, that someone’s walking around with a boom box or radio, you can hear how much loudness they’re generating, and if you’re an authority figure like a parent or a teacher or a supervisor, you can tell them, that’s too loud,” said lead researcher Edward Goshorn, an audiologist, to Live Science.

Though the study’s sample was relatively small, other research has also confirmed similar results. It makes this data reasonably indicative of the potential hazards of the use of personal music players, according to researchers.

The scientists plan to do another more extensive study soon.

Source: Live Science

Governor bans cutting cow tails

Governor Schwarzenegger pardoned their tails.

On Sunday, Schwarzenegger signed a bill, SB-135, that makes tail docking or the practice of cutting off cow tails illegal.

It’s estimated that the practice is performed on fewer than 15 percent of the state’s dairy cows, according to the Associated Press.

But opponents to the bill say tail docking is hygienic and labor saving as it prevents cows from flinging manure. However experts say scientific research shows no data to support the practice for reasons to do with food safety. Proponents of the bill affirm that the practice causes cows chronic pain.

California, the nation’s leading dairy producer, is the first state to pass such a measure. It will go into effect in 2010.

Source: The Associated Press

For those who wonder what it would be like to grow your own eggplant and eat it too, the Experimental College (EC) Garden invites you to come see for yourself.

The organic community garden has existed at its current location just south of the Domes and west of the Colleges on La Rue Road for more than 35 years.

The EC Garden spans approximately 4.5 acres in size, and boasts over 500 plots that are maintained by more than 200 gardeners. Among them are UCD students, staff and faculty, as well as community members and even some out-of-city visitors.

“It’s an extension of the land grant institution that UC Davis itself already is,” said Tim Quick, the Community Garden Coordinator of the EC Garden for the last four years. “There’s plenty of space available … and still another acre of land that can be developed.”

Two hundred square foot plots are available for $20 from September through February and $30 from March through August.

Additionally, the EC Garden offers work-trade as an alternative to paying the price. By doing this, gardeners may perform volunteer work hours in which they can choose to maintain paths, pull weeds, prune plants or complete any other number of tasks in order to offset the cost of their plots.

Despite recent cuts to the university, Quick said that the garden is self-sufficient, and will not have to rely on money allotted to the EC in its yearly budget.

“The garden is situated to succeed … demand is pretty high right now [and] instead of taking money from the EC, it will probably support the EC for a while.”

But the EC isn’t receiving all the benefits of the garden. Growers, too, have cut back on grocery costs by growing their own fruits and vegetables.

“Well, I never have to buy produce in the summer now,” said Marion Adams, garden mentor and UCD graduate in soil science.

However, she may have a bit of an advantage over other, newer gardeners. With 12 plots and an assortment of crops, including asparagus, eggplant, corn, figs, butternut squash, basil, lemongrass and some perennials, Adams’ may be an unusually successful case.

“There isn’t much financial benefit to having such a small amount of space,” Adams said. “I don’t think people should go in for [that].”

Carolyn Cary and James Kwong have found other reasons for renting plots. Cary, a first-year environmental toxicology major, decided to rent out a plot after hearing about it from chemistry professor, Andreas Toupadakis. After convincing Kwong, a first-year clinical nutrition major, to do it with her, they set out to find a plot right for them.

“It’s actually really nice here, very therapeutic … I’m pretty thankful to have it,” Cary said.

Though they have just arrived at Davis, Cary and Kwong are not the only ones to find enjoyment at the garden.

“I had a grad student tell me once that he wouldn’t have made it through college without the EC Garden … he got peace there,” Quick said.

The EC is in the process of hiring two new individuals to fill the positions of maintenance coordinator and garden coordinator. Many veteran gardeners remain to help newcomers through a mentoring program Quick has set-up.

Quick continues to encourage more students to become involved and share in the experience as he did.

“If it wasn’t for the EC Garden, I wouldn’t have gotten what I came to UC Davis to get … it rounded out my education,” he said.

KYLE SPORLEDER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Using unauthorized materials during an exam

A senior was referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) for using unauthorized materials during an exam. He had a set of notes tucked in his blue book during the final. A fellow test taker noticed this and notified the professor. The student agreed to a sanction of deferred separation until graduation and 15 hours of community service.

Deferred separation permits the student to continue taking classes, but if he is ever referred to SJA again, he gives up the right to a formal hearing and could be suspended or dismissed. In addition, the student received a zero on the final.

Bookstore theft

The UCD Bookstore referred a student to SJA for stealing three books. Security monitors watched the student place three books in his backpack and then proceed to exit the bookstore. The student agreed to a sanction of disciplinary probation for one year. In addition, the student was fined a $200 restitution fee plus the cost of the books. While on disciplinary probation, a student that violates any of the campus or university rules would likely be suspended or dismissed.

CoHo no-no

A student was referred to SJA for stealing food from the ASUCD Coffee House on multiple occasions. This was the third time the student had been referred to SJA. Her previous offenses were plagiarism and computer misuse. The student agreed to a sanction of deferred dismissal until graduation. This means that if the student violates any more of the university’s rules, she would be dismissed from the entire University of California system. Furthermore, the student had to pay a $100 restitution fee to the Coffee House.

The Campus Judicial Report is compiled by student members of the Campus Judicial Board. Additional information about SJA and the Campus Judicial Board may be found at sja.ucdavis.edu.

Amin Abaza, the Egyptian Prime Minister of Agriculture, visited campus Monday after a tour of Sacramento Valley’s agricultural operations on Sunday.

Abaza toured a farm in the Marysville area, witnessed rice drying and harvesting operations and learned about the fish screens, or screens designed to keep fish out of aqueducts, in the Yuba River irrigation diversion.

Abaza’s tour was followed by a reception on Monday from 4 to 5 p.m. in Room 3001 of the Plant and Environmental Sciences building.

“I think he knew before coming here that UC Davis was the best place in the world for [agriculture],” said Adel Kader, professor emeritus in the department of plant science. “And his visit with several groups here only confirmed that.”

Abaza’s consultation with UC Davis agricultural experts provided Abaza with the perspective to address difficult agricultural problems in Egypt as well as many developing countries that depend on agriculture to generate income.

The crops in Egypt, such as tomatoes, cotton, wheat, beans and rice are similar to the important crops in California, said Michael Parrella, UC Davis associate dean for agricultural sciences in an interview with Dateline UC Davis.

“There is a general focus in Egypt of developing sustainable methods of production for these crops and we are doing similar work here,” Parella said. “In the area of biotechnology, we have many projects that are similar to those in Egypt. For example, improving drought and salinity tolerance of plants as well as increasing a plant’s resistance to insects and disease. We need now to help interested faculty members make a connection.”

Abaza’s visit, however, did not just benefit agricultural efforts in Egypt, Kader said.

“[Collaboration with Egypt] is a two way street,” Kader said. “For example, in the case of rice, the productivity of rice in Egypt is really as good as it is in California. There are also some experiences from Egypt that could be useful to growers here, and vice versa. This applies not only to rice, but Abaza’s interests in horticulture, [such as fruits and vegetables].”

UC Davis has been collaborating with Egypt since 1979 to enhance agriculture production and harvest technology in Egypt. Over 150 UC Davis staff and students visited Egypt and approximately 300 Egyptians came to California. The project was initially funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Egyptian government.

Though funding for the project has since dried up, Abaza has been working to restore relations with California, pulling together resources from his ministry to revive the connections once made and pay for Egyptian farmers to learn new agricultural techniques in California.

Relations with Egypt’s ministry of agriculture were already strong, due to a consortium made in 2007 between countries in the Middle East and UC Davis. The agreement made in Egypt was designed to provide networking between agricultural resources.

When this agreement was made, Abaza expressed further interest in collaborating with UC Davis – an interest solidified by his visit on Monday.

“This is the right start and the right moment, and we shouldn’t lose this opportunity,” Abaza said in a Dateline UC Davis article. “We really can’t let this opportunity pass by. We must try to restart our relationship.”

LAUREN STEUSSY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Starting out as a farm school, intent on producing better quality butter for the town then known as “Davisville” and utilizing the quad for hay production, UC Davis has clearly grown into a more comprehensive university in the last 100 years.

To commemorate UC Davis’ accomplishments and showcase its progress since its beginnings in 1909, television station KVIE teamed up with Centennial Director Robert Segar to produce the documentary, “Davis at 100.” Over 50 alumni, students and community members gathered at Walter A. Buehler’s Alumni and Visitors Center Monday night to see the premiere.

Prior to the screening, speakers including KVIE’s president David Lowe, UC Davis’ Robert Segar and KVIE producer Kelly Peterson acknowledged the importance of keeping the local community informed about the university’s history and array of achievements over the last 100 years.

“If you understand more about the history [of UC Davis] and look back and see the amazing accomplishments, you can’t help but be optimistic about the future,” said Robert Segar, director of UC Davis Centennial. “Nobody could have imagined the scope of achievements and academic enterprise that our university has accomplished.”

The documentary worked to incorporate the 100 years of historical information and accomplishments of the university. Though beginning with just a water tower and a creamery, UC Davis has now expanded to include institutions such as the UC Davis Medical Center, the Mondavi Center and the Veterinary School of Medicine. The documentary emphasizes the university’s transformation from a small school focused on producing food to one of the largest, most comprehensive educational institutions in the nation.

“People don’t tend to be familiar with where [UC Davis] has been and where it’s going,” said KVIE producer Kelly Peterson. “The documentary takes you back to before it was a general institution, so you see how far the university has become over the last 100 years.”

The documentary included an interview with university archivist John Skarstad, who provided perspective on the Davis experience.

“UC Davis is its own place,” Skarstad said. “A lot of people think we’re just a cow college and we’re not. We do original research and we are an original place.”

The documentary will be aired on KVIE public television tonight at 7 p.m.

REBECCA SHRAGGE can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.