From social networking sites to radio stations, news programs to blogs, the sounds and images of protests in Egypt have been prominent and gripping. The message is clear: Egyptians want new leadership, and they want it now.

We believe it is the moral duty of the United States to support democracy wherever it is sought. And it especially should not be to supply the regime oppressing democracy with tear gas canisters that say “Made in the USA,” as is being done in Egypt. Our taxes are directly paying for a nation wanting democracy to be brutally repressed by its government.

The reasoning behind Egypt’s distaste with its government is sound: a suffering economy, rampant unemployment, lack of personal freedoms and a dictatorial reign that has lasted for more than 30 years have left citizens with a thirst for change and  democracy.

What are less sound are the mixed messages that the United States has sent in response to the revolution that’s now underway.

On the one hand, President Obama made it a point to emphasize to the world in his State of the Union speech our country’s support of the revolt in Tunisia, saying “Let us be clear: The United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia and supports the democratic aspirations of all people.”

And yet the Obama administration’s response to the Egyptian revolution has not been so straightforward.

“This is not about taking sides,” said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs in regard to the U.S.’s role in the struggle between protestors and the government. And President Obama (as of Friday, at least) has yet to use the D-word — democracy — to describe the situation in Egypt.

Vice President Biden has also been quoted expressing conflicting views of Mubarak, concurrently stating that the “time has come for President Mubarak to begin to move in the direction of being more responsive to some of the needs of the people out there,” and also that he “would not refer to him as a dictator.”

We recognize that foreign policy isn’t always black and white. Egypt is the fourth largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, receiving $28 billion since 1975, and the Egyptian government under Mubarak has been a strategic puppet for U.S. interests in the region.

A remark made by George W. Bush in a 2003 speech seems to eerily describe the current conundrum:

“Sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe — because in the long run, stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty.”

At this pivotal moment in Egypt’s history, it is imperative that the United States issue clear and concrete steps in reducing aid to Egypt if Mubarak and his government fail to step down and hold free and fair elections.

We cannot stand idly by and knowingly support a regime under which praying protesters are shot in the streets by police officers whose salaries are partially paid for by the United States.

We suspect that Secretary of State Clinton and the rest of the Obama administration won’t be getting much sleep in the coming weeks.

Researchers have determined that baby talk isn’t as trivial as we once thought. U. California-San Diego professors conducted a study showing that babies just over a year old use the same neurological pathways in the brain when processing language as do adults.

Using MEG and MRI scans, radiology professor Eric Halgren and his research team located the structures in the brain where the infants process language.

“The neurobiological process that babies use to understand words is the same as the processes used by adults,” Halgren said. “It’s in the same place, it’s happening at the same time — more or less — and it is using the same neurocircuits.”

In the study, babies between 14 to 18 months were shown pictures and then played a sound that did or did not match the picture. The neurons relating to words and meanings sent electrical currents, which then produced magnetic fields, which were observed using imaging technology.

“That’s how we were able to probe whether this [brain]wave was related to meaning, because babies had the meaning in their head from looking at the picture, and then we got a differential response depending on whether it — the word — matched the picture, or didn’t,” Halgren said.

The amplitude of the brain wave determined whether the infants identified the correlation between the word and the picture. The mismatched words caused a characteristic brain wave that has also commonly been associated with word meaning in adults in the left front temporal region.

“If you do this in adults, you get this characteristic wave that is called the n400,” Halgren said. “It peaks about 400 ms after the onset of the word, and so it’s called the n400.”

Previously, scientists believed that babies used different pathways to process words from studies done in other parts of the brain. According to Halgren, if these regions in adult brains have lesions, the person loses his ability process to comprehend language. If a newborn has lesions in these areas, however, they are still able to develop language normally.

“Other ideas include that maybe [processing language] involved the frontal lobe, or it involved the right hemisphere, or maybe was all over the place, and gradually, it got concentrated,” Halgren said.

The researchers conclusion determine early signs of mental developmental issues in children.

Water bottles are so last season.

The next time you head to the gym, replace that H2O with a good old-fashioned glass of chocolate milk.

Yes, this is what doctors and athletes are saying these days: Chocolate milk is now the ultimate sports drink.

In recent years, chocolate milk has evolved from an elementary school student’s treat to a delicious and inexpensive replacement for overpriced Gatorades and various other fitness drinks.

Claims have been made that chocolate milk benefits the human body as much as, if not more than, routine energy formulas, flaunting an ideal combination of natural carbohydrates and proteins.

Since this discovery, even more studies have been conducted to determine just how beneficial chocolate milk can be for athletes.

According to a 2009 study in Medical News Today, chocolate milk was found to meet, and in some cases exceed, the post-workout recovery benefits of an equal-calorie sports drink.

A 2007 British study declared milk to be better at restoring fluid levels than water and other sports drinks after exercising under hot conditions.

With the appearance of these recent studies, it’s no wonder sports drink sales plummeted in 2009. Although most would attribute this downfall to economic hardships or other sales factors, the recent popularity of chocolate milk might have affected the downward trend.

Who wouldn’t choose cheap, delicious chocolate milk over a sports drink, anyway?

The benefits of chocolate milk are not necessarily new. Runners in particular have lauded the drink for years, praising it as a post-run miracle.

Only recently are other fields of fitness beginning to understand the benefits as well. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps drank chocolate milk after swim sessions in the 2004 Olympics, helping to subtly promote the refreshment as a refueling wonder for sports other than just running or weight-lifting.

But why is chocolate milk so good for you? What exactly is it doing to garner such high praise from the athletic and medical communities?

Chocolate milk has a natural ratio of carbohydrates to proteins that is ideal for muscle recovery process after intense strength-training and aerobic exercises.

The amino acids found in chocolate milk also help to prevent future muscle damage and are capable of shortening recovery periods in between workouts. The acids repair damaged muscle tissue while promoting leaner muscle mass.

Additionally, chocolate milk, like plain milk, contains vitamin D and calcium levels that are significantly higher than those found in rival sports drinks. Such levels not only promote healthier muscles but also strengthen bones.

It is a more affordable beverage than sports drinks, too. If you’re not looking to buy a whole gallon of chocolate milk, simply  picking up a bottle of Hershey’s chocolate syrup is enough to keep you satisfied.

For the busy college student, chocolate milk is anything but inconvenient. Whether you’re chugging a glass at Everybody’s Kitchen or purchasing a small carton at Trojan Grounds, you’re bound to find chocolate milk for sale in just about any place you go.

If you’re worried about calorie content, chocolate milk shouldn’t be a problem. For something light, simply opt for skim milk.

If the creamier texture is tempting you after a hard workout, indulge in a glass of chocolate whole milk instead.

Either way, you’ll still be getting the same vitamins and proteins that are necessary for your muscles to properly recover.

But what about the lactose intolerant? Athletes can still reap the benefits by gulping down chocolate soy milk.

Though soy milk contains fewer proteins than regular milk, it is still an effective recovery drink with similar vitamins and minerals.

Aside from all the technical benefits of chocolate milk, what could be better than a sports drink that sounds like a dessert?

It might still hold the title of a sugary and unhealthy treat, but its well-documented benefits are proof enough that a glass or two shouldn’t leave you feeling guilty.

It’s important that all athletes understand the golden rule when exercising: Drinking something is vital in the first 30 minutes after exercising to repair any damaged or overstrained muscles.

And when it comes to choosing something both delicious and convenient, chocolate milk reigns supreme.

Ohio State doctors performed the first implant of a device used to combat sleep apnea in the United States on Jan. 21.

The device, known as the RespiCardia System, is used to treat central sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that limits a person’s breathing while he or she is asleep.

Dr. Ralph Augostini, an electrophysiologist, led the procedure at OSU’s Ross Heart Hospital. It was the fourth implant worldwide.

Current treatment of central sleep apnea is limited to a tightly fitting mask that blows air into the lungs to keep the patient breathing. Dr. William Abraham, professor of internal medicine and director of cardiovascular medicine at OSU, said many patients just can’t tolerate the mask.

“The potential (for the RespiCardia System) is that it is implantable, automatic and doesn’t require any work for the patient,” Abraham said. “If proven effective, we want to demonstrate that this device can adequately treat central sleep apnea, and if we can, there will be a lot of appeal for the device.”

Central sleep apnea is a major problem in people with heart disease and people who have suffered a brain injury, Abraham said.

“There are six million Americans with heart failure; about 80 percent of those people have sleep apnea and about 60 percent of those people have central sleep apnea,” Abraham said. “So obviously a lot could benefit from this therapy if it proves to be effective.”

The RespiCardia System is a product of the Minnesota-based company Cardiac Concepts.

“Our goal is primarily to bring a new therapy to meet an unmet clinical need,” said Bonnie Labosky, president and CEO of Cardiac Concepts. “There’s currently no effective or acceptable therapy, so we recognized this need and we’d like to address it.”

Cardiac Concepts was formed about four years ago, Labosky said. The idea for the RespiCardia System was approved for clinical studies and OSU was the first to fulfill all the requirements necessary to begin the studies.

“We’ve had a good working relationship with Ohio State over the past four years that started with Dr. Abraham,” Labosky said.

Abraham said the success of this procedure is a major step for the OSU Medical Center.

“We are attempting, in our heart program, to be national leaders in development of new drugs and procedures to treat heart disease,” Abraham said. “This helps establish the Ohio State Medical Center as an international leader in treating heart disease.”

Labosky said she gives OSU “great kudos” for its work in the medical center and its involvement with Cardiac Concepts.

Abraham has worked with Cardiac Concepts over the last four years, conducting studies on heart disease and its connection with sleep apnea. Dr. Rami Khayat, associate professor of clinical, pulmonary and critical care at OSU, has also been an adviser with Cardiac Concepts and the RespiCardia System.

“We were a part of the technology from the beginning,” Khayat said. “Once it’s shown effective, it’s very promising for eliminating apnea with an implantable device that is very convenient and less cumbersome for the patient.”

The device delivers small electrical pulses to the phrenic nerve, which is connected to the diaphragm, a large breathing muscle, said a press release from Doug Flowers, director of the Medical Center Public Affairs and Media Relations. The diaphragm responds to the pulses resulting in a more natural breathing pattern.

The RespiCardia system earned a CE marking in Europe, allowing the product to be sold, and Labosky said the company would start marketing the system early next year.

The device, however, is still investigational in the U.S.

“It’s a long pathway to get a medical device approved in the United States,” Labosky said. “Here we have to go through the rigors of getting an FDA approval.”

Labosky said the implant’s impact on the future of treating sleep apnea is huge.

“It could have a huge positive effect on patients suffering from the disease,” Labosky said. “Patients will get a great night’s sleep and it can change their whole quality of life because it has the potential to improve their cardiovascular health and can improve heart failure.”

Bennie and Erma Abram, the parents of deceased Ole Miss football player Bennie Abram, III informed Chancellor Dan Jones Friday that they plan to sue U. Mississippi for $10 million for actions they call “negligent and intentional” in regard to their son’s death.

Abram, III passed away at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford on Feb. 19, 2010, the same day that the 20-year-old collapsed during the first day of the Rebels’ spring football practice.

Abram’s parents, represented by the Houston, Texas based Lanier Law Firm, made Jones aware of the allegations through a letter from attorney Eugene Egdorf that was aquired by The Clarion-Ledger. In addition to monetary compensation, Abram, III’s parents ask that appropriate disciplinary action be taken against those responsible for their son’s death.

Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone said in a statement released by the University that the letter caught him off guard:

“The tragic loss of Bennie was immeasurable to not only the Abram family, but also the Ole Miss family,” Boone said in the statement. “The well-being of our student-athletes has and always will be our highest priority. We reviewed all the actions taken by our medical professionals, athletic trainers and coaches and found that medical protocol and emergency action plans complied with the Best Practices at that time for such cases. We are surprised by this letter from the attorneys and are confident that the facts confirm that we followed the proper procedures.”

Among those mentioned in the potential suit are Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt, Boone, members and former members of the UM coaching staff and the University. The University has 90 days to respond to the claim.

University attorney Lee Tyner said in a statement released by the school that the University received the letter Friday and will look into the issued raised in due time.

The letter says that Abram underwent medical testing prior to joining the Ole Miss football team and was found to have a sickle cell trait which an autopsy concluded was the cause of his death. The NCAA requires that student athletes undergo rigorous medical evaluations before beginning their college athletic careers.

According to the letter, the Rebels’ first practice of 2010 featured a workout that Egdorf called “recklessly intense.”

Egdorf goes on to say that the Ole Miss coaching staff violated a list of protocol that is to be followed by football players with a sickle cell trait and that Abram’s parents were never told that their son had such a condition.

Sickle cell trait is a condition that nine percent of African Americans carry and was found to be the leading cause of death among Division One athletes. Egdorf says that he has been part of high-profile sickle cell trait cases before, including one at Rice University where the NCAA made it manditory for student athletes to be tested for the condition.

The attorney did commend Ole Miss for testing for the sickle cell trait, which it has done since 1989.

Abram, who was a defensive back for the Rebels, transferred to Ole Miss from Itawamba Community College where he played football after four years at Desoto Central High School.