| The First Art Newspaper on the Net | Established in 1996 | Saturday, December 17, 2011 |
| | Before The Law: Post-War sculptures and spaces of contemporary art at Museum Ludwig
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Pawel Althamer, Bródno People, 2010. Verschiedene Materialien, 252 x 600 x 165 cm. Sammlung Goetz. Foto: Achim Kukulies © Pawel Althamer, Courtesy Sammlung Goetz.
COLOGNE.- The question of the fundamental conditions of human existence is of timeless importance as well as contemporary urgency. Human rights violations and assaults on human dignity can be observed every day – the media seeming to allow us to examine these with increasing thoroughness. The exhibition Before the Law is dedicated in both a focused and comprehensive manner to the central theme of the human condition and its fragility. The sculptures of the postwar era and spaces of contemporary art visualize with great immediacy how the various artists come to terms with the conditio humana. This show, organized in collaboration with Siemens Stiftung, is the last programmatic exhibition curated by Kasper König at Museum Ludwig. The parable and metaphor providing the topic for the exhibition is the eponymous short story by Kafka. It tells of a man from the countryside seeking to gain entry to the law. The doorkeeper ... More |
| Six artists illustrate the broad spectrum of contemporary sculpture at Haus der Kunst | | Menil Collection celebrates return of Byzantine frescoes with exhibition until March 2012 | | The Coe Collection of American Indian Art on view at Metropolitan Museum of Art | 
Phyllida Barlow, Untitled: 11 columns; standing, fallen, broken, 2011. Photo: Wilfried Petzi, 2011.
MUNICH.- Six artists - Phyllida Barlow, Alexandra Bircken, Michael Beutler, Vincent Fecteau, Anita Leisz, and Kimberly Sexton - illustrate the broad spectrum of contemporary sculpture. Their works share an artistic process, which is sparked and formulated by the materials used. The objects are characterized by the acts executed during production: the enveloping, tearing, folding, bending and compressing of the materials involved. They also have a reserved to humorous eccentricity and a love of experimentation in common. Since the 1960s, artists have increasingly distanced themselves from the autonomous sculpture. Artists like Richard Serra and Robert Morris confronted the artwork as a commercial object with the process and act of its creation. This ambivalent approach to the object found its continuation in institutional critique and contextual art. Today artists no longer consider these act as ends in themselves, but they select these rather with regard to their social and cult ... More | | 
Lysi Apse fresco installed in Byzantine Fresco Chapel, Houston. Virgin and Archangels. © Paul Warchol Photography 1996.
HOUSTON, TX.- The Menil Collection announced that March 4, 2012 will be the final day to see the Byzantine frescoes currently housed on its campus in the Byzantine Fresco Chapel, after which time they will be returned to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus. In celebration of the frescoes, their time in Houston, and the purpose-built Chapel that has been their home for fifteen years, the Menil will present special public events commemorating the return of this sacred art. The works, the largest intact Byzantine frescoes in the Western hemisphere, have been on long-term loan to the Menil from the Orthodox Church of Cyprus following their rescue by the Menil Foundation twenty-eight years ago. They are being returned to Cyprus following the conclusion of the loan agreement between the two parties. At the heart of the Menil’s mission is the belief that art and spirituality are powerful forces in contemporary society and central to a ... More | | 
Robert Davidson, Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), British Columbia, Noble Woman Mask, 2001. Alder, paint, copper, shell inlay, human hair. H. 13 x W. 12 in. (33 x 30.5 cm). Ralph T. Coe Collection, Gift of the Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts, 2011 (2011.154.193)
NEW YORK, N.Y.- Drawn from works given and bequeathed to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Ralph T. Coe (1929 – 2010) from a collection that was a half century in the making, the exhibition of The Coe Collection of American Indian Art is comprised of some 40 objects that span a period from several millennia BCE to the year 2001 and are made in materials that vary widely, from stone to ceramic to animal hide. Ralph T. Coe, known as Ted, was both a collector and curator, and played a major role in increasing public recognition and appreciation of American Indian art during the 50 years over which his collection was formed. The oldest pieces in the exhibition are the intimately scaled stone tools known as bannerstones and birdstones. Part of the paraphernalia used for hunting with spear-throwers, they ... More |
| Stunning Hercules figure sets new world record at Bonhams' Fine European Ceramics auction | | Soaring steel sculpture by preeminent American artist Mark di Suvero at Brooklyn Bridge Park | | Day three of the Collection of Elizabeth Taylor at Christie's realizes a combined $5,586,913 | 
The stunning figure of Hercules is based on the famous Antique sculpture of the Farnese Hercules, now in the Archaeological Museum in Naples.
FLORENCE.- A very rare and important 82cm high porcelain figure of Hercules created at the Doccia factory in Tuscany in 1753-55 sold for £657,250 last week in Bonhams Fine European Ceramics auction, setting a new world record pirce for Doccia porcelain at auction. It was the first time that a Doccia figure of this size had come to auction and the piece far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £300,000-500,000. Nette Megens, Bonhams European Ceramics Specialist, comments, “It was a great joy to have such a masterpiece in our sale, its price set a new benchmark for the fast expanding market for Doccia porcelain. Other figures of this importance are kept in museums around the world, so to be able to offer a previously unknown figure from a private collection was a huge thrill. It received the attention it deserved, and we are delighted with its sale.” The stunning figure of Hercules is based on the famous Antique sculp ... More | | 
Mark di Suvero, Yoga, 1991. Photograph by Julienne Schaer, © 2011.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.- Storm King Art Center, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy have announced the installation at the Park of a soaring steel sculpture by preeminent American artist Mark di Suvero. Organized and implemented by Storm King, working closely with the Park and the Conservancy, the presentation of the work, titled Yoga (1991), represents the first initiative in an anticipated ongoing arts program there. The roughly thirty-foot-tall composition is sited on the Bridge View Lawn at the Park’s Pier 1, overlooking the East River. It comprises an I-beam—bent into a U-shape—that rocks and pivots on a stainless-steel pole, itself topped by an O-shaped element. The sculpture creates changing shadows and perspectives as the I-beam variously “points” to the harbor, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Governors Island, and beyond, while the “O” may remind viewers of a ship’s po ... More | | 
Andy Warhol, Liz (Feldman and Schellmann II.7) offset lithograph in colors, 1964, on wove paper, signed in felt-tip pen, 21 7/8 x 21 7/8 in. Estimate: $30,000-50,000 Price Realized: $662,500. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2011.
NEW YORK, N.Y.- The two-day sale series devoted to the haute couture, fashion and accessories portion of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor realized a combined total of $5,586,913 (£3,631,493/ €4,301,923). A fitting celebration of Hollywood‟s most glamorous star and her fearless sense of style, this portion of the collection was 100% sold by lot and by value. Comprising almost 400 of Miss Taylor‟s most iconic looks, the sales featured fashion and accessories collected over five decades with scores of museum-quality treasures. The Evening Sale opened with an announcement that the Elizabeth Taylor Trust will donate Miss Taylor‟s sunflower yellow dress from her first marriage to Richard Burton to a major American institution. Further details will be announced by the Trust in the coming days. The top ... More |
| Nationalmuseum to get passionate this spring, exhibition of over 100 works depict emotions | | $2.7 million for South Australian museum to fight bugs in its bug collection | | Vast Collections, from artistic treasures to everyday items, on the National Trust go online | 
Edvard Munch, Despair, 1892. Oil on canvas. Thielska Galleriet. Photo:© Thielska Galleriet.
STOCKHOLM.- This spring’s big exhibition at Nationalmuseum, Passions, is all about emotion in art. Starting on 8 March, over 100 works depicting emotions such as sorrow, fear and joy will go on show. The artists represented include Dürer, Munch, Rembrandt, Tony Oursler, Rineke Dijkstra and Bill Viola. Passions – Five Centuries of Art and the Emotions, the major exhibition at Nationalmuseum this spring, will examine how the emotions are interpreted and portrayed in art. Body language has been a source of fascination through the ages, right up to the present day. Self-help books and courses offer guidance on interpreting the secret language of the human body and on appropriate body language for various situations. Artists have been interested in the emotions, and how they are expressed, since ancient times, depicting facial expressions, gestures and body language in their works to convey sorrow, suffering, fear, ... More | | 
In the most recent outbreak in early September, some holotype specimens – the original physical example of a species – were infested.
ADELAIDE.- As part of the Mid Year Budget Review, the Government has allocated $2.7 million to the South Australian Museum, to stop a recurring infestation of beetles that could threaten its world-class insect collection. Anthrenus verbasci, also known as carpet beetles, are highly destructive, difficult to control and could threaten the irreplaceable specimens within the museum. In the most recent outbreak in early September, some holotype specimens – the original physical example of a species – were infested. Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, the Chair of the Board of the South Australian Museum, said the museum houses more than two million insect specimens, collected and described over the last 150 years. “This funding will help to preserve our unique collection for local and international research. “The collection is irreplaceable and its loss would cause a gap in our ability to understand Australian and glo ... More | | .jpg)
Lavishly furnished Georgian dolls’ house at Uppark, West Sussex.
WARRINGTON.- From great works of art by Gainsborough to the ordinary cotton underpants of a Midlands grocer, details of over 700,000 objects in the care of the National Trust go online for the first time. Now anyone with an interest in historic objects or old curiosities can have virtual access to collections from over 200 historic properties. The website also includes details of collections in storage, items that are too fragile to display, or on loan to other museums, making it one of the largest online resources for historic collections in the world. The National Trust cares for some of the UK ’s greatest works of art as well as the personal collections of many famous former owners such as Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie, Rudyard Kipling, Beatrix Potter and George Bernard Shaw. There are artistic treasures from stately houses but also thousands of everyday items from modest homes, mills, cottages and ... More |
| Kenneth Wayne appointed Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Noguchi Museum | | Donors honor retiring Cantor Arts Center Director with gifts of art and endowed fund | | Marklin boat, Ives man on rocking horse top the parade of toys at Bertoia's $1.55M auction | 
Kenneth Wayne will be the first person to hold this position at the Museum.
QUEENS, N.Y.- Jenny Dixon, Director, The Noguchi Museum, announced that Kenneth Wayne has been named Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at The Noguchi Museum. Mr. Wayne, who assumes his post on January 3, 2012, will be the first person to hold this position at the Museum. Ms. Dixon states, “We are delighted that Kenneth Wayne will be joining The Noguchi Museum staff. A highly regarded expert in modern sculpture, with extensive museum experience, he will bring new scholarship on Noguchi and his work to the Museum’s exhibitions, publications, and programming. I know that the Board of Trustees and staff join me in welcoming Kenneth to the Museum.” Mr. Wayne added, “I am thrilled to be joining The Noguchi Museum, one of New York City’s great cultural treasures. I look forward to working with my new colleagues, and to deepening our understanding of Noguchi, his work, and its place in the history of mod ... More | | 
Artist unknown, Fang, Gabon, 19th-20th century. Four-faced Headdress. Wood and pigment, 14-3/4 x 8-1/4 x 8 in. Given in honor of Thomas K. Seligman by the Halperin Family, 2011.125.
STANFORD, CA.- In a tribute to Thomas K. Seligman, the retiring director of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, 23 donors are giving 57 artworks to the Center, to be added to its comprehensive collection. Also to honor Seligman, more than 200 people contributed funds to support student engagement in the Cantor Arts Center’s Education Department, using new technologies to facilitate learning about art. The artworks, given as outright and promised gifts in Seligman’s honor, include a Joseph Cornell box construction from the Marmor Foundation, a Nathan Oliveira collage from Burt and Deedee McMurtry and a hanging scroll by Huang Binhong from Sandy and Vinie Miller. Paintings include oil-on-canvas works by Richard Diebenkorn, from John and Jill Freidenrich, and by Wayne ... More | | 
Vichy automaton of lady with hand mirror, 30 inches tall, Jumeau head, $18,400. Bertoia Auctions image.
VINELAND, N.J.- Collectors in a quest to find rare antique toys in superior condition struck gold at Bertoia’s Nov. 11-12 Toys on World Tour auction, which realized $1,550,000. The 1,502-lot sale was very well attended, with phone bidders keeping Bertoia’s staff members constantly engaged. Internet bidding played a major role in the auction’s success, as well. The daily average of purchases attributable to online buyers was 27.4%. Cast-iron toys proved to be a category with resiliency, as evidenced by the setting of several world auction records. “I would say that at this auction cast iron was not only back, but back to the future. That’s how strong it was,” said Bertoia Auctions associate Rich Bertoia. “The Donald Kaufman auction series, which grossed over twelve million dollars, seems to have reignited the fever of collecting cast iron. We even saw a few new players at the sale. ... More |
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 MARA3D delivers first mobile art reference app for artists MONTREAL, QC.- MARA3D, Inc., an artist-based mobile app development company in Montréal, Canada, announced its first mobile application: “MARA3D: David Giraud Male Anatomy”. This mobile app introduces artists to a revolutionary new way of referencing and interacting with 3D human anatomy models. By offering multiple poses, layers of detail and unlimited viewing angles, MARA3D makes finding an artistic perspective, angle, and shading reference faster and easier than ever before. Support for other mobile OS platforms, including Android™, is near completion, and expected for early 2012. MARA3D is available now for Apple® iPod touch®, iPhone®, and iPad® on the Apple iTunes App Store for US $3.99. Key features include real-time dynamic lighting, multiple poses, grid overlay, saved views, full 3D gesture-based interaction, and the ability to view and study subjects from any angle in skin, grey-scale ... More Sotheby's sells an unpublished autograph manuscript by Charlotte Brontë for £690,850 / $ 1,069,229 LONDON.- Sotheby’s London announces that in a tense bidding battle yesterday, in its English Literature, History, Children’s Books & Illustrations sale, Charlotte Brontë’s autograph manuscript, The Young Men’s Magazine, Number 2, was sold for £690,850 / $ 1,069,229, more than twice the pre-sale estimate of £200,000-£300,000 - a record at auction for a manuscript by any of the Brontë sisters. The manuscript, dated 1830, written by a fourteen-year-old Charlotte Brontë, had never previously been seen by scholars. It was bought by La Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits, Paris, where it will be exhibited in January. Peter Selley, Senior Director and Specialist in Sotheby’s Books & Manuscripts Department, said: “The record price set today reflects the huge international interest in Charlotte Brontë’s work and Sotheby’s was honoured to sell a manuscript of such importance and rarity. The tiny Youn ... More Exhibition of new work by Alan Michael at David Kordansky Gallery LOS ANGELES, CA.- David Kordansky Gallery announces Res Gestae, an exhibition of new work by Alan Michael. Concerned with a densely cross-referential network of reflection, repetition, and subtly conflicting stylistic choices, Michael's practice represents an investigative, even experimental, approach to the contemporary fascination with reference material and the narratives that accompany images and objects of all kinds. The exhibition will consist of oil paintings and oil and silkscreen works on canvas. Michael's attention to detail, and his deep understanding of the history of the medium, bring the work into conversation with a surprising lineage of photorealist, pop, and appropriation-based forbears. Res Gestae, the show's title, is commonly understood as Latin for 'things done,' and was part of the Roman emperor Augustus's funerary inscription, itself regarded as an early, mortuary-inspired version of a ... More Fellowship Exhibition at the School of the International Center of Photography NEW YORK, N.Y.- The International Center of Photography presents Faces of Aravind and The Tierney Foundation Fellowship Exhibition showcasing the work of fellowship recipients who documented daily life in India’s Aravind Eye Care System and explored personal projects. Dramatic images from a day in the life of India’s internationally renowned Aravind Eye Care System will be on view at the School of the International Center of Photography, December 17, 2011 to March 18, 2012. The 10 photographs in the exhibition were taken by Willie Davis, an ICP alumnus, as part of an ICP travel fellowship to Aravind hospitals in Madurai and Pondicherry, India. This exhibition includes 10 prints of his work. Headquartered in Madurai, India, Aravind Eye Care System is the world’s largest, most efficient provider of eye care services and trainer of eye care personnel. From its humble beginnings as an 11-bed eye hospital, ... More Museum Kunst der Westküste to create a crocheted coral reef as a collective, cross-border installation ALKERSUM.- From January to June 2012 a crocheted coral reef will be created as a collective, cross-border installation. The project is open to all interested. On 13 and 14 January 2012, a lecture and a workshop led by Margaret Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring will take place at the Museum Kunst der Westküste to kick off the project. The workshop serves to provide instruction on crocheting corals, anemones, sea snails and other marine organisms. Following the workshop, weekly crocheting sessions are scheduled at the museum’s café. In the summer of 2012 (10 June – 16 September, 2012), the Föhr Reef will be shown as part of a special exhibition at the museum along with additional Sub-Reefs and other crocheted sea creatures of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project. In nature, coral reefs are special ecosystems that are considered to be the largest structure on earth created by living beings. Modeled on them, the c ... More |
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- Researchers assess effects of a world awash in nitrogen
- Chimpanzees in research: Statement on Institute of Medicine report by NIH Director Francis Collins
- Shared flavor compounds show up on US menus, rare in Asian cuisines
- How B cells may generate antibodies after vaccination
- Less knowledge, more power: Uninformed can be vital to democracy, study finds
- Discovery of a 'dark state' could mean a brighter future for solar energy
- Close family ties keep cheaters in check: Why almost all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell
- Biofuel research boosted by discovery of how cyanobacteria make energy
- Tool detects patterns hidden in vast data sets
- Endorphin plays traffic cop to organs
- Shape, fit of reproductive organs evolve quickly and in concert, leaving size behind
- Acid rain poses a previously unrecognized threat to Great Lakes sugar maples
- Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy, Canadian study shows
- Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars
- Cancer from fetal exposure to carcinogens depends on dose, timing
- New study shows promise for preventing preterm births
- Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation
- Blood test might predict how well a depressed patient responds to antidepressants
- 'Fantastic voyage' through the body, with precision control
- Second-guessing one's decisions leads to unhappiness, psychology researcher finds
- Report recommends stringent limits on use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research
- Researchers closer to understanding the evolution of sound production in fish
- Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined: Levels linked to galvanic corrosion, disinfectants, pH
- Oral bacteria enables breaking bond on blood vessels to allow invaders in
- Key genetic error found in family of blood cancers
- 'Smart Connector' could save millions in lost revenue
- A simple clip could increase quality of life for thousands of patients with a common heart problem
- Unwanted online sexual exposures decline for youth, new research finds
- What makes solo terrorists tick?
- Working to change bridge fabrication and inspection practices
- More clues in the hunt for the Higgs: Physicists unveil the largest amount of data ever presented for the Higgs search
- Pregnant women advised to stay cool for baby's sake
- 140 new species described by California Academy of Sciences in 2011
- Low iron levels in blood raises blood clot risk, new research suggests
- Computing: Improving security in the cloud
- Hide and seek signals for white blood cells
- Report on human subjects protection
- New light on medicinal benefits of plants
- From heterogeneous patient measurements towards earlier diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease
- How cells limit inflammation in lung injury
- Young star rebels against its parent cloud
- Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery
- Global forests are overlooked as water suppliers, study shows
- Ultraviolet rays believed to prevent chickenpox spreading
- Research on solubility yields promise for pharmaceutical, other industries
- Less blood clot damage with extra treatment, research suggests
- New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans
- First low-mass star detected in globular cluster
- New genetic program converts static cells into mobile invasive cells
- Almost noiseless nanomechanical microwave amplifier
- Fungus-induced neurological disease: An underestimated risk for animals and humans?
- What determines the capacity of short-term memory?
- A galaxy blooming with new stars
- Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru
| Researchers assess effects of a world awash in nitrogen Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:27 PM PST Humans are having an effect on Earth's ecosystems but it's not just the depletion of resources and the warming of the planet we are causing. Now you can add an over-abundance of nitrogen as another "footprint" humans are leaving behind. The only question is how large of an impact will be felt.  | | Chimpanzees in research: Statement on Institute of Medicine report by NIH Director Francis Collins Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:57 AM PST The following is a statement by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on the Institute of Medicine report addressing the scientific need for the use of chimpanzees in research.  | | Shared flavor compounds show up on US menus, rare in Asian cuisines Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST North Americans and Western Europeans love a good mix of alpha-terpineol, 4-methylpentanoic acid and ethyl propionate for dinner, flavor compounds shared in popular ingredients like tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and white wine. Authentic East Asian recipes, on the other hand, tend to avoid mixing ingredients with many shared flavor compounds, according to new research.  | | How B cells may generate antibodies after vaccination Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Scientists have shown how immune cells, called B lymphocytes, are able to produce daughter cells that are not equal, a finding that might explain how lifelong antibodies are made after vaccination.  | | Less knowledge, more power: Uninformed can be vital to democracy, study finds Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Uninformed individuals -- as in those with no prior knowledge or strong feelings on a situation's outcome -- can actually be vital to achieving a democratic consensus, according to new research. These individuals tend to side with and embolden the numerical majority and dilute the influence of powerful minority factions who would otherwise dominate everyone else.  | | Discovery of a 'dark state' could mean a brighter future for solar energy Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST The efficiency of conventional solar cells could be significantly increased, according to new research on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion.  | | Close family ties keep cheaters in check: Why almost all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Any multicellular animal poses a special difficulty for the theory of evolution. Most of its cells will die without reproducing, and only a privileged few will pass their genes. Given the incentive for cheating, how is cooperation among the cells enforced? Evolutionary biologists suggest the answer is frequent population bottlenecks that restart populations from a single cell.  | | Biofuel research boosted by discovery of how cyanobacteria make energy Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Research expected to help scientists to discover new ways of genetically engineering bacteria to manufacture biofuels overturns a generally accepted 44-year-old assumption about how certain kinds of bacteria make energy and synthesize cell materials. With this better understanding of how cyanobacteria make energy, it might be possible to genetically engineer a cyanobacterial strain to synthesize 1,3-butanediol -- an organic compound that is the precursor for making not only biofuels but also plastics.  | | Tool detects patterns hidden in vast data sets Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Researchers have developed a tool that can tackle large data sets in a way that no other software program can. Part of a suite of statistical tools called MINE, it can tease out multiple patterns hidden in health information, statistics amassed from a season of major league baseball, data on the changing bacterial landscape of the gut, and more.  | | Endorphin plays traffic cop to organs Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:10 AM PST Spleen to the left, appendix to the right: In order for the body to sort itself out properly, two substances have to trigger a complex chain reaction, according to new research findings.  | | Shape, fit of reproductive organs evolve quickly and in concert, leaving size behind Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST Believed critical for determining which individuals can -- or cannot -- successfully reproduce with each other, genitalia not only figure prominently in the origin of new species, but are also typically the first type of trait to change as new species form. Today, new international research shows that as populations and species diversify, the exact shape and fit of genitalia steals the show over size.  | | Acid rain poses a previously unrecognized threat to Great Lakes sugar maples Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST The number of sugar maples in Upper Great Lakes forests is likely to decline in coming decades, according to ecologists, due to a previously unrecognized threat from a familiar enemy: Acid rain.  | | Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy, Canadian study shows Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST Almost two-thirds of women in British Columbia filled at least one prescription at some point in their pregnancy, including drugs with potential risks, according to a new study.  | | Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST A team of scientists from Oregon has collected microbes from ice within a lava tube in the Cascade Mountains and found that they thrive in cold, Mars-like conditions. They have characteristics that would make the microbes capable of living in the subsurface of Mars and other planetary bodies.  | | Cancer from fetal exposure to carcinogens depends on dose, timing Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST The cancer-causing potential of fetal exposure to carcinogens can vary substantially, causing different types of problems much later in life depending on the stage of pregnancy when the fetus is exposed. The research sheds further light on the way in which toxic damage early in life can later manifest itself as cancer, due to "epigenetic" changes in cells.  | | New study shows promise for preventing preterm births Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST A new study has found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery.  | | Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST A new study has identified a gene mutation that researchers estimate dates back to 11,600 B.C., making it the second oldest human disease mutation known. The mutation was described in people of Arabic, Turkish and Jewish ancestry. It causes a rare, inherited vitamin B12 deficiency. The mutation originated in a single, prehistoric individual and was passed down to that individual's descendants. The discovery should permit reliable genetic diagnosis of suspected cases of Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome.  | | Blood test might predict how well a depressed patient responds to antidepressants Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Researchers are reporting what could become the first reliable method to predict whether an antidepressant will work on a depressed patient.  | | 'Fantastic voyage' through the body, with precision control Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Scientists have devised a method to guide endoscopic "capsules" on a more precise course through the small intestine to detect difficult-to-diagnose tumors or wounds, or allow for biopsies or drug delivery. The ability to manipulate the capsule, he says, will not only lead to better diagnosis capabilities, but a less invasive and quicker procedure as well.  | | Second-guessing one's decisions leads to unhappiness, psychology researcher finds Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST You're in search of a new coffee maker, and the simple quest becomes, well, an ordeal. After doing copious amounts of research and reading dozens of consumer reviews, you finally make a purchase, only to wonder: "Was this the right choice? Could I do better? What is the return policy?"  | | Report recommends stringent limits on use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Given that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans and share similar behavioral traits, the U.S. National Institutes of Health should allow their use as subjects in biomedical research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.  | | Researchers closer to understanding the evolution of sound production in fish Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Researchers studying sound production in perch-like fishes have discovered a link between two unrelated lineages of fishes, taking researchers a step closer to understanding the evolution of one of the fastest muscles in vertebrates.  | | Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined: Levels linked to galvanic corrosion, disinfectants, pH Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST Lead pipes once used routinely in municipal water distribution systems are a well-recognized source of dangerous lead contamination, but new research suggests that the partial replacement of these pipes can make the problem worse. The research shows that joining old lead pipes with new copper lines using brass fittings spurs galvanic corrosion that can dramatically increase the amount of lead released into drinking water supplies.  | | Oral bacteria enables breaking bond on blood vessels to allow invaders in Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST A common oral bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, acts like a key to open a door in human blood vessels and leads the way for it and other bacteria like Escherichia coli to invade the body through the blood and make people sick, according to dental researchers.  | | Key genetic error found in family of blood cancers Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST Scientists have uncovered a critical genetic mutation in some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes -- a group of blood cancers that can progress to a fatal form of leukemia.  | | 'Smart Connector' could save millions in lost revenue Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST Researchers have developed the Smart Connector, a new sensor that once installed in the connecting units of coaxial cables can provide information about equipment damage and pinpoint the exact location through self-diagnosing technologies -- some of the most advanced in the field today.  | | A simple clip could increase quality of life for thousands of patients with a common heart problem Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST The interventional cardiology team recently conducted the first clinical procedure in Canada using the MitraClip system, which is designed to treat patients suffering from mitral valve failure, a very common heart defect that affects an estimated one out five people to various extents starting at the age of 55.  | | Unwanted online sexual exposures decline for youth, new research finds Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST A new study finds declines in two kinds of youth Internet sexual encounters of great concern to parents: Unwanted sexual solicitations and unwanted exposure to pornography. The researchers suspect that greater public awareness may have been, in part, what has helped.  | | What makes solo terrorists tick? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST The double terrorist attack in Norway last July, which claimed 77 lives, has moved violent acts committed by single individuals up the political, media and now research agendas. Known as "lone wolf terrorism," these acts are carried out independently of established terrorist organizations.  | | Working to change bridge fabrication and inspection practices Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:32 AM PST Civil and environmental engineers are concerned about the size of bridges, especially when it relates to how materials will perform in structures where failures might lead to catastrophes. As today's engineers investigate the rebuilding of much of the infrastructure, they are using much improved materials and analysis tools.  | | More clues in the hunt for the Higgs: Physicists unveil the largest amount of data ever presented for the Higgs search Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:56 AM PST Physicists have announced that the Large Hadron Collider has produced yet more tantalizing hints for the existence of the Higgs boson. The European Center for Nuclear Research in Geneva, the international team of thousands of scientists, unveiled for the first time all the data taken over the last year from the two main detectors at the LHC. The results represent the largest amount of data ever presented for the Higgs search.  | | Pregnant women advised to stay cool for baby's sake Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:56 AM PST Medical researchers have found a link between increases in temperature and the incidence of stillbirth and shorter pregnancies.  | | 140 new species described by California Academy of Sciences in 2011 Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:56 AM PST In 2011, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 140 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 72 arthropods, 31 sea slugs, 13 fishes, 11 plants, nine sponges, three corals, and one reptile. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators.  | | Low iron levels in blood raises blood clot risk, new research suggests Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to new research.  | | Computing: Improving security in the cloud Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST New encryption research may lead to improved data security, even for operations performed on remote servers.  | | Hide and seek signals for white blood cells Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST Scientists reveal how certain white blood cells find hidden chemical signals that allow them to exit the bloodstream.  | | Report on human subjects protection Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues has issued its report concerning U.S. federally sponsored research involving human volunteers, concluding that current rules and regulations provide adequate safeguards to mitigate risk.  | | New light on medicinal benefits of plants Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Scientists are about to make publicly available all the data they have so far on the genetic blueprint of medicinal plants and what beneficial properties are encoded.  | | From heterogeneous patient measurements towards earlier diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Medical researchers have developed a decision support tool for objective diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease. The tool compares measurements of a patient to measurements of other persons available in large databases and provides a simple index about the severity of the disease. The project has shown that the tool improves the accuracy of diagnosis and clinicians' confidence about their decision, making earlier diagnosis possible.  | | How cells limit inflammation in lung injury Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Researchers have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation.  | | Young star rebels against its parent cloud Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 has captured this image of a giant cloud of hydrogen gas illuminated by a bright young star. The image shows how violent the end stages of the star-formation process can be, with the young object shaking up its stellar nursery.  | | Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Researchers in Norway report that patients who receive walking skills training following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis show improved physical function. The physical therapy program displayed a positive effect on walking distance and stair climbing which continued 12 months following hip replacement surgery.  | | Global forests are overlooked as water suppliers, study shows Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST The forests of the world supply a significant amount of moisture that creates rain. A new study reveals how this important contribution of forests to the hydrologic cycle is often overlooked in water resource policy, such as that of the EU.  | | Ultraviolet rays believed to prevent chickenpox spreading Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST Ultraviolet rays help prevent the spread of chickenpox, meaning people in milder climates are more at risk of catching the disease, according to new research. The discovery could lead to new ways of preventing chickenpox and its more severe relative, shingles.  | | Research on solubility yields promise for pharmaceutical, other industries Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST A method for increasing solubility (the ability of one substance to dissolve into another), developed by a graduate student has yielded promising commercial benefits for industry, particularly in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agriculture.  | | Less blood clot damage with extra treatment, research suggests Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST Pain, swelling, itching, eczema and venous ulcers are characteristic signs of post-thrombotic syndrome, a condition developed by roughly half the patients who have experienced serious deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots in the leg. It has been demonstrated for the first time that a treatment to dissolve blood clots prevented such complications in a substantial number of patients. The treatment is called catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy.  | | New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans, producing brighter and more precise images, and potentially allowing the detection of cancerous cells before they cause health problems.  | | First low-mass star detected in globular cluster Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Even the most powerful high-tech telescopes are barely able to record remote low-mass and thus faint stars. Astrophysicists have now detected a low-mass star in globular cluster M22 for the first time through microlensing. The result indicates that the overall mass of globular clusters might well be explained without enigmatic dark matter.  | | New genetic program converts static cells into mobile invasive cells Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Researchers have identified the gene GATA 6 as responsible for epithelial cells -which group together and are static- losing adhesion and moving towards a new site. This process, which is common to developing organisms, is very similar to one that occurs in metastasis, when tumor cells escape from the original tumor and invade new tissue.  | | Almost noiseless nanomechanical microwave amplifier Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Physicists have shown how a nanomechanical oscillator can be used for detection and amplification of feeble radio waves or microwaves. A measurement using such a tiny device, resembling a miniaturized guitar string, can be performed with the least possible disturbance.  | | Fungus-induced neurological disease: An underestimated risk for animals and humans? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST The mold fungus Penicillium crustosum occurs relatively frequently in food and animal fodder stored in temperate conditions. This mold produces powerful neurotoxins, for example penitrem A, which causes symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from those of other neurological diseases. Penitrem A is capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier and new research has unveiled the mechanisms behind the neurological effects of the toxin.  | | What determines the capacity of short-term memory? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Short-term memory plays a crucial role in how our consciousness operates. Several years ago a hypothesis has been formulated, according to which capacity of short-term memory depends in a special way on two cycles of brain electric activity. Scientists have now demonstrated this experimentally for the first time.  | | A galaxy blooming with new stars Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) has captured the beauty of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 253. The new portrait is probably the most detailed wide-field view of this object and its surroundings ever taken.  | | Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru Posted: 14 Dec 2011 02:15 PM PST Many developing countries rely on traditional medicine as an accessible and affordable treatment option for human maladies. However, until now, scientific data has not existed to evaluate the potential toxicity of medicinal plant species in Peru. Scientists are now using brine shrimp to determine the toxicity of 341 Northern Peruvian plant species commonly ingested in traditional medicine.  |
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