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| This Week's Titles: |
| Tis
The Season For The West Nile Virus |
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Reducing Painful Stings
By Learning Family History Of Insects |
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| Beware
Of Internet Dating Swindles |
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| Heat
Safety For Late Summer Football Practice |
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| Students
Learn The Healing Power Of Herbs |
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| Tis
The Season For The West Nile Virus |
1:48 |
The bite of certain mosquitoes
during late summer could make people very sick. |
Reports over the last six
years indicate early August through late September is the peak
period for mosquitoes to transmit the West Nile virus to humans.
Elmer Gray, an entomologist with the University of Georgia's
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says the
Southern house mosquito is the species that carries the virus.
He adds weather conditions will play a significant role in the
number of cases of West Nile virus this year. "If the drought
continues, we are particularly concerned because the Southern
house mosquito likes to breed in storm drains, and when there's
drought conditions the storm drains are not getting flushed
out and, well the populations of the Southern house mosquito
increase. As it stands right now the populations are rather
modest, and we've begun to have afternoon showers so this is
a good thing on many fronts." Elmer Gray with the College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Since these mosquitoes
breed in storm drains, most cases of the West Nile virus are
in metropolitan cities like Atlanta, Savanna, Macon, Columbus,
and Albany. But residents in rural areas should not let their
guard down, since Southern house mosquitoes can breed in polluted
water near poultry facilities, dairy farms, and other containment
areas where wastewater is present. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Reducing
Painful Stings By Learning Family History Of Insects |
1:37 |
College scientists hope to
reduce painful encounters with an insect pest by learning more
about it's family history. |
Red imported fire ants have
caused a lot of pain throughout Georgia and the Southeast. They
also have a negative impact on nesting birds and insects. Fire
ants that are native to Georgia have also been driven out by
these invaders. Scientists with the University of Georgia's
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences say the red
imported fire ant first landed around Mobile, Alabama in the
nineteen-thirties. Studies have shown these fire ants originally
came from Argentina. "We knew they were native to South America
somewhere and folks had thought for quite a few years that probably
they came from Southern Brazil. We've done genetic studies recently
though that have shown that more likely they came from Northeastern
Argentina, a particular area of that country that has a genetic
profile very similar to what we have here in the Southeast."
That was Ken Ross with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences. By tracing the U.S. fire ant population back to Argentina,
university scientists can determine how fast and how far other
fire ant colonies can grow. Research findings will help them
develop biological and natural controls that will slow down
these fire ant invaders, and reduce painful encounters. John
Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Beware
Of Internet Dating Swindles |
1:39 |
Singles that look for love
on the internet should be careful not to fall for a sweetheart
swindle. |
It seems an increasing number
of singles of all ages are checking out internet dating services
in search of their special soul mate. But we also hear stories
of lonely people that fell in love with a con artist that bilked
them out of thousands of dollars. Once they got the money, they
vanished, never to be seen again. Michael Rupured, a financial
management specialist with the University of Georgia's College
of Family and Consumer Sciences says a warning sign is if that
person you meet starts asking for money. "Anytime that you're
meeting someone online and they ask you for cash and you've
never met them that should make alarm bells go off in your head.
No matter what the reason they may need money from you for,
if they only have strangers online to ask for help then there's
probably something else going on." Michael Rupured with the
College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Online dating services,
chat rooms, and social networking sites have helped thousands
of individuals form new relationships. Anything is possible,
and you may find Mr. Or Mrs. Right on the other end. But it
is also important to use common sense and caution when dealing
with someone you have never met in person. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Heat
Safety For Late Summer Football Practice |
1:43 |
Coaches and trainers need to
do all they can to keep young athletes watered down when they
practice in the late summer heat. |
During August high school
and college football teams, along with marching bands begin
practice for the 2008 football season. But as young athletes
sweat out heated practice sessions, they need to protect themselves
from heat related illnesses that can kill. Debbie Wilburn, a
county extension agent in Hall County says football players
and band members will get even hotter, because of the equipment
they wear or carry. "Wearing clothing and it requires helmets
and padding or they're carrying a musical instrument. This will
increase the amount of perspiration and result in greater fluid
loss. So it's even more important that they have frequent rest
breaks, and also fluid access is especially important for hydration."
Debbie Wilburn with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, who adds some of the athletes that
worked indoors during the summer will have to let their bodies
adjust to the hot, humid conditions. To reduce the chances of
heat related illnesses on the practice field, athletes should
take full advantage of water breaks, and drink plenty of water.
Don't wait until you get thirsty. Drink up and replace those
fluids your body needs to make it through these hot days of
summer practice. John Harrell, University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Students
Learn The Healing Power Of Herbs |
1:35 |
Students in a Southwest Georgia
county are learning about the healing power of herbs. |
Several years ago, 4-H'ers
in Stewart County were given a plot of land at a historical
site once owned by a county doctor in the eighteen-fifties.
The students in grades four through twelve wanted to learn more
about the types of medicine doctors used during that era. So
they used the land to plant an herb garden, to learn about the
different herbs used, and to help others learn about herbal
medicine. Mary Gibbs, a program assistant in Stewart County
says the students are not the only ones that benefit from the
knowledge that comes out of that herbal garden. "We want to
give the citizens along with the tourists that visit Stewart
County a better understanding of the types of herbs that were
used during the eighteen-fifties, as well as the knowledge that
a lot of these herbs are still being used today." Mary Gibbs
with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences. Volunteers and the 4-H'ers researched
the types of herbs and plants used by doctors in the eighteen-fifties.
Then they put their knowledge to work by planting these healing
herbs in the garden. After doctoring these plants as they grew,
the young people in Stewart County developed a plan on how they
could share their knowledge on herbal medicine with the community.
John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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