Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center and Perelman School of Medicine have managed to successfully destroy cancerous tumours for the first time in 20 years with gene therapy. The pioneering method uses the patients own white blood cells, or T-cells, and genetically modify them to attack cancer cells.

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A new study published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows just why it is that people tend to turn to fatty foods in order to boost their emotional state and reduce feelings of sadness. Be it chocolate chip cookies, French fries and a chocolate shake or whatever your favorite fatty food may be, researchers say these fatty foods create a biological change in your body to reduce the feelings of sadness.

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Chimpanzees, the closest living relatives to humans, do not experience a decrease in brain volume as they age like humans do, according to a study by George Washington University researcher Chet Sherwood and his colleagues. There are many similarities between the species, but this discovery reveals an important distinction, demonstrating how humans are unique from other animals. The study "Aging of the Cerebral Cortex Differs Between Humans and Chimpanzees" is the first study of its kind in this field and will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on July 25, 2011.

“Although other animals experience some cognitive impairment and brain atrophy as they age, it appears that human aging is marked by more dramatic degeneration,” said Dr. Sherwood, associate professor of anthropology in GW’s Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the volume of the whole brain and numerous specific internal structures using a sample of 99 chimpanzee brains ranging from 10-51 years of age. This data were compared to brain structure volumes measured in 87 humans ranging from 22-88 years of age.

Measurements of the neocortical gray and white matter, frontal lobe gray and white matter and the hippocampus were performed. In contrast to humans, who showed a decrease in the volume of all brain structures over the lifespan, chimpanzees did not display significant age-related changes. Furthermore, the effects of aging in humans were only evident after the maximum age of chimpanzees. As a result, the researchers concluded that the brain shrinkage seen in human aging is evolutionarily novel and is the result of an extended lifespan.

The hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for encoding new memories and maintaining spatial navigation, was of specific interest to the researchers, as this area is especially vulnerable to age-associated atrophy in humans. In addition, the hippocampus is the region of the brain most prominently affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an illness that is only seen in primarily older humans. AD is a form of dementia that is associated with a loss of brain function, impacting memory, thinking and behavior. AD is a result of neurodegeneration, which is the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including the death of neurons. The unique vulnerability seen in humans to develop AD may be in part due to the human tendency to show more pronounced brain atrophy than any other species, even in normal, healthy aging.
“What’s really unusual for humans is the combination of an extremely long life and a large brain,” said Dr. Sherwood. “While there are certainly benefits to both of these adaptations, it seems that more intense decline in brain volume in the elderly of our species is a cost.”

Established in 1821 in the heart of the nation’s capital, the George Washington University Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is the largest of GW’s academic units. It encompasses the School of Media and Public Affairs, the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration and more than 40 departments and programs for undergraduate, graduate and professional studies. The Columbian College provides the foundation for GW’s commitment to the liberal arts and a broad education for all students. An internationally recognized faculty and active partnerships with prestigious research institutions place Columbian College at the forefront in advancing policy, enhancing culture and transforming lives through research and discovery.

In the heart of the nation's capital with additional programs in Virginia, the George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 countries.

More information: "Aging of the cerebral cortex differs between humans and chimpanzees," by Chet C. Sherwood et al.

Provided by George Washington University

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A little practice goes a long way, according to researchers at McMaster University, who have found the effects of practice on the brain have remarkable staying power.

The study, published this month in the journal Psychological Science, found that when participants were shown visual patterns—faces, which are highly familiar objects, and abstract patterns, which are much less frequently encountered—they were able to retain very specific information about those patterns one to two years later.

"We found that this type of learning, called perceptual learning, was very precise and long-lasting," says Zahra Hussain, lead author of the study who is a former McMaster graduate student in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour and now a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham. "These long-lasting effects arose out of relatively brief experience with the patterns – about two hours, followed by nothing for several months, or years."

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If you see a food package emblazoned with the phrase “Trans-fat free,” you might want to consider that code for “look closer.”

The reason: The Food and Drug Administration allows food manufacturers to claim that products have “zero grams trans fat” if each serving contains less than .5 grams of the stuff. And even though that might not seem like a big deal, those .49 grams can add up pretty darn quickly. Besides, when’s the last time you only had one serving of potato chips or crackers?

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Source: WOMEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE

Green tea health benefits:

Melts belly fat
Keeps teeth healthy
Lowers BMI (Body Mass Index)
Reduces chance of skin cancer (can help repair DNA damage caused by UVB rays).
Prevents stroke
Decreases lung chance risk

Fresh brewed is better than bottled

Bing or Google it.

Source: MEN'S HEALTH & MEN'S JOURNAL MAGAZINES

Food you should eat every day: Beans

Healthiest most nutritious type of beans: Red

Most nutritious vegetables:

Red Beans: Half a cup contains 13,727 different antioxidants

OTHERS:

Beets
Pumpkin including it's seeds
Chilli peppers
Onions
Kale
Brussel sprouts
Sweet potatoes

Bing or Google it