The 3DS managed to beat records for the most hardware units sold in a single month in Japan last month.
That's according to figures from Japanese sales tracking firm Enterbrain, which says that the 1,492,931 units sold between November 28 and December 25 is the highest hardware sales total for any single month since it began records in 1997.
December is also the seventh month running that 3DS has topped Enterbrain's Japanese monthly hardware charts.
Sony's Vita, which launched on December 17 in the region, came in a distant second for the month, with 402,794 units sold.
3DS was the best-selling console in Japan in 2011, while Mario Kart 7 beat Super Mario 3D Land to the top of the annual software sales chart. The 3D portable's fortunes have really turned around, it seems.
Contact: Mick Kulikowski mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu 919-515-8387 North Carolina State University
Other than Olympic race walkers, people generally find it more comfortable to run than walk when they start moving at around 2 meters per second about 4.5 miles per hour.
North Carolina State University biomedical engineers Dr. Gregory Sawicki and Dr. Dominic Farris have discovered why: At 2 meters per second, running makes better use of an important calf muscle than walking, and therefore is a much more efficient use of the muscle's and the body's energy.
Published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the results stem from a first-of-its-kind study combining ultrasound imaging, high-speed motion-capture techniques and a force-measuring treadmill to examine a key calf muscle and how it behaves when people walk and run.
The study used ultrasound imaging in a unique way: A small ultrasound probe fastened to the back of the leg showed in real time the adjustments made by the muscle as study subjects walked and ran at various speeds.
The high-speed images revealed that the medial gastrocnemius muscle, a major calf muscle that attaches to the Achilles tendon, can be likened to a "clutch" that engages early in the stride, holding one end of the tendon while the body's energy is transferred to stretch it. Later, the Achilles the long, elastic tendon that runs down the back of the lower leg springs into action by releasing the stored energy in a rapid recoil to help move you.
The study showed that the muscle "speeds up," or changes its length more and more rapidly as people walk faster and faster, but in doing so provides less and less power. Working harder and providing less power means less overall muscle efficiency.
When people break into a run at about 2 meters per second, however, the study showed that the muscle "slows down," or changes its length more slowly, providing more power while working less rigorously, thereby increasing its efficiency.
"The ultrasound imaging technique allows you to separate out the movement of the muscles in the lower leg and has not been used before in this context," Farris says.
The finding sheds light on why speed walking is generally confined to the Olympics: muscles must work too inefficiently to speed walk, so the body turns to running in order to increase efficiency and comfort, and to conserve energy.
"The muscle can't catch up to the speed of the gait as you walk faster and faster," Sawicki says. "But when you shift the gait and transition from a walk to a run, that same muscle becomes almost static and doesn't seem to change its behavior very much as you run faster and faster, although we didn't test the muscle at sprinting rates."
The research could help inform the best ways of building assistive or prosthetic devices for humans, or help strength and conditioning professionals assist people who have had spinal-cord injury or a stroke, Sawicki and Farris say.
###
The researchers are part of NC State's Human PoWeR (Physiology of Wearable Robotics) Lab, directed by Sawicki. The joint Department of Biomedical Engineering is part of NC State's College of Engineering and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine.
"Human medial gastrocnemius force-velocity behaviour shifts with locomotion speed and gait"
Authors: Dominic James Farris and Gregory S. Sawicki, North Carolina State University
Published: Online Jan. 4, 2012, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Abstract: Humans walk and run over a wide range of speeds with remarkable efficiency. For steady locomotion, moving at different speeds requires the muscle-tendon units of the leg to modulate the amount of mechanical power the limb absorbs and outputs in each step. How individual muscles adapt their behaviour to modulate limb power output has been examined using computer simulation and animal models but has not been studied in vivo in humans. In this study we utilised a novel combination of ultrasound imaging and motion analysis to examine how medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle-tendon unit behaviour is adjusted to meet the varying mechanical demands of different locomotor speeds during walking and running in humans. The results highlighted key differences in MG fascicle shortening velocity with both locomotor speed and gait. Fascicle shortening velocity at the time of peak muscle force production increased with walking speed, impairing the ability of the muscle to produce high peak forces. Switching to a running gait at 2.0 ms-1caused fascicle shortening at the time of peak force production to shift to much slower velocities. This velocity shift facilitated a large increase in peak muscle force and an increase in MG power output. MG fascicle velocity may be a key factor that limits the speeds humans choose to walk at and may explain the transition from walking to running. This finding is consistent with previous modeling studies.
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Contact: Mick Kulikowski mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu 919-515-8387 North Carolina State University
Other than Olympic race walkers, people generally find it more comfortable to run than walk when they start moving at around 2 meters per second about 4.5 miles per hour.
North Carolina State University biomedical engineers Dr. Gregory Sawicki and Dr. Dominic Farris have discovered why: At 2 meters per second, running makes better use of an important calf muscle than walking, and therefore is a much more efficient use of the muscle's and the body's energy.
Published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the results stem from a first-of-its-kind study combining ultrasound imaging, high-speed motion-capture techniques and a force-measuring treadmill to examine a key calf muscle and how it behaves when people walk and run.
The study used ultrasound imaging in a unique way: A small ultrasound probe fastened to the back of the leg showed in real time the adjustments made by the muscle as study subjects walked and ran at various speeds.
The high-speed images revealed that the medial gastrocnemius muscle, a major calf muscle that attaches to the Achilles tendon, can be likened to a "clutch" that engages early in the stride, holding one end of the tendon while the body's energy is transferred to stretch it. Later, the Achilles the long, elastic tendon that runs down the back of the lower leg springs into action by releasing the stored energy in a rapid recoil to help move you.
The study showed that the muscle "speeds up," or changes its length more and more rapidly as people walk faster and faster, but in doing so provides less and less power. Working harder and providing less power means less overall muscle efficiency.
When people break into a run at about 2 meters per second, however, the study showed that the muscle "slows down," or changes its length more slowly, providing more power while working less rigorously, thereby increasing its efficiency.
"The ultrasound imaging technique allows you to separate out the movement of the muscles in the lower leg and has not been used before in this context," Farris says.
The finding sheds light on why speed walking is generally confined to the Olympics: muscles must work too inefficiently to speed walk, so the body turns to running in order to increase efficiency and comfort, and to conserve energy.
"The muscle can't catch up to the speed of the gait as you walk faster and faster," Sawicki says. "But when you shift the gait and transition from a walk to a run, that same muscle becomes almost static and doesn't seem to change its behavior very much as you run faster and faster, although we didn't test the muscle at sprinting rates."
The research could help inform the best ways of building assistive or prosthetic devices for humans, or help strength and conditioning professionals assist people who have had spinal-cord injury or a stroke, Sawicki and Farris say.
###
The researchers are part of NC State's Human PoWeR (Physiology of Wearable Robotics) Lab, directed by Sawicki. The joint Department of Biomedical Engineering is part of NC State's College of Engineering and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine.
"Human medial gastrocnemius force-velocity behaviour shifts with locomotion speed and gait"
Authors: Dominic James Farris and Gregory S. Sawicki, North Carolina State University
Published: Online Jan. 4, 2012, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Abstract: Humans walk and run over a wide range of speeds with remarkable efficiency. For steady locomotion, moving at different speeds requires the muscle-tendon units of the leg to modulate the amount of mechanical power the limb absorbs and outputs in each step. How individual muscles adapt their behaviour to modulate limb power output has been examined using computer simulation and animal models but has not been studied in vivo in humans. In this study we utilised a novel combination of ultrasound imaging and motion analysis to examine how medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle-tendon unit behaviour is adjusted to meet the varying mechanical demands of different locomotor speeds during walking and running in humans. The results highlighted key differences in MG fascicle shortening velocity with both locomotor speed and gait. Fascicle shortening velocity at the time of peak muscle force production increased with walking speed, impairing the ability of the muscle to produce high peak forces. Switching to a running gait at 2.0 ms-1caused fascicle shortening at the time of peak force production to shift to much slower velocities. This velocity shift facilitated a large increase in peak muscle force and an increase in MG power output. MG fascicle velocity may be a key factor that limits the speeds humans choose to walk at and may explain the transition from walking to running. This finding is consistent with previous modeling studies.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
If you own a home - the cost of insuring it likely will be going up.? The reason?an historic outbreak of severe weather in 2011.
Tornadoes hit the southeast, including the Tri-Cities region on April 27 and 28.? The National Weather Service says twelve people died in the Tri-Cities, and that outbreak was one of just several that made 2011 an historic year for storm damage.
However, price increase will impact even those who saw no storm damage at all.
Bill Richards runs Community Insurance an independent agency in Greene County.? The April tornadoes here resulted in more coverage claims, than any other event in his 19 year career.
"I would say 50 of our own clients were, and for us, that's a lot, ? said Richards.? ?We're a small office."
Richards says many insurance companies are concerned because the balance is out of whack--more money going out than coming in--and it's been that way for years.
"One company told me their fire losses were up 55-percent in the last three years,? said Richards.? ?So, it's more than just the storm.? It's kind of the straw that broke the camels back."
That means premiums are on their way up.? The price will vary by carrier and individual policy.? Richards says, locally, some homeowners reported increases as high as $300 a year.? That's not welcome news to neighborhoods still struggling to rebuild.
"Does that scare you as a homeowner,? said Shelton.? ?"Sure it does.? It's already outrageous trying to get coverage for natural disasters and things like that."
Richards says, generally speaking, insurance companies need to do this to survive.
"There's other companies that are in a fairly strong position, and even though this particular year they're unprofitable in this line of business, as a rule for the last 10 years they've been profitable,? said Richards.
The southeast tornado outbreak contributed to these price increases, but the ripple effect will be nationwide.? The amount will depend on which insurance company covers your home.
Homeowners won't know until they sign a new agreement when the spike in their bills will take place.
Richards says customers should check the fine print.? Some companies will change the way they underwrite this year, which means the increase may depend on the size of your home, the age of your roof or other factors.
BRENTWOOD, N.H. ? Rick Santorum is counting on momentum ? and perhaps help from outside groups ? to carry him to victory in New Hampshire and beyond. He has little choice.
The little-known Republican presidential candidate doesn't have much of a staff in most states. He doesn't have the kind of money his competitors have. And he doesn't have much time to fix those deficiencies. New Hampshire's primary is six days away, and the race quickly turns to South Carolina, Florida and other states where candidates historically need big organizations and big bank accounts to prevail.
"My name is Rick Santorum, and I am the only authentic, passionate conservative who can unite the GOP," Santorum wrote in a fundraising missive sent as Iowa caucus votes were being tallied in a race he barely lost. "I need an URGENT contribution of at least $35 today to unite conservative voters and win the Republican nomination."
There were indications the plea may have worked: Santorum has already seen a surge in online donations, which crippled his campaign's website shortly after the Iowa results were announced. And campaign manager Mike Biundo has said the campaign's fundraising pace has tripled over the last week.
Even so, Santorum, who nearly won the caucuses after devoting virtually all his time and resources to Iowa, has significant hurdles to climb if he hopes to challenge chief rival Mitt Romney for the party nod.
The former Pennsylvania senator has struggled in recent months to afford campaign basics, such as airfare and rental cars. He's been largely ignored in the debates. And his lengthy record in the Senate, which includes controversial statements about gay rights, among other social issues, has yet to be fully scrutinized, meaning attacks are likely.
"Santorum still has a lot to prove," said cultural conservative Kevin Smith, a candidate for New Hampshire governor who recalled presidential campaigns past when "one candidate does very well in Iowa and then fizzles after that,"
Santorum is looking to avoid that fate.
Mindful of the challenges, campaign aides stayed out of sight most of Wednesday as the candidate and his small team flew to New Hampshire for an evening rally.
Santorum previewed his likely pitch in the email, saying the time has come for divided conservative voters ? as well as tea party activists and so-called values voters ? to embrace him. "We can either unite now behind one candidate and have a conservative standard bearer in 2012, or have the GOP establishment choose another moderate Republican who will have a difficult time defeating Barack Obama in November," Santorum wrote. It was a clear slap at Romney and an indication that he wouldn't shirk from assailing his chief opponent as he looks to emerge as the consensus conservative candidate.
Santorum has vowed to compete in New Hampshire ? where Romney has a significant advantage in polls ? despite clear vulnerabilities, including that he's barely registered in surveys here this year. The electorate here also is far less conservative on social issues, which is Santorum's strength.
Perhaps his biggest weakness is that he has virtually no campaign presence on the ground in any other early voting state. In contrast, Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul both have staff and organizations in several states.
That takes money ? and Santorum hasn't had it all year. He reported less than $200,000 in his campaign account at the end of the September, the most recent figure publicly available. Romney, by contrast, finished the quarter with $14.7 million.
Biundo said Santorum was trying to add staff. But he also cautioned that giant payrolls don't guarantee wins.
Romney himself proved that. Four years ago, he had 52 aides in Iowa and still came up short to Mike Huckabee's shoestring operation. Huckabee, however, would fade as the contest moved beyond Iowa.
"We are going to hire more people, but we are not going to spend millions and millions of dollars like these other campaigns. We feel that we can do it a little bit different," Biundo said. "We can do a lot of grassroots because we have the support out there, but we will be expanding our staff."
A so-called super PAC dedicated to helping Santorum could be a key to his success, or lack thereof, going forward.
The group, Red, White and Blue, spent money in Iowa in the final weeks of Santorum's campaign. It can accept unlimited donations and spend freely.
Other outside groups may help as well.
The leader of the political arm of Catholic Vote distributed a message to supporters Wednesday suggesting they take a second look at Santorum, a Catholic.
"I'll be honest, I wanted CatholicVote to endorse him months ago. But any endorsement must involve the heart and the brain," wrote the organization's president, Brian Burch. "And until the last two weeks, it wasn't clear whether Santorum would get the traction he needed to compete. Last night he put these doubts firmly to rest."
Yet with Santorum's rise, his record will earn him a second look. Already, his track record was called into question, including his endorsement of Sen. Arlen Specter, the Republican who later bolted his party to become a Democrat. And Republicans here question his electability, particularly compared to Romney.
But it's the fragileness of his campaign operation in general that's giving some people pause as they look for a winning candidate to support.
"A huge concern" was how New Hampshire state Rep. Pete Silva, a Rick Perry backer who's considering alternatives, put it.
"Santorum has no ground game at all. He's not doing squat here. He's nothing in the polls," Silva said, adding that he'd consider voting for him if Perry drops out. "It would be more a ceremonial thing. Who's going to beat Romney now?"
NEW YORK (AP) ? While members of an Islamic cultural center gathered for a Sunday evening dinner, a Molotov cocktail hurled by an unknown assailant shattered against the center's main entrance. Another was thrown at the sign for the center's school.
It was one of a string of suspected arson attacks that police were investigating on Monday as possible bias crimes and trying to determine whether the incidents were linked. No arrests have been made.
Structural damage to the Imam Al-Khoei Foundation was minimal, but some members of the center were emotionally shaken, the assistant imam said. About 80 worshippers were there when the firebomb was set off at 8:44 p.m., the third in the series of suspected arson attacks in Queens on Sunday night.
"We were very surprised," assistant Imam Maan Al-Sahlani said. "This has never happened here before."
The decades-old foundation is among the foremost Muslim institutions in New York, with branches around the world, he said. Named for one of the most influential Shiite scholars, it promotes work in development, human rights and minority rights as a general consultant to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
The center also has a full, accredited school that resumes Tuesday after holiday break, and some parents were concerned about the attack, Al-Sahlani said. The sprawling complex has two minarets.
On Monday, the concrete overhang outside the main entrance was blackened from smoke damage and there was minor damage to the area near the sign.
Other targeted locations were more substantially damaged. No one was injured in the four attacks. Police said at least three Molotov cocktails were thrown, though some did not explode.
The first hit at 8 p.m., when a bottle was thrown at a counter at a corner grocery store.
Ten minutes later, a nearby house was damaged in a fire that erupted when a possible firebomb smashed through glass. It took 65 firefighters 40 minutes to bring the blaze under control, authorities said. The home was badly damaged.
At 8:44 p.m., the Islamic center was targeted.
And at 10:14 p.m., two bottles were thrown ? but did not explode ? at a house police said was used for Hindu worship services.
Meanwhile, political leaders spoke out against the incidents. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said New York Police Department hate crimes unit detectives were working with precinct detectives and looking into whether there were any connections to incidents outside the city.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the violence.
"The four reported attacks on Sunday night go against everything we stand for as New Yorkers and Americans," Cuomo said in a statement. "Attacks such as this have no place in our open and inclusive society."
CAIR called on police and Muslim institutions to step up security measures around mosques.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Eli Manning hurled three touchdowns en route to 346 yards Sunday and the New York Giants claimed the NFC East title with a 31-14 spanking of Dallas.
Manning completed 24-of-33 passes and wasn't intercepted as the Giants (9-7) piled up a 21-0 halftime lead a cruised to a post-season berth, besting their arch-rivals Dallas in a winner-take-all battle for the division crown in the NFL's final regular-season game.
Victor Cruz made six grabs for 178 yards, including a 74-yard scoring strike from Manning in the first quarter. Ahmad Bradshaw added first-half touchdowns on a 5-yard run and a 10-yard reception for the Giants, who made the playoffs for the first time in three years.
New York grabbed the NFC's fourth seed with the win and will host Atlanta next week.
Tony Romo completed 29-of-37 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Cowboys (8-8), who finished the season with four losses in five contests.
Remnants of an Ancient Roman Encampment Near Mount Masada, Israel ow.ly/1gBMmS 
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Public release date: 5-Jan-2012
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