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Chili seeds that passed through birds before taking root were stripped of predator-attracting chemicals and pathogenic fungi--which upped the seeds' survival rate versus undigested ones. Christopher Intagliata reports
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Plants can't choose where their seeds end up. Some float on the wind, others on the water. Many seeds hitch a ride on?or inside?animals. And the farther a seed gets from its parent, and any predators or disease the parent might have, the better its chance of survival. Or so the theory goes.
Researchers studied that phenomenon in the South American chili pepper Capsicum chacoense, which relies on birds like flycatchers to spread its seed. To get realistic samples, researchers plucked chili seeds from the droppings of captive flycatchers. Then they scattered them near and far from wild chili bushes in Bolivia. Contrary to the prevailing theory, distant seeds fared no better than seeds directly beneath chili plants.
But it turns out the trip through the birds gave seeds a different competitive edge. The passage stripped them of predator-attracting chemicals and pathogenic fungi?which quadrupled the seeds' survival rate, compared to their undigested counterparts. The results appear in the journal Ecology Letters. [Evan C. Fricke et al., When condition trumps location: seed consumption by fruit-eating birds removes pathogens and predator attractants]
So even though these chili seeds don't need to go the distance to survive, you might say that a seed in the bird is worth about four on the bush.
?Christopher Intagliata
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]???
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Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/basic-science/~3/3BDi28AZRLM/episode.cfm
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Public release date: 27-Jun-2013
Share ] Contact: Eduard Akhunov
eakhunov@k-state.edu
785-532-1342
Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The world's food supply got a little more plentiful thanks to a scientific breakthrough.
Eduard Akhunov, associate professor of plant pathology at Kansas State University, and his colleague, Jorge Dubcovsky from the University of California-Davis, led a research project that identified a gene that gives wheat plants resistance to one of the most deadly races of the wheat stem rust pathogen -- called Ug99 -- that was first discovered in Uganda in 1999. The discovery may help scientists develop new wheat varieties and strategies that protect the world's food crops against the wheat stem rust pathogen that is spreading from Africa to the breadbaskets of Asia and can cause significant crop losses.
Other Kansas State University researchers include Harold Trick, professor of plant pathology; Andres Salcedo, doctoral candidate in genetics; and Cyrille Saintenac, a postdoctoral research associate currently working at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in France. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Borlaug Global Rust Initiative.
The team's study, "Identification of Wheat Gene Sr35 that Confers Resistance to Ug99 Stem Rust Race Group," appears in the journal Science.
It identifies the stem rust resistance gene named Sr35, and appears alongside a study from an Australian group that identifies another effective resistance gene called Sr33.
"This gene, Sr35, functions as a key component of plants' immune system," Akhunov said. "It recognizes the invading pathogen and triggers a response in the plant to fight the disease."
Wheat stem rust is caused by a fungal pathogen. According to Akhunov, since the 1950s wheat breeders have been able to develop wheat varieties that are largely resistant to this pathogen. However, the emergence of strain Ug99 in Uganda in 1999 devastated crops and has spread to Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Yemen, though has yet to reach the U.S.
"Until that point, wheat breeders had two or three genes that were so efficient against stem rust for decades that this disease wasn't the biggest concern," Akhunov said. "However, the discovery of the Ug99 race of pathogen showed that changes in the virulence of existing pathogen races can become a huge problem."
As a first line of defense, wheat breeders and researchers began looking for resistance genes among those that had already been discovered in the existing germplasm repositories, he said.
"The Sr35 gene was one of those genes that was discovered in einkorn wheat grown in Turkey," Akhunov said. "Until now, however, we did not know what kind of gene confers resistance to Ug99 in this wheat accession."
To identify the resistance gene Sr35, the team turned to einkorn wheat that is known to be resistant to the Ug99 fungal strain. Einkorn wheat has limited economic value and is cultivated in small areas of the Mediterranean region. It has been replaced by higher yielding pasta and bread wheat varieties.
Researchers spent nearly four years trying to identify the location of the Sr35 gene in the wheat genome, which contains nearly two times more genetic information than the human genome.
Once the researchers narrowed the list of candidate genes, they used two complimentary approaches to find the Sr35 gene. First, they chemically mutagenized the resistant accession of wheat to identify plants that become susceptible to the stem rust pathogen.
"It was a matter of knocking out each candidate gene until we found the one that made a plant susceptible," Akhunov said. "It was a tedious process and took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort."
Next, researchers isolated the candidate gene and used biotechnical approaches to develop transgenic plants that carried the Sr35 gene and showed resistance to the Ug99 race of stem rust.
Now that the resistance gene has been found, Akhunov and colleagues are looking at what proteins are transferred by the fungus into the wheat plants and recognized by the protein encoded by the Sr35 gene. This will help researchers to better understand the molecular mechanisms behind infection and develop new approaches for controlling this devastating pathogen.
###
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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.
Public release date: 27-Jun-2013 Share ] Contact: Eduard Akhunov
eakhunov@k-state.edu
785-532-1342
Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The world's food supply got a little more plentiful thanks to a scientific breakthrough.
Eduard Akhunov, associate professor of plant pathology at Kansas State University, and his colleague, Jorge Dubcovsky from the University of California-Davis, led a research project that identified a gene that gives wheat plants resistance to one of the most deadly races of the wheat stem rust pathogen -- called Ug99 -- that was first discovered in Uganda in 1999. The discovery may help scientists develop new wheat varieties and strategies that protect the world's food crops against the wheat stem rust pathogen that is spreading from Africa to the breadbaskets of Asia and can cause significant crop losses.
Other Kansas State University researchers include Harold Trick, professor of plant pathology; Andres Salcedo, doctoral candidate in genetics; and Cyrille Saintenac, a postdoctoral research associate currently working at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in France. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Borlaug Global Rust Initiative.
The team's study, "Identification of Wheat Gene Sr35 that Confers Resistance to Ug99 Stem Rust Race Group," appears in the journal Science.
It identifies the stem rust resistance gene named Sr35, and appears alongside a study from an Australian group that identifies another effective resistance gene called Sr33.
"This gene, Sr35, functions as a key component of plants' immune system," Akhunov said. "It recognizes the invading pathogen and triggers a response in the plant to fight the disease."
Wheat stem rust is caused by a fungal pathogen. According to Akhunov, since the 1950s wheat breeders have been able to develop wheat varieties that are largely resistant to this pathogen. However, the emergence of strain Ug99 in Uganda in 1999 devastated crops and has spread to Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Yemen, though has yet to reach the U.S.
"Until that point, wheat breeders had two or three genes that were so efficient against stem rust for decades that this disease wasn't the biggest concern," Akhunov said. "However, the discovery of the Ug99 race of pathogen showed that changes in the virulence of existing pathogen races can become a huge problem."
As a first line of defense, wheat breeders and researchers began looking for resistance genes among those that had already been discovered in the existing germplasm repositories, he said.
"The Sr35 gene was one of those genes that was discovered in einkorn wheat grown in Turkey," Akhunov said. "Until now, however, we did not know what kind of gene confers resistance to Ug99 in this wheat accession."
To identify the resistance gene Sr35, the team turned to einkorn wheat that is known to be resistant to the Ug99 fungal strain. Einkorn wheat has limited economic value and is cultivated in small areas of the Mediterranean region. It has been replaced by higher yielding pasta and bread wheat varieties.
Researchers spent nearly four years trying to identify the location of the Sr35 gene in the wheat genome, which contains nearly two times more genetic information than the human genome.
Once the researchers narrowed the list of candidate genes, they used two complimentary approaches to find the Sr35 gene. First, they chemically mutagenized the resistant accession of wheat to identify plants that become susceptible to the stem rust pathogen.
"It was a matter of knocking out each candidate gene until we found the one that made a plant susceptible," Akhunov said. "It was a tedious process and took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort."
Next, researchers isolated the candidate gene and used biotechnical approaches to develop transgenic plants that carried the Sr35 gene and showed resistance to the Ug99 race of stem rust.
Now that the resistance gene has been found, Akhunov and colleagues are looking at what proteins are transferred by the fungus into the wheat plants and recognized by the protein encoded by the Sr35 gene. This will help researchers to better understand the molecular mechanisms behind infection and develop new approaches for controlling this devastating pathogen.
###
[ | 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/2013-06/ksu-rgf062713.php
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The U.S. Army?s semi-annual network tests at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., are spurring soldiers to adopt new tactics for the battlefield, officials said.
The so-called Network Integration Evaluations give troops the opportunity to test new radios, smart phone-like devices, satellite communications networks, software and other gear in a combat-like environment, the officials said. They?re helping to refine the service?s so-called tactics, techniques and procedures, or TTPs, for using the technology, they said.
?Over the last few NIEs, the network has become much more stable than it was ? so we are able to get at the TTPs and figure out mission command and do all that kind of stuff much more now than we have in the past, when we were really just trying to figure out the architecture,? Col. Beth Bierden, chief of the Network Integration Division at Brigade Modernization Command, said in an interview.
For instance, a new tactic was developed for soldiers using Nett Warrior, a smart-phone like device that displays maps with icons showing the position of forces, as well as nearby terrain and other combat-relevant intelligence, Bierden said.
?Soldiers love the Nett Warrior,? she said.
The program links troops using a handheld device called the Rifleman Radio, a single-channel radio that transmits voice and data communications running a high-bandwidth software package called Soldier Radio Waveform, or SRW.
?They call it tethering where they can give a team leader direction over Nett Warrior and do so without having to issue orders or talk to them,? Bierden said.
Tethering allows users of the system to send so-called ?graphic control measures,? essentially icons imposed over a digital map showing where units are in relation to surrounding terrain, obstacles or enemy forces, Bierden said.
?From the platoon leader talking to the squad leaders and the team leaders, they call this leaving ?bread crumbs? ? where they could put graphic control measures down and leave their intent,? she said. ?The whole platoon could see them down to the platoon leader level and really do TTPs regarding how that platoon works together using the Nett Warrior,? she said. ?Working through these TTPs is giving all kinds of capability that did not exist before.?
The technology allows troops to make mission adjustments more quickly and efficiently, Bierden said.
?That whole platoon leadership is seeing the same picture on their Nett Warrior device as they are moving toward the objective or doing a search,? she said. ?That platoon leader can really direct his squads and teams wherever they want to go.?
With another system called Warfighter Information Network ? Tactical Increment 2, or WIN-T, commanders were able to communicate while driving in armored trucks and other combat vehicles at a level that?s normally reserved for tactical operations centers.
The system is a mobile satellite communications and radio network engineered to integrate with tactical vehicles such as armored trucks, known as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected ? All Terrain Vehicles, or M-ATVs. It includes antennas and, in some cases, a small satellite dish mounted onto vehicles, giving commanders the ability to chat with other commanders, as well as digital maps and intelligence information, Bierden said.
The network system uses an application called Command Post of the Future, or CPOF, a constantly updated display showing pertinent combat and intelligence data. The application gives commanders the ability to lead missions while stopped or moving.
The system is designed to be ?self-healing,? meaning it can switch between a satellite connection to high-band radio as needed if, for instance, a line-of-sight connection is interrupted by terrain.
During testing, commanders had a soldier monitor the flow of data and alert the commander as needed, said Rickey Smith, director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center ? Forward.
?There is a lot of complexity and challenge to mission command on the move,? he said. ?A commander?s got a lot going on. He?s got to know where his elements are and at the same time know what the enemy is doing. You have to manage the data elements in real time. One solution was to have another soldier take on the monitoring of the data and manage the data so that the commander is not stuck to the screen.?
After installing the second version of the system on wheeled vehicles, the Army plans to configure numerous tracked vehicles with the technology, Smith said.
The Army is developing another tactic to better unify operations and intelligence data, Bierden said. While much of the transitional work with this is still ongoing, the effort will more fully fuse technologies such as CPOF with the Army?s intelligence database called Distributed Common Ground System ? Army, or DCGS.
This effort involves moving toward what Bierden referred to as a web or cloud-based common operating environment, or COE. The term refers to a common set of standards so that emerging and new technologies can better integrate with existing systems. The effort will also integrate a host of web-applications and move operational and intelligence data onto a single server, she added.
The next evaluation, called 14.1 and slated for October of this year, will likely advance this effort in a substantial way, Bierden said.
?The TTPs will get better and they will be better integrated,? she said. ?We?re moving a lot of these operational applications onto one server to the intel standard, so that everything is integrated.?
Much of this gear is part of what the Army calls Capability Set 13, a suite of integrated networking technologies slated to deploy to Afghanistan this summer with the service?s 10th Mountain Division. Developers stay in close communication with the operational units receiving the gear so as to continually inform and refine TTPs, Bierden said.
?We will learn more TTPs from them [10th Mountain] and then incorporate that back into the process,? she said.
Source: http://defensetech.org/2013/06/27/army-network-tests-drive-new-tactics-officials/
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FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) ? Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, charged with murder for what prosecutors say was the execution-style killing of a friend near his house, was denied bail on Thursday.
Hernandez's lawyer argued that his celebrity status means even if he wanted to flee he couldn't and that the case against him is circumstantial.
"He wants to clear his name," lawyer James Sultan told the judge.
But Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Bill McCauley called the evidence in the June 17 slaying of Odin Lloyd overwhelming and said police had made discoveries Wednesday when they searched a condo Hernandez leased and a Hummer registered to him that was parked there.
A jogger found Lloyd's body in a remote area of an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez's home in North Attleborough 10 days ago. Lloyd was a semi-pro football player from Boston who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee.
Prosecutors said Hernandez orchestrated the killing because Lloyd talked to the wrong people at a nightclub. Hernandez, a 2011 Pro Bowl selection who signed a five-year contract with the Patriots worth $40 million, could face life in prison if convicted.
In laying out more of the government's case Thursday, McCauley said prosecutors believe that the murder weapon was a .45-caliber Glock and that a gun Hernandez is seen holding on his home surveillance video, a weapon they haven't found, appears to be a Glock.
The prosecutor said that inside the Hummer investigators recovered an ammunition clip for .45-caliber bullets and that ammunition was found inside the condo. McCauley said a photograph had emerged online of Hernandez holding a Glock.
District Attorney Sam Sutter would not be specific when asked by reporters after the hearing when the photo was taken, saying only that the information would emerge with the continuing investigation.
Hernandez's lawyer said as far as he knew there was no eyewitness testimony and the prosecution had not given evidence that shows who shot Lloyd or whether there was a plan to kill him. He said Hernandez has no criminal record, owns a home and lives with his 8-month-old daughter and fiancee.
"Mr. Hernandez is not just a football player but is one of the best football players in the United States of America," Sultan said, adding, "He's young man who is extremely accomplished and hardworking in his chosen profession."
Hernandez appeared in court with his hands cuffed in front of him and occasionally looked at his fiancee during Thursday's bail hearing. She cried when Bristol Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis denied the request, but Hernandez showed little emotion.
The judge said that it is rare for someone charged with first-degree murder to get bail and that Hernandez had the means to flee if he chose to do so. She acknowledged the prosecution's case was circumstantial but said it was "very, very strong" and called the scenario the prosecution described "cold-blooded."
The Patriots cut Hernandez shortly after police arrested him on Wednesday.
That day, authorities in Connecticut also made an arrest in connection with Lloyd's slaying. New Britain State's Attorney Brian Preleski said Thursday that investigators arrested 27-year-old Carlos Ortiz in Hernandez' hometown, Bristol, Conn., as part of the murder probe.
Authorities charged Ortiz as a fugitive from justice, and he agreed to be transferred to Massachusetts. Prison records show he was being held on $1.5 million bail at a Hartford, Conn., jail, but his public defender, Alfonzo Sirica, declined to comment about the case.
On Thursday night, Massachusetts state police said they were seeking another man, Ernest Wallace, in connection with Lloyd's killing. They issued an alert and wanted poster for Wallace, saying he was considered armed and dangerous, and sought the public's help in tracking down a silver or gray 2012 Chrysler 300 with Rhode Island license plates he was seen driving.
Earlier Thursday, residents of a condo complex in Franklin, a 20-minute drive from North Attleborough, described seeing a two-day police search of the unit that neighbors believed Hernandez was renting. Carol Bailey, who lives next door to the two-bedroom unit, said police removed items from the third-floor condo and asked her questions about its occupants. She said a new tenant of the unit told her in May that he was moving in with his cousin and she realized later that the second man was the Patriots player.
"I thought, 'This is Aaron Hernandez. He's renting a place here so he can have some peace and quiet,'" Bailey said Thursday.
She said she didn't see the two men often but Hernandez always had a hoodie pulled up when she saw him.
"I think all of us who recognized who it was didn't want to invade his privacy," she said.
Bailey said police towed a black Hummer with expired, temporary Ohio tags from the condo on Wednesday.
Complex resident Kathleen McKeown, whose front door is a few feet from the unit police searched, said there were things that struck her as strange even before that. She said someone had plugged an air freshener into a hallway wall outlet outside the unit and put a jar with fragrance sticks on the floor by the door, as if to mask an odor.
"I thought, 'Why would two guys be worried about the smell out in the hall?'" she said.
Authorities have said trouble that led to Lloyd's killing happened on June 14, when Lloyd went with Hernandez to a Boston nightclub.
"Apparently, Mr. Lloyd saw some people that he knew and began conversing with them," McCauley said Thursday. "The defendant took exception to that."
Previously, McCauley had said only that Hernandez had unspecified trouble with the people and that a few hours before the killing he told a friend he couldn't trust anyone anymore.
Prosecutors have said that on June 16 Hernandez and two unidentified friends picked up Lloyd from his Boston home in a rented silver Nissan Maxima, took him to a remote area of an industrial park and shot him five times.
Lloyd, in the minutes before his death, sent a series of texts to his sister, who had seen him get into the car.
"Did you see who I was with?" said the first, at 3:07 a.m. June 17.
"Who?" she finally replied.
"NFL," he texted back, then added: "Just so you know."
Prosecutors have said they used cellphone tower data, text messages and surveillance video, including video from the security system Hernandez installed inside his home, to reconstruct his movements that night.
___
Associated Press writers Bridget Murphy and Sylvia Wingfield in Boston contributed to this report.
___
Follow Michelle R. Smith on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MRSmithAP
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-patriot-hernandez-denied-bail-murder-case-233824158.html
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ISLAMABAD (AP) ? Tourists who were climbing Pakistan's second-highest mountain when 11 people were killed at their base camp say they are waiting for equipment to be returned to them before they can go home.
The climbers spoke Tuesday at a memorial service in Islamabad for the 10 foreign climbers and a Pakistani tour operator who were killed Saturday when militants attacked their camp.
The attack came at the height of the climbing season in what is considered one of Pakistan's most peaceful regions.
Polish climber Aleksandra Dzik said the climbers were evacuated from base camp by helicopter and only allowed to take one backpack with them because of weight restrictions.
She said they hope army helicopters can bring their supplies down or porters allowed up to retrieve them.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exit-pakistani-tourists-delayed-attack-145142742.html
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NEW YORK (AP) ? CNN is bringing its political show "Crossfire" back on the air this fall with Newt Gingrich as one of the combatants.
The original political talk show on cable news aired on CNN from 1982 until 2005. The new version will air on weekdays, although CNN said Wednesday that the show has no time slot yet.
Gingrich, the former House speaker and presidential candidate, is one of two hosts "from the right" matched against two liberal voices. Conservative commentator S. E. Cupp, who also works at The Blaze, is Gingrich's conservative partner.
Stephanie Cutter, who is a former campaign spokeswoman for President Barack Obama, will be speaking "from the left." She'll be joined by Van Jones, an advocate for green projects.
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Alan Myers, the third and most well-known of Devo?s drummers, the so-called ?human metronome? who anchored the classic albums Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, Duty Now for the Future, Freedom of Choice and more, died this week, according to Ralph Carney, a jazz musician and friend of Myers?, and current Devo drummer Josh Freese.
Carney, a onetime bandmate of Myers? and uncle of The Black Keys? drummer Patrick Carney, tonight posted on Facebook earlier tonight: ?i just got some bad news. Alan Myers passed yesterday from cancer. he was Devo?s best drummer and one of the first people to teach me about jazz. i cry???.?
UPDATE: Devo?s Gerald Casale has paid tribute to his former bandmate, tweeting:
?
Myers joined Devo in 1976, replacing Jim Mothersbaugh, and played with the band through its formative years in the mid-to-late ?70s and then into the group?s commercial peak with the hit single ?Whip It? and beyond. He left the band in 1986, having last appeared on Devo?s album Shout, after reportedly feeling a lack of creative fulfillment.? He was replaced by Sparks? David Kendrick, but continued to play music in Los Angeles with a variety of ensembles.
Freese has credited Myers? playing on 1980?s Freedom of Choice as his own inspiration to drum.
In 2010, he told Spin magazine:
?It was the first album I got, when I was eight years old. I sat in my basement and played along to it all the time, so it was crazy when we did that tour last year where we played it top to bottom. It?s fun in the way that it?s very metronomic and the patterns are very deliberate and kind of nursery rhyme. A lot of people think that it?s a drum machine on ?Whip It.? But that?s Alan Myers.?
?
Tonight, Freese tweeted:
?
And some of Myers? best-known performances:
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Devo, ?Whip It?
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Devo, ?(I Can?t Get No) Satisfaction?
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Devo, ?Freedom of Choice?
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PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
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Source: http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/06/25/alan-myers-devo-drummer-dies/
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O
n Tuesday, President Obama, sweating slightly in the Washington D.C. sun in front of a receptive crowd at Georgetown University, laid out his strategy to fight climate change.
His plan, detailed earlier in a 21-page outline, focuses on three main areas: Cutting carbon pollution, preparing the United States for the effects of climate change, and coordinating the U.S. effort with other countries. Obama is looking to essentially side-step Congress, relying on the EPA's power to regulate climate change under the Clean Air Act.
"This is a challenge that doesn't pause for partisan gridlock," Obama said. "It demands our attention now."
Liberals, of course, will want to see results before they give credit to Obama for fighting climate change. He made big promises in the 2008 campaign. (Remember how "this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal"?) But with the death of cap-and-trade in the Senate in 2010, and Obama's hesitance to put the kibosh on the Keystone XL pipeline, green activists have been less than enthused about the White House's record on the environment.
During his speech, Obama remained noncommittal on the pipeline, saying that "our national interest will be served only if this pipeline does not significantly exacerbate the climate problem." No doubt Democrats and Republicans will quibble over what the word "significantly" means.
Speaking of the GOP, it has already framed Obama's climate change plan as the president abandoning "any pretense of an 'all of the above energy plan'" and stepping up his "effort to bankrupt the coal industry."
So what exactly can Obama do without the help of Congress? Here, five key details:
1. Institute new carbon pollution standards on power plants
This is the most ambitious ? and most vague ? part of Obama's proposal. Power plants produce 40 percent of the country's carbon dioxide. Putting limits on carbon pollution from power plants would be a huge step toward reaching the White House's goal of cutting greenhouse emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
"Today, for the sake of our children, I'm directing the EPA to set higher carbon pollution standards," Obama said.
The president's language concerning specific policy, however, was very vague. The White House has not said how, when, or how strictly it will regulate power plants. Officially, Obama is "issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency to work expeditiously to complete carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants."
While light on specifics, the fact that it includes "existing power plants" is a big deal, considering that the EPA only has the power to regulate carbon pollutants in new power plants. The lack of federal limits, Obama said, is "not right, it's not fair, and it needs to stop."
New regulations, if started today, could take years to implement.
2. Encourage more clean energy production
Obama's plan also calls for $8 billion in loan guarantees for clean energy projects and a vast increase in the number of permits for renewable energy projects on public lands. Since 2009, the White House claimed, enough solar, wind, and geothermal facilities were built to power 4.4 million homes.
3. Create new energy efficiency standards
One thing green activists have applauded Obama for is increasing fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, something he claimed on Tuesday that he would continue by creating stricter standards for heavy-duty trucks. The White House also wants to create new efficiency standards for appliances that would cut 3 billion metric tons of carbon pollution by 2030.
4. Prepare for the changes that are already happening
Obama repeatedly invoked Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday as evidence that climate change was already affecting the weather. His message? It's happening now, so the United States might as well prepare for it.
That involves, apparently, creating task forces to analyze the problem, giving local authorities federal assistance, and providing $200 million in award money to communities that build infrastructure with "enhanced preparedness" for climate change-related disasters.
5. Cut funding for fossil fuel subsidies and new coal power plants overseas
The White House claimed that international fossil fuel subsidies cost the United States $500 billion every year ? an amount it said it's looking to cut from the 2014 budget. Obama also claimed that the United States was going to stop financing new coal power plants overseas, with the exception of plants in poor countries that have no other economically feasible option.
All of this doesn't add up to the most detailed plan ever, but the president's tone at least signified that he was serious about fighting climate change.
"I don't have much patience for anyone who says this problem isn't real," Obama said. "We don't have time for a meeting of the flat-Earth society."
Source: http://theweek.com/article/index/246090/5-key-details-from-obamas-big-climate-change-speech
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First off, my name is Daniel, but any variation of the name would suffice. I'm male, nineteen years of age, and have been roleplaying since I was about twelve or thirteen. My sister, actually, was the one who introduced me to the game (she's majoring in creative writing, no surprise there). I'm going to school as well, focusing on a BA in Computer Science and graphical arts. Only three more years of debt to go, woo!
I absolutely love dystopian-type scenarios, whether it be movies or video games or a plot. Speaking of video games, I am an avid gamer and have been since I was a wee lad. Chrono Trigger, Shadow of the Colossus and Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask are a few of my favorites. I love socializing and anything to do with people in general. Parties, get togethers, whatever. I'm a goddamn social butterfly.
Roleplaying-wise, I don't do 'VAMPIRE/HUMAN' pairings or 'DEMON/ANGEL' shit. That's stupid and unoriginal, don't even bother me with such petty ideas. My primary focus is fandoms, ranging anywhere from books to movies with their own individual unique plots. Again, I love dystopian-type plots, so if you have no idea what to suggest, let's come up with our own something. Creativity is key, eh?
My posts are fucking huge, at least from what I understand. They include top-notch grammar that form fluid and meaty paragraphs. I usually match my partners post, but please, multiple paragraphs at least, with something to work with. I won't just hand you a post that involves description of your previous post in my character's eyes, for example. Dat shet ain't koo w/ me, dawg.
That's pretty much it. I'm looking for friends, as well, so don't be afraid to shoot me a PM or whatever they're called. I'm great with conversation. :'D
Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway
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WASHINGTON (AP) ? His voice steadily rising, Rep. John Lewis couldn't hide his distress with the Supreme Court's decision to strip a key tenant of the Voting Rights Act.
"They're saying, in effect, that history cannot repeat itself," said the Georgia Democrat who as a freedom rider and civil rights leader in the 1960s was severely beaten while marching for voting rights. "But I say come and walk in my shoes," Lewis said, chopping the air with his finger while discussing the high court's ruling Tuesday.
In a 5-4 ruling, the high court on Tuesday effectively negated a key requirement in the 1965 law that all or parts of 15 states with a history of racial discrimination get Justice Department approval before changing election laws. The court majority said the government can't continue to rely on 40-year-old demographic data that don't reflect changes in racial progress and society over the decades in deciding which states and local jurisdictions have to first get clearance from Washington.
"It's a bad day, a sad day for the Democratic process," said Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Texas, whose state had been covered by the act.
"One of the worst days ... in the history of this country," echoed Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, who chairs the 42-member Congressional Black Caucus.
Michigan Rep. John Conyers, who with 49 years in the House is the longest-serving black member of Congress, recalled arriving in Washington in January 1965 and begging House Speaker John McCormack to put him on the Judiciary Committee so he could help ensure the voting rights law's passage. As a former chairman and now senior Democrat on the panel, he was resigned to having to do it again.
"We can rise to this challenge," Conyers said, shaking his head. "We don't have an alternative."
"We don't want to go back," said Lewis, making reference to his own experience. "We want to go forward."
___
Follow Henry Jackson at www.twitter.com/hjacksonap
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/voting-rights-act-ruling-draws-emotional-response-223101265.html
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Public release date: 17-Jun-2013 Share ] Contact: Renatt Brodsky
Renatt.Brodsky@mountsinai.org
212-241-9200
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will present several new studies at ENDO 2013, The Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting & Expo (ENDO) from June 15-18 in San Francisco.
Mount Sinai researchers will demonstrate new data on diabetes self-management, as well as the role of prostastic acid phosphatase (PAP) in Prostate Cancer (PCa) bone metastases; identify new molecules that can stimulate the thyroid gland; reveal the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in an urban population; and show how thyroid autoimmunity may be triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
Highlights of Mount Sinai research at ENDO 2013:
Medicaid and Medicare patients with uncontrolled diabetes, who brought their glucose meters to appointments, and monitored levels at home, lowered their Hemoglobin A1c by 1.2 percent, whereas all other patients saw no change in their A1c. The research highlighting diabetes self-management was conducted by Ronald Tamler, MD, PhD, CDE, Clinical Director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and his team, and presented in an ENDO 2013 poster session. "These results show that there is still much work to be done in educating patients about the benefits of glucose monitoring," said Dr. Tamler. "We also need to focus our resources on the population most likely to benefit from this kind of monitoring. After all, the effect seen in Medicare and Medicaid patients rivals that of adding another medication."
The team reviewed data on 500 adult patients at the Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and determined that 30 percent of the patients (almost all insulin-treated) brought glucose meters to their visits. "Hand-written glucose logs can be misleading," said Gillian Boyd-Woschinko, MD, Chief Endocrine Fellow at Mount Sinai and lead author of the study. "Past research has shown then when comparing hand written logs to meter data, it can be inaccurate due to under-reporting and over-reporting. Both occur as a result of human error, the desire to please the physician, and lack of understanding of the utility of accurate data. We encourage all patients to bring their blood glucose meters to their appointments, so we can download them."
Levels of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), the oldest tumor marker, are elevated in men with prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastases, according to research presented by Alice C. Levine, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and her team in a highlighted poster session. According to Dr. Levine, PCa has a tendency to spread to the bone where it becomes incurable and blood PAP levels are higher in men with PCa bone metastases.
"Currently, there are no curative therapies for this stage of the disease," said Dr. Levine. "Our study could have wide-ranging clinical applications for men with advanced PCa that has spread to bone."
Researchers studied two PCa cell lines and a mouse preosteoblast (OB) line. All three cell lines expressed measurable amounts of two proteins, RANK Ligand (RANKL) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA/protein that are known to be essential regulators of bone formation and breakdown. The results suggested that PAP secreted by PCa cells in bone metastases modulates RANKL/OPG expression in both PCa and OB cells and therefore inhibitors of PAP may effectively target the RANKL/OPG system and treat bone metastases.
The study took place from February 2012 until April 2013 and was funded through an Exploration Hypothesis Award from the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program.
Mount Sinai researchers have identified two novel and potent small molecular compounds proven to be effective in stimulating the thyroid gland and producing more thyroid hormone.
For this study, Terry F. Davies, MD, the Florence and Theodore Baumritter Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and his research team screened 50,000 molecules, narrowed them down to 20 molecules which had activity and then identified two molecules with high potency and specificity.
"One of the two molecules identified has a very impressive potency and the potential to be used as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic agent in individuals," said Dr. Davies, who is giving an oral presentation at ENDO 2013. "This newly- identified molecule could lead to the pharmaceutical development of a very effective form of human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), similar to Thyrogen. This drug works by binding to TSH receptors on normal thyroid cells or on thyroid cancer tissue and helps to determine if there are any thyroid cells or thyroid cancer cells remaining after removal of the thyroid gland. Our identification of such novel and potent molecules could have the potential to develop new treatments for thyroid dysfunction, including thyroid cancer, in the future."
With 65 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with hypertension, Dr. Levine and her research team at Mount Sinai will present data showing that primary aldosteronism (PA) is under diagnosed and undertreated in patients. PA is a disorder where the adrenal glands make too much of the hormone aldosterone, which was once thought of as a very rare cause of high blood pressure in patients with hypertension, with or without low blood potassium levels,
The data from this study shows that 4.7 percent of patients tested in the study had blood aldosterone and renin levels indicating they may have PA. Those patients are currently undergoing further testing for the diagnosis. "It is important to ascertain whether PA is a common cause of high blood pressure in our urban population since many of the drugs we currently employ would not be effective if this is the underlying cause," said Dr. Levine. "Medical and surgical therapies are now available that could properly target this disease."
According to Dr. Levine, physicians do not generally screen hypertensive patients for this disorder unless they have very severe high blood pressure and also have low blood potassium levels.
"Testing for PA involves a very simple blood screening test which can be done in almost all hypertensive patients without even discontinuing their drugs," said Dr. Levine. "As a result of our research, many more screening tests have been done by physicians at Mount Sinai, and previously unsuspected cases have been confirmed and patients have been properly treated."
For the study, the first of a large urban population in the United States, researchers screened 260 individuals for PA who had previously been diagnosed with hypertension. Researchers measured the levels of aldosterone and renin through two separate blood tests. The study was conducted with patients in New York City from August 2012 until May 2013.
Thyroid autoimmunity might be triggered by a process called Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress, which can even occur following a viral infection, according to Angela Lombardi, PhD, a post-doctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who is making an oral presentation. Dr. Lombardi was mentored by Yaron Tomer, MD, FACP, Chief of the Hilda & J. Lester Gabrilove Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
ER stress is a process in which cell production and packaging of newly-synthesized proteins is perturbed. This can trigger an autoimmune response which can lead to inflammation and cause cell death. In this study, a human thyroid cell line and human primary thyroid cells were exposed to interferon-alpha (IFN-a), a protein which is secreted during infections. The cells were then tested for markers of ER stress. As a result, both the cell line and the primary thyroid cell cultures showed high levels of ER stress.
"This study showed that one of the main proteins produced by cells in response to infection can also cause ER stress in thyroid cells which can trigger thyroid autoimmunity," said Dr. Tomer. "This discovery will enable us to test ER stress blockers for their effectiveness to treat and prevent thyroid immunity in the future."
###
About the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at Mount Sinai
The mission of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Bone Disease is excellence in the delivery of patient care, research, and education. Researchers in the division are expanding understanding of disease and identifying new treatments. The next generation of physicians, scientists and physician-scientists are being trained to take the latest advances in the laboratory and apply them at the bedside. All of the division's efforts are targeted to bring the highest quality care to patients. For more information, visit http://www.mssm.edu/endo.
About The Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses both The Mount Sinai Hospital and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Established in 1968, the Icahn School of Medicine is one of the leading medical schools in the United States, and is noted for innovation in education, biomedical research, clinical care delivery, and local and global community service. It has more than 3,400 faculty in 32 departments and 14 research institutes, and ranks among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and by U.S. News & World Report.
The Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is a 1,171-bed tertiary- and quaternary-care teaching facility and one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Mount Sinai Hospital 14th on its elite Honor Roll of the nation's top hospitals based on reputation, safety, and other patient-care factors. Mount Sinai is one of 12 integrated academic medical centers whose medical school ranks among the top 20 in NIH funding and by U.S. News & World Report and whose hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Nearly 60,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients last year, and approximately 560,000 outpatient visits took place.
For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/.
Find Mount Sinai on:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mountsinainyc
Twitter @mountsinainyc
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/mountsinainy
[ | 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: 17-Jun-2013 Share ] Contact: Renatt Brodsky
Renatt.Brodsky@mountsinai.org
212-241-9200
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will present several new studies at ENDO 2013, The Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting & Expo (ENDO) from June 15-18 in San Francisco.
Mount Sinai researchers will demonstrate new data on diabetes self-management, as well as the role of prostastic acid phosphatase (PAP) in Prostate Cancer (PCa) bone metastases; identify new molecules that can stimulate the thyroid gland; reveal the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in an urban population; and show how thyroid autoimmunity may be triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
Highlights of Mount Sinai research at ENDO 2013:
Medicaid and Medicare patients with uncontrolled diabetes, who brought their glucose meters to appointments, and monitored levels at home, lowered their Hemoglobin A1c by 1.2 percent, whereas all other patients saw no change in their A1c. The research highlighting diabetes self-management was conducted by Ronald Tamler, MD, PhD, CDE, Clinical Director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and his team, and presented in an ENDO 2013 poster session. "These results show that there is still much work to be done in educating patients about the benefits of glucose monitoring," said Dr. Tamler. "We also need to focus our resources on the population most likely to benefit from this kind of monitoring. After all, the effect seen in Medicare and Medicaid patients rivals that of adding another medication."
The team reviewed data on 500 adult patients at the Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and determined that 30 percent of the patients (almost all insulin-treated) brought glucose meters to their visits. "Hand-written glucose logs can be misleading," said Gillian Boyd-Woschinko, MD, Chief Endocrine Fellow at Mount Sinai and lead author of the study. "Past research has shown then when comparing hand written logs to meter data, it can be inaccurate due to under-reporting and over-reporting. Both occur as a result of human error, the desire to please the physician, and lack of understanding of the utility of accurate data. We encourage all patients to bring their blood glucose meters to their appointments, so we can download them."
Levels of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), the oldest tumor marker, are elevated in men with prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastases, according to research presented by Alice C. Levine, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and her team in a highlighted poster session. According to Dr. Levine, PCa has a tendency to spread to the bone where it becomes incurable and blood PAP levels are higher in men with PCa bone metastases.
"Currently, there are no curative therapies for this stage of the disease," said Dr. Levine. "Our study could have wide-ranging clinical applications for men with advanced PCa that has spread to bone."
Researchers studied two PCa cell lines and a mouse preosteoblast (OB) line. All three cell lines expressed measurable amounts of two proteins, RANK Ligand (RANKL) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA/protein that are known to be essential regulators of bone formation and breakdown. The results suggested that PAP secreted by PCa cells in bone metastases modulates RANKL/OPG expression in both PCa and OB cells and therefore inhibitors of PAP may effectively target the RANKL/OPG system and treat bone metastases.
The study took place from February 2012 until April 2013 and was funded through an Exploration Hypothesis Award from the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program.
Mount Sinai researchers have identified two novel and potent small molecular compounds proven to be effective in stimulating the thyroid gland and producing more thyroid hormone.
For this study, Terry F. Davies, MD, the Florence and Theodore Baumritter Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and his research team screened 50,000 molecules, narrowed them down to 20 molecules which had activity and then identified two molecules with high potency and specificity.
"One of the two molecules identified has a very impressive potency and the potential to be used as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic agent in individuals," said Dr. Davies, who is giving an oral presentation at ENDO 2013. "This newly- identified molecule could lead to the pharmaceutical development of a very effective form of human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), similar to Thyrogen. This drug works by binding to TSH receptors on normal thyroid cells or on thyroid cancer tissue and helps to determine if there are any thyroid cells or thyroid cancer cells remaining after removal of the thyroid gland. Our identification of such novel and potent molecules could have the potential to develop new treatments for thyroid dysfunction, including thyroid cancer, in the future."
With 65 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with hypertension, Dr. Levine and her research team at Mount Sinai will present data showing that primary aldosteronism (PA) is under diagnosed and undertreated in patients. PA is a disorder where the adrenal glands make too much of the hormone aldosterone, which was once thought of as a very rare cause of high blood pressure in patients with hypertension, with or without low blood potassium levels,
The data from this study shows that 4.7 percent of patients tested in the study had blood aldosterone and renin levels indicating they may have PA. Those patients are currently undergoing further testing for the diagnosis. "It is important to ascertain whether PA is a common cause of high blood pressure in our urban population since many of the drugs we currently employ would not be effective if this is the underlying cause," said Dr. Levine. "Medical and surgical therapies are now available that could properly target this disease."
According to Dr. Levine, physicians do not generally screen hypertensive patients for this disorder unless they have very severe high blood pressure and also have low blood potassium levels.
"Testing for PA involves a very simple blood screening test which can be done in almost all hypertensive patients without even discontinuing their drugs," said Dr. Levine. "As a result of our research, many more screening tests have been done by physicians at Mount Sinai, and previously unsuspected cases have been confirmed and patients have been properly treated."
For the study, the first of a large urban population in the United States, researchers screened 260 individuals for PA who had previously been diagnosed with hypertension. Researchers measured the levels of aldosterone and renin through two separate blood tests. The study was conducted with patients in New York City from August 2012 until May 2013.
Thyroid autoimmunity might be triggered by a process called Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress, which can even occur following a viral infection, according to Angela Lombardi, PhD, a post-doctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who is making an oral presentation. Dr. Lombardi was mentored by Yaron Tomer, MD, FACP, Chief of the Hilda & J. Lester Gabrilove Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
ER stress is a process in which cell production and packaging of newly-synthesized proteins is perturbed. This can trigger an autoimmune response which can lead to inflammation and cause cell death. In this study, a human thyroid cell line and human primary thyroid cells were exposed to interferon-alpha (IFN-a), a protein which is secreted during infections. The cells were then tested for markers of ER stress. As a result, both the cell line and the primary thyroid cell cultures showed high levels of ER stress.
"This study showed that one of the main proteins produced by cells in response to infection can also cause ER stress in thyroid cells which can trigger thyroid autoimmunity," said Dr. Tomer. "This discovery will enable us to test ER stress blockers for their effectiveness to treat and prevent thyroid immunity in the future."
###
About the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at Mount Sinai
The mission of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Bone Disease is excellence in the delivery of patient care, research, and education. Researchers in the division are expanding understanding of disease and identifying new treatments. The next generation of physicians, scientists and physician-scientists are being trained to take the latest advances in the laboratory and apply them at the bedside. All of the division's efforts are targeted to bring the highest quality care to patients. For more information, visit http://www.mssm.edu/endo.
About The Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses both The Mount Sinai Hospital and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Established in 1968, the Icahn School of Medicine is one of the leading medical schools in the United States, and is noted for innovation in education, biomedical research, clinical care delivery, and local and global community service. It has more than 3,400 faculty in 32 departments and 14 research institutes, and ranks among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and by U.S. News & World Report.
The Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is a 1,171-bed tertiary- and quaternary-care teaching facility and one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Mount Sinai Hospital 14th on its elite Honor Roll of the nation's top hospitals based on reputation, safety, and other patient-care factors. Mount Sinai is one of 12 integrated academic medical centers whose medical school ranks among the top 20 in NIH funding and by U.S. News & World Report and whose hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Nearly 60,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients last year, and approximately 560,000 outpatient visits took place.
For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/.
Find Mount Sinai on:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mountsinainyc
Twitter @mountsinainyc
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/mountsinainy
[ | 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/2013-06/tmsh-dwu061213.php
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By Zahra Hosseinian
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranians celebrated into Sunday after moderate Hassan Rohani was elected president in a popular repudiation of conservative hardliners, and he pledged a new tone of respect in Tehran's international affairs after years of increasing antagonism.
Rohani, a Shi'ite cleric and former chief nuclear negotiator with Western powers, received a resounding mandate for change from Iranians weary of years of economic decline under U.N. and Western sanctions and security clampdowns on dissent.
His victory goes some way to repairing the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic, punctured four years ago when an election marred by fraud allegations led to mass unrest, and may give leverage for reformist voices muzzled since then to re-emerge.
But the hopeful reaction abroad was tempered by skepticism that Rohani could overcome the mistrust and alienation prevailing between Tehran and much of the world, and arch-enemy Israel warned against any complacency on Iran's disputed quest for nuclear power.
"The international community must not give in to wishful thinking or temptation and loosen the pressure on Iran for it to stop its nuclear program," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
He noted that it was Iran's theocratic supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and not the president who set nuclear policy. Israel, widely believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, and the West fear Iran is enriching uranium with the aim of developing nuclear arms, an accusation Tehran denies.
Rohani's surprise win will not resolve anytime soon the row with the West over Iran's nuclear ambitions or lessen its support of Syria's president in the civil war there - matters of national security decided by Khamenei.
But the president runs the economy and has important influence on decision-making and Iranians clearly felt change was essential after eight years of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a belligerent, populist hardliner associated with mismanagement, waste and repression.
"This victory is a victory of wisdom, a victory of moderation, a victory of growth and awareness and a victory of commitment over extremism and ill-temper," Rohani told state television, promising to work for all Iranians, including the hardline so-called "Principlists" whom he defeated at the poll.
State TV re-broadcast his victory speech on Sunday and its website quoted him as saying: "With their celebrations last night, the Iranian people showed they are hopeful about the future and God willing, ethics and moderation will govern the country."
ROHANI WARNS AGAINST EUPHORIA
However, he told the state news agency IRNA, "the country's problems won't be solved overnight and this needs to happen gradually and with consultation with experts."
But Rohani said there was a new chance "in the international arena" for "those who truly respect democracy and cooperation and free negotiation".
The United States said it stood ready to engage with Iran to reach a "diplomatic solution" over its nuclear program, even though it - along with Israel - have refused to rule out military strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
"We respect the vote of the Iranian people and congratulate them for their participation in the political process, and their courage in making their voices heard," the White House said in a statement.
"It is our hope that the Iranian government will heed the will of the Iranian people and make responsible choices that create a better future for all Iranians," the White House said.
Celebrating crowds sprang up across Tehran and other major cities as his victory was confirmed.
"LONG LIVE REFORM!"
"Long live reform! Long live Rohani!" the crowds chanted, and "Ahmadi, bye bye!".
Others flashed the victory sign and chanted slogans in favor of Mirhossein Mousavi, the reformist candidate his supporters believe was robbed of the 2009 election by what they say was vote rigging to return Ahmadinejad to office. "Mousavi, Mousavi, congratulations on your victory!" the crowds shouted.
Dozens of people were killed when security forces crushed the protests that followed in 2009. Mousavi and his fellow reformist candidate are still being held under house arrest. Authorities say the election was free and fair.
A woman named Mina told Reuters tearfully by phone: "I haven't been this happy in four years. I feel that we finally managed to achieve a part of what we have been fighting for since the past elections. They finally respected our vote. This is a victory for reforms and all of us as reformists."
Police did not intervene in the celebrations and even laughed and shared jokes with those on the streets, several people present said. By morning, Tehran returned to normal, though residents said the election was still on everyone's lips.
While recognizing the result could signal a change, some analysts however advised caution.
"There is reason to be optimistic about Hassan Rohani's win. He is calm, pragmatic, and more reasonable than most Iranian politicians," wrote Alireza Nader, senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation think-tank.
"But there is a lot to be cautious about. Rohani is part of the system ... He is not a reformist. He appears as an alternative candidate when compared to people like former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This is a low bar."
Rohani will take up the presidency, the highest elected office in Iran's hybrid clerical-republican system, in August.
Though an establishment figure, Rohani was known for his nuanced, conciliatory approach when he was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator until Ahmadinejad came to office in 2005.
He could act as a bridge-builder between hardliners around Khamenei who reject any accommodation with the West and reformers marginalized for the last four years who argue that the Islamic Republic needs to be more pragmatic in its relations with the world and modernize at home in order to survive.
Rohani's nearest rival was conservative Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a long way behind with less than 17 percent. Other hardline candidates close to Khamenei, including current nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, scored even lower.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iranians-revel-president-hails-victory-moderation-101932961.html
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