A Sampling of Clips for Aug. 31, 2010

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

An Unlikely General in Climate-Change War
The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 31 -- In 2002, when Rajendra Pachauri was elected head of the world's top climate-science body, Al Gore and other environmentalists condemned him as a favorite of the fossil-fuel industry.  Today, the 70-year-old chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is under fire for the opposite offense: being a green zealot.  (Quotes David Victor, professor at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at UC San Diego). More

Olfactory Art: A New Genre
Psychology Today, Aug. 30 -- The distinctive rich aroma of chocolate, which is linked to pleasurable experiences for most people, was developing an interesting history in art even before it was scientifically found to be so chemically complex and pharmacologically active, with mood-altering components, including phenethylamines and caffeine. An array of contemporary artists and their conceptually oriented works, including Dieter Roth's P.O.TH.A.A.VFB, Sonja Alhäuser's Exhibition Basics, Anya Gallaccio's Stroke, Paul McCarthy's Santa with Tree and Bell, George Heslop's Jesus on the Cross and Ed Ruscha's Chocolate Room have demonstrated that the distinct smell and taste of chocolate makes a powerful cultural and chemical connection in the brain where art is perceived and emotional responses determined, producing a double or triple whammy of memories, associations and emotions.  (Anya Gallaccio is a professor of visual arts at UC San Diego). More

Obituary: Frank C. Garland Dies at 60; Epidemiologist Helped Show Importance of Vitamin D
Los Angeles Times, Aug. 31 -- Frank C. Garland, the UC San Diego epidemiologist who, with his brother Cedric, was the first to demonstrate that vitamin D deficiencies play a role in cancer and other diseases, died Aug. 17 at UC San Diego’s Thornton Hospital. He was 60 and had been suffering for nearly a year from cancer of the esophageal junction. More

The Case for Boosting Vitamin D
San Diego Union-Tribune, Aug. 31 -- Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because it’s naturally produced in our skin after exposure to ultraviolet B light from the sun. Yet studies suggest much of the world’s population – young and old – is lacking in the nutrient, and that this deficiency is linked to a wide variety of diseases and conditions, from diabetes and multiple sclerosis to cancer and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease.  (Quotes Cedric F. Garland, professor of family and preventive medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine). More

Groener & Chisholm Star in THE TRAIN DRIVER at Long Wharf Theatre, Oct. 27- Nov. 21
Broadway World, Aug. 31 -- Tony Award nominated actors Harry Groener and Anthony Chisholm are set to star in The Train Driver, according to an announcement from Long Wharf Theatre. The theatre will present The Train Driver this fall, from October 27 to November 21.  The Train Driver is the newest play by South African playwright Athol Fugard.  (Athol Fugard is a professor in the department of theatre and dance at UC San Diego). More

REGION: Scripps Holds International Climate Conference
North County Times, Aug. 30 -- Deterioration of coral reefs points to contemporary climate changes that rival those of major geologic upheavals, said Ken Caldeira, a scientist with the Carnegie Institution for Science, before an audience Monday at the 10th International Conference on Paleoceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. More

RESEARCH REPORT: Anti-gravity Treadmill in Tests for Knee Rehab
La Jolla Light, Aug. 31 -- Scientists at the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education (SCORE) at Scripps Clinic are conducting a study of a new anti-gravity treadmill for knee rehabilitation. Based on technology developed by NASA, the treadmill simulates a weightless environment by using air pressure to lift the patient and reduce gravitational forces on the lower extremities. This allows people to run or walk at a fraction of their weight. For those recovering from knee surgery, less force on the joint often means less pain. (Mentions the UC San Diego School of Medicine) More

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