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Saturday 16 November 2013

Prof. C.N.R. Rao's Bharat Ratna: The Third Toast to Indian Science

Announcing the award of the Bharat Ratna to Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, 79, is a big boost for blue sky scientific research in India.  It is in recognition of what the renowned chemist, Prof. C.N.R. Rao as he is popularly known, has contributed to painstaking advanced scientific research by publishing nearly 1,500 papers in leading scientific journals and 45 books over the past five decades. Such prolific work is usually acknowledged only in the rarified and exclusive world of science academia and research.
Rao will be the third for contribution to science from among the 43 chosen for the country's highest civilian honour. He is the second researcher after the Nobel Prize winning physicist Sir C.V. Raman who will be conferred the Bharat Ratna for pioneering and fundamental research. Raman was awarded it way back in 1954. The only other person chosen for the award from the world of science, years after he made his striking contribution, was A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 1997 for the stellar role he essayed in developing India's integrated missile programme and the Pokharan II nuclear tests which have served as immense and valuable contribution to scientific research and modernization of defence technology. It was, five years on, that he became President of India who gives away the Bharat Ratna.Rao has continuously strived to make a difference by fostering the spirit of inquiry networking institutions and researchers as a leading scientist throughout his career since the time he first joined the faculty of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in 1963 and later as visiting professor at several universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Later, anchored at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Rao made pioneering and international noteworthy contribution to solid state and materials chemistry.His work on transition metal oxides has led to basic understanding of novel phenomena and the relationship between materials properties and the structural chemistry of these materials. He has made immense contributions to nanomaterials over the last two decades besides his work on hybrid materials. He is the founding president of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bengaluru which has since it was started in 1989, to mark the Nehru centenary, been engaged in promoting scientific research and training at the frontiers of science and engineering.Rao has had his share of controversies too including the not so uncommon allegation of cut and paste plagiarism that has often dogged researchers involved in both doctoral and post-Ph.D. work in India. He has been accused of indulging in and allowing plagiarism. In December 2011, he apologized to the peer-reviewed journal  Advanced Materials for reproducing text of other scientists in his research paper. His collaborator and the other senior author of the paper Prof. S.B. Krupanidhi accused a co-author Ph.D. student at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru for the mistake. Stung, the student assumed responsibility and issued an apology.  Later, Rao offered to withdraw the article from the journal but the Editor let the publication stay. He faced flak for this and other allegations of plagiarism and passing the buck to junior scientists. Critics contended that it was unethical for him to claim authorship along with others especially when he has no significant role.The prestigious honour has been announced just days before a road underpass connecting Malleswaram and Yeshwantpur, named after C.N.R. Rao, is opened in Bangalore.
Source:India Today Group

Turmeric Offers Powerful Anti-Cancer Benefits Without Side Effects

 Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, found in Indonesia and southern India, and is known for its widespread use in many South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Widely used as a spice, it increasingly has been recognized as a powerful medicinal remedy that influences many aspects of your health. Most notably, turmeric has been found to reduce tumors by an astounding 81%.

turmericsbenefits 210x131 Turmeric Offers Powerful Anti Cancer Benefits Without Side EffectsIn turmeric is also something known as curcumin, a natural phenol. Named for the plant from which it’s derived, curcumin is the pigment that gives turmeric its distinctive color. It is thought to be the source of the many medicinal effects turmeric is being known to have. Curcumin alone is known to positively impact over 560 diseases according to peer-reviewed research. The Powerful Benefits of Turmeric & Curcumin Among these, turmeric can be recognized for its ability to improve your digestive system and metabolism. It also improves your body’s ability to eliminate wastes and toxins and digest various proteins and fats. This is why traditionally, turmeric is used as an ingredient in many curry dishes — often including rice and beans, creating a synergy effect that allows the food to be more properly utilized by the body. Curcumin, and subsequently turmeric, have also been found to have some stunning anti-Alzheimer’s properties. This may be due to the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin that have been well-documented in many studies. Turmeric also acts as a multi purpose body cleanser, promoting and protecting kidney functionwhile also enhancing your blood flow. Positive effects on cardiovascular function and cholesterol balance have also been observed. Having antioxidant properties, it also helps to attack free radicals and promote overall health. If this were not enough, turmeric has a significant role in cancer prevention. In populations where turmeric is broadly used like India and the Middle East,cancer rates are lower. Turmeric has been found to prevent cancer cells from forming and spreading, as well as helping the body to destroy otherwise mutated cancer cells, prohibiting cancer from reaching  mature forms.  Turmeric is common, inexpensive and provides a potent means for you to increase your overall health and biological functioning. With its regular application in your diet or daily supplement routine, you can expect to begin reaping  its many health benefits.
 Courtesy: Andre Evans Source:http://naturalsociety.com/turmeric-offers-powerful-anti-cancer-benefits-without-side-effects/  
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News Video:Quick Tips: How to Ace a Memory Test

Genes Expressed by the Brain's Immune Cells Identified

Investigators have used a new sequencing method to detect a group of genes used by the immune cells of the brain, which sense pathogens, toxins and damaged cells. Identifying these genes should lead to better understanding of the role of microglia both in normal brains and in neurodegenerative disorders and may lead to new ways to protect against the damage caused by conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The study, which has been published online in Nature Neuroscience, also finds that the activity of microglia appears to become more protective with aging, as opposed to increasingly toxic, which some previous studies had suggested."We've been able to define, for the first time, a set of genes microglia use to sense their environment, which we are calling the microglial sensome," says Joseph El Khoury, MD, of the MGH Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases and Division of Infectious Diseases, senior author of the study. "Identifying these genes will allow us to specifically target them in diseases of the central nervous system by developing ways to upregulate or downregulate their expression." 
A type of macrophage, microglia are known to constantly survey their environment in order to sense the presence of infection, inflammation, and injured or dying cells. Depending on the situation they encounter, microglia may react in a protective manner - engulfing pathogenic organisms, toxins or damaged cells - or release toxic substances that directly destroy microbes or infected brain cells. Since this neurotoxic response can also damage healthy cells, keeping it under control is essential, and excess neurotoxicity is known to contribute to the damage caused by several neurodegenerative disorders. 
El Khoury's team set out to define the transcriptome - the complete set of RNA molecules transcribed by a cell - of the microglia of healthy, adult mice and compared that expression profile to those of macrophages from peripheral tissues of the same animals and of whole brain tissue. Using a technique called direct RNA sequencing, which is more accurate than previous methods, they identified a set of genes uniquely expressed in the microglia and measured their expression levels, the first time such a gene expression 'snapshot' has been produced for any mammalian brain cell, the authors note. 
Since aging is known to alter gene expression throughout the brain, the researchers then compared the sensome of young adult mice to that of aged mice. They found that - contrary to what previous studies had suggested - the expression of genes involved in potentially neurotoxic actions, such as destroying neurons, was downregulated as animals aged, while the expression of neuroprotective genes involved in sensing and removing pathogens was increased. El Khoury notes that the earlier studies suggesting increased neurotoxicity with aging did not look at the cells' full expression profile and often were done in cultured cells, not in living animals. 
"Establishing the sensome of microglia allows us to clearly understand how they interact with and respond to their environment under normal conditions," he explains. "The next step is to see what happens under pathologic conditions. We know that microglia become more neurotoxic as Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders progress, and recent studies have identified two of the microglial sensome genes as contributing to Alzheimer's risk. Our next steps should be defining the sensome of microglia and other brain cells in humans, identifying how the sensome changes in central nervous system disorders, and eventually finding ways to safely manipulate the sensome pharmacologically." 

Source:Nature Neuroscience


 

Friday 15 November 2013

Eat Mushrooms and Stay Energetic: Experts

 Eat Mushrooms and Stay Energetic: ExpertsEating mushrooms has a lot of advantages. It can help ramp up nutritional value, so eat it to stay energetic, says expert.ctress, TV presenter and Celebrity Masterchef Winner Nadia Sawalha has teamed up with the Mushroom Bureau, an initiative that promotes advantages of mushrooms, to help launch their 'Just Add Mushrooms' campaign. The campaign aimed at encouraging people to cook more with fresh mushrooms, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Mushrooms are the natural source of vitamin B5, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue and are perfect for those with a busy lifestyle, and are also naturally low in fat and calories. "Mushrooms are a hugely underrated vegetable and one of the best ways I've found of sneaking healthy ingredients into my kids' favourite meals! They're a cheap way to add substance and flavour to a basic pasta dish or stir-fry and, with such little preparation needed, they're super quick to cook with too," said Sawalha. "I think a lot of people are put off using mushrooms because they're not sure how to prepare and cook them properly, but I'm hoping that my simple tips and recipes will inspire more people to add mushrooms to their meals."
Source: IANS
 
 

Anti-aging Efforts may Boost Self Esteem

A team of experts from the University of Alabama have offered valuable advice on slowing skin aging and boosting self esteem.Marian Northington, M.D., director of UAB Cosmetic Dermatology, said that "Photoaging - or the changes induced by chronic UVA and UVB exposure - is responsible for accelerating the skin's aging process." She said that "daily incidental sun exposures - running out to the car, going to the mailbox and exercising - add up and result in wrinkles, sun spots and potentially cancerous lesions." Northington asserted that the No. 1 way people can prevent photoaging is wearing a 30-plus SPF sunscreen - one that contains zinc oxide - every day. If it is too late, and the sun has already done its damage, or if someone is just more mature in age, there are ways to diminish the signs of aging. Northington said that using an over-the-counter cream with retinol, which is a vitamin A derivative, can decrease the risk of skin cancer and improve skin pigmentation and abnormalities, as well as increase collagen content to help with lines and wrinkles. She explained that Fraxel laser resurfacing is an excellent way to improve wrinkles, pigmentation and abnormalities, asserting that there are also skin-tightening devices that improve skin laxity, as well as injections that will replace lost volume that occurs with aging to lift the face nonsurgically and reduce lines and wrinkles. Northington says studies have shown some dermatologic skin-improvement methods have benefits beyond an improved appearance.
Source: ANI
 

 

Diabetes and Exercise

 

A Regular exercise regimen in the diabetes-afflicted helps in the better control of blood sugar and reduces the demand for medication by 20%.
Diabetes is one disorder wherein lifestyle modification (physical activity and healthy eating) plays as important a role as medications to control sugar. Regular exercise could bring about a change from "medical management" to "lifestyle management" in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
 Exercise is often advised as the only form of therapy in diabetes when the sugar level is between below 200 to 250 mg/dl, provided there are no complications like -

Damage to the blood vessels of the eye or retinopathy

Damage to the nerves and circulation to extremities or, neuropathy

Problems with kidneys or nephropathy

Heart related problems such as - angina

 Patients with Type 2 diabetes, who regularly exercise, find that their blood glucose is better controlled, but on a day they miss their physical activity program, the glucose level tends to rise. Exercise is now considered an important tool for the long management of diabetes.Physical activity of any type (e.g. walking, jogging, swimming, badminton, tennis or similar activity) should be incorporated into the daily routine. Choosing an activity that is enjoyable and is fun helps to sustain it over time. A variety of exercises must be selected and doing it with a partner or friend is helpful in avoiding boredom.
Nothing is to be found that can substitute for exercise in any way…. Exercise will expel the harm done by most of the bad regimens that most men follow. Not all motion is exercise. Exercise is powerful or rapid motion or a combination of both, vigorous motion which alters breathing and increases its rate.
-Moses Maimonides, [1135-1204]

Cutting Down Salt Intake may Benefit Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

 Cutting Down Salt Intake may Benefit Patients With Chronic Kidney DiseaseCutting down on the salt intake may provide benefits for the heart and kidney of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, a new study revealed. The findings point to the power of salt restriction in potentially prolonging kidney disease patients' lives.Excessive salt intake is consistently linked to increased risk of heart disease and worsening kidney function. People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be particularly susceptible to salt's detrimental effects due to the kidney's important role in controlling salt balance and their increased risk of dying from heart disease. Until now, though, the effect of salt restriction in these patients has not been well explored. The LowSALT CKD study represents the first blinded randomized controlled trial comparing a high vs low salt intake in people with CKD. During the study, Emma McMahon (PhD candidate, University of Queensland, in Australia) and her colleagues, led by principal investigator Katrina Campbell, PhD (Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Australia) compared the effects of a high salt diet (180 to 200 mmol/day) vs a low salt diet (60 to 80 mmol/day) maintained for two weeks each in a random order in 20 patients with CKD. (Dietary guidelines recommend limiting sodium to less than 100 mmol-which is 2300 mg or one teaspoon-per day.) The team measured various parameters related to heart and kidney health, including change in extracellular fluid volume, blood pressure, and protein in the urine. The researchers found that on average, low salt intake reduced excess extracellular fluid volume by 1 liter, lowered blood pressure by 10 /4 mm Hg, and halved protein excretion in the urine, without causing significant side effects. "These are clinically significant findings, with this magnitude of blood pressure reduction being comparable to that expected with the addition of an anti-hypertensive medication and larger than effects usually seen with sodium restriction in people without CKD," said McMahon. She was particularly impressed with the 50% reduction in protein excretion in the urine. "If maintained long-term, this could reduce risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease-where dialysis or transplant is required to survive-by 30%." The findings suggest that salt restriction is an inexpensive, low-risk and effective intervention for reducing cardiovascular risk and risk of worsening kidney function in people with CKD. "If these findings are transferable to the larger CKD population and shown to be sustainable long-term, this could translate to markedly reduced risk of cardiovascular events and progression to end-stage kidney disease, and it could generate considerable health-care savings," said Dr. Campbell. In an accompanying editorial, Cheryl Anderson, PhD, and Jochim Ix, MD (University of California San Diego School of Medicine) commended the researchers for providing important clinical trial data in support of current clinical practice consensus guidelines, noting that "this study makes us cautiously optimistic." They added that larger studies with longer follow-up specifically designed and carried out in CKD populations are needed to help inform recommendations to both individual patients and policymakers. Study co-authors include Judith Bauer, PhD, Carmel Hawley, FRACP, PhD, Nicole Isbel, FRACP, PhD, Michael Stowasser, FRACP, PhD, David Johnson, FRACP, PhD, and Katrina L. Campbell, PhD. Source: Newswise
  

In Women With Gestational Diabetes Obesity Is A Cause for Delayed Lactation: Study

A Kaiser Permanente study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that pre-pregnancy obesity and older maternal age are among the risk factors for delayed lactation for women with gestational diabetes mellitus.The study analyzed 883 racially and ethnically diverse women to assess the incidence of delayed milk production among women with a history of GDM, or diabetes during pregnancy, and to determine whether pre-pregnancy weight was an independent risk factor even after the severity of their GDM was taken into account. The women were enrolled between September 2008 and March 2011 in the Study of Women, Infant Feeding and Type 2 Diabetes (SWIFT), an ongoing study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who experienced a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. Delayed onset of lactation was reported by 33 percent of the women, and was associated with pre-pregnancy obesity, older maternal age and insulin treatment for GDM (which is indicative of greater severity of gestational diabetes). "Given the potential for breastfeeding to mitigate the higher risk that women with GDM face for developing type-2 diabetes, skilled lactation support is particularly important for obese women with GDM," said lead author Susana L. Matias, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and the University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition. Among the study group, the average pre-pregnancy body mass index was 29.3, falling within the "overweight" category. GDM is associated with higher pre-pregnancy weight. However, even in this population, being in the heaviest BMI category (i.e., "obese") increased the risk for delayed onset of lactation. Insulin resistance, also associated with obesity, may be another possible mechanism linking obesity and delayed onset of lactation. Gestational diabetes mellitus, defined as glucose intolerance with first onset during pregnancy, occurs in 7 percent of all U.S. pregnancies, and affects over 200,000 women annually. A history of GDM confers up to a seven-fold higher risk of diabetes, and almost 50 percent of women with a GDM pregnancy will be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within five to eight years after pregnancy. Identification of risk factors for delayed milk production could help target breastfeeding support services and enable women with GDM to experience the benefits of lactation for their own future health and that of their offspring. Lactation is characterized by increased glucose utilization and decomposition of fat through the processes for milk production, as well as higher maternal basal metabolic rates and mobilization of fat stores. Lactating women manifest lower blood glucose and insulin concentrations, and emerging evidence indicates that lactation may decrease insulin resistance. Timely onset of milk production following delivery is important for successful breastfeeding and newborn health. Delayed onset of milk production is usually defined as not occurring until after 72 hours (or three days) postpartum, and its incidence in the U.S. is high, ranging from 23 percent to 44 percent. "It's important that women with GDM receive preventive support to resolve infant feeding problems early," said senior author Erica P. Gunderson, PhD, MS, MPH, RD, a senior research scientist at the Division of Research and principal investigator of the SWIFT Study. "These risk profiles could be used to develop a screening tool for health care providers to assist mothers and their infants who may benefit from enhanced skilled breastfeeding support." Other studies by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research have shown that breastfeeding with little or no formula supplementation is associated with lower fasting blood glucose and lower insulin levels in women at 6-9 weeks postpartum. The studies have also shown that exclusive or mostly breastfeeding groups had lower prevalence of pre-diabetes than formula-feeding groups, even among obese women.
Source:The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
 
 

Thursday 14 November 2013

Very First Human Trials Using Cannabis To Treat Brain Cancer Under Way


cellsThe picture to your left is showing immunofluorescence of the human glioma cell line. (View more pictures here)
A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial.
It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids.
We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW
The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.
The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM.
Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help.
Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer.
In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it.
Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure.
 1.  A study published in the British Journal of Cancerconducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.
2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.
3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour.  The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.
4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.
 Sources:New England Journal of Medicine.GW Pharmaceuticals,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid,The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics,The Journal of Neuroscience.
Watch this Video Link:

The picture to your left is showing immunofluorescence of the human glioma cell line. (View more pictures here)
A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial.
It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids.
We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW
The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.
The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM.
Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help.
Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer.
In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it.
Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure.
 1.  A study published in the British Journal of Cancerconducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.
2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.
3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour.  The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.
4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.
 Sources:
- See more at: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/11/14/first-ever-human-trials-to-be-conducted-using-cannabis-to-treat-brain-cancer/#sthash.MAfa0LRx.dpuf
The picture to your left is showing immunofluorescence of the human glioma cell line. (View more pictures here)
A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial.
It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids.
We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW
The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.
The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM.
Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help.
Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer.
In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it.
Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure.
 1.  A study published in the British Journal of Cancerconducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.
2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.
3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour.  The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.
4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.
 Sources:
- See more at: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/11/14/first-ever-human-trials-to-be-conducted-using-cannabis-to-treat-brain-cancer/#sthash.MAfa0LRx.dpuf
The picture to your left is showing immunofluorescence of the human glioma cell line. (View more pictures here)
A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial.
It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids.
We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW
The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.
The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM.
Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help.
Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer.
In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it.
Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure.
 1.  A study published in the British Journal of Cancerconducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.
2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.
3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour.  The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.
4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.
 Sources:
- See more at: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/11/14/first-ever-human-trials-to-be-conducted-using-cannabis-to-treat-brain-cancer/#sthash.MAfa0LRx.dpuf
The picture to your left is showing immunofluorescence of the human glioma cell line. (View more pictures here)
A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial.
It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids.
We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW
The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.
The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM.
Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help.
Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer.
In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it.
Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure.
 1.  A study published in the British Journal of Cancerconducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.
2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.
3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour.  The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.
4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.
 Sources:
- See more at: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/11/14/first-ever-human-trials-to-be-conducted-using-cannabis-to-treat-brain-cancer/#sthash.MAfa0LRx.dpuf

Protein-rich breakfast helps to curb appetite throughout the morning, scientists find

While Americans generally consume enough protein, they tend to eat a small amount at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch, and the largest amount at dinner. New research presented today at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting in Atlanta shows that eating high protein sausage and egg-based breakfasts curbed hunger throughout the morning, compared with a low-protein breakfast (pancakes and syrup) or skipping breakfast, in 18-55-year-old women.
"Eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and may help women to avoid overeating later in the day," said Kevin C. Maki, principal investigator of the study and a research scientist with Biofortis Clinical Research, a Mérieux NutriSciences company.
All of the breakfast meals contained approximately 300 calories and similar quantities of fat and fiber. The protein-rich breakfast bowls contained 30 to 39 grams of protein. Participants completed questionnaires to rate aspects of appetite - such as hunger, fullness, and desire to eat - before breakfast and at 30 minute intervals between breakfast and lunch. A standard lunch meal of tortellini and sauce was served and subjects were asked to eat until comfortably full. Study participants had improved appetite ratings (lower hunger, more fullness, less desire to eat) throughout the morning after eating each protein-rich breakfast, and also ate fewer calories at lunch, compared with the low-protein breakfast and breakfast skipping (water only).
"In the USA, many people choose to skip breakfast or choose low protein foods because of lack of high protein convenient choices. These results demonstrate that commercially prepared convenient protein-rich meals can help women feel full until lunch time and potentially avoid overeating and improve diet quality," said Heather Leidy, an assistant professor specializing in appetite regulation at the University of Missouri and a co-author on the study.
Source: University of Missouri-Columbia

Public interest groups demand review of legal framework for trials to protect subjects

Public interest groups, which moved the Supreme Court over the unethical trial of  HPV vaccine by PATH, have sought re-examination of the current ethical and legal framework to conduct drugs/vaccine trials in India to secure stronger protections for human subject participants.The groups-- SAMA, a resource group for women and health, Locost, Drug Action Forum, Karnataka and Delhi Science Forum – also claimed that the existing laws proved to be inadequate to protect the subject participants.The NGOs, armed with the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the matter, alleged that violation of the right to health of thousands of young girls happened during the unethical conduct of HPV vaccine in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, between 2009 and 2010 by PATH in collaboration with the ICMR.The bench consisting Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Monday had issued the notice to the Centre and others on the petition. The matter had been tagged along with another pending case on the topic and would now come up for hearing on December 6.The spokespersons for the NGOs said they approached the court on behalf of thousands of young girls who were made to participate in vaccinate trials done without strong ethical or legal safeguards to protect their rights.Apart from addressing the doubtful claims about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines involved, the NGOs have also sought to hold PATH and others liable for their illegal actions under the current ethical, penal and regulatory framework to protect subject of biomedical research provided under Schedule Y of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 and the Good Clinical Practice Guidelines and ICMR Guidelines, which has led to the violation of the right to health of thousands of young girls involved in the vaccine trials.All material on record sufficiently refutes the claims of the ICMR and PATH that the trial was a study. In fact, the permission to import the vaccines had been granted by the DCGI on the condition that data on adverse events generated from the clinical trials would be submitted to him, according to the affidavit filed by the petitioners.Even though the study protocols of the PATH had several flaws that could result in the violation of the rights of the participants to these trials they were given ethical approval by the Ethics Committees. They were not questioned on their choice to conduct the study with young girls who belong to socio-economically backward families, many of whose parents could not read or write nor did they ensure that the required standard of medical care would be available to the trial participants as a result of which many girls who possibly suffered serious adverse events related to the trial, died, it said.“Violations in obtaining informed consent from the young girls were recorded by independent fact-finding teams as well as the recently released 72nd Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee. The respondents abused their position of authority by authorizing hostel wardens and headmasters to provide informed consent on behalf of the girls. Many other discrepancies were found including insufficiency of information on the risks and alternatives to the vaccines in the consent forms as well as inconsistencies between signatures and names of the persons signing on behalf of the minors. Many of the girls and their parents had no knowledge about what the vaccine was for and some even considered it to be part of the Universal Immunization programme since the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) logo was printed on the vaccination cards,” the affidavit said.
Source:Pharmabiz

Increased Diabetes Risk for Women Who Eat High Acidic Foods

Increased Diabetes Risk for Women Who Eat High Acidic FoodsHigher overall acidity of the diet, regardless of the individual foods making up that diet, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in women, a new study has revealed.The study of more than 60,000 women was conducted by Dr Guy Fagherazzi and Dr Francoise Clavel-Chapelon, Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, INSERM, Paris, France, and colleagues, and is the first large prospective study to demonstrate these findings. A western diet rich in animal products and other acidogenic foods can induce an acid load that is not compensated for by fruit and vegetables; this can cause chronic metabolic acidosis and lead to metabolic complications. A total of 66,485 women from the E3N study (the French Centre of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition were followed for new diabetes cases over 14 years. Their dietary acid load was calculated from their potential renal acid load (PRAL) and their net endogenous acid production (NEAP) scores, both standard techniques for assessing dietary acid consumption from nutrient intake. During follow-up, 1,372 new cases of incident type 2 diabetes occurred. In the overall population, those in the top 25 percent (quartile) for PRAL had a 56 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with the bottom quartile. Women of normal weight, BMI of 25 and under, had the highest increased risk (96 percent for top quartile versus bottom) while overweight women (BMI 25 and over) had only a 28 percent increased risk (top quartile versus bottom). NEAP scores showed a similar increased risk for higher acid load. "A diet rich in animal protein may favour net acid intake, while most fruits and vegetables form alkaline precursors that neutralise the acidity. Contrary to what is generally believed, most fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, bananas and even lemons and oranges actually reduce dietary acid load once the body has processed them," researchers said. "In our study, the fact that the association between both PRAL and NEAP scores and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes persisted after adjustment for dietary patterns, meat consumption and intake of fruit, vegetables, coffee and sweetened beverages suggests that dietary acids may play a specific role in promoting the development of type 2 diabetes, irrespective of the foods or drinks that provide the acidic or alkaline components," they added. The study is published in the journal Diabetologia.Source: ANI

 

 

Want to Reduce Stress and Anxiety? Travel More Frequently

 Want to Reduce Stress and Anxiety? Travel More FrequentlyYou could be a step closer to reducing anxiety or stress and improving your social skills as well if you are a keen traveler. There are more benefits of packing your bag and travelling. Huffingtonpost.com lists some of them:
Improves your social skills: Meeting new people is one of the great upsides of travelling. Whether it's chatting up your roommate, making small talk with your seat-mate on a train or having a lively discussion at a local bar, you will be forced to improve your social skills (especially if you're travelling solo). If new situations tend to make you anxious, travelling is a sure way to take steps toward reducing that anxiety. - Reduces stress: Taking time off is an obvious way to recharge and reduce stress levels. But while staying home and resting is a worthy use of your time off, travelling removes you from your everyday life and lets you truly escape. Travelling lets you put aside your daily responsibilities and focus on yourself for a moment. When you return home you'll feel refreshed and have the motivation you felt drained of before you left. - Accomplishes goals: Having a travel "to-do" list and crossing things off that list keeps you motivated and positive. That list can include things like visiting certain locations or accomplishing something such as climbing a mountain or becoming conversational in the language of your next destination. Achieving those goals also increases confidence and gives a sense of success. - Makes you more flexible: Sometimes things don't go according to plan while travelling. Maybe your flight is cancelled or it rains the day you're scheduled to go on an epic outdoor adventure. It's okay -- there are other flights to take (or trains, or buses) and maybe on that rainy day you'll discover a hidden bookstore to explore or an adorable cafe to experience. Travelling helps you to be more flexible and open minded, making you more zen in your everyday life. - Teaches to be more patient: Travel can involve a lot of waiting. You'll wait in lines, for flights or at restaurants. Learning how to cope with those waits, how to make conversation with those you're waiting with and how to stay calm in frustratingly slow situations will teach you how to remain patient and calm in all situations.

Source: IANS


Music may Have Evolved 30 Million Years Ago, Says Study

 Music may Have Evolved 30 Million Years Ago, Says StudyMusic skills evolved at least 30 million years ago in the common ancestor of humans and monkeys, finds new study. According to the study, this could help explain why chimpanzees drum on tree roots and monkey calls sound like singing.The study also suggests an answer to this chicken-and-egg question: Which came first, language or music? The answer appears to be music. lLead author Andrea Ravignani told Discovery News that musical behaviors would constitute a first step towards phonological patterning, and therefore language. For the study, Ravignani, a doctoral candidate at the University of Vienna's Department of Cognitive Biology, and his colleagues focused on an ability known as "dependency detection." This has to do with recognizing relationships between syllables, words and musical notes. For example, once we hear a certain pattern like Do-Re-Mi, we listen for it again. Hearing something like Do-Re-Fa sounds wrong because it violates the expected pattern. Normally monkeys don't respond the same way, but this research grabbed their attention since it used sounds within their frequency ranges. In the study, squirrel monkeys sat in a sound booth and listened to a set of three novel patterns. (The researchers fed the monkeys insects between playbacks, so the monkeys quickly got to like this activity.) Whenever a pattern changed, similar to our hearing Do-Re-Fa, the monkeys stared longer, as if to say, "Huh?" The squirrel monkeys demonstrated that they understood sound patterns-and when they changed. This ability, central to language and music, therefore evolved at least 30 million years ago in the small and furry tree-dwelling primate that was the last common ancestor of humans and monkeys. It's likely that all primates today share the skills. The study is published in the journal Biology Letters.
Source: ANI
 

 

Specific Brain Areas and Mechanisms Linked To Depression and Anxiety Pinpointed By Research

New mechanisms and areas of the brain associated with anxiety and depression, presenting possible targets to understand and treat these debilitating mental illnesses were revealed by new research. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
 Specific Brain Areas and Mechanisms Linked To Depression and Anxiety Pinpointed By Research
More than 350 million people worldwide suffer from clinical depression and between 5 and 25 percent of adults suffer from generalized anxiety, according to the World Health Organization. The resulting emotional and financial costs to people, families, and society are significant. Further, antidepressants are not always effective and often cause severe side effects.

Today's new findings show that:
  • A molecule in the immune system may contribute to depression, suggesting a potential biomarker for the disease (Georgia Hodes, PhD, abstract 542.1, see attached summary).
  • Decreasing a chemical signal in the amygdala, a brain area associated with emotional processing, produces antidepressant-like effects in mice (Yann Mineur, PhD, abstract 504, see attached summary).
  • MicroRNAs, tiny molecules that alter gene expression, correlate with how mice respond to socially stressful situations that cause depressive-like behavior. The findings may help determine why some people are more likely to suffer from depression than others (Karen Scott, PhD, abstract 731.2, see attached summary).


Other recent findings discussed show that:
  • A pathway between two brain regions, the amygdala and the hippocampus, plays a significant role in anxiety. Shutting down this connection can decrease anxiety-like behavior in mice (Ada Felix-Ortiz, MS, presentation 393.01, see attached speaker summary).
  • Aversive experiences can change how humans, particularly those with anxiety disorders, perceive stimuli. After a severe negative incident, patients with anxiety disorders over-generalize the experience and have increased emotional responses to subsequent similar situations (Rony Paz, PhD, presentation 295.05, see attached speaker summary).


"Today's findings represent our rapidly growing understanding of the individual molecules and brain circuits that may contribute to depression and anxiety," said press conference moderator Lisa Monteggia, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, an expert on mechanisms of antidepressant action. "These exciting discoveries represent the potential for significant changes in how we diagnose and treat these illnesses that touch millions."
Source:Neuroscience 2013
 

 

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