Reuters By Bill Rigby
SEATTLE (Reuters) Wed Dec 29, 2010 - Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen relaunched a wide-ranging patent lawsuit against Apple Inc, Google Inc, Facebook and others with specific allegations that the companies are illegally using technology owned by his company.
Interval Licensing LLC, a small research company set up by Allen in 1992, originally filed a broad patent suit in federal court in Seattle in August, but Judge Marsha Pechman dismissed it on the grounds that it did not specify any actual products or devices. The revised suit was filed by Interval on Tuesday.
Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, claims Interval was central to research and development of technology in the Internet arena in the 1990s, amassing more than 300 patents and providing research assistance to Google.
In the suit, Allen's company claims four of its patents -- chiefly related to the way Web data is sorted and presented -- have been infringed by a number of successful companies.
MULTIPLE CLAIMS
The first patent concerns the generation of data related to information being browsed. Interval claims Google uses this technology to match advertisements from third parties to content being displayed, while AOL's sites use it to suggest items related to news stories.
Interval claims Apple's iTunes service uses the technology to suggest music based on a user's searches, and that eBay Inc, Facebook, Netflix, Yahoo Inc and Office Depot's sites have also infringed the patent in the way they direct users to related content.
The second and third patents concern relaying information on a computer screen in a peripheral, unobtrusive manner, such as in an instant messaging box or overlay.
Interval claims its patent has been infringed by features in AOL's Instant Messenger, Apple's Dashboard, Google Talk and Gmail Notifier, Google's Android phone system and Yahoo Widgets.
The fourth patent concerns alerting Web browsers to new items of interest based on activity of other users. Interval claims AOL uses this technology on its shopping sites, while Apple's iTunes uses it to recommend music.
Interval claims eBay, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Office Depot, Staples Inc, Yahoo and Google's YouTube all have infringed the patent in the way they suggest content to users.
NO MICROSOFT
The suit makes no mention of Microsoft as a patent holder or infringer, even though Allen's former company offers products similar to some described in the suit. A spokesman for Allen declined to comment on the suit.
Allen, 57, is the world's 37th richest person, according to Forbes magazine. He resigned as a Microsoft executive in 1983. Since then, he has funded scientific and medical research through his Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and invested in many projects in his native Seattle and Pacific Northwest region.
Interval has asked the court for damages and a ban on products that use the disputed patents. It is unclear how seriously the court, or the companies he has targeted, will take Allen's legal charges.
To be continued at: Reuters By Bill Rigby
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Confessions of a Windows 7 pirate...
ZDNet By Ed Bott
March 3, 2010. In the interest of research, I’ve been digging into message boards and forums run by unabashed Windows enthusiasts who are intent on breaking Microsoft’s activation technology. I’ve had these forums bookmarked for years and stop in every once in a while just to see what’s new. This time I decided to drop by and actually try some of tools and utilities to see if I could become a pirate, too.
Unfortunately, I succeeded.
In this post, I’ll share my experiences, including close encounters with some very nasty malware and some analysis on how the latest showdown between Microsoft and the pirates is likely to play out.
You won’t find names or direct links here—although these guys seem like genuine enthusiasts, I have no intention of giving them any free publicity. But if you’re interested in tracking down the tools I tested you should have no trouble finding them using the clues available in screenshots and descriptions here.
If you do intend to try this stuff out for yourself, I recommend extreme caution. My hunt for utilities that bypass Windows 7 activation technologies led me to some very seedy corners of the Internet. First, I did what any red-blooded wannabe pirate would do and tried some Google searches. Of the first 10 hits, six were inactive or had been taken down. After downloading files from the remaining four sites, I submitted them to Virustotal.com, where three of the four samples came back positive for nasty, difficult-to-remove Windows 7 rootkits. Here’s one example: Open ZDNet By Ed Bott
And that experience is borne out by at least one real-world experience, which was reported, ironically, in the Talkback section of this blog. After I wrote about Microsoft’s most recent anti-piracy initiative last week, one commenter (a loud, proud Linux advocate) insisted that the update opened a secret back-channel, probably as part of a plot by Microsoft to covertly gain access to its customers’ PCs. A day or so later, after checking with his Windows-using friend, he returned with this sheepish admission:Refer ZDNet By Ed Bott
It turns out his iso was not a bona fide purchased copy [of Windows 7], but rather a cracked version off of the net. In all likelihood the iso was trojaned…
Indeed. Which is why I exercised extraordinary caution. For my hands-on tests, I used a fresh copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, installed without a product key. I then looked at two widely distributed tools that work in completely different ways.
Page 2: Disabling Windows activation completely A clever little tool called RemoveWAT not only disables Microsoft’s activation subsystem, it also installs the latest anti-piracy update from Microsoft and then disables it, too!
Page 3: Fooling Windows by tinkering with the BIOS Big PC makers get to install copies of Windows that don’t require activation. Naturally, pirates soon figured out how to make any PC look like it came from one of those big factories.
Page 4: Microsoft versus the pirates Pirates are clever and fast. Microsoft is highly motivated to keep its lucrative Windows revenue stream intact. Are customers going to get caught in the crossfire?
More details and screenshots begin on the next page refer: ZDNet By Ed Bott
March 3, 2010. In the interest of research, I’ve been digging into message boards and forums run by unabashed Windows enthusiasts who are intent on breaking Microsoft’s activation technology. I’ve had these forums bookmarked for years and stop in every once in a while just to see what’s new. This time I decided to drop by and actually try some of tools and utilities to see if I could become a pirate, too.
Unfortunately, I succeeded.
In this post, I’ll share my experiences, including close encounters with some very nasty malware and some analysis on how the latest showdown between Microsoft and the pirates is likely to play out.
You won’t find names or direct links here—although these guys seem like genuine enthusiasts, I have no intention of giving them any free publicity. But if you’re interested in tracking down the tools I tested you should have no trouble finding them using the clues available in screenshots and descriptions here.
If you do intend to try this stuff out for yourself, I recommend extreme caution. My hunt for utilities that bypass Windows 7 activation technologies led me to some very seedy corners of the Internet. First, I did what any red-blooded wannabe pirate would do and tried some Google searches. Of the first 10 hits, six were inactive or had been taken down. After downloading files from the remaining four sites, I submitted them to Virustotal.com, where three of the four samples came back positive for nasty, difficult-to-remove Windows 7 rootkits. Here’s one example: Open ZDNet By Ed Bott
And that experience is borne out by at least one real-world experience, which was reported, ironically, in the Talkback section of this blog. After I wrote about Microsoft’s most recent anti-piracy initiative last week, one commenter (a loud, proud Linux advocate) insisted that the update opened a secret back-channel, probably as part of a plot by Microsoft to covertly gain access to its customers’ PCs. A day or so later, after checking with his Windows-using friend, he returned with this sheepish admission:Refer ZDNet By Ed Bott
It turns out his iso was not a bona fide purchased copy [of Windows 7], but rather a cracked version off of the net. In all likelihood the iso was trojaned…
Indeed. Which is why I exercised extraordinary caution. For my hands-on tests, I used a fresh copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, installed without a product key. I then looked at two widely distributed tools that work in completely different ways.
Page 2: Disabling Windows activation completely A clever little tool called RemoveWAT not only disables Microsoft’s activation subsystem, it also installs the latest anti-piracy update from Microsoft and then disables it, too!
Page 3: Fooling Windows by tinkering with the BIOS Big PC makers get to install copies of Windows that don’t require activation. Naturally, pirates soon figured out how to make any PC look like it came from one of those big factories.
Page 4: Microsoft versus the pirates Pirates are clever and fast. Microsoft is highly motivated to keep its lucrative Windows revenue stream intact. Are customers going to get caught in the crossfire?
More details and screenshots begin on the next page refer: ZDNet By Ed Bott
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Is that really Kate? UK royal coin raises eyebrows...
Reuters
The commemorative coin to mark the engagement of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton is seen in this undated photograph released in London December 23, 2010.Credit: Reuters/The Royal Mint/Handout
LONDON (Reuters Life!)Thu Dec 23, 2010 - The design for an official commemorative coin to mark the engagement of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton was unveiled on Thursday, but not everyone might recognize the bride-to-be.
The depiction, based on photographs of the couple at a sporting event, bears some resemblance to William but less so his fiancee.
Royal watchers said she appears much fuller in the face on the coin than she is in real life.
"This coin is of historical importance -- to get it so wrong seems ridiculous," Editor-in-Chief of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, was quoted on the Sky News website as saying.
The design was approved by the 28-year-old couple and by William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth.
The Royal Mint, which produced the collectors' item, said it had no intention of changing the design.
"It is quite a subjective issue," a spokesman for the Mint, based in Llantrisant, south Wales, told Reuters.
"It is always challenging to engrave profiles and features onto something as small as a coin, particularly the features of young people."
Prince William, second-in-line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, announced his engagement to his long-term girlfriend in November, and the couple will marry on April 29.
The coin depicts him in profile -- an allusion to his royal status -- with Middleton looking at him face-on in a more informal pose, the Mint said.
It bears her full name, Catherine.
She is likely to become one of the most photographed women in the world, just like William's mother, the late Princess Diana.
Production of the coin has yet to begin, and it is not clear how many will be struck, but orders have been taken.
The Royal Mint has created many commemorative medals and coins to mark special occasions, including the 2012 London Olympics as well as other royal events, but this is the first time it has created a commemorative royal engagement coin.
"The Royal Mint has been recording historical events for over 1,100 years and we're fortunate to be in a role that allows us to add to that legacy," Dave Knight, director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint, said in a statement.
The coin comes in silver and gold, and its various models cost from 9.99 to 1,550 pounds ($2,400).
(Writing by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Steve Addison)
The commemorative coin to mark the engagement of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton is seen in this undated photograph released in London December 23, 2010.Credit: Reuters/The Royal Mint/HandoutLONDON (Reuters Life!)Thu Dec 23, 2010 - The design for an official commemorative coin to mark the engagement of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton was unveiled on Thursday, but not everyone might recognize the bride-to-be.
The depiction, based on photographs of the couple at a sporting event, bears some resemblance to William but less so his fiancee.
Royal watchers said she appears much fuller in the face on the coin than she is in real life.
"This coin is of historical importance -- to get it so wrong seems ridiculous," Editor-in-Chief of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, was quoted on the Sky News website as saying.
The design was approved by the 28-year-old couple and by William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth.
The Royal Mint, which produced the collectors' item, said it had no intention of changing the design.
"It is quite a subjective issue," a spokesman for the Mint, based in Llantrisant, south Wales, told Reuters.
"It is always challenging to engrave profiles and features onto something as small as a coin, particularly the features of young people."
Prince William, second-in-line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, announced his engagement to his long-term girlfriend in November, and the couple will marry on April 29.
The coin depicts him in profile -- an allusion to his royal status -- with Middleton looking at him face-on in a more informal pose, the Mint said.
It bears her full name, Catherine.
She is likely to become one of the most photographed women in the world, just like William's mother, the late Princess Diana.
Production of the coin has yet to begin, and it is not clear how many will be struck, but orders have been taken.
The Royal Mint has created many commemorative medals and coins to mark special occasions, including the 2012 London Olympics as well as other royal events, but this is the first time it has created a commemorative royal engagement coin.
"The Royal Mint has been recording historical events for over 1,100 years and we're fortunate to be in a role that allows us to add to that legacy," Dave Knight, director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint, said in a statement.
The coin comes in silver and gold, and its various models cost from 9.99 to 1,550 pounds ($2,400).
(Writing by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Steve Addison)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Traffic tip for Santa: reflective reindeer collars | Reuters
Reuters
OSLO (Reuters) Tue Dec 21, 2010. Norwegian reindeer owners have a Christmas safety tip for Santa -- put reflectors on his fleet-footed animals so they won't get hit by cars.
About 2,000 reindeer have been fitted this month with reflective yellow collars or small antler tags to cut down on the car crashes that now kill 500 reindeer a year and pose a danger to motorists across Arctic Norway.
"It really works," Kristian Oevernes, the leader of the project at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, told Reuters of the project in Finnmark, where the sun does not rise in mid-winter.
A test drive on a snowmobile showed that marked reindeer were far more visible in the dark than others. Several people are injured every year in car accidents involving reindeer, and one recent accident in Finland was fatal.
"I guess so," Oevernes said, when asked if Santa might take up the safety tip.
"This is the first time it (reindeer marking) has happened on this scale."
Sami herders had tried small experiments to attach reflective tape to the animals but the glue failed in the cold. Finnish herders had also tried a reflective spray, but it reduced the fur's ability to keep out the chill.
About 200,000 reindeer live in Norway, mostly owned by Sami indigenous people who raise them for meat, skins and antlers, according to the International Center for Reindeer Husbandry.
If the new project is successful, supporters say, reindeer owners or vehicle
(Editing by Paul Casci
OSLO (Reuters) Tue Dec 21, 2010. Norwegian reindeer owners have a Christmas safety tip for Santa -- put reflectors on his fleet-footed animals so they won't get hit by cars.
About 2,000 reindeer have been fitted this month with reflective yellow collars or small antler tags to cut down on the car crashes that now kill 500 reindeer a year and pose a danger to motorists across Arctic Norway.
"It really works," Kristian Oevernes, the leader of the project at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, told Reuters of the project in Finnmark, where the sun does not rise in mid-winter.
A test drive on a snowmobile showed that marked reindeer were far more visible in the dark than others. Several people are injured every year in car accidents involving reindeer, and one recent accident in Finland was fatal.
"I guess so," Oevernes said, when asked if Santa might take up the safety tip.
"This is the first time it (reindeer marking) has happened on this scale."
Sami herders had tried small experiments to attach reflective tape to the animals but the glue failed in the cold. Finnish herders had also tried a reflective spray, but it reduced the fur's ability to keep out the chill.
About 200,000 reindeer live in Norway, mostly owned by Sami indigenous people who raise them for meat, skins and antlers, according to the International Center for Reindeer Husbandry.
If the new project is successful, supporters say, reindeer owners or vehicle
(Editing by Paul Casci
Squeaky-clean Singapore in toilet manners campaign...
Reuters
SINGAPORE Reuters Fri Dec 17, 2010. Squeaky-clean Singapore needs cleaner toilets and public awareness is one way to achieve this, a civic group said at the launch of the latest stage of its LOO campaign -- Let's Observe Ourselves.
But a survey by the Restroom Association (Singapore) (RAS) found that only some 500 of the island's public toilets overall were up to its standards of working facilities, lack of litter and odor, and the provision of basic amenities such as hand soap and toilet paper.
"For us, toilet etiquette reflects Singaporeans' culture. It tells people how civilized we are," RAS President Tan Puay Hoon told reporters on Thursday, when the association unveiled its 70-page report on public restrooms as part of a campaign to improve island-wide toilet cleanliness.
"We are a First World country and we want a gracious society to reflect that."
Under the RAS Happy Toilet Programme, toilets are rated from three to five stars. A four-star toilet should have a diaper changing station or urinal for children and a five-star should have eco-friendly features such as water-saving taps.
To call attention to its 3-year blueprint on public restroom and a public awareness program urging users to adopt proper restroom etiquette in the Heartlands area, site of many government-built apartment blocks, the RAS launched LOO@Heartlands -- the first coffee shop with a five-star toilet.
The RAS said it would also distribute packets of pocket tissues with restroom etiquette messages only to toilet visitors during peak hours at shops nearby.
"Singapore's effort in branding itself as one of the most liveable cities in Asia is exemplary," the association said in its report, which was submitted to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September.
"Unfortunately, the cleanliness of our public restrooms has not been in tandem," the report added.
The RAS was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization and says it is dedicated to promoting the cleanliness, design and functionality of public toilets in Singapore.
The LOO Campaign began in 2008. The RAS has also conducted the Happy Toilet School Education program and is a founding member of the World Toilet Organization and the Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement.
(Reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan; Editing by Elaine Lies)
Oddly Enough
SINGAPORE Reuters Fri Dec 17, 2010. Squeaky-clean Singapore needs cleaner toilets and public awareness is one way to achieve this, a civic group said at the launch of the latest stage of its LOO campaign -- Let's Observe Ourselves.But a survey by the Restroom Association (Singapore) (RAS) found that only some 500 of the island's public toilets overall were up to its standards of working facilities, lack of litter and odor, and the provision of basic amenities such as hand soap and toilet paper.
"For us, toilet etiquette reflects Singaporeans' culture. It tells people how civilized we are," RAS President Tan Puay Hoon told reporters on Thursday, when the association unveiled its 70-page report on public restrooms as part of a campaign to improve island-wide toilet cleanliness.
"We are a First World country and we want a gracious society to reflect that."
Under the RAS Happy Toilet Programme, toilets are rated from three to five stars. A four-star toilet should have a diaper changing station or urinal for children and a five-star should have eco-friendly features such as water-saving taps.
To call attention to its 3-year blueprint on public restroom and a public awareness program urging users to adopt proper restroom etiquette in the Heartlands area, site of many government-built apartment blocks, the RAS launched LOO@Heartlands -- the first coffee shop with a five-star toilet.
The RAS said it would also distribute packets of pocket tissues with restroom etiquette messages only to toilet visitors during peak hours at shops nearby.
"Singapore's effort in branding itself as one of the most liveable cities in Asia is exemplary," the association said in its report, which was submitted to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September.
"Unfortunately, the cleanliness of our public restrooms has not been in tandem," the report added.
The RAS was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization and says it is dedicated to promoting the cleanliness, design and functionality of public toilets in Singapore.
The LOO Campaign began in 2008. The RAS has also conducted the Happy Toilet School Education program and is a founding member of the World Toilet Organization and the Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement.
(Reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan; Editing by Elaine Lies)
Oddly Enough
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Gambling nun accused of embezzling $850,000...
Reuters
NEW YORK Mon Dec 13, 2010(Reuters) - A Catholic nun with a reputation for gambling trips to Atlantic City was accused of embezzling more than $850,000 from a college where she oversaw the school's finances, officials said on Friday.
Sister Marie Thornton, former vice president of finance at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, is charged with sending phony invoices to the school to pay off personal credit card bills and expenses, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
The thefts occurred between 1999 and 2009, when Thornton resigned from the Catholic college, court documents said. She entered a plea of not guilty to a federal embezzlement charge.
The college of some 5,000 students has come under fire from alumni and donors for never reporting the missing money to authorities and only mentioning the theft in its 2009 tax filing sent in February to the Internal Revenue Service.
Iona officials issued a statement saying the school has implemented new financial oversight controls and recovered most of the missing funds.
The nun had a reputation for visiting casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to former Iona basketball coach Jeff Ruland.
The U.S. Attorney's office originally said the theft was more than $1.2 million but on Friday revised the amount to more than $850,000, saying it had originally miscalculated.
Thornton's lawyer Sam Talkin said: "We think the case will be resolved in a manner fair to all the parties involved."
(Reporting by Aman Ali; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Greg McCu
NEW YORK Mon Dec 13, 2010(Reuters) - A Catholic nun with a reputation for gambling trips to Atlantic City was accused of embezzling more than $850,000 from a college where she oversaw the school's finances, officials said on Friday.
Sister Marie Thornton, former vice president of finance at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, is charged with sending phony invoices to the school to pay off personal credit card bills and expenses, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
The thefts occurred between 1999 and 2009, when Thornton resigned from the Catholic college, court documents said. She entered a plea of not guilty to a federal embezzlement charge.
The college of some 5,000 students has come under fire from alumni and donors for never reporting the missing money to authorities and only mentioning the theft in its 2009 tax filing sent in February to the Internal Revenue Service.
Iona officials issued a statement saying the school has implemented new financial oversight controls and recovered most of the missing funds.
The nun had a reputation for visiting casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to former Iona basketball coach Jeff Ruland.
The U.S. Attorney's office originally said the theft was more than $1.2 million but on Friday revised the amount to more than $850,000, saying it had originally miscalculated.
Thornton's lawyer Sam Talkin said: "We think the case will be resolved in a manner fair to all the parties involved."
(Reporting by Aman Ali; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Greg McCu
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wisconsin woman accused of biting off husband's tongue...
Reuters
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) Tue Dec 7, 2010 - A Wisconsin woman bit off half her husband's tongue during a kiss and has been arrested, authorities said on Tuesday.
The bitten piece of the husband's tongue was recovered, and he was taken to a hospital following the incident late on Monday, Sheboygan, Wisconsin police said in a statement.
The woman, 57, told emergency workers she had "bit her husband's tongue off," police said in a statement. She had blood on her clothing, they said.
The 79-year-old victim said his wife bit his tongue while he was kissing her, police said.
The woman was singing Christmas carols and blowing a New Year's horn when police arrested her on charges of felony mayhem. She was being held pending formal charges by the District Attorney's Office.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where doctors were trying to reattach his tongue, police said. About half his tongue was bit off, they said.
The victim said his wife had been acting strangely in recent days, said the police in Sheboygan, roughly 50 miles north of Milwaukee.
(Reporting by John Rondy; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Greg McCune)
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) Tue Dec 7, 2010 - A Wisconsin woman bit off half her husband's tongue during a kiss and has been arrested, authorities said on Tuesday.
The bitten piece of the husband's tongue was recovered, and he was taken to a hospital following the incident late on Monday, Sheboygan, Wisconsin police said in a statement.
The woman, 57, told emergency workers she had "bit her husband's tongue off," police said in a statement. She had blood on her clothing, they said.
The 79-year-old victim said his wife bit his tongue while he was kissing her, police said.
The woman was singing Christmas carols and blowing a New Year's horn when police arrested her on charges of felony mayhem. She was being held pending formal charges by the District Attorney's Office.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where doctors were trying to reattach his tongue, police said. About half his tongue was bit off, they said.
The victim said his wife had been acting strangely in recent days, said the police in Sheboygan, roughly 50 miles north of Milwaukee.
(Reporting by John Rondy; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Greg McCune)
Cycling may have impact on sperm health...
Health study--Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters)Thu Dec 9, 2010 - Most exercise appears to have little relationship to either the quality or quantity of sperm, but men who bike at least five hours a week have fewer and less active sperm than men who didn't exercise, a study said.
Research among competitive athletes has linked biking to genital or urinary problems and poor semen quality, said Lauren Wise at Boston University, who led the study published in "Fertility and Sterility."
"However, we were uncertain whether we would find an association among a sample of men engaged in more moderate levels of physical activity," she told Reuters Health, warning it is still too early to say regular biking caused the sperm problems.
Previous research has suggested that competitive athletes may have issues with their sperm. But the study looked at the relationship between sperm health and exercise in 2,200 average men attending fertility clinics.
Each man provided a semen sample and answered questions about their general health and physical activity.
After adjustment for the use of multivitamins, body weight, blood pressure, choice of underwear and other variables, the authors found that men who exercised regularly -- even vigorously -- were no more likely to have problems with the quality or quantity of their sperm than men who never exercised.
However, when Wise and her colleagues looked at specific types of exercise, they saw that men who said they spent at least five hours per week biking were twice as likely to have both a low sperm count and relatively poor sperm mobility.
Among men who did not get regular exercise, 23 percent had low sperm counts -- but so did more than 31 percent of those who biked at least five hours per week.
Nearly 40 percent of frequent bikers had low numbers of sperm with good motility, versus 27 percent of men who didn't exercise.
Trauma or temperature increases in the scrotum may explain the relationship between biking and semen health, Wise said.
She also noted that it was possible that the men included in the study may not be representative of the general population, since they were all attending a fertility clinic and therefore more likely to have problems with their sperm.
"More studies are needed to replicate our findings before they can be considered causal," she said.
(Reporting by Alison McCook at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)
NEW YORK (Reuters)Thu Dec 9, 2010 - Most exercise appears to have little relationship to either the quality or quantity of sperm, but men who bike at least five hours a week have fewer and less active sperm than men who didn't exercise, a study said.
Research among competitive athletes has linked biking to genital or urinary problems and poor semen quality, said Lauren Wise at Boston University, who led the study published in "Fertility and Sterility."
"However, we were uncertain whether we would find an association among a sample of men engaged in more moderate levels of physical activity," she told Reuters Health, warning it is still too early to say regular biking caused the sperm problems.
Previous research has suggested that competitive athletes may have issues with their sperm. But the study looked at the relationship between sperm health and exercise in 2,200 average men attending fertility clinics.
Each man provided a semen sample and answered questions about their general health and physical activity.
After adjustment for the use of multivitamins, body weight, blood pressure, choice of underwear and other variables, the authors found that men who exercised regularly -- even vigorously -- were no more likely to have problems with the quality or quantity of their sperm than men who never exercised.
However, when Wise and her colleagues looked at specific types of exercise, they saw that men who said they spent at least five hours per week biking were twice as likely to have both a low sperm count and relatively poor sperm mobility.
Among men who did not get regular exercise, 23 percent had low sperm counts -- but so did more than 31 percent of those who biked at least five hours per week.
Nearly 40 percent of frequent bikers had low numbers of sperm with good motility, versus 27 percent of men who didn't exercise.
Trauma or temperature increases in the scrotum may explain the relationship between biking and semen health, Wise said.
She also noted that it was possible that the men included in the study may not be representative of the general population, since they were all attending a fertility clinic and therefore more likely to have problems with their sperm.
"More studies are needed to replicate our findings before they can be considered causal," she said.
(Reporting by Alison McCook at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)
Friday, December 10, 2010
Older men want more sex, study finds | Reuters
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tue Dec 7, 2010. The very oldest men are still interested in sex but illness and a lack of opportunity may be holding them back, Australian researchers reported on Monday.
The "male" hormone testosterone was clearly linked with how often a man over 75 had sex, and doctors need to do more studies to see if hormone replacement therapy might benefit older men, the researchers said.
Zoe Hyde of the University of Western Australia and colleagues surveyed more than 2,700 men aged 75 to 95 for their study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
They asked a range of questions about health, relationships and sexual activity.
"The older men were, the less likely they were to be sexually active, but sex remained at least somewhat important to one fifth of men aged 90 to 95 years, refuting the stereotype of the asexual older person," they wrote in their report.
"Of those who were sexually active, more than 40 percent were dissatisfied with the frequency of sexual activity, preferring sex more frequently."
More than 30 percent of the men reported some sort of sexual activity in the past year, but more than 48 percent said sex was important, suggesting many of the men wanted to have sex but could not.
Age was a factor but so were testosterone levels, the lack of an interested partner, and various diseases from diabetes to prostate cancer.
More than 40 percent of the men who had not had sex recently said they were not interested. (Reporting by Maggie Fox)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tue Dec 7, 2010. The very oldest men are still interested in sex but illness and a lack of opportunity may be holding them back, Australian researchers reported on Monday.The "male" hormone testosterone was clearly linked with how often a man over 75 had sex, and doctors need to do more studies to see if hormone replacement therapy might benefit older men, the researchers said.
Zoe Hyde of the University of Western Australia and colleagues surveyed more than 2,700 men aged 75 to 95 for their study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
They asked a range of questions about health, relationships and sexual activity.
"The older men were, the less likely they were to be sexually active, but sex remained at least somewhat important to one fifth of men aged 90 to 95 years, refuting the stereotype of the asexual older person," they wrote in their report.
"Of those who were sexually active, more than 40 percent were dissatisfied with the frequency of sexual activity, preferring sex more frequently."
More than 30 percent of the men reported some sort of sexual activity in the past year, but more than 48 percent said sex was important, suggesting many of the men wanted to have sex but could not.
Age was a factor but so were testosterone levels, the lack of an interested partner, and various diseases from diabetes to prostate cancer.
More than 40 percent of the men who had not had sex recently said they were not interested. (Reporting by Maggie Fox)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)