Fossil DNA has clues to surviving rapid climate change

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Surviving the last ice age was more than just a matter of growing a woolly coat. Rapid global temperature swings had to be matched by equally rapid adaptation. Now a remarkable find from Canada's permafrost could help explain how the trick was done, through a process that might offer organisms a way to cope with the dramatic climate change the world is facing.

DNA extracted from the bones of an extinct bison shows that the environment influenced the way the animal's genes worked without altering the genetic code. It is the best evidence yet that such epigenetic changes can be fossilised.

Inheritance doesn't begin and end with genetic mutations. Environmental factors can modify DNA and lead to heritable changes in the way that genes are expressed ? even though the genetic code itself is unchanged.

Brief encounter?

The big unanswered question is whether these epigenetic changes influence the long-term evolution and survival of a species, or whether they disappear too quickly to have any lasting impact.

Some evolutionary biologists favour the first option. They say that exposure to an environmental stress could trigger a useful epigenetic change in many members of a population simultaneously. The trait could then be passed down to most of the next generation.

A beneficial genetic mutation, in contrast ? the kind we're more familiar with ? spreads only through breeding and so takes much longer to become established in the population.

"Epigenetic modification strikes me as an ideal way for animals to respond to environmental change," says Alan Cooper, a palaeobiologist at the University of Adelaide in South Australia.

Frozen perfection

Before that idea can be tested, though, Cooper needed to show that epigenetics is preserved in the fossil record ? the best place to study evolutionary processes over a large number of generations.

A prime spot to go looking for ancient epigenetic signals is in permafrost that formed during the last ice age. The frozen soils are already recognised as the best environment on Earth for preserving the ancient DNA in which epigenetic signals might be found.

Cooper and his team extracted DNA from the bones of a 26,000-year-old extinct bison (Bison priscus) preserved in permafrost in the Canadian Arctic. They later analysed the DNA using a technique called bisulfite sequencing to look for evidence of a particular kind of epigenetic change ? DNA methylation. Bisulfite sequencing destroys unmethylated cytosine bases in the DNA, so all cytosines that remain must therefore have been methylated.

Convincing stuff

Sure enough, the team found methylated DNA in the ancient sample. Then they went one step further: most of the methylations they found were in exactly the same spots as methylations in the same genes of modern cattle. That is strong evidence that the ancient methylations were not the product of chemical damage occurring after the bison's death (PLoS One, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030226).

"I'm convinced, and I'm pretty tough that way," says Hendrik Poinar, a palaeogeneticist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, who was not a member of Cooper's team.

The next step will be to gather more ancient samples from before and after a major environmental change ? the end of a glaciation, for example, or the arrival of humans in the New World ? to see whether any epigenetic changes correlate with the environmental transition. If they do, evolutionary biologists will move a step closer to proving that epigenetic changes help species adapt to rapid change.

Neanderthal action

And that applies to more than just extinct bison. Methylation has been found in ancient DNA once before. In 2009, a team led by Svante P??bo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, uncovered evidence of the process in Neanderthal and mammoth DNA (Nucleic Acids Research, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp1163).

P??bo says he may soon start gathering data on methylation of Neanderthal DNA as part of his work on Neanderthal genomics. Epigenetics is already thought to occur in humans ? it has been cited as an explanation for the high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder among those whose parents survived the holocaust. Epigenetic data spanning a much longer interval in human prehistory could reveal that the process was key to adapting quickly to a wide range of environmental conditions during the Pleistocene.

Tracking ancient epigenetic changes will inevitably be a tough task. For example, although Cooper's team successfully read methylation from a fossil bison specimen, they could not find a signal in five other bison fossils they examined, which suggests that reading ancient epigenetic signatures requires exceptional preservation.

Tall order

Moreover, individual animals ? and even particular tissues within an individual ? differ in their style of methylation, so researchers may need many samples to tease evolutionarily meaningful differences from all the variability, says Catherine Suter at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, who co-led the bison research with Cooper.

Even if researchers can pick the signals from the noise, they will then have to work out what the epigenetic changes do, and whether they are in fact adaptive ? a tall order given how little we know about interpreting epigenetic signals even in modern DNA.

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Review: Cohen has spiritual vibe on 'Old Ideas' (AP)

Throughout his 45-year career, Leonard Cohen has walked a fine line between love, sex, and religion, often embodying the trinity in the same song. Cohen doesn't abandon those themes on his latest album, "Old Ideas," his first studio recording in eight years and perhaps one of his best in decades.

Part of the reason the record succeeds is the honesty that the 77-year singer-songwriter delivers as he questions mortality, god, and betrayal with poetic dignity.

In 2005, Cohen's former manager took the liberty of emptying his savings accounts, leaving the deep-throated troubadour nearly broke. And though the singer won a civil suit in 2006, it's not believed that he's collected any money back. As a result, Cohen has had to spend his retirement years on the road singing for his supper.

But out of this adversity comes an album rooted heavily in his signature prayer-like delivery with an air of aesthetic realism.

?"Old Ideas" kicks off with "Going Home," a poem written by Cohen and set to music by Cohen and co-writer Patrick Leonard. Hearing Cohen's nearly-spoken voice delivery, it becomes a powerful ditty of Cohen's spiritual foundation as well as how he sees himself.

In the song, God says Cohen does what he tells him, even though it's not always welcome. This sets the tone for the remainder of album of a man tormented by mistakes of the past and his growing older.

?Cohen has never been a stranger to religious overtones: After all, he's the man that wrote "Hallelujah," which became immortalized by the late Jeff Buckley.

?But this album seems to provide more weighted spiritual balance. It's not religious, at least in any organized form, but it's definitely more pious than usual. One has to go no further than the record's second track "Amen," a lengthy ominous piece that seems diametric to "Hallelujah," where the singer questions if he's understood by god.

Minimal instrumentation helps support the album's 10 tracks, dominated by Cohen's raspy baritone delivery. While instrumentation varies from guitar to steel guitar and piano and bass, there's a nice compliment of percussive rhythms and background vocals.

?CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: Even on first listen, the albums most upbeat track, "Banjo" (not saying much for the slow-paced album) plays as comfort food for the ears.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_en_mu/us_music_review_leonard_cohen

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The fight for Cuban-Americans is on in Florida (AP)

HIALEAH, Fla. ? If Mitt Romney wins Tuesday's primary, a sliver of the GOP electorate in Florida may be one of the big reasons. Cuban-Americans are deeply committed voters who can have an impact in competitive races, and Romney has strong support among the influential Cuban-American establishment.

Older exiles also tend to vote heavily through absentee ballots, where the former Massachusetts governor all but certainly has an edge. And the candidate's emphasis on fixing the economy is resonating with backers like Jesus Ovidez, who cares more about jobs than he does U.S. policy toward Cuba.

"When we are in a better position here, then we can worry about over there. But first you have to put your own house in order," said Ovidez, who spent months in a forced labor camp before fleeing the island in the late 1960s.

Ovidez has been a co-owner of Chico's Restaurant in the heavily Cuban-American community of Hialeah north of Miami for more than 30 years. He gestured around to the mostly empty chairs during one recent lunch hour and talked about how Romney's emphasis on the economy was one of the main reasons he already has cast his vote for the former businessman.

"There's no money. People don't go out to eat any more," said Ovidez. Maybe, he said, Romney can help change that. Plus, Ovidez argued, Romney is the only Republican who can beat President Barack Obama, saying: "He's an individual who is a millionaire, and with money you win elections."

During the past week, a series of polls have shown Romney pulling ahead of chief challenger Newt Gingrich in the run up to Tuesday's primary.

Overall, roughly 11.1 percent of registered Republicans in Florida are Hispanic. And of all Hispanic voters in the state, 32.1 percent are Cuban, 28.4 percent are Puerto Rican and 25 percent come mostly from Central and South America., according to the Pew Hispanic Center, which cites the Florida Division of Elections.

Ana Carbonell, a longtime political operative now working for Romney, estimates that 14 percent of the GOP primary vote comes from Miami-Dade County and, of that, 75 percent is Cuban-American.

Generally, Cuban-American voters have the highest turnout rates. In 2008, they helped John McCain win the primary over Romney, who lost heavily in Miami-Dade County, where this voting group is most concentrated.

Cuban-American voters are particularly reliable in the primary in part because so many of the older exiles vote early through absentee ballots, and Romney's campaign ? with the significant help from local Cuban-American political leaders ? has led all other campaigns in encouraging Floridians to vote before Tuesday. He or his allies have been on the TV airwaves since December targeting early voters. And in recent days, they have flooded Spanish-radio and TV with ads attacking Gingrich.

Romney's strength among the old-guard Cuban-Americans was evident last week when he received a standing ovation before he even spoke to more than 400 exile political and civic leaders. They packed the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, where thousands fleeing Fidel Castro's revolution first received health care and were processed by immigration officers in the 1960s. Romney was flanked by prominent Cuban-American politicians, including former Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress.

While Romney highlighted his business background and spoke on the economy, he also tapped into the pride many Cuban-Americans still feel toward the island nation and their angst over its leaders.

"If I'm fortunate enough to become the next president, it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet," Romney told the crowd to wild applause. Castro, 85, has been ill since 2006, when he handed over power to his brother, Raul. "We have to be prepared, in the next president's first or second term, it is time to strike for freedom in Cuba."

Arguably the state's most popular Cuban-American politician, Sen. Marco Rubio, has withheld an endorsement during the primary but came to Romney's defense in the past week, criticizing Gingrich over an ad that labeled Romney anti-immigrant.

Gingrich, for his part, has called for a U.S.-supported "Cuban spring" uprising against the long-standing communist regime.

If elected, he told a crowd of Hispanic business and civic leaders Friday, he would bring to bear "the moral force of an American president who is serious about intending to free the people of Cuba, and willingness to intimidate those who are the oppressors and say to them, `You will be held accountable.'"

Gingrich has talked of covert action to overthrow the government of Raul Castro, though he insisted such efforts would not include violence.

And he signed a pledge to roll back the ability of Cubans to visit and send money to relatives on the island to the strict limits Bush imposed in 2004. Such promises play well in the older exile community, many of whose homes were confiscated during the Cuban revolution and are far less likely than newer Cuban immigrants to have close family there.

Gingrich also aired a Spanish-language radio ad in South Florida, reminding voters of Romney's 2007 presidential campaign gaffe, in which he proudly declared in Little Havana, "Patria or muerte, venceremos!" (Fatherland or death, we shall overcome) ? not realizing the line was a slogan of Fidel Castro.

All that has helped sway retired insurance agent and Cuban exile Bernardo Diaz.

Last week, he declared his vote for Romney.

"I don't want Obama, and he's the only one who can win," Diaz said, as he puffed on a cigarette outside the famed Versailles Restaurant in Miami's Little Havana.

Days later, he had changed his mind, saying: "I'm leaning toward Gingrich. Gingrich seems more energetic, stronger on Cuba."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_el_pr/us_florida_the_cuban_vote

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Davis, Dujardin win lead honors at SAG awards (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were the maids of honor at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where their Deep South drama "The Help" won them acting prizes and earned the trophy for overall cast performance.

Davis won as best actress and Spencer as supporting actress for "The Help," while Jean Dujardin was named best actor for the silent film "The Artist" and Christopher Plummer took the supporting-actor award for the father-son tale "Beginners."

The wins boost the actors' prospects for the same honors at the Feb. 26 Academy Awards.

In "The Help," Davis and Spencer play black maids going public with uneasy truths about their white employers in 1960s Mississippi.

"I just have to say that the stain of racism and sexism is not just for people of color or women. It's all of our burden, all of us," Davis said, accepting the ensemble prize on behalf of her "The Help" co-stars.

Accepting her best-actress award, Davis singled out two performers in the audience who inspired her early in her career: "The Help" co-star Cicely Tyson and Meryl Streep, Davis' co-star in the 2008 drama "Doubt" and one of the nominees she beat out for the SAG prize. Streep had been nominated as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," a role that won her the dramatic actress award at the Golden Globes over Davis.

A French film star who is a newcomer to Hollywood's awards scene with "The Artist," Dujardin played a silent-era screen idol fallen on hard times as talking pictures take over in the late 1920s.

"I was a very bad student. I didn't listen in class. I was always dreaming," Dujardin said. "My teachers called me 'Jean of the Moon,' and I realize now that I never stopped dreaming. Thank you very much. Thank you for this dream."

Plummer would become the oldest actor ever to win an Oscar at age 82, two years older than Jessica Tandy when she won best actress for "Driving Miss Daisy."

Backstage, Plummer joked when asked if he would like to win an Oscar, an honor so elusive during his esteemed 60-year career that he did not even receive his first Academy Award nomination until two years ago, for "The Last Station."

"No, I think it's frightfully boring," Plummer said. "That's an awful question. Listen, we don't go into this business preoccupied by awards. If we did, we wouldn't last five minutes."

Spencer, a veteran actress who had toiled in small TV and movie parts previously, had a breakout role in "The Help" as a brassy maid whose mouth continually gets her in trouble.

"I'm going to dedicate this to the downtrodden, the under-served, the underprivileged, overtaxed ? whether emotionally, physically or financially," Spencer said.

On the television side, comedy series awards went to "Modern Family" for best ensemble; Alec Baldwin as best actor for "30 Rock"; and Betty White as best actress for "Hot in Cleveland."

"You can't name me, without naming those other wonderful women on 'Hot in Cleveland,'" the 90-year-old White said. "This nomination belongs to four of us. Please, please know that I'm dealing them right in with this. I'm not going to let them keep this, but I'll let them see it."

The TV drama show winners were: Jessica Lange as best actress for "American Horror Story"; and Steve Buscemi as best actor for "Boardwalk Empire," which also won the ensemble prize.

For TV movie or miniseries, Kate Winslet won as best actress for "Mildred Pierce," while Paul Giamatti was named best actor for "Too Big to Fail."

Before the official ceremony, the Screen Actors Guild presented its honor for best film stunt ensemble to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." The TV stunt award went to "Game of Thrones."

The winners at the SAG ceremony often go on to earn Oscars. All four acting recipients at SAG last year later took home Oscars ? Colin Firth for "The King's Speech," Natalie Portman for "Black Swan" and Christian Bale and Melissa Leo for "The Fighter."

The same generally holds true for the weekend's other big Hollywood honors, the Directors Guild of America Awards, where Michel Hazanavicius won the feature-film prize Saturday for "The Artist." The Directors Guild winner has gone on to earn the best-director Oscar 57 times in the 63-year history of the union's awards show.

The guild's ensemble prize, considered the ceremony's equivalent of a best-picture honor, has a spotty record at predicting what will win the top award at the Oscars.

While "The King's Speech" won both honors a year ago, the SAG ensemble recipient has gone on to claim the top Oscar only eight times in the 16 years since the guild added the category.

Though "The Help" won the ensemble prize this time, "The Artist" and George Clooney's family drama "The Descendants" are considered stronger contenders for the best-picture Oscar.

Both "The Artist" and "The Descendants" also were nominated for writing and directing Oscars, categories where serious best-picture candidates generally need to be in the running. "The Help" missed out on nominations in both of those Oscar categories.

Mary Tyler Moore received the guild's lifetime-achievement award, an honor presented to her by Dick Van Dyke, her co-star on the 1960s sit-com "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

___

Associated Press Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.sagawards.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_davis_dujardin_win_lead_honors_sag_awards025954059/44350163/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/davis-dujardin-win-lead-honors-sag-awards-025954059.html

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IAEA Iran Visit: UN Nuclear Officials Want Iranian Cooperation

VIENNA -- The head of a U.N. nuclear team traveling to Iran on Saturday urged the country to work with his mission on probing Tehran's alleged attempts to develop an atomic arms program, adding such cooperation is long overdue.

The unusually blunt comments by International Atomic Energy Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts reflected the importance the IAEA is attaching to the chief focus of the trip ? ending more than three years of Iranian refusal to answer questions about such suspicions.

Ahead of departure, Nackaerts told reporters at Vienna airport he hopes Iran "will engage with us on all concerns."

"So we're looking forward to the start of a dialogue," he said: "A dialogue that is overdue since very long."

Diplomats said Iran had accepted the inclusion of two senior weapons experts ? Jacques Baute of France and Neville Whiting of South Africa ? with relatively little fuss. That suggests the Islamic Republic may be prepared to address some issues related to the allegations.

Also on the team is Rafael Grossi, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano's right-hand man.

Any progress would be significant.

Tehran has blocked IAEA attempts for more than three years to follow up on U.S. and other intelligence, dismissing the charges as baseless and insisting all its nuclear activities were peaceful and under IAEA purview.

Faced with Iranian stonewalling, the IAEA summarized its body of information in November, in a 13-page document drawing on 1,000 pages of intelligence. It stated then for the first time that some of the alleged experiments can have no other purpose than developing nuclear weapons.

Iran continues to deny the charges and no change in its position is expected during the three-day Tehran talks with IAEA officials. But even a decision to enter a discussion over the allegations would be a major departure from outright refusal to talk about them.

The diplomats said that the IAEA team was looking for permission to talk to key Iranian scientists suspected of weapons work, inspect documents relating to such suspected work and get commitments for future visits to sites linked to such allegations.

Iran says it is enriching only to generate energy. But it has also started producing uranium at a higher level than its main stockpile ? a move that would jump-start the creation of highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium, should it chose to go that route. And it is moving its higher-enriched operation into an underground bunker that it says is safe from attack.

__

AP video reporter Philipp Jenne contributed.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/iaea-iran-visit_n_1239112.html

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Iran to cut oil exports to "some" countries soon: IRNA (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Iran's oil minister said on Sunday the Islamic state would soon stop exporting crude to "some" countries, the state news agency IRNA reported.

"Soon we will cut exporting oil to some countries," Rostam Qasemi was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Benchmark Brent crude prices rose to around $111.50 a barrel on Friday on expectations Iran's parliament would vote to halt exports to the European Union as early as next week, in retaliation to EU plans to stop all Iranian crude imports by July amid deepening tension over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Iran's parliament on Sunday postponed the debate over the bill.

(Created by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wl_nm/us_iran_oil_exports

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Egypt says it has ended US lobbyists' contract (AP)

CAIRO ? Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it has ended a contract with three Washington lobbying firms to cut expenses, denying reports that the American companies were the ones to terminate the contract.

The rupture occurred as Cairo faces criticism from Washington for banning at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country as part of an investigation into foreign-funded civil society organizations. Among those barred was Sam LaHood of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, who is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The ban sparked anger in the United States, and Washington warned on Tuesday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt's transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt's battered economy needs badly after a year of political and social unrest.

The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including the IRI and its sister organization, the National Democratic Institute, as well as several Egyptian organizations.

Both the IRI and the NDI, linked to the Republican and Democratic parties, monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.

The Egyptian investigation is closely linked with the political turmoil that has engulfed the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power after Mubarak's fall have accused "foreign hands" of being behind protests against their rule, and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

The December raids have drew sharp U.S. criticism, and President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, to emphasize "the role that these organizations can play in civil society," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry's statement was issued two days after Politico reported that former Republican Rep. Bob Livingston, former Democratic Rep. Toby Moffett and longtime lobbyist Tony Podesta ended their contract with the Egyptian government.

Livingston confirmed to Politico in an email that the three lobbyist firms have ended their contract.

"We hope that Egyptians continue to enjoy the deepening of democracy in their country, and that Egypt remains a strong, stable and vital ally of the United States," the three lobbyists said in a joint statement released on Saturday.

Politico reported earlier that the firms came under criticism after circulating talking points justifying Egyptian security forces' raids on a number of NGOs including American groups.

The lobbying firms could not be reached immediately for comment.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Egypt's Defense Ministry has arrived in New York, Egypt's state news agency reported.

MENA quoted military attache Gen. Mohammed el-Kishki as saying that the visit was aimed at discussing "cooperation between the two countries in military affairs."

Egypt's army, which took power after the February 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak, receives 1.3 billion dollars a year in U.S. foreign assistance.

The country's aid package has come under pressure by members of Congress who want assurances that Egypt will abide by a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and that the military rulers will respect democratic freedoms.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_us

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UN nuclear team arrives in Iran

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency,IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency,IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency,IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency,IAEA, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, arrives for his flight to Iran at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? A U.N. nuclear team arrived in Tehran early Sunday for a mission expected to focus on Iran's alleged attempt to develop nuclear weapons.

The U.N. nuclear agency delegation includes two senior weapons experts ? Jacques Baute of France and Neville Whiting of South Africa ? suggesting that Iran may be prepared to address some issues related to the allegations.

The delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency is led by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts, who is in charge of the Iran nuclear file. Also on the team is Rafael Grossi, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano's right-hand man.

In unusually blunt comments ahead of his arrival in Tehran, Nackaerts urged Iran to work with his mission on probing the allegations about Iran's alleged attempts to develop nuclear weapons, reflecting the importance the IAEA is attaching to the issue.

Tehran has refused to discuss the alleged weapons experiments for three years, saying they are based on "fabricated documents" provided by a "few arrogant countries" ? a phrase authorities in Iran often use to refer to the United States and its allies.

Ahead of his departure, Nackaerts told reporters at Vienna airport he hopes Iran "will engage with us on all concerns."

"So we're looking forward to the start of a dialogue," he said: "A dialogue that is overdue since very long."

In a sign of the difficulties the team faces and the tensions that surround Iran's disputed nuclear program, a dozen Iranian hard-liners carrying photos of slain nuclear expert Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan were waiting at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport early Sunday to challenge the team upon arrival.

That prompted security officials to whisk the IAEA team away from the tarmac to avoid any confrontation with the hard-liners.

Iran's official IRNA news agency confirmed the team's arrival and said the IAEA experts are likely to visit the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom, 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of the capital, Tehran.

During their three-day visit, the IAEA team will be looking for permission to talk to key Iranian scientists suspected of working on a weapons program, inspect documents related to such suspected work and secure commitments from Iranian authorities to allow future visits to sites linked to such allegations. But even a decision to enter a discussion over the allegations would be a major departure from Iran's frequent simple refusal to talk about them.

The United States and its allies want Iran to halt its enrichment of uranium, which they worry could eventually lead to weapons-grade material and the production of nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and producing medical radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.

Iran has accused the IAEA in the past of security leaks that expose its scientists and their families to the threat of assassination by the U.S. and Israel.

Iranian state media say Roshan, a chemistry expert and director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran, was interviewed by IAEA inspectors before being killed in a brazen bomb attack in Tehran earlier this month.

Iranian media have urged the government to be vigil, saying some IAEA inspectors are "spies," reflecting the deep suspicion many in Iran have for the U.N. experts sent to inspect Iran's nuclear sites.

___

AP writer George Jahn contributed to this report from Vienna.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-28-Iran-Nuclear/id-d54fe35049564ea580eb21a4fbe7df08

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'Jersey Shore' High Five: Operation Rescue Vinny!

Plus, the Situation is hungover and the girls wear bunny suits in this week's episode.
By Jim Cantiello

Mike "The Situation" on Thursday's Episode of "Jersey Shore"
Photo: MTV

The Situation's back and he got a Hugh Hefner-themed surprise party, what with the strippers and the wheelchairs. Here now, my five favorite moments from this week's "Jersey Shore."

5. Hungover Situation
You can't get any more DTF than a stripper, right? Wrong. Just ask the Situation, who brought home one of his party favors.

"I don't even remember her name. It might as well be A-nita because all night she was saying 'I need a cigarette. I need French toast.' Well I need you to get the hell out of my house!"

I think Hungover Situation is my favorite Situation. On the other hand, dude, she's a stripper who never actually took her clothes off. That's like being mad at your anorexic friend for giving you a crappy restaurant recommendation.

4. Old Man
With Vinny gone, Danny the T-shirt guy is looking to find a new employee/housemate and made J-Woww write up a "Help Wanted" sign after she tore down the first one.

J-Woww says, "What should the sign say, because Danny's being a douche ..."

"You should write, 'See old man inside for details!' " the Situation laughs.

The Situation - 1, Danny - 0.

The Situation walks away, and J-Woww says under her breath, "But then people would think they should talk to you."

The Situation - 1, J-Woww - 1,000,000!!

3. Operation Rescue Vinny!
What better way to help a guy with anxiety than to crowd him, shout loud things in his ear and bum-rush him in the comfort of his own home?!

Um ... get better Vinny!

2. Crack Is Wack!
In all seriousness, Vinny was happy to jump in the car and return to Seaside with his roomies. Too bad they nearly died on the way back ...

[They moon each other. Snooki sees "a ball." They all scream.]

Don't drink and drive. Don't text and drive. Don't try to blind people with your ugly-ass ass and drive.

1. Funny Bunnies
Gotta hand it to MTV. Always looking to lure in new audiences for their programming. This week they dedicated a segment entirely to furries!

Snooki and Deena hump each other in giant bunny costumes. Later, Snooki uses her new bunny costume for evil when she scares J-Woww.

Amazing. Let's just hope she doesn't pull that on Vinny for a few days.

For continuing "Jersey Shore" coverage, be sure to check in with MTV's Remote Control blog.

Related Videos

• Jersey Shore High 5 Recaps!
• Jersey Shore (Season 5) | Ep. 4 | Free Vinny

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678016/jersey-shore-season-five-episode-four-recap-free-vinny.jhtml

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The Beatles: Here Comes The Sun [Video]

"Here Comes the Sun" is my favorite George Harrison Beatles song, probably because it reminds me vividly of the day he died. This new guitar solo is finally bringing the song back to life for me. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OriJSCcflqc/the-beatles-here-comes-the-sun

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Mars Rover Opportunity Turns 8

A break-in period that consisted of being shipped slowly on a ship compared to a violent launch on the top of a rocket, as well as the re-entry into the atmosphere of a largely mysterious planet, and finally the potentially violent landing.

Then, once in use and with the odometer actually ticking up, the Mercedes gets an oil change every few thousand miles, or every few months; it's also refueled probably every other week, at least. And it's probably not in a hostile environment the entirety of its driven life, at least without serious repair assistance.

So, yes, we really should be proud of the Opportunity for lasting for eight years while 78 million miles from a repair shop.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/faYZ7wTveBs/mars-rover-opportunity-turns-8

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Faux Fur Ever: Cozy and Chic Winter Hats for Kids

Check out our exclusive deal (20% off!) on Faux Fur Ever's luxe mini trapper hats!

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/4EVaDgbDL1o/

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US judge denies bid to block NV mustang roundups

File-In this July 13,2008 file photo a livestock helicopter pilot rounds up wild horses from the Fox & Lake Herd Management Area from the range in Washoe County, Nev., near the town on Empire, Nev. A federal judge in Nevada that handed horse protection advocates a rare victory last fall has rejected their latest request to block government roundups of free roaming mustangs in the West, saying they?ll have to go to Congress if they think the animals need more protection. (AP Photo/Brad Horn,File)

File-In this July 13,2008 file photo a livestock helicopter pilot rounds up wild horses from the Fox & Lake Herd Management Area from the range in Washoe County, Nev., near the town on Empire, Nev. A federal judge in Nevada that handed horse protection advocates a rare victory last fall has rejected their latest request to block government roundups of free roaming mustangs in the West, saying they?ll have to go to Congress if they think the animals need more protection. (AP Photo/Brad Horn,File)

RENO, Nev. (AP) ? A federal judge in Nevada who handed horse protection advocates a rare victory last fall has rejected their latest request to block government roundups of free-roaming mustangs in the West, saying they'll have to go to Congress if they think the animals are being treated inhumanely and need more protection.

U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben granted a temporary restraining order on Aug. 30 that cut short by a day a roundup near the Nevada-Utah line after he determined a helicopter flew too close to a horse in violation of the law.

But he said during a hearing in Reno Thursday that he was denying a new injunction request from the Texas-based Wild Horse Freedom Federation partly because the Bureau of Land Management has made some positive changes since then. He also said he can't issue injunctions based on speculation about future abuses.

"This court is really not in a position to be the overseer of the BLM," McKibben said. "This court is not going to police all gathers in the U.S. or even all gathers in the district of northern Nevada."

"This Court is not Congress, not an administrative agency. We are not the first branch of government. We are not the second branch. We're here to consider grievances," he said.

His ruling was a disappointment to horse protection advocates who were buoyed by his court order last fall when he took the BLM to task for its actions at the Triple B complex roundup near the Nevada-Utah line northwest of Ely, Nev.

"Your honor, you are the last vestige of hope here," said Gordon Cowan, a lawyer for the group. "Basically, there is no other accountability."

Erik Petersen, a Justice Department lawyer representing BLM, said the agency took McKibben's earlier order seriously and responded with its own internal review of the Triple B roundup "in great part in response to this court's ruling on the temporary restraining order."

The law already dictates the horses be treated humanely but the agency now has "a half dozen specific instructions" or guidelines for roundup contractors to follow, including prohibiting helicopters from flying too close to animals, Petersen said.

The BLM said in a formal review made public in December that some mustangs in the Triple B complex were whipped in the face, kicked in the head, dragged by a rope around the neck, and repeatedly shocked with electrical prods, but the agency concluded none of the mistreatment rose to the level of being inhumane. BLM Director Bob Abbey did, however, determine additional training is needed for the workers and contractors involved.

The government's wild horse program is intended to protect wild horse herds and the rangelands that support them. About 33,000 wild horses live in 10 Western states, of which about half are in Nevada. Under the program, thousands of horses are forced into holding pens, where many are vaccinated or neutered before being placed for adoption or sent to long-term corrals in the Midwest.

Animal rights advocates complain that the roundups are inhumane, but ranchers and other groups say they're needed to protect fragile grazing lands that are used by cattle, Bighorn sheep and other wildlife.

Petersen said the Triple B roundup ended the day after McKibben's previous order on Aug. 30. He said BLM has no plans to resume that roundup ? the only one specifically targeted in the group's original lawsuit filed last year.

But Cowan said he said there's no question BLM eventually will return to the area for another roundup.

"They finished it to avoid your temporary restraining order," Cowan said. "They are coming back whether they say it or not. Triple B is not over," he said.

If that happens, McKibben said the issue will be ripe again for legal challenge. He repeated several times that he couldn't understand why the critics won't acknowledge BLM is taking steps to treat the horses more humanely.

"Is your position that absolutely nothing constructive has happened ... that everything done so far is basically meaningless?" he asked Cowan, who answered "yes" each time.

"I don't happen to agree," the judge said. "I think frankly that hurts your argument."

Cowan said that's the group's position because group Vice President Laura Leigh continues to observe abuse of horses at other gathers.

McKibben said the new BLM guidelines were an improvement.

"While they have not resulted in the embodiment of new rules or regulations, I see some positive things that happened between the time we were in court before and today," he said.

"I would strongly urge the Bureau of Land Management to proceed in that direction. But that's a decision that must be made by the first branch (Congress)."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-01-27-Wild%20Horses-Lawsuit/id-f56bb396452045678f286608480f091d

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Newt Gingrich Proves His Priorities Are Mixed Up with Future Space Ambitions (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Space reports that Newt Gingrich intends to have a manned colony permanently on the moon by 2020 if he is elected president. Gingrich talked about his space plans to a crowd in Cocoa, Fla., and he also has ambitions to explore Mars. As an American citizen that is concerned with the future economic state, here is why Gingrich is out of touch with the American people regarding his space ambitions.

The fact that Gingrich wants to re-energize the United States to get back to space only proves he is not looking at the real concerns facing this country. At a time when the economic state of America is not very strong, Gingrich wants to spend millions of dollars exploring space, and permanently putting a colony on the moon. This does not even make sense considering the amount of money a permanent colony would require from the government and private business. As an American, I am glad that people are still ambitious to explore space, but now is not the time to do so. I feel that the money could be better spent on creating jobs, increasing technology, and securing our borders.

Gingrich wants to set up a fund that would give a $10 billion prize to the first company that could send an astronaut to Mars, which would essentially privatize space exploration. I feel that companies should be taking their time and resources to hire more employees, and not trying to build a shuttle to get to Mars. Gingrich said he would cut the budget of NASA so that it is more focused, but NASA should not be getting any money. Gingrich should be focusing on giving companies tax incentives to hire the most unemployed groups of Americans, such as veterans, teenagers, and felons. The space shuttle competition would be too much of a financial burden for most companies, and is not a huge priority when most companies struggle to just survive each month. I would be angry if a company was spending time and resources on this competition, and not spending resources hiring or training workers.

America is relying on Russia to continue the space program, which does not have to be a bad thing. I agree that exploring space is important for the advancement of science, but America does not have to be the country to do so. Gingrich should be telling the American people what he will be doing about the lack of jobs, how he will cut spending, and make America a leader in innovation again. Having private companies compete for money to get America back to the moon is just not logical. I feel that any competition Gingrich wants to have should be focused on things that would better the American economy, such as a competition for new technological innovations. I want to hear him talk about his ambitions for reducing the debt, getting people off of welfare and putting people back to work, not about his goals for space.

Myself, Personal Opinion

Denise Chow, Mike Wall, "Gingrich Space Plan Promises the Moon, Literally: Lunar Base by 2020", Space

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120126/us_ac/10889459_newt_gingrich_proves_his_priorities_are_mixed_up_with_future_space_ambitions

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Girl credited with outing school bomb plot

ROY, Utah?? A 16-year-old Utah student who alerted a school administrator about a suspicious text message foiled plans by two schoolmates who apparently were plotting to set off a bomb during a school assembly and run away in a stolen airplane, police said.

Roy High School sophomore Bailey Gerhardt told The Salt Lake Tribune she received the text from a friend, one of the suspects, and told the administrator, which led to the arrest of the two teens. Roy is about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.

Gerhardt said Thursday that the text from the 16-year-old boy asked: "If I told you to stay home on a certain day, would you?"

That boy, whom The Associated Press isn't naming because he's a minor, and Dallin Morgan, 18, were pulled out of school Wednesday.

"It was the work of a very courageous student who came forward," Roy police spokeswoman Anna Bond said Thursday. "It could have been a disaster."

Dumped by girlfriend
Gerhardt characterized the 16-year-old as an angry person recently dumped by his girlfriend. She said he had told her he had looked into the 1999 mass shootings at Colorado's Columbine High School.

The juvenile later told investigators he was so "fascinated" by that massacre that he visited the Littleton, Colo., school and interviewed the principal about the shootings that killed 13 people. Roy police said the principal, Frank DeAngelis, confirmed that the boy made his visit Dec. 12.

"(He) told me he was offended that he was compared to the Columbine killers," said Roy police officer Tyler Tomlinson in an affidavit, according to Utah's KSL.com. "Joshua was offended by the fact that those killers only completed 1 percent of their plan and he was much more intelligent than that. ... (He) explained to me that he could complete his plan due to how intelligent he is."

'Months in planning'
The Roy High School plot "was months in planning," said Roy Chief of Police Gregory Whinham, and included plans for a device designed to "cause as much harm as possible to students and faculty" at the school, which has about 1,500 students.

The FBI is examining the suspects' computers, police said. Local and federal agents searched the school, two vehicles belonging to the suspects and their homes but found no explosives.

Morgan told police the 16-year-old suspect had previously made a pipe bomb using gun powder and rocket fuel.

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"Dallin told me that (the juvenile) bragged about using a bomb to blow up a mail box and having three handguns in his house," a police affidavit states. The 16-year-old boy "claimed that he did not have the guns but Dallin was the source of the guns because he is 18 and can purchase a gun."

The two students prepared by logging hundreds of hours on flight simulator software on their home computers, and they planned to take a plane at Ogden Hinckley Airport after the bombing, Bond said.

Besides hinting at the plan, the juvenile also texted to a friend that both suspects wanted "revenge on the world" and "we have a plan to get away with it too."

He hinted at the plan by writing "explosives, airport, airplane" and added, "We're just gonna kill and fly our way to a country that won't send us back to the US," according to a probable cause statement police filed to make the arrests late Wednesday.

Morgan was being held on $10,000 bail at Weber County jail on suspicion of conspiracy to commit mass destruction. The juvenile was in custody at Weber Valley Detention Center on the same charge. Prosecutors were weighing possible additional charges.

'Absolute knowledge' of school security
Both students had "absolute knowledge of the security systems and the layout of the school," Bond said. "They knew where the security cameras were. Their original plan was to set off explosives during an assembly. We don't know what date they were planning to do this, but they had been planning it for months."

School officials said there were no imminent plans to hold a school assembly.

The parents of both students "woke up in the middle of a nightmare," Bond said. "They've been very cooperative."

School officials said there were no imminent plans to hold a school assembly.

Local and federal agents searched the school, two vehicles belonging to the suspects and their homes but found no explosives. The FBI is examining the suspects' computers, police said.

The parents of both students "woke up in the middle of a nightmare," Bond said. "They've been very cooperative."

'Expect him to be the next Albert Einstein, not a bomber'
Alex Gregory, 17, a senior at the school and a neighbor of the juvenile, told KSL.com he was shocked at the recent developments.

He said a number of police cruisers and officers greeted him when he returned home from a sandwich shop Wednesday evening.

"As time went on, more cops showed up in unmarked cars. There were dogs all over the place," Gregory told the Salt Lake City television and radio station. "As the night was almost over, (police were) carrying a couple of boxes out of his house."

"When I heard the news, I was shocked because they didn't seem like those kinds of kids," . "(The juvenile) ? he kind of hangs out with more of the preppy crew. He was really smart. I would expect him to be the next Albert Einstein, not a bomber."

The school has about 1,500 students.

Msnbc.com staff and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

? 2012 msnbc.com

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46161271/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

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Laidback, Literate, Potentially Ridiculous RPers Wanted.

Right. So I posted an interest check a few days ago. Today I posted an RP. Now I'm posting in RPers wanted, because if you aren't sick and tired of me yet, I intend to change that. I've really been craving this, and gosh darn it I am going to get it up off the ground.

I'm looking for RPers to join in a giant crossover of doom, destruction, mayhem, and probably a few dozen potential Armageddons. The criteria for the RPers I'm looking for is fairly simple.

1. Must be literate. (Quality, though, not quantity.)
2. Must be laidback and willing to goof around.
3. Should, ideally, be willing to play canon characters from relevant fandoms. Not a necessity.
4. Must be willing to have loud excited capslock discussions.
5. Penguin ownership is a plus.

That's about as easy as it gets.

The fandoms involved so far are as follows:
BBC Sherlock
Supernatural
Doctor Who
Good Omens
Misfits

If you think you might want to play a character outside these fandoms, however (whether it be an original character or a character from another fandom), this list is negotiable.

So come on. We really really want to have you aboard.
Click me to enter!

If you view this thread and decide not to join in the fun, could you possibly either PM me or leave a post here addressing why you decided against it? I won't be offended, even if the answer is "it's a shitty idea." I'm just curious for future reference.

Thank you thank you!
Pancake

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/nVC-cSq4fh0/viewtopic.php

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Iowa State engineer wants to 'sculpt' more powerful electric motors and generators

Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dionysios Aliprantis
dali@iastate.edu
515-294-7387
Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa Dionysios Aliprantis took up an imaginary hammer and chisel and pounded away at the air.

"Think of the ancient Greeks and their sculptures," said the Iowa State University assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Now apply the idea of a sculptor precisely chipping away at stone to the electric motors that run our machines and generate our electricity. Aliprantis is working to develop computer modeling technology that will show engineers how to chip away at the surfaces of electric motors to create new designs and shapes that can increase power generation.

"The goal is to get more power out of the same size motor," he said. "Or, that could mean getting the same power with a smaller motor."

Aliprantis is quick to say he's not looking for a huge improvement in a motor's performance.

"I'm looking for a little bit of increase, maybe 5 percent or 1 percent," he said. "But multiply that number by the number of hybrid cars, let's say, and you could get savings in the billions of dollars. The potential here could be huge."

Aliprantis' project is supported by a five-year, $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Program. The grants support junior faculty identified as teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

Assisting with the motor design project is Yanni Li, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering.

Aliprantis and Li want to take advantage of the fact that most electric motors and generators operate in just one direction in most applications there's no real need for them to go into reverse. The motors, however, have long been designed to offer equal performance no matter which way they're rotating.

And so the engineers are exploring how electric motors can be improved by optimizing performance in a preferred direction of rotation. To do that, they've written a computer modeling program that incrementally changes the design of the motors just like a sculptor chipping away and calculates when the surface shape is just right.

The teeth that hold coils of wire within an electric motor, for example, have typically been built with a symmetrical shape that maintains performance in either direction. By making the teeth asymmetrical, the engineers hope the motor can pick up some power when rotating in the preferred direction.

"We are trying to develop a systematic way of getting to the right shape," Aliprantis said. "This idea is very simple, but motors are still being designed using techniques that are essentially one hundred years old."

Aliprantis is also busy with other projects to improve electric motors, advance alternative energy systems and improve engineering education:

• Another project is aiming to improve the models used to predict the dynamic performance of electric motors as engineers experiment with different power electronics and control technologies. The idea is to develop more sophisticated control systems that capture more of a motor's performance characteristics. The project is supported by Iowa State's department of electrical and computer engineering and includes Yuanzhen Xu, a master's student in electrical and computer engineering.
• Aliprantis is also collecting data on how much solar energy is available throughout a day. The idea is to improve power forecasts by developing better models of cloud cover. That would help utilities make better estimates of the power they can expect from solar panels on a given day. Chengrui Cai, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, is assisting with the project.
• Aliprantis is part of an Iowa State faculty team that's developing a new, multidisciplinary doctoral program in Wind Energy Science, Engineering and Policy. He's also using a National Science Foundation grant to work with Purdue University faculty to improve undergraduate education in power electronics and motor drives by modernizing student lab equipment and course content.

Because electric motors are all around us in vehicles, wind turbines, power plants and all kinds of machinery Aliprantis said finding new ways to improve their performance can make a real difference in the development of sustainable energy resources.

###

Contacts:
Dionysios Aliprantis, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 515-294-7387, dali@iastate.edu
Mike Krapfl, News Service, 515-294-4917, mkrapfl@iastate.edu

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dionysios Aliprantis
dali@iastate.edu
515-294-7387
Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa Dionysios Aliprantis took up an imaginary hammer and chisel and pounded away at the air.

"Think of the ancient Greeks and their sculptures," said the Iowa State University assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Now apply the idea of a sculptor precisely chipping away at stone to the electric motors that run our machines and generate our electricity. Aliprantis is working to develop computer modeling technology that will show engineers how to chip away at the surfaces of electric motors to create new designs and shapes that can increase power generation.

"The goal is to get more power out of the same size motor," he said. "Or, that could mean getting the same power with a smaller motor."

Aliprantis is quick to say he's not looking for a huge improvement in a motor's performance.

"I'm looking for a little bit of increase, maybe 5 percent or 1 percent," he said. "But multiply that number by the number of hybrid cars, let's say, and you could get savings in the billions of dollars. The potential here could be huge."

Aliprantis' project is supported by a five-year, $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Program. The grants support junior faculty identified as teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

Assisting with the motor design project is Yanni Li, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering.

Aliprantis and Li want to take advantage of the fact that most electric motors and generators operate in just one direction in most applications there's no real need for them to go into reverse. The motors, however, have long been designed to offer equal performance no matter which way they're rotating.

And so the engineers are exploring how electric motors can be improved by optimizing performance in a preferred direction of rotation. To do that, they've written a computer modeling program that incrementally changes the design of the motors just like a sculptor chipping away and calculates when the surface shape is just right.

The teeth that hold coils of wire within an electric motor, for example, have typically been built with a symmetrical shape that maintains performance in either direction. By making the teeth asymmetrical, the engineers hope the motor can pick up some power when rotating in the preferred direction.

"We are trying to develop a systematic way of getting to the right shape," Aliprantis said. "This idea is very simple, but motors are still being designed using techniques that are essentially one hundred years old."

Aliprantis is also busy with other projects to improve electric motors, advance alternative energy systems and improve engineering education:

• Another project is aiming to improve the models used to predict the dynamic performance of electric motors as engineers experiment with different power electronics and control technologies. The idea is to develop more sophisticated control systems that capture more of a motor's performance characteristics. The project is supported by Iowa State's department of electrical and computer engineering and includes Yuanzhen Xu, a master's student in electrical and computer engineering.
• Aliprantis is also collecting data on how much solar energy is available throughout a day. The idea is to improve power forecasts by developing better models of cloud cover. That would help utilities make better estimates of the power they can expect from solar panels on a given day. Chengrui Cai, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, is assisting with the project.
• Aliprantis is part of an Iowa State faculty team that's developing a new, multidisciplinary doctoral program in Wind Energy Science, Engineering and Policy. He's also using a National Science Foundation grant to work with Purdue University faculty to improve undergraduate education in power electronics and motor drives by modernizing student lab equipment and course content.

Because electric motors are all around us in vehicles, wind turbines, power plants and all kinds of machinery Aliprantis said finding new ways to improve their performance can make a real difference in the development of sustainable energy resources.

###

Contacts:
Dionysios Aliprantis, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 515-294-7387, dali@iastate.edu
Mike Krapfl, News Service, 515-294-4917, mkrapfl@iastate.edu

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/isu-ise012612.php

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Life discovered on dead hydrothermal vents

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Scientists at USC have uncovered evidence that even when hydrothermal sea vents go dormant and their blistering warmth turns to frigid cold, life goes on.

Or rather, it is replaced.

A team led by USC microbiologist Katrina Edwards found that the microbes that thrive on hot fluid methane and sulfur spewed by active hydrothermal vents are supplanted, once the vents go cold, by microbes that feed on the solid iron and sulfur that make up the vents themselves.

These findings ? based on samples collected for Edwards by US Navy deep sea submersible Alvin (famed for its exploration of the Titanic in 1986) ? provide a rare example of ecological succession in microbes.

The findings were published today in mBio in an article authored by Edwards, USC graduate researcher Jason Sylvan, and Brandy Toner of the University of Minnesota.

Ecological succession is the biological phenomenon whereby one form of life takes the place of another as conditions in an area change ? a phenomenon well-documented in plants and animals.

For example, after a forest fire, different species of trees replace the older ones that had stood for decades.

Scientists have long known that active vents provided the heat and nutrients necessary to maintain microbes. But dormant vents ? lacking a flow of hot, nutrient-rich water ? were thought to be devoid of life.

Hydrothermal vents are formed on the ocean floor with the motion of tectonic plates. Where the sea floor becomes thin, the hot magma below the surface creates a fissure that spews geothermally heated water ? reaching temperatures of more than 400? C.

After a (geologically) brief time of actively venting into the ocean, the same sea floor spreading that brought them into being shuffles them away from the hotspot. The vents grow cold and dormant.

"Hydrothermal vents are really ephemeral in nature," said Edwards, professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Microbial communities on sea floor vents have been studied since the vents themselves were first discovered in the late 1970s. Until recently, little attention had been paid to them once they stopped venting, though.

Sylvan said he would like to take samples on vents of various ages to catalogue exactly how the succession from one population of microbes to the next occurs.

Edwards, who recently returned from a two-month expedition to collect samples of microbes deep below the ocean floor, said that the next step will be to see if the ecological succession is mirrored in microbes that exist beneath the surface of the rock.

"The next thing is to go subterranean," she said.

###

University of Southern California: http://www.usc.edu

Thanks to University of Southern California for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 107 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117043/Life_discovered_on_dead_hydrothermal_vents

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