DNA motor programmed to navigate a network of tracks

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 22-Jan-2012
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Contact: David Kornhauser
pr@icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp
81-757-539-755
Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University

Kyoto, Japan -- Expanding on previous work with engines traveling on straight tracks, a team of researchers at Kyoto University and the University of Oxford have successfully used DNA building blocks to construct a motor capable of navigating a programmable network of tracks with multiple switches. The findings, published in the January 22 online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology, are expected to lead to further developments in the field of nanoengineering.

The research utilizes the technology of DNA origami, where strands of DNA molecules are sequenced in a way that will cause them to self-assemble into desired 2D and even 3D structures. In this latest effort, the scientists built a network of tracks and switches atop DNA origami tiles, which made it possible for motor molecules to travel along these rail systems.

"We have demonstrated that it is not only possible to build nanoscale devices that function autonomously," explained Dr. Masayuki Endo of Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), "but that we can cause such devices to produce predictable outputs based on different, controllable starting conditions."

The team, including lead author Dr. Shelley Wickham at Oxford, expects that the work may lead to the development of even more complex systems, such as programmable molecular assembly lines and sophisticated sensors.

"We are really still at an early stage in designing DNA origami-based engineering systems," elaborated iCeMS Prof. Hiroshi Sugiyama. "The promise is great, but at the same time there are still many technical hurdles to overcome in order to improve the quality of the output. This is just the beginning for this new and exciting field."

###

The article, "A DNA-based molecular motor that can navigate a network of tracks" by Shelley F. J. Wickham, Jonathan Bath, Yousuke Katsuda, Masayuki Endo, Kumi Hidaka, Hiroshi Sugiyama, and Andrew J. Turberfield was published online in the January 22, 2011 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G037930/1), the Clarendon Fund, the OxfordAustralia Scholarship Fund, CREST of JST, and a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

About the iCeMS

The Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) at Kyoto University in Japan aims to advance the integration of cell and material sciences -- both traditionally strong fields for the university -- in a uniquely innovative global research environment. The iCeMS combines the biosciences, chemistry, materials science, and physics to capture the potential power of stem cells (e.g., ES/iPS cells) and of mesoscopic sciences (e.g., porous coordination polymers). Such developments hold the promise of significant advances in medicine, pharmaceutical studies, the environment, and industry.



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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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 22-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: David Kornhauser
pr@icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp
81-757-539-755
Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University

Kyoto, Japan -- Expanding on previous work with engines traveling on straight tracks, a team of researchers at Kyoto University and the University of Oxford have successfully used DNA building blocks to construct a motor capable of navigating a programmable network of tracks with multiple switches. The findings, published in the January 22 online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology, are expected to lead to further developments in the field of nanoengineering.

The research utilizes the technology of DNA origami, where strands of DNA molecules are sequenced in a way that will cause them to self-assemble into desired 2D and even 3D structures. In this latest effort, the scientists built a network of tracks and switches atop DNA origami tiles, which made it possible for motor molecules to travel along these rail systems.

"We have demonstrated that it is not only possible to build nanoscale devices that function autonomously," explained Dr. Masayuki Endo of Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), "but that we can cause such devices to produce predictable outputs based on different, controllable starting conditions."

The team, including lead author Dr. Shelley Wickham at Oxford, expects that the work may lead to the development of even more complex systems, such as programmable molecular assembly lines and sophisticated sensors.

"We are really still at an early stage in designing DNA origami-based engineering systems," elaborated iCeMS Prof. Hiroshi Sugiyama. "The promise is great, but at the same time there are still many technical hurdles to overcome in order to improve the quality of the output. This is just the beginning for this new and exciting field."

###

The article, "A DNA-based molecular motor that can navigate a network of tracks" by Shelley F. J. Wickham, Jonathan Bath, Yousuke Katsuda, Masayuki Endo, Kumi Hidaka, Hiroshi Sugiyama, and Andrew J. Turberfield was published online in the January 22, 2011 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G037930/1), the Clarendon Fund, the OxfordAustralia Scholarship Fund, CREST of JST, and a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

About the iCeMS

The Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) at Kyoto University in Japan aims to advance the integration of cell and material sciences -- both traditionally strong fields for the university -- in a uniquely innovative global research environment. The iCeMS combines the biosciences, chemistry, materials science, and physics to capture the potential power of stem cells (e.g., ES/iPS cells) and of mesoscopic sciences (e.g., porous coordination polymers). Such developments hold the promise of significant advances in medicine, pharmaceutical studies, the environment, and industry.



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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/ific-dmp012012.php

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Obama is Surely Celebrating the Republican Presidential Campaign (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | In Colorado in 2010, one would have thought with the way public sentiment was dramatically shifting that the state would have seen a Republican governor. It was the Republicans' election to lose. And lose it they did. After the viability of Republican candidate, Dan Maes, faltered, well-known conservative, Tom Tancredo, jumped the Republican ship for the American Constitution Party and started picking off conservative votes and endorsements. Meanwhile, Democrat John Hickenlooper sat back, vowed to run a positive campaign, reached out to conservatives and won the seat.

Watching how this year's Republican primary season is shaping out, it's like seeing Colorado 2010 all over again, but on a grander, federal scale. According to The Daily Caller, in spite of candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's great showing at the South Carolina primary election, Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume predicted that members of Congress now up for election would probably want to distance themselves from Gingrich, his past history and his current poll numbers, which show an unfavorable view of him by more than half the public.

The major problem I see with the Republican presidential prospects for this election is that none of them seems very electable. They all have serious problems -- Newt Gingrich with his ex-wives and his well known political falterings seems to lack the moral integrity that you would hope a candidate of either party would have. Mitt Romney, with all his millions, here and everywhere and taxed somewhat differently than other people's income is taxed, seems out of touch. Rick Santorum lacks the support or appeal outside the evangelist right. And Ron Paul's positions -- while quite intriguing on many things -- are too far off from the mainstream to garner a nomination.

None of the so-called front-runners has managed to inspire me at all and one of these men will ultimately go up against an incumbent who, for all his shortcomings (and there are many), has proven his ability to speak well and to inspire people.

And that's the thing: For all the money and time that is being spent dishing the dirt and trying to prove why one candidate is more distasteful than the other, there is still another candidate to face and another race to run and in that race, there will be no points for second place. In spite of some serious issues in this country that would normally spell doom for an incumbent president, I can't see any of the current herd of Republican candidates being able to beat Obama in the general election.

Which looks to me like yet another case of the Republicans beating themselves. Of them having an advantage of shifting public sentiment and just blowing it.

If Obama isn't celebrating right now, he's missing a great opportunity.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120122/pl_ac/10869809_obama_is_surely_celebrating_the_republican_presidential_campaign

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Sundance for sale: Festival market is wide open (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? Just about everyone has something to sell at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which has an unusually large inventory of titles looking for a home with movie distributors.

All of the films in the star-laden premieres lineup are up for sale to U.S. distributors in the festival that opened Thursday and runs through Jan. 29.

Sundance organizers believe it's the first time none of its premieres came into the independent-film showcase with domestic distribution, potentially making it a busier time for buyers to see them all along with the huge slate of movies up for sale in the festival's four main competitions, which tend to focus on newer talent.

"I guess we'll have a lot of competition, with all the premieres in kind of the same boat, so to speak," said James Marsh, whose Northern Ireland thriller "Shadow Dancer," starring Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough, is among the films on sale at Sundance. "One of the reasons we're happy to be at Sundance is that marketplace element."

The festival opened Thursday with premieres of four of the 64 films playing in its U.S. and world-cinema competitions. The big launch for star-studded premieres was to begin Friday night with the debut of Lee Toland Krieger's divorce story "Celeste and Jesse Forever," with Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg and Elijah Wood, and Rodrigo Cortes' paranormal tale "Red Lights," with Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver and Robert De Niro.

Other years, at least some of those premieres enter the festival with distribution already in place, such as last year's Fox Searchlight entries "Win Win" and "Cedar Rapids."

It could just be an aberration this year, with distributors that might have had something to show at Sundance unable to get the films ready in time. Whatever the reason, it means more films competing for buyers' attention throughout the festival.

Many films that play Sundance never make it beyond the film festival circuit or wind up getting such limited theatrical release that barely anyone in the real world sees them. Filmmakers come to Sundance hoping they hook up with distributors that will put the same care into releasing them that went into making them.

There have been great success stories for past Sundance acquisitions, among them "Little Miss Sunshine," "In the Bedroom," "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Garden State." Yet for every hit that emerges from Sundance, there are a dozen films virtually no one has ever heard of.

Brokering deals has never been the main goal of the festival itself, which is overseen by Robert Redford's Sundance Institute to give independent filmmakers a place to show their work. But it's good for Sundance and the indie world to have as many of its films graduate to commercial theaters as possible.

It's that sort of success that improves a filmmaker's odds of raising money to make another film, which is such a battle in the indie landscape that some directors joke that they're professional fundraisers who occasionally get to shoot a movie.

Among the premieres seeking domestic distribution at Sundance are Stephen Frears' gambling caper "Lay the Favorite," with Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rebecca Hall; Spike Lee's urban drama "Red Hook Summer"; Leslye Headland's bridesmaid comedy "Bachelorette," starring Kirsten Dunst; and Jake Schreier's geriatric jewel-thief tale "Robot and Frank," featuring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon.

At least as important as finding a distributor is finding the right distributor, a company that loves the film as much as its creators do and will invest time and resources to get it in front of audiences.

Writer-director Julie Delpy, who co-stars with Chris Rock in the relationship comedy "2 Days in New York," said distribution rights for her film already have been sold in some countries but that her producers decided to hold off on striking a deal for its U.S. release so they could shop it around at Sundance.

"We're hoping to sell it. It's a question of how to sell it and the best person to make sure it's nurtured the right way and released the right way," said Delpy, whose film is a sequel to her 2007 comedy "2 Days in Paris."

With 117 films, most of them hunting for buyers, Sundance will be a scramble for distributors as they rush to see as many movies as they can and try to strike deals on the ones they want.

Sundance has seen occasional bidding wars that have driven the price of some films to more than $10 million, a fortune in the low-budget cinema world. Some pricey festival acquisitions, such as "Little Miss Sunshine," become hits that earn their money back many times over. Others, such as "Happy, Texas" and "Next Stop Wonderland," wind up as commercial duds.

Bidding wars have become rare in recent years as studios closed low-budget film banners and grew more cautious about throwing money around at film festivals amid the economic downturn.

Still, buyers have to be careful to avoid getting caught up in the frenzy over films that set festival crowds buzzing. A film that earns a rapturous response in the thin, high-altitude air of the Utah mountains may be met with indifference at sea level.

"You're just so busy. You have to figure out a way to see the movies and make a business decision based on the reaction at Sundance, which could be the last reaction like that for the film," said Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, whose Sundance acquisitions last year included Vera Farmiga's "Higher Ground" and Michael Rapaport's "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest."

"You just don't know if that reaction is going to translate to the rest of the country or the rest of the world."

___

Online:

http://www.sundance.org

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_en_mo/us_film_sundance_buyer_s_market

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IBM 4Q earnings beat estimates, revenue falls shy (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? IBM Corp.'s fourth-quarter earnings handily beat Wall Street's expectations on Thursday, helped by higher revenue and profit margins in the technology icon's lucrative software and services segments.

The results and IBM's stronger-than-expected outlook for this year sent IBM's stock up more than 2 percent after hours. The company offered a welcome sign of stability amid the global economic turmoil that's prompting worries about a slowdown in technology spending by businesses and governments, who are IBM's customers.

One sore spot was revenue, which fell short of analyst expectations; the rise in software and services revenue wasn't enough to offset a decline in hardware. Also, the stronger dollar is squeezing overseas revenue.

IBM earned $5.49 billion, or $4.62 per share, in the three months that ended Dec. 31. That's up 4 percent from $5.26 billion, or $4.25 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were $4.71 per share, easily surpassing analysts' expectations of $4.61 per share.

Revenue grew 2 percent to $29.49 billion from $29.02 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected slightly higher revenue of $29.7 billion.

IBM said currency shifts since its last quarterly report in October lowered fourth-quarter revenue by about $300 million. The deepening economic crisis in Europe, along with the continuing weakness in the U.S. economy and signs of a slowdown in emerging markets are prompting worries about global companies like IBM.

But IBM has long said its long-term contracts insulate it from economic swings, and its full-year forecast is bright. IBM expects adjusted earnings of at least $14.85 per share, above the $14.77 per share that analysts are predicting.

New CEO Ginni Rometty said IBM is "well on track" toward its long-term goal of hitting at least $20 per share in adjusted earnings in 2015 ? a rare example of a long-term earnings target disclosed publicly by a such a large company.

Revenue rose at two of IBM's three largest divisions ? software by 9 percent and services by 3 percent. Hardware revenue fell 8 percent. In the third quarter, IBM's services revenue grew 8 percent, its software revenue climbed 13 percent and its hardware revenue rose 4 percent.

By geography, IBM said revenue from the Americas grew 3 percent in the fourth quarter. Revenue from Europe, the Middle East and Africa combined was up 1 percent and revenue from Asia increased 2 percent.

IBM said its new contract signings were $20.4 billion in the fourth quarter, slightly above analysts' expectations. The company's services backlog at the end of the year was $141 billion, up by $4 billion from the end of the third quarter. Services backlog refers measures the value of work under contract that the company expects to book as revenue in future quarters.

For all of 2011, IBM earned $15.86 billion, or $13.06 per share, up 7 percent from $14.83 billion, or 11.52 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were $13.44 per share, above analysts' expectations of $13.36 per share.

Revenue was $106.92 billion, up 7 percent from $99.87 billion in 2010. Wall Street was expecting $107.08 billion.

The Armonk, N.Y.-based company's stock rose $4.53, or 2.5 percent, to $185.05 after hours. The stock had closed down 55 cents at $180.52.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enterprise/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_bi_ge/us_earns_ibm

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US citizen kidnapped in Nigeria's oil delta

(AP) ? Assailants kidnapped a U.S. citizen leaving a bank in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta Friday, the first such attack targeting foreigners in the restive region for several months.

The attack happened in Warri, the capital of Delta state, local police spokesman Charles Muka said. Investigators believe the assailants trailed the man to the bank and waited outside before kidnapping him, Muka said.

Kidnappers later made contact with authorities and demanded a $333,000 ransom, he said.

The attack occurred in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, where foreign firms have pumped oil out of the country for more than 50 years. Despite the billions flowing into Nigeria's government, many in the delta remain desperately poor, living in polluted waters without access to proper medical care, education or work.

In 2006, militants started a wave of attacks targeting foreign oil companies, including bombing their pipelines, kidnapping their workers and fighting with security forces. That violence waned in 2009 with a government-sponsored amnesty program promising ex-fighters monthly payments and job training. However, few in the delta have seen the promised benefits.

While foreign workers have become harder to target, local kidnapping gangs have begun seizing middle-class Nigerians as well.

Deb MacLean, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria's capital Abuja, said diplomats there were aware of the kidnapping.

"We continue to monitor the situation closely and assist," MacLean said Friday night.

In 2011, there were five reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Nigeria, according to a recent U.S. State Department travel warning about the country. The most recent occurred in November when two U.S. citizens and a Mexican were kidnapped from a Chevron Corp. offshore oil field and held for about two weeks, the State Department said.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-20-AF-Nigeria-Oil-Unrest/id-ce78f427a7f04c32a876441073267859

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Rapid News Communications Group and Roger Grace Associates

Abstract:
Rapid News Communications Group (RNCG) are delighted to announce that they will be working in conjunction with Roger Grace Associates to present a session entitled MEMS Commericialization: From Lab to Fab to the Market on Thursday 8th March at MM/MEMS/NANO Live USA.

Tattenhall, UK | Posted on January 17th, 2012

Roger Grace, President of Roger Grace Associates, the leading firm specializing in MEMS marketing consulting has organized, will present and will chair a technical session focused on providing attendees to the session with a better understanding of the MEMS commercialization process. From the lab to the fab with a focus on manufacturing issues and the infrastructure that supports this process.

Mr. Grace stated "I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the team at Rapid News Communications Group to organize and chair the inaugural MEMS session at this conference. My session, "MEMS Commercialization: From Lab to Fab to the Market" will have four speakers and four panelists including a keynote presentation from Prof. Yogesh Gianchandani who is the director of the University of Michigan Wireless Integrated Microsystems and Sensors Center. My presentation, "Barriers to the Commercialization of MEMS: The 2011 MEMS Industry Report Card" will be debuted at the conference and will address the fourteen critical success factors for MEMS Commercialization based on the results of my recent market study. Other world recognized MEMS technologists will make presentations addressing some of the most contemporary aspects of the MEMS commercialization process including manufacturing, packaging and testing. The panel discussion participants will address the barriers to commercialization from their individual perspectives of wafer foundry, design software, tools, and testing. A Q & A session will conclude the event with audience participation highly encouraged. The goal of the session is to provide the attendee with a base of knowledge to better understand the complexities and viable technologies to help overcome MEMS commercialization barriers."

Duncan Wood, Managing Director of the Events Group at Rapid News, organizer of the event said, "We are delighted to partner with Roger Grace on this initiative. Roger has years of successful MEMS programs under his belt and with the debut of MEMS Live USA this year we felt it essential to deliver a program of high caliber and with Roger on board we can be sure of doing just that. What is unique about this session is that it is free to attend and so all visitors can take advantage of these high level presentations with no fees."

A full program will be made available shortly.
Following its debut in Ohio, 2012 will see MM Live USA and new co-locating feature events MEMS Live USA and NANO Live USA move to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont near Chicago. The events will take place March 7-8th. The move to a more accessible location both nationally and internationally will have a positive impact on attendee numbers, allow continued growth and offer the ability to enhance the visitor and exhibitor experience.

####

About Rapid News Communications Group (RNCG)
MM Live USA, MEMS Live USA and NANO Live USA are organised by Rapid News Communications Group, an international communications company with a focus on business-to-business media in the manufacturing world.

About Roger Grace Associates

Roger Grace Associates, founded in 1982, is located in Naples, Florida and provides comprehensive strategic marketing consulting and marketing communications services to domestic and overseas high- technology-based clients...from startups to Fortune 500?s in addition to government agencies. The firm specializes in conducting market research leading to the creation, development and execution of positioning, branding and actionable market strategies for its clients in the successful commercialization of technology for the semiconductor, semiconductor equipment, Nano and MEMS markets. For more information please visit www.rgrace.com.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Rapid News Communications Group:
Unit 2, Chowley Court
Chowley Oak Lane, Chowley
Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9GA
Tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037
Web: www.rapidnews.com

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

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News and information

Biocompatible Quantum Dot Images Tumors in Live Animals January 19th, 2012

Bismuth Nanoparticles Provide High Fidelity Images of Breast Tumors January 19th, 2012

Giant Magnetoresistance Emerged from Non-magnetic Phase-change Solid-state Memory - 2000% magnetoresistance ratio at room temperature - January 19th, 2012

Applied Nanotech Awarded U.S. Army Contract for Thermal Management of Portable Energy Systems Expands Production Capacity of CarbAl(TM) Material January 19th, 2012

MEMS

New microtweezers may build tiny 'MEMS' structures January 17th, 2012

Baolab announces evaluation kits for its award winning NanoEMS MEMS - available to customers January 16th, 2012

Holographic 3-D looks tantalizingly closer in 2012 December 28th, 2011

MM, MEMS & NANO Live UK 2012 December 12th, 2011

Announcements

Biocompatible Quantum Dot Images Tumors in Live Animals January 19th, 2012

Bismuth Nanoparticles Provide High Fidelity Images of Breast Tumors January 19th, 2012

Giant Magnetoresistance Emerged from Non-magnetic Phase-change Solid-state Memory - 2000% magnetoresistance ratio at room temperature - January 19th, 2012

Applied Nanotech Awarded U.S. Army Contract for Thermal Management of Portable Energy Systems Expands Production Capacity of CarbAl(TM) Material January 19th, 2012

Events/Classes

Nanometrics to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Financial Results on February 8, 2012 January 18th, 2012

Five Ways Nanomanufacturing Improves Manufacturing Today: SME?s NanoManufacturing Conference and Exhibits, March 27-28, Boston, will highlight the current and near-term applications of nanotechnology and how they are transforming manufacturing January 18th, 2012

Printed Electronics: The Hot Topics January 17th, 2012

SAVE THE DATE - Harris & Harris Group Meet the Portfolio Day - March 13, 2012 January 17th, 2012

Source: http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=44297

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Mexico's new public art exhibit examines 'roots' (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? They look like images from a science fiction movie, gigantic white roots invading emblematic spots around the Mexican capital, crawling across stone plazas and snaking from windows of colonial buildings.

"Raices," or "Roots," is a new public exhibit by Mexican artist Rivelino, designed to provoke reflection about the nation's past.

Collectively weighing about 28 metric tons, and extending three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) in length, the roots are manufactured with an interior of steel and covered in polyurethane and fiberglass.

The exhibit was inaugurated Wednesday night and will be on display through the end of February at 14 historic sites around the city including the Palacio de Bellas Artes, or Fine Arts Palace, and the National Museum of Art.

Some of the roots are installed at the Plaza of Three Cultures, which brings together elements of Mexico's indigenous past, the Spanish conquest and the modern mix of the two. The plaza was the site of a 1968 government massacre of students and other protesters.

"It's about questioning who we are; it's about trying to make a point about historical events," said Rivelino, whose full name is Jose Rivelino Moreno Valle.

Other sites being used include the 18th century Corpus Christi Convent and the Revolution Monument.

Installation of the exposition took more than 48 continuous hours of work and the help of 250 previously trained volunteers.

Alejandra Gilling, coordinator of open galleries for Mexico City's Culture Department, said "Raices" is the largest exposition installed in the capital since the capital's public art program was launched in 2006.

"Raices" follows "Nuestros Silencios," or "Our Silences," another monumental work that Rivelino installed in 2011 in the Zocalo, Mexico City's central plaza. It had been displayed earlier in various European cities over two years.

"Nuestros Silencios" explored freedom of expression through 10 bronze sculptures weighing about a ton each.

Rivelino says "Raices" is a natural outgrowth of the previous project. While he characterizes "Nuestros Silencios" as a closed emotion, he says Raices "is completely open."

The project cost about 8 million (nearly $600,000) and was financed without any public funds ? a major reason it gained government support.

"Rivelino presented us with a project that was 100 percent financed," Gilling said. "It seems to us that it has quality, that it's going to have a great impact on the public."

___

Online:

Artist's site: http://www.rivelino.com.mx

___

Isaac Garrido on Twitter at http://twitter.com/igarridoAP.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/arts/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_en_ot/lt_mexico_public_art_exhibit

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Ky. jobless rate has hit 3-year low at 9.1 percent (AP)

FRANKFORT, Ky. ? Kentucky is reporting that the state unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent in December, a three-year low.

The Office of Employment and Training said that was down slightly from 9.4 percent in November.

The state added 8,400 nonfarm jobs, raising the number of Kentuckians with jobs to 1,808,700.

Seven of the 11 major job sectors reported an increase in job numbers.

Kentucky's trade, transportation and utilities sector added 3,400 jobs in December. The leisure and hospitality sector gained 2,700 jobs. The professional and business services sector added 1,200 jobs. And manufacturing added 1,100.

Education and health services sector lost 1,000 jobs in December. Mining and logging lost 300 jobs for the month.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_bi_ge/us_jobless_rate_kentucky

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European court: Cleric can't be deported from UK (AP)

LONDON ? An extremist cleric described as one of Europe's leading al-Qaida operatives should not be deported to Jordan to face trial because of the risk evidence obtained through torture would be used against him, Europe's highest court ruled Tuesday.

After a six-year legal battle, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that deporting Abu Qatada from Britain ? where he is in prison custody ? would "give rise to a flagrant denial of justice."

Abu Qatada ? whose real name is Omar Mahmoud Mohammed Othman ? is an extremist Muslim preacher from Jordan who has been described in both Spanish and British courts as a leading al-Qaida figure in Europe.

A Palestinian-Jordanian citizen, Abu Qatada arrived in Britain in 1993 and was detained in 2002 under anti-terrorism laws which at the time allowed suspected terrorists to be held in jail without charge.

Though Abu Qatada was released in 2005, when the unpopular law was overturned, he was kept under surveillance and arrested again within months, to be held pending his deportation to face terrorism charges in Jordan.

While living in Britain, he was convicted in his absence in Jordan of terrorist offenses related to two alleged bomb plots.

Although Abu Qatada has never faced criminal charges in Britain, authorities in the U.K. have accused him of advising militants and raising money for terrorist attacks. He "is a leading spiritual advisor with extensive links to, and influence over, extreme Islamists in the U.K. and overseas," prosecutors told a British court in 2007.

Britain's Home Secretary Theresa May said the U.K. would consider appealing the European court's decision. It has a three-month window in which to make any appeal, the court said.

"I am disappointed that the court has made this ruling," May said in a statement. "This is not the end of the road, and we will now consider all the legal options available to us."

Abu Qatada will remain held in British prison custody while a decision is made, she said.

May has not specified what Britain would do if it loses any appeal, though it is likely Abu Qatada would be freed from prison and monitored under a surveillance program which requires those suspected of involvement in terorrism ? but not charged with any crime ? to abide by a curfew and wear an electronic anklet.

Britain's Special Immigration Appeals Commission has previously been told Abu Qatada was also suspected of links to a bomb plot in Strasbourg, France, and to the raising of funds for terrorism in Chechnya.

In their ruling, the European judges based in Strasbourg said they did not accept Abu Qatada's claims that he would face ill treatment or torture at the hands of Jordanian authorities if sent there for trial, citing recent agreements between Jordan and the U.K.

But the judges warned that evidence in his case had been obtained by torturing his co-accused.

"The court found that torture was widespread in Jordan, as was the use of torture evidence by the Jordanian courts," the ruling said. "In relation to each of the two terrorist conspiracies ... the evidence of his involvement had been obtained by torturing one of his co-defendants."

Judges said evidence obtained through torture was illegal under international law and was also unreliable. The ruling said "there was a high probability that the incriminating evidence would be admitted ... and that it would be of considerable, perhaps decisive, importance."

Britain's highest court had ruled in 2009 that Abu Qatada should be deported to Jordan, despite fears over his potential mistreatment.

Human rights group Liberty urged the British government to make efforts to have Abu Qatada prosecuted in Britain.

"The court found that torture and evidence obtained that way is widespread in" Jordan, Shami Chakrabarti, the group's director, said in a statement. "So it is clear that, if Abu Qatada is to be tried for terrorism, this should happen in a British court without further delay."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_radical_preacher

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