ADLINK Technology, Inc. (TAIEX: 6166), a leading manufacturer of industrial computing products, announced the IMX-2000, the first ever industrial mobile handheld device utilizing the Android 2.3 operating system. Combining high-performance RFID, barcode scanner and 3G/WLAN wireless transmission functions to satisfy diverse application requirements, the IMX-2000 can be applied in a wide range of industries. Applications include fully supported logistics management, transportation and factory automation. With an 800MHz computation capacity, as well as superior resistance to impact, water and dust, the IMX-2000 has the capacity to enhance productivity and significantly reduce costs.
?The IMX-2000 can easily be configured for a wide range of applications, including manufacturing, logistics and factory automation,? says Stephen Huang, VP of ADLINK. ?Combined with the concept of The Internet of Things (IOT), all the information or data required can be captured in real time and accessed wirelessly via this new technology to realize Industrial Mobile Computing (IMC) functionality in different areas. In the future, it can not only reduce limitations on managing and monitoring, but lower production costs while becoming a mainstream communication device.?
Android operating system with more flexibility
The IMX-2000 adopts the Android 2.3 operating system to offer a qualified and user-friendly interface. In addition, all data can be conveniently entered directly by numeric keys into the Android system. To meet customer needs, an application programming interface (API) is provided for secondary development based on specific requirements.
Easy data access and reliable wireless communication capability
Designed with high-efficiency barcode scan processing capacity bundled with Reader Utility software, data saved under 1D or 2D barcode can be accessed easily. With integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GSM, GPS and AGPS, the IMX-2000 enhances the reliability of wireless communication.
Rugged design brings protection
Along with the robust design, the IMX-0200 passes IP65 and 1.5m drop tests to ensure continuous operation after being inadvertently dropped, and provides highly-efficient operation even in extreme environments.
Optimize application configuration
With a 3.5 resistor-type touch panel, the IMX-2000 is well proven to be readable in sunlight for outdoor purposes. Equipped with a 5M pixel back camera, the IMX-2000 supports wireless broadband for real-time video communication and surveillance. Also, the memory is expandable via microSD supporting SDHC up to 32GB. Embedded with the rechargeable Lithium battery with 3900mAh, the IMX-2000 can provide long-term operation. A charging cradle is also provided along with the IMX-2000 for added convenience.
For more information, please visit our website at:
ADLINK Technology provides a wide range of embedded computing products and services to the test & measurement, automation & process control, gaming, communications, medical, network security, and transportation industries. ADLINK products include PCI Express-based data acquisition and I/O; vision and motion control; and AdvancedTCA, CompactPCI, and computer-on-modules (COMs) for industrial computing. With the acquisition of Ampro Computers, Inc. and LiPPERT Embedded Computers GmbH, ADLINK also provides a wide range of rugged by design Extreme Rugged and Rugged product lines including single board computers, COMs and systems.
ADLINK strives to minimize the total cost of ownership (TCO) of its customers by providing customization and system integration services, maintaining low manufacturing costs, and extending the lifecycle of its products. ADLINK is a global company with headquarters and manufacturing in Taiwan; R&D and integration in Taiwan, China, the US, and Germany; and an extensive network of worldwide sales and support offices.
ADLINK is ISO-9001, ISO-14001, ISO-13485 and TL9000 certified, is an Associate Member of the Intel
FILE - In this April 21, 2012, file photo, Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit. A person familiar with the negotiations says Napoli and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
FILE - In this April 21, 2012, file photo, Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit. A person familiar with the negotiations says Napoli and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Adding offense following a disappointing season, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract with catcher Mike Napoli, a person familiar with the deal said.
The agreement is subject to Napoli passing a physical, which will take place later this week, the person said Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet final.
"Awesome addition to our team!" Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester tweeted.
A 31-year-old who also plays first base, Napoli hit .320 with 30 homers and 75 RBIs as the Texas Rangers won their second straight AL pennant in 2011, then slumped to a .227 average with 24 homers and 56 RBIs this year as he became a first-time All-Star. His on-base percentage dropped from .416 to .343.
Napoli is a .306 career hitter at Fenway Park (19 for 62) with seven homers and 17 RBIs. He is the third free agent this offseason to join the Red Sox following outfielder Jonny Gomes, who got a $10 million, two-year contract, and catcher David Ross, who received a $6.2 million, two-year deal.
"He's a guy who is getting on base, has power, would be a good fit for our ballpark," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said, without confirming the agreement. "We like his offense at Fenway. We like the versatility."
The right-handed-hitting Napoli could see most of his playing time at first base because Adrian Gonzalez was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August along with pitcher Josh Beckett and outfielder Carl Crawford.
"We knew when we made the Dodger trade and we moved Gonzalez that we were going to have to try to find a way to replace that offense," Cherington said.
Texas was unwilling to guarantee three seasons for Napoli, who hit .350 with two homers and 10 RBIs in the 2011 World Series against St. Louis.
"They were very upfront with us throughout the process. So not a surprise," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "I'm hesitant to use the word disappointment because ultimately we had a decision to make."
Boston now has four catchers, with Napoli joining Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Ryan Lavarnway and Ross. Saltalamacchia started 95 games behind the plate last season, with Kelly Shoppach getting 42 starts and Lavarnway 25.
The Red Sox could trade one of their catchers, but that might wait until spring training.
"We're pretty comfortable where we are," Cherington said.
Boston still is looking for a left-handed bat and starting pitching. The Mets are discussing whether to trade NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, but the price in prospects would be high.
"It's always steep for the better guys, a valuable commodity, so if a team is going to move someone, especially if there's any length of control, they're asking for a lot," Cherington said, "as we would."
Boston is coming off its first last-place finish in two decades, a year when the Red Sox went 69-93 and lost 26 of their last 33 games. Manager Bobby Valentine was fired and replaced by John Farrell.
"You've got to add a lot of wins (from) where we finished to compete in this division," Cherington said. "I think players and agents understand that despite what happened this year, Boston is Boston. We're committed to having a winning team. We have a history of a winning team. We're going to commit resources to the team."
At last year's session in Dallas, Cherington called the winter meetings a "cesspool of information flow and dialogue."
"You go through the cycle once and you're a little bit more comfortable with everything you have to do," he said, "and maybe more aware of the potential pot holes and able to navigate those hopefully."
But he did have some levity. Asked what player he was looking at to play right field, Cherington responded: "Dwight Evans."
NOTES: 3B Pedro Ciriaco, who was playing in the Dominican Winter League, had right shoulder soreness checked out by the Red Sox, and Cherington said it was minor and he should be ready for spring training. ... Boston agreed to minor league contracts with RHP Jose De La Torre, RHP Terry Doyle, OF Mitch Maier, utility man Drew Sutton and RHP Oscar Villarreal.
ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2012) ? Approximately 68 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to the National Cancer Institute, which puts them at greater risk for developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and a host of other chronic illnesses. But an international team of scientists led by Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researcher Andrew Larner, M.D., Ph.D., has successfully reversed obesity in mice by manipulating the production of an enzyme known as tyrosine-protein kinase-2 (Tyk2). In their experiments, the scientists discovered that Tyk2 helps regulate obesity in mice and humans through the differentiation of a type of fat tissue known as brown adipose tissue (BAT).
Published December 5 in the online edition of the journal Cell Metabolism, the study is the first to provide evidence of the relationship between Tyk2 and BAT. Previous studies by Larner and his team discovered that Tyk2 helps suppress the growth and metastasis of breast cancer, and now the current study suggests this same enzyme could help protect against and even reverse obesity.
The scientists were able to reverse obesity in mice that do not express Tyk2 by expressing a protein known as signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3). Stat3 mediates the expression of a variety of genes that regulate a host of cellular processes. The researchers found that Stat3 formed a complex with a protein known as PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) to restore the development of BAT and decrease obesity.
"We discovered that Tyk2 levels in mice are regulated by diet. We then tested tissue samples from humans and found that levels of Tyk2 were more than 50 percent lower in obese humans," said Larner, Martha Anne Hatcher Distinguished Professor in Oncology and co-leader of the Cancer Cell Signaling program at VCU Massey Cancer Center. "Our findings open new potential avenues for research and development of new pharmacological and nutritional treatments for obesity."
There are two different types of fat -- white adipose tissue (WAT) and BAT. WAT is the primary site of energy storage. BAT is responsible for energy expenditure in order to maintain body temperature. BAT deposits are present in all mammals, but until recently, scientists thought BAT was only active in infants and not in adult humans. Only in the last four years have scientists realized that BAT is present in adults and helps to regulate energy expenditure. Additionally, research has shown that diminished BAT activity is associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Researchers estimate metabolic syndrome could affect as much as 25 percent of the U.S. population.
"We have made some very interesting observations in this study, but there are many questions left unanswered," said Larner. "We plan to further investigate the actions of Tyk2 and Stat3 in order to better understand the mechanisms involved in the development of brown adipose tissue. We're hopeful this research will help lead to new targets to treat a variety of obesity-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes."
Larner collaborated on this study with Marta Derecka, Magdalena Morgan, Vidisha Raje, Jennifer Sisler and Quifang Zhang, all from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at VCU School of Medicine; Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D., Cancer Cell Signaling program member at VCU Massey; Agnieszka Gornicka, from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Sergei B. Koralov, Ph.D., from New York University Medical School; Dennis Otero, Ph.D., from the University of California; Joanna Cichy, Ph.D., from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland; Klaus Rajewsky, Ph.D., from Harvard Medical School; Kazuya Shimoda, M.D., Ph.D., from Miyazaki University in Japan; Valeria Poli, Ph.D., from the University of Turin in Torino, Italy; Brigit Strobl, Ph.D., from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria; Sandra Pellegrini, Ph.D., from Institut Pasteur in Paris, France; Thurl E. Harris, Ph.D., and Susanna R. Keller, M.D., from University of Virginia School of Medicine; Patrick Seale, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Aaron P. Russell, Ph.D., from Deakin University in Burwood, Australia; Andrew J. McAinch, Ph.D., from Victoria University in St. Albans, Australia; Paul E. O'Brien, M.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia; and Colleen M. Croniger, Ph.D., from Case Western University School of Medicine.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Journal Reference:
Marta Derecka, Agnieszka Gornicka, Sergei?B. Koralov, Karol Szczepanek, Magdalena Morgan, Vidisha Raje, Jennifer Sisler, Qifang Zhang, Dennis Otero, Joanna Cichy, Klaus Rajewsky, Kazuya Shimoda, Valeria Poli, Birgit Strobl, Sandra Pellegrini, Thurl?E. Harris, Patrick Seale, Aaron?P. Russell, Andrew?J. McAinch, Paul?E. O?Brien, Susanna?R. Keller, Colleen?M. Croniger, Tomasz Kordula, Andrew?C. Larner. Tyk2 and Stat3 Regulate Brown Adipose Tissue Differentiation and Obesity. Cell Metabolism, 2012; 16 (6): 814 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.11.005
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
By: Rachael Rettner, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer Published: 12/04/2012 02:23 PM EST on MyHealthNewsDaily
Some doctors are concerned about new guidelines allowing children who frequently throw tantrums to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder, arguing that normal kids can act this way, but also cautioning that such behavior could signal several other mental health conditions.
The new diagnosis of "disruptive mood dysregulation disorder" will appear in the updated version of the psychiatric handbook the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), to be published in May. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) approved the final version of the manual on Saturday (Dec. 1).
Although detailed criteria for the diagnosis have not been released, an APA statement said the condition could apply to "children who exhibit persistent irritability and frequent episodes of behavior outbursts three or more times a week for more than a year." The addition is intended in part to reduce the number of kids misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder, who may be treated with powerful drugs.
But some experts say the new condition was added to the manual too soon.
"I think it's premature to put it in as a full diagnosis," said Dr. David Axelson, an associate professor of psychiatry at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, referring the condition's inclusion in the front of the manual with other well-accepted diagnoses, rather than in the appendix, which includes provisional diagnoses requiring further research.
Overdiagnosis
Some are concerned that a label of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder would turn normal kid behavior into a medical condition. [ See Typical Toddler Behavior, or ADHD? 10 Ways to Tell.]
But Axelson said the diagnosis requires severe and frequent behavior problems, and if properly applied, kids without a true mental condition would be unlikely to be diagnosed. In addition to frequent outbursts for more than a year, children need to be at least 6, but younger than teenagers, to be given the diagnosis, according to early versions of the criteria.
However, parents might overestimate how often their child behaves badly, because they focus on recent outbursts, and inaccurately reporting behavior to a mental health professional may lead to mislabeling, Axelson said.
And although the diagnosis is intended to reduce misdiagnoses of childhood bipolar disorder and subsequent overtreatment, it could end up putting more kids on medication, Axelson said. That's because there are no treatments for the new condition, so doctors will likely prescribe medications for explosive anger ? which are the same medications for bipolar disorder.
Missing real problems
Research suggests the new disorder could become common among kids already diagnosed with other mental conditions. A study by Axelson and colleagues, published in October, found that more than half of children with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder met criteria for the condition, and it was hard to distinguish the disorders from each other.
Also, the diagnosis was not particularly stable, meaning it was not repeatedly diagnosed in the same children over multiple evaluations. This counters the idea that the new condition is chronic, Axelson said.
Some are concerned doctors will diagnose children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder without checking for other mental problems.
"Explosive behavior is like a high fever," said Dr. Gabrielle Carlson, a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York. "If you have it, you know there's something wrong, but it doesn't tell you what's wrong."
The focus could be taken off other conditions that can lead to explosive behavior, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism, Carlson said.
But others see the move as positive. Lauren Wakschlag, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who studies children's tantrums, said there are advantages to having this diagnosis for children's mood problems.
Traditionally, these children may have been given any of several diagnoses, because tantrum behaviors overlap with those of other conditions.
"Here, you have a unifying way to diagnose symptoms," Wakschlag said.
However, because children's behavior can vary substantially between ages 6 and the teen years, more research is needed to determine how to diagnose children of particular ages, Wakschlag said.
Pass it on: A new psychiatric condition for children with frequent tantrums is generating concern among doctors.
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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says he'd prefer that the state not invest in startup companies like failed solar equipment firm Twin Creeks. The Republican says he's steering the Mississippi Development Authority away from loaning or giving money to such companies.
"I do not have a preference for startup companies," Bryant told The Associated Press Friday. "I am conservative because of my audit background and would look more toward companies such as Nissan, Severstal, heavy manufacturing companies with a background in the industry, a clear record of achievement. That would be more of a targeted industry for this administration."
In a separate phone interview with AP, Bryant's predecessor, Republican Haley Barbour, defended the state's $27.7 million investment in Twin Creeks, a San Jose, Calif., firm that's liquidating after a bank pushed the company into selling its technology. The company was supposed to invest $132 million and create 500 jobs in Senatobia.
The state signed its incentive deal with Twin Creeks in April 2010, when Barbour was governor. His second term expired in January 2012.
Barbour said he's confident that the company will repay any money that Mississippi officials can't get back from the building and equipment that were funded with state loans to the city of Senatobia.
"The state will recover all of its incentives given to Twin Creeks," Barbour told AP Friday. "I am not worried at all. I think that the risk to the taxpayer is next to nothing."
Barbour referred to Twin Creeks' offer to give the state an estimated $1.25 million in cash, plus the rights to up to $8 million in royalties from patents that were sold to GT Advanced Technologies of Nashua, N.H. for $10 million.
He predicted that Senatobia would lease the building for enough money to cover its loan payments to the state. MDA has waived the first payment of $1.2 million. Senatobia was supposed to collect that amount by Dec. 31 and pass it on to the state by Jan. 5. The state loaned Senatobia $18 million to prepare the site and build the building. It gave another $1 million in grants for site work.
Barbour also said the state's investments in Twin Creeks and a number of other alternative energy firms under his administration were not overly risky. Besides that company, Mississippi also signed agreements with alternative energy companies including solar panel maker Stion; smart window maker View, formerly Soladigm; solar silicon maker Silicor Materials, formerly Calisolar; biofuels maker KiOR; and biofuels maker Virdia, formerly HCL Cleantech.
Barbour says the state was careful to choose companies that were successful in raising money from private sources.
"You can look at all sorts of companies that are in the growing stage and some of them never make it," Barbour said. "We've been very serious in making sure that the resources put in by the private sector were such that there was a good chance the business would succeed. This is the only company of this type that hasn't made it."
Barbour cut the ribbon on the Twin Creeks plant in May 2011. Twin Creeks was supposed to go into commercial production after that, but state and local officials said that never happened. There are hints, though, that the state was worried about Twin Creeks within months.
An Oct. 7, 2010 email from Twin Creeks CEO Siva Sivaram to site selection consultant Dennis Cuneo, described as a Twin Creeks senior adviser, asked Cuneo to reassure Barbour that Twin Creeks was in sound condition.
"Please let him know that we ain't going bust," Sivaram wrote, stating the company would "likely" sell out its first two years of production in advance and was close to landing $50 million more in financing.
Good Jobs First, a Washington D.C., group that questions many of the inducements that governments provide to private businesses, said Mississippi isn't the first state to lose big to an alternative energy company. Research Director Philip Mattera cited Evergreen Solar's bankruptcy in Massachusetts, after that state had given the company $31 million in grants and incentives. Advanced battery maker A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy after getting more than $125 million in tax credits and aid from Michigan.
"These things are risky and it sounds like Mississippi is paying the price for a risk that didn't work out," Mattera said. "The company was unproven and it sounds like the technology it was using was unproven. That might be a little too much risk for the public sector."
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ? Investigators say a man found dead of an apparent suicide in an Alaska jail was not only suspected of killing an Anchorage barista but may be linked to seven other possible slayings around the country.
Israel Keyes, who had also confessed to killing a Vermont couple, was found dead in his cell Sunday, authorities said at a news conference that included U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler, the FBI, and Anchorage police.
Keyes was facing a March trial in Anchorage federal court for the murder of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, who was abducted from a coffee kiosk in the city last February. He was later arrested in Texas after using the victim's debit card.
Anchorage police chief Mark Mew said Keyes confessed to killing Koenig, as well as killing Bill and Lorraine Currier of Essex, Vt.
The bodies of the Curriers have never been found. They were last seen leaving their jobs on June 8, 2011. Co-workers reported them missing the next day.
Keyes, 34, also indicated he killed four others in Washington state and one person in New York state, but didn't give the victims' names, authorities said.
Authorities wouldn't say how Keyes killed himself, only that he was alone in his cell. An autopsy will be conducted.
Keyes could have faced the death penalty in the Koenig case.
The FBI contends Keyes killed Koenig less than a day after she was kidnapped. Her body was recovered April 2 from an ice-covered lake north of Anchorage.
Koenig's disappearance gripped the city for weeks.
A surveillance camera showed an apparently armed man in a hooded sweat shirt leading Koenig away from the coffee stand. Koenig's friends and relatives established a reward fund and plastered the city with fliers with her photo in hopes of finding the young woman alive.
Prosecutors said Keyes stole the debit card from a vehicle she shared that was parked near her home, obtained the personal identification number and scratched the number into the card.
After killing Koenig, Keyes used her phone to send text messages to conceal the abduction, according to prosecutors. He flew to Texas and returned Feb. 17 to Anchorage, where he sent another text message demanding ransom and directing it to the account connected to the stolen debit card, according to prosecutors.
Keyes made withdrawals from automated teller machines in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas before his arrest in Texas, according to prosecutors. He was charged with kidnapping resulting in Koenig's death.
Koenig's family said there was no apparent previous connection between the teen and the suspect. Reached by phone Sunday, Koenig's father, James Koenig declined to comment on Keyes' death.
In Vermont, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement Sunday that they have been working with investigators in Alaska since April on the Currier case.
Investigators have determined that the couple's home was entered forcibly, and that there was evidence of a possible struggle.
Their car was stolen and was recovered several days after their disappearance at an apartment complex about three-quarters of a mile away from their home.
Marilyn Chates, Bill Currier's mother, told The Associated Press that police contacted her some time ago to tell her about Keyes' confession and to tell her that they believed the couple's killing was random.
Certificates of presumed death were issued over the summer and a memorial service was held in late summer, she said.
Vermont authorities called Chates Sunday to tell her of Keyes' suicide.
"After some thinking, our family has been saved the long road ahead ? trials, possible plea agreements and possible appeals ? and perhaps this was the best thing that could have happened," she said from her home in Florida Sunday evening.
Keyes was thorough and methodical in disposing victims, authorities said Sunday. Only Koenig's body has been recovered.
He didn't have a clear pattern in victims, who ranged widely in age, authorities said. Money appeared to be just a partial motive.
Authorities say they may never know the full extent of Keyes' crimes because he parsed out only a little information at a time, withholding names and locations of most of his victims.
There may be victims in other states, besides the four states noted by Keyes, FBI Special Agent in Charge Mary Rook said.
Keyes also confessed to bank robberies in New York state and Texas.
___
Associated Press writer Rebecca Miller contributed to this report.
Stanford geoscientist cites critical need for basic research to unleash promising energy sources Public release date: 4-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Shwartz, Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy mshwartz@stanford.edu 650-723-9296 Stanford University
"There is a critical need for scientists to address basic questions that have hindered the development of emerging energy resources, including geothermal, wind, solar and natural gas, from underground shale formations," said Mark Zoback, a professor of geophysics at Stanford University. "In this talk we present, from a university perspective, a few examples of fundamental research needs related to improved energy and resource recovery."
Zoback, an authority on shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing, served on the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Committee on Shale Gas Development. His remarks will be presented in collaboration with Jeff Tester, an expert on geothermal energy from Cornell University, and Murray Hitzman, a leader in the study of "energy critical elements" from the Colorado School of Mines.
Enhanced geothermal systems
"One option for transitioning away from our current hydrocarbon-based energy system to non-carbon sources is geothermal energy from both conventional hydrothermal resources and enhanced geothermal systems," said Zoback, a senior fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford.
Unlike conventional geothermal power, which typically depends on heat from geysers and hot springs near the surface, enhanced geothermal technology has been touted as a major source of clean energy for much of the planet.
The idea is to pump water into a deep well at pressures strong enough to fracture hot granite and other high-temperature rock miles below the surface. These fractures enhance the permeability of the rock, allowing the water to circulate and become hot.
A second well delivers steam back to the surface. The steam is used to drive a turbine that produces electricity with virtually no greenhouse gas emissions. The steam eventually cools and is re-injected underground and recycled to the surface.
In 2006, Tester co-authored a major report on the subject, estimating that 2 percent of the enhanced geothermal resource available in the continental United States could deliver roughly 2,600 times more energy than the country consumes annually.
But enhanced geothermal systems have faced many roadblocks, including small earthquakes that are triggered by hydraulic fracturing. In 2005, an enhanced geothermal project in Basel, Switzerland, was halted when frightened citizens were shaken by a magnitude 3.4 earthquake. That event put a damper on other projects around the world.
Last year, Stanford graduate student Mark McClure developed a computer model to address the problem of induced seismicity.
Instead of injecting water all at once and letting the pressure build underground, McClure proposed reducing the injection rate over time so that the fracture would slip more slowly, thus lowering the seismicity. This novel technique, which received the 2011 best paper award from the journal Geophysics, has to be tested in the field.
Shale gas
Zoback also will also discuss challenges facing the emerging shale gas industry. "The shale gas revolution that has been under way in North America for the past few years has been of unprecedented scale and importance," he said. "As these resources are beginning to be developed globally, there is a critical need for fundamental research on such questions as how shale properties affect the success of hydraulic fracturing, and new methodologies that minimize the environmental impact of shale gas development."
Approximately 30,000 shale gas wells have already been drilled in North America, he added, yet fundamental challenges have kept the industry from maximizing its full potential. "The fact is that only 25 percent of the gas is produced, and 75 percent is left behind," he said. "We need to do a better job of producing the gas and at the same time protecting the environment."
Earlier this year, Zoback and McClure presented new evidence that in shale gas reservoirs with extremely low permeability, pervasive slow slip on pre-existing faults may be critical during hydraulic fracturing if it is to be effective in stimulating production.
Even more progress is required in extracting petroleum, Zoback added. "The recovery of oil is only around 5 percent, so we need to do more fundamental research on how to get more hydrocarbons out of the ground," he said. "By doing this better we'll actually drill fewer wells and have less environmental impact. That will benefit all of the companies and the entire nation."
Energy critical elements
Geology plays a surprising role in the development of renewable energy resources.
"It is not widely recognized that meeting domestic and worldwide energy needs with renewables, such as wind and solar, will be materials intensive," Zoback said. "However, elements like platinum and lithium will be needed in significant quantities, and a shortage of such 'energy critical elements' could significantly inhibit the adoption of these otherwise game-changing technologies."
Historically, energy critical elements have been controlled by limited distribution channels, he said. A 2009 study co-authored by Hitzman found that China produced 71 percent of the world's supply of germanium, an element used in many photovoltaic cells. Germanium is typically a byproduct of zinc extraction, and China is the world's leading zinc producer.
About 30 elements are considered energy critical, including neodymium, a key component of the magnets used in wind turbines and hybrid vehicles. In 2009, China also dominated the neodymium market.
"How these elements are used and where they're found are important issues, because the entire industrial world needs access to them," Zoback said. "Therefore, if we are to sustainably develop renewable energy technologies, it's imperative to better understand the geology, metallurgy and mining engineering of these critical mineral deposits."
Unfortunately, he added, there is no consensus among federal and state agencies, the global mining industry, the public or the U.S. academic community regarding the importance of economic geology in securing a sufficient supply of energy critical elements.
Panel discussion
Immediately following the Dec. 4 AGU talk, Zoback will participate in a panel discussion at 5:35 p.m. on the challenges and opportunities for energy and resource recovery. The panel will be led by Joseph Wang of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and will include William Brinkman of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science; Marcia McNutt, director of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Jennifer Uhle of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 12:05 p.m., Zoback will deliver another talk on the risk of triggering small-to-moderate size earthquakes during carbon capture and storage.
Carbon capture technology is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks and sequestering the CO2 in underground reservoirs or mineral deposits.
Zoback will outline several elements of a risk-based strategy for assessing the potential for accidentally inducing earthquakes in carbon dioxide reservoirs. The talk will be held in Room 2004, Moscone Center West.
###
Mark Shwartz writes about science and technology at the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University.
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Stanford geoscientist cites critical need for basic research to unleash promising energy sources Public release date: 4-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Shwartz, Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy mshwartz@stanford.edu 650-723-9296 Stanford University
"There is a critical need for scientists to address basic questions that have hindered the development of emerging energy resources, including geothermal, wind, solar and natural gas, from underground shale formations," said Mark Zoback, a professor of geophysics at Stanford University. "In this talk we present, from a university perspective, a few examples of fundamental research needs related to improved energy and resource recovery."
Zoback, an authority on shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing, served on the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Committee on Shale Gas Development. His remarks will be presented in collaboration with Jeff Tester, an expert on geothermal energy from Cornell University, and Murray Hitzman, a leader in the study of "energy critical elements" from the Colorado School of Mines.
Enhanced geothermal systems
"One option for transitioning away from our current hydrocarbon-based energy system to non-carbon sources is geothermal energy from both conventional hydrothermal resources and enhanced geothermal systems," said Zoback, a senior fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford.
Unlike conventional geothermal power, which typically depends on heat from geysers and hot springs near the surface, enhanced geothermal technology has been touted as a major source of clean energy for much of the planet.
The idea is to pump water into a deep well at pressures strong enough to fracture hot granite and other high-temperature rock miles below the surface. These fractures enhance the permeability of the rock, allowing the water to circulate and become hot.
A second well delivers steam back to the surface. The steam is used to drive a turbine that produces electricity with virtually no greenhouse gas emissions. The steam eventually cools and is re-injected underground and recycled to the surface.
In 2006, Tester co-authored a major report on the subject, estimating that 2 percent of the enhanced geothermal resource available in the continental United States could deliver roughly 2,600 times more energy than the country consumes annually.
But enhanced geothermal systems have faced many roadblocks, including small earthquakes that are triggered by hydraulic fracturing. In 2005, an enhanced geothermal project in Basel, Switzerland, was halted when frightened citizens were shaken by a magnitude 3.4 earthquake. That event put a damper on other projects around the world.
Last year, Stanford graduate student Mark McClure developed a computer model to address the problem of induced seismicity.
Instead of injecting water all at once and letting the pressure build underground, McClure proposed reducing the injection rate over time so that the fracture would slip more slowly, thus lowering the seismicity. This novel technique, which received the 2011 best paper award from the journal Geophysics, has to be tested in the field.
Shale gas
Zoback also will also discuss challenges facing the emerging shale gas industry. "The shale gas revolution that has been under way in North America for the past few years has been of unprecedented scale and importance," he said. "As these resources are beginning to be developed globally, there is a critical need for fundamental research on such questions as how shale properties affect the success of hydraulic fracturing, and new methodologies that minimize the environmental impact of shale gas development."
Approximately 30,000 shale gas wells have already been drilled in North America, he added, yet fundamental challenges have kept the industry from maximizing its full potential. "The fact is that only 25 percent of the gas is produced, and 75 percent is left behind," he said. "We need to do a better job of producing the gas and at the same time protecting the environment."
Earlier this year, Zoback and McClure presented new evidence that in shale gas reservoirs with extremely low permeability, pervasive slow slip on pre-existing faults may be critical during hydraulic fracturing if it is to be effective in stimulating production.
Even more progress is required in extracting petroleum, Zoback added. "The recovery of oil is only around 5 percent, so we need to do more fundamental research on how to get more hydrocarbons out of the ground," he said. "By doing this better we'll actually drill fewer wells and have less environmental impact. That will benefit all of the companies and the entire nation."
Energy critical elements
Geology plays a surprising role in the development of renewable energy resources.
"It is not widely recognized that meeting domestic and worldwide energy needs with renewables, such as wind and solar, will be materials intensive," Zoback said. "However, elements like platinum and lithium will be needed in significant quantities, and a shortage of such 'energy critical elements' could significantly inhibit the adoption of these otherwise game-changing technologies."
Historically, energy critical elements have been controlled by limited distribution channels, he said. A 2009 study co-authored by Hitzman found that China produced 71 percent of the world's supply of germanium, an element used in many photovoltaic cells. Germanium is typically a byproduct of zinc extraction, and China is the world's leading zinc producer.
About 30 elements are considered energy critical, including neodymium, a key component of the magnets used in wind turbines and hybrid vehicles. In 2009, China also dominated the neodymium market.
"How these elements are used and where they're found are important issues, because the entire industrial world needs access to them," Zoback said. "Therefore, if we are to sustainably develop renewable energy technologies, it's imperative to better understand the geology, metallurgy and mining engineering of these critical mineral deposits."
Unfortunately, he added, there is no consensus among federal and state agencies, the global mining industry, the public or the U.S. academic community regarding the importance of economic geology in securing a sufficient supply of energy critical elements.
Panel discussion
Immediately following the Dec. 4 AGU talk, Zoback will participate in a panel discussion at 5:35 p.m. on the challenges and opportunities for energy and resource recovery. The panel will be led by Joseph Wang of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and will include William Brinkman of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science; Marcia McNutt, director of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Jennifer Uhle of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 12:05 p.m., Zoback will deliver another talk on the risk of triggering small-to-moderate size earthquakes during carbon capture and storage.
Carbon capture technology is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks and sequestering the CO2 in underground reservoirs or mineral deposits.
Zoback will outline several elements of a risk-based strategy for assessing the potential for accidentally inducing earthquakes in carbon dioxide reservoirs. The talk will be held in Room 2004, Moscone Center West.
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Mark Shwartz writes about science and technology at the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University.
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The?United States spent 121 billion minutes on social media sites in July 2012 alone, according to Nielsen's annual Social Media report. That's 388 minutes???or 6-1/2 hours???per person (if every person in the U.S. used social media). All together, that's?230,060 years we spent staring into the glaring screen of so-called sharing, instead of going outside and playing with our friends, like we're supposed to do in July!?
Hearing the hard numbers on all that?valuable?time seemingly wasted, you may find your fist shaking impotently in the air, while shouting "ZUCKERBERG!!!!" But take a deep breath.?We didn't spend all our social media time on Facebook, Nielsen explains, Just most of it.
According to the consumer?measurement?company's report, tellingly subtitled?"Social Media Comes of Age," Facebook indeed, several times over, is?the most popular social network in the U.S., with 152.2 million visitors on personal computers,?78.4 million users via?mobile apps, and?74.3 million visitors via the mobile Web. That's no big surprise.?The Nielsen study, which surveyed?1,998 social media users ages 18 and older between July 19 and Aug.?8, 2012, had some some new information too.?
Pinterest, for example,?is one of the "breakout stars in social media for 2012, boasting the largest year-over-year increase in both unique audience and time spent of any social network across PC, mobile web and apps," according to Nielsen. At?sixth place (behind Blogger, Twitter, WordPress and LinkedIn?respectively), the image-sharing network saw more than a 1,000 percent traffic increase since Nielsen's 2011 report. ?
Overall, we here in the U.S. spend?roughly 20 percent of our time on personal computers liking, tweeting, pinning,?whatever it is we do on Tumblr and other stuff on social media, and 30 percent of our time on our mobile devices doing the same.?
We've got a lot more social media options, and a lot more ways to engage, from the all-absorbing time sinkhole that is Facebook, to the fun GIFs and pretty pictures that are Tumblr and Pinterest. What's more, most of the social media sites work together, and they're all accessible via those smartphones we're increasingly obsessed with. Personal computers are the main way we interact online, but the time we spent with social media and apps via cellphone increased 63 percent in 2012, Nielsen reports.?
As 2012 comes to an end, and these hard numbers slap you in the face, it's understandable if you feel some regret about that collective 230,060 years spent goofing around or whatever it is you do on social media. But let's be honest. If not for Facebook and its ilk, it's not like you'd be discovering the Higgs boson particle. You'd probably be watching "Family Matters" reruns ...?and you know it.?
Helen A.S. Popkin is always going "blah blah blah" about online privacy, then she asks you to follow her on Facebook and/or Twitter ? because that's how she rolls.?
The gift of a good app can turn a phone someone's frustrated with into a device that they'll fall in love with again. A great mobile app can be a lifesaver, fill a real need in your life, and be well worth a little cash. Here are our favorite (and your favorite) paid apps worth giving to the Android owner (or Android?owner-to-be) on your gift list.
Many of these apps also have free versions that you or the Android?fan on your list may or may not be used to working with, but when it comes down to it, they're all apps where you can get great additional features if you're willing to lay down a few bucks for the pro versions or unlock keys.
TWEAKING AND CUSTOMIZATION
Nova Launcher Prime
Reader In_Sweden?recommended Nova Launcher Prime, and we agree: it's?one of your favorite Android launchers, and it turns your Ice Cream Sandwich device into a brand new device. It supports themes from ADW Launcher, another popular Android launcher, is flexible with how many home screens you configure, supports beautiful animations and gestures, and?comes packed with widgets.?With Nova Launcher Prime, you even get unread message and notification counts for email, voicemail and more. If the Android user in your life is frustrated with a carrier's crappy UI, this is a great gift for them.
Tasker The ultimate Android tweaking utility, and definitely not for everyone, Tasker gives you total control over your device. If you've ever thought "I wish that would happen when this happens," Tasker is the app to do it. If you have an Android lover on your list and they're ready to get their hands dirty customizing their device, Tasker is a great gift. To get them started, hook them up with our?Tasker tips?and tricks. Then, tell them to install the Tasker App Factory and export some of their profiles so you can enjoy your gift too!
SwiftKey 3 Android's stock keyboard is pretty good, but offering users options is what Android is all about, and SwiftKey is a fantastic keyboard option for beginner and advanced users alike. It's our favorite keyboard, and its word prediction and auto-correction are unmatched among its many competitors. Plus, with SwiftKey Flow on the way, it'll be even more versatile and customizable, so it's worth getting in on the ground floor. SwiftKey comes in phone and tablet versions, so even your friend with a Nexus 7 in the gift pile this year can get some use out of it. Trust us, once you've used a keyboard that's smart enough to scan the apps you use to learn the way you write, you'll never go back.
MEDIA AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Doggcatcher If the Android user on your list this year loves to listen to or watch podcasts, give them the gift of portability with our favorite podcast manager for Android. It's come a long way since our first recommendation, and while it's still not perfect, it's more than worth the $5 you'll put down on it. It's fast, flexible, supports audio, video and RSS, and lets you create "virtual" feeds???or playlists mixed up of your favorite podcasts so you can watch new downloads in any order you choose. You can tell it to download new episodes only?when you want (at night, over Wi-Fi, etc.), and the app offers variable-speed playback, for those people who prefer to listen at two?or?three times regular speed. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the developer is super-responsive to user inquiries.
Camera ZOOM FX We think Camera ZOOM FX is the best camera app for Android, and recent updates have only made it better. The app gives you control over your photos that most stock camera apps don't, like white balance, burst shooting, geotagging, and 1-tap uploads to Flickr, Instagram, Picasa or any other service you use. Recent updates have brought in tap-to-focus (a highly requested feature) and editing tools so you can crop or apply photo filters to your shots immediately after taking them. The app even lets you clap to take a photo, or use the stable-shot timer to snap a photo right when you're holding your phone still.
NewsRob If there's a voracious reader on your list, or just someone who loves their blogs and can't get enough of their RSS feeds, NewsRob is still one of the best Android feed readers around. The free version is probably already on their phone (or should be,) and syncs with Google Reader so they don't have to sift through feeds on their desktop that they already read on their phone or tablet. The Pro version here drops the ads, opens up some filtering options, lets you save articles for offline reading, and more.
Plex Going mobile doesn't mean that you???or the Android user in your life???has to be without all of the music and movies they have at home. We've shown you how to take your media on the go with Plex in the past, and the app's real strong suit is that it transcodes on the fly and plays virtually anything you throw at it on any supported device. Plus, the app is only getting better, even if you don't have a huge media center set up at home.
PRODUCTIVITY
Astrid Power Pack Astrid is your favorite to-do app, and for good reason. It's fast, flexible, cross-platform, and just keeps updating with new features and improvements that leave its competition behind. If you're shopping for someone who could use a little organization, Astrid is a great app suggestion, but buying them the Astrid Power Pack ensures they'll get the most out of the service. The Power Pack offers up home screen widgets so they can always see their to-dos without having to open the app, and most importantly it lets them talk to their phone add and manage to-dos with their voice. The Power Pack also includes voice reminders when something is due, so they can't just ignore it.
QuickOffice Pro Don't let anyone tell you that you can't be productive on an Android phone or tablet. With QuickOffice Pro, the Android user on your holiday shopping list can turn their device from a casual emailing and entertainment machine into something they can get real work done on. QuickOffice Pro supports Microsoft Office documents, including spreadsheets, opens them, edits them, saves them and exports them easily. The app has a built-in file manager to grab email attachments, and even supports reading and annotating PDF documents. Plus, the tablet version isn't just a port of the phone version??it's much larger and well suited to real productivity.
Splashtop Remote Desktop Sometimes you can't do everything you want to do from your Android device and really need to get to a desktop. For those times, Splashtop Remote Desktop is the answer, and if you're shopping for an IT professional or someone who just loves their Android phone or tablet more than they love their laptop or desktop (especially after hours), do them a favor and give them this app. Splashtop Remote Desktop streams WIndows and Mac desktops to your Android phone or tablet and gives you complete control over them so you can manage them or stream files, music, photos, or movies via Wi-Fi or 3G/4G.
MailDroid Pro If the only email accounts you use with your Android phone are Gmail accounts, you may not need an additional app, but if you have multiple POP, IMAP, or Exchange accounts you want to use your phone with, you'll need a better mail app than the stock one. MailDroid Pro is a great alternative, and while we pooh-poohed it when compared to our favorite Android mail app, K-9 Mail, the app has come a long way and gotten a complete rewrite and overhaul since we looked at it last. It's still pricey, but that's what makes it a good gift, as reader Philip Pratt?notes. Plus it supports custom rules, enterprise calendars, signatures, customizable alerts for different accounts, Dropbox and more. There's a free version to try first, and once your Android lover wants the ads gone and the pro features, that's when you can give them their gift.
OTHER USEFUL UTILITIES
Sleep As Android If there's someone on your list that's having a little trouble sleeping, Sleep as Android makes a perfect gift. The app tracks sleep patterns and stages over the course of a night, making sure you wake up gently at the right stage of your sleep cycle so you're refreshed for the day ahead. We've mentioned the app before, and how it can show you your sleep patterns over weeks or months, sleep recordings, and more. The free version keeps a two-week limit on some of the advanced features, while the pro unlock key opens up natural sound alarms, graph history, and more. What better gift to give a friend or loved one than the gift of a good night's sleep?
Titanium Backup Pro Key Why not give the gift of data security this holiday season? Titanium Backup for root users is free and does a great job of keeping all of your data safe in case your phone dies or needs to be replaced. If you pick up the Pro Key for the Android user on your list, they can automate their backups, and even sync them to Dropbox. Better than that though, they'll never have to worry that the important data on their phone will be lost if their device is stolen, wiped, or damaged.
A special thanks goes out to everyone who provided suggestions! It made putting together these guides a lot easier, and a better fit for you.
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Stars such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are arriving at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles to pay homage to four industry heavyweights.
The film academy's fourth annual Governors Awards are being presented Saturday to honorary Oscar winners Jeffrey Katzenberg, stuntman Hal Needham, documentarian D.A. Pennebaker and American Film Institute founding director George Stevens Jr.
The four men will accept their Oscar statuettes during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' private dinner program in the Ray Dolby Ballroom. Portions of the untelevised event may be included in the Feb. 24 Academy Awards telecast.
Other guests expected at Saturday's ceremony include Quentin Tarantino, Bradley Cooper, Kristen Stewart, Bryan Cranston and Oscar host Seth MacFarlane.
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Public release date: 4-Dec-2012
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