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Scientists breach brain barriers to attack tumors

The brain is a sort of fortress, equipped with barriers designed to keep out dangerous pathogens. But protection comes at a cost: These barriers interfere with the immune system when faced with dire threats such glioblastoma, a deadly brain tumor for which there are few effective treatments.

Yale researchers have found a novel way to circumvent the brain’s natural defenses when they’re counterproductive by slipping immune system rescuers through the fortresses’ drainage system, they report Jan. 15 in the journal Nature.

“People had thought there was very little the immune system could do to combat brain tumors,” said senior corresponding author Akiko Iwasaki. “There has been no way for glioblastoma patients to benefit from immunotherapy.”

Iwasaki is the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Immunobiology and professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology and an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

While the brain itself has no direct way for disposing of cellular waste, tiny vessels lining the interior of the skull collect tissue waste and dispose of it through the body’s lymphatic system, which filters toxins and waste from the body. It is this disposal system that researchers exploited in the new study.

These vessels form shortly after birth, spurred in part by the gene known as vascular endothelial growth factor C, or VEGF-C.

Yale’s Jean-Leon Thomas, associate professor of neurology at Yale and senior co-corresponding author of the paper, wondered whether VEGF-C might increase immune response if lymphatic drainage was increased. And lead author Eric Song, a student working in Iwasaki’s lab, wanted to see if VEGF-C could specifically be used to increase the immune system’s surveillance of glioblastoma tumors. Together, the team investigated whether introducing VEGF-C through this drainage system would specifically target brain tumors.

The team introduced VEGF C into the cerebrospinal fluid of mice with glioblastoma and observed an increased level of T cell response to tumors in the brain. When combined with immune system checkpoint inhibitors commonly used in immunotherapy, the VEGF-C treatment significantly extended survival of the mice. In other words, the introduction of VEGF-C, in conjunction with cancer immunotherapy drugs, was apparently sufficient to target brain tumors.

“These results are remarkable,” Iwasaki said. “We would like to bring this treatment to glioblastoma patients. The prognosis with current therapies of surgery and chemotherapy is still so bleak.”

The study was primarily funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

Other Yale authors are Tianyang Mao, Huiping Dong, Ligia Simoes,Braga Boisserand, and Marcus Bosenberg. Salli Antila and Kari Alitalo of the University of Helsinki are also authors.

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10 Healthy Pizza Recipes


Forget the delivery dude. These easy pizza recipes ditch the grease and amp up the flavor with good-for-you ingredients, making them perfect for your next get-together.

Maple-Walnut Pizza with Chicken Sausage

When you need to satisfy that sausage craving, opt for the chicken variety over pork to cut calories and fat. And make sure your cheese doesn’t have less than 33 percent fat to avoid a rubbery texture and get that oh-so-gooey one.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

Chickpea Pizza with Sausage and Peppers

For a Mediterranean twist, opt for chickpea flour. Unlike the wheat kind, it’s gluten-free and packed with protein. Plus it makes a crispy crust, so it’s way easier to prep than regular pizza dough.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

Strawberry-Bacon Pizza

Because who are we to deny you bacon? Pair it with fresh strawberries for a sweet-and-savory combo you’ll fall for fast.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins

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10 Healthy Grilled Cheese Recipes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

These gooey, melty, healthy grilled cheese sandwiches need no introduction, so we’ll just say, make ’em. All of them. They’re good for you!

More Cheese, Please

craving comfort food? We give you full permission to dive right in to these 10 delicious, gooey, cheesy sandwiches. With fresh fruits and veggies tucked inside, these healthy grilled cheese recipes prove that kid-friendly favorites can be totally appropriate for adults, too. And don’t skimp on the triple creme—the latest science says full-fat cheese is totally fine.

Sweet Potato and Kale Grilled Cheese

The name alone tells you this stacked sandwich is healthy. And the taste proves it’s delicious too. The healthy grilled cheese sandwich only gets better when you add caramelized onions and fresh herbs to the pile. It’ll be your new go-to hand-held dinner.
(Related:10 Healthy Sandwich Recipes Under 300 Calories)

Balsamic Blueberry Grilled Cheese

This gooey sandwich is almost too pretty to eat—almost. Frozen blueberries are reduced along with sugar and vinegar to create a jam-like spread. This healthy grilled cheese might warrant a bib to prevent stains, but it is *totally* worth it. (BTW, frozen fruits are one of the Packaged foods that are Surprisingly healty.)Get your greens via a generous handful of baby spinach or arugula for a bite that’s bursting with flavor.

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The Best Glute Exercises for People with Bad Knees

If you have knee pain, it can be frustrating to find exercises that don’t hurt but will still target and tone your booty. We’ve got you covered with five of the best butt exercises-plus two bonus moves-that are still totally doable if you have bad knees. Yep, that means no squats or lunges! Even if your knees are A-OK, these alternative glute moves are great for switching up your go-to routine. (Because doing the exact same moves every time is fine, but you’ll see even more results with a little exercise variation.)

How it works: Do each move for the number of reps indicated and then repeat the circuit one to two times. Watch the video for full move demos and form tips. (Want to get your upper body involved too? Try this arm circuit workout next.)

You’ll Need: a set of medium-weight dumbbells and a medium- to heavy-weight kettlebell.

Romanian Deadlift
A. Stand with feet hip-width apart, dumbbells in front of the hips, palms facing in.

B. Hinge at the hips to lower dumbbells in front of shins. Make sure to keep core engaged and back straight throughout the movement.

C. Lift torso to return to standing.

Do 15 to 20 reps.

3-Point Glute Kickback
A. Stand on the right leg, hands together at chest level with the left foot hovering just off the ground to start.

B. Pulse kick the left leg directly to the side, then return to start.

C. Pulse kick the left leg diagonally back, then return to start.

D. Pulse kick the left leg directly back, then return to start. That’s 1 rep.

Do 10 to 15 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Split Stance RDL (Romanian Deadlift)
A. Start in a split stance position: left foot forward, foot firmly planted on the ground. Right foot is about six inches behind, balancing on the ball of the foot. Hold dumbbells in front of hips, palms facing in.

B. Hinge at the hips to lower dumbbells in front of the left shin. Make sure to keep the core engaged and back straight throughout the movement.

C. Lift torso to return to standing.

Do 15 to 20 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Glute Bridge
A. Lie face-up on the ground with heels planted and knees pointing up to start.

B. Pressing the heels into the ground, lift the hips up, and squeeze the glutes at the very top (hold for one second).

C. Slowly lower hips down to hover just off the floor, then lift hips to begin the next rep.

Form tip: To make it harder, perform single-leg glute bridges: extend one leg into the air, and perform the movement on the other leg.

Do 15 to 20 reps.

Super Hydrant
A. Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.

B. Lift right knee off the floor and perform a hydrant: lift knee out to the side, maintaining 90-degree bend.

C. Return to start without touching knee to the ground, then lift right leg backward and up, bent at a 90-degree angle with foot flexed so the bottom of the right foot is pointing toward the ceiling.

D. Return to start without touching knee to the ground. That’s one rep.

Do 10 to 15 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Kettlebell Swing
A. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, kettlebell on the floor, arms-distance away from the toes. Hinge at the hips with a soft bend in the knees to grab the top of the kettlebell with both hands.

B. Hike the kettlebell backwards between the legs.

C. Thrust hips forward up to standing, swinging the kettlebell forward to about chest height.

D. Let the kettlebell swing back through the legs, hips back, then thrust up to standing again. Continue to Repeat.

Form Tip: Remember, this is not a squat-it’s a hip hinge. There should be minimal bending at the knees. The power is driven by your hips, so send them back as far as you can while maintaining a flat back and strong core throughout the exercise. (Think of sending the butt back versus dropping the butt low.)

Do 15 to 25 reps.

Single-Leg RDL
A. Stand on left foot, with right foot slightly behind, toes touching the floor for balance. Hold a dumbbell in the right hand in front of hip, palm facing in.

B. Hinging at the hips, lower dumbbell to shin height while kicking the right foot back. Keep hips and shoulders square throughout the movement.

C. Reverse the motion to return to start.

Do 15 to 20 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Mike’s YouTube channel for free weekly workouts. Find more of Mike on Facebook, Instagram, and his website. And if you’re looking for full-length 30+ minute workouts, check out his newly launched subscription site MIKEDFITNESSTV.

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Is My Child Ready for a Cell Phone?

Children are starting to carry cell phones at younger ages. In a recent study, 22% of kids in grade school reported having their own cell phone compared with 60% of tweens and 84% of teens.

Like many parents, you may wonder whether your child is ready for a cell phone.

As you might imagine, there are pros and cons.

When It Makes Sense

Many parents cite safety as the main reason for giving their child a cell phone. They want to be able to reach their child whenever they need to. They also want to give their child the security of being able to reach them whenever he needs to.

This is especially true if your child is home alone after school or walks home alone, says Barbara Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Fairfield County, CT.

Brittany Grant-Davis gave her 6-year-old a cell phone after his school bus, driven by a substitute driver, got lost on the way home. Grant-Davis, who lives in a Chicago suburb, says neither the school nor the bus company could tell her where the bus was.

“It was one of the scariest times of my life,” she says. After a very tense hour, the bus pulled up. Grant-Davis decided to give her son a cell phone to keep in his backpack.

Children who live in two households often get cell phones at younger ages. This is so they can reach the other parent, Greenberg says.

“If the cell phone is truly for accessing their parents or for children in a joint-custody situation who may be confused about which parent’s house to go to, that’s somewhat valid,” she says.

Greenberg says she’s not in favor of a 6-year-old having a cell phone in most other cases.

Weigh the Risks

If your child has a smartphone, he has access to websites that may be inappropriate. He may see content that is violent and could be related to death or sex.

“Lots of kids have fantasies in their mind about things they don’t understand,” Greenberg says.

There’s also the issue of sleep deprivation, Greenberg says.

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Surprising Ways to Reduce Wrinkles

Practice Good Skin Care Basics

If you really want to keep your skin looking young, start with the essentials:

Avoid the sun.
Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen.
Wear sun protective clothing (long sleeves and pants).
Don’t smoke.
Use moisturizer.

Sleep on Your Back

When you sleep in certain positions night after night, it leads to “sleep lines” — wrinkles that become etched into the top layers of skin and don’t fade once you’re up. Sleeping on your side leads to wrinkles on cheeks and chin, while sleeping face down gives you a furrowed brow.

Eat More Salmon

Salmon (along with other cold-water fish) is a great source of protein, one of the building blocks of great skin. It also has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. Experts say essential fatty acids nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, and that can help minimize wrinkles.

Don’t Squint — Get Reading Glasses!

Any facial expression that you do over and over (like squinting) overworks facial muscles and makes grooves beneath the skin’s surface. Eventually those grooves become wrinkles. So keep those eyes wide: Wear reading glasses if you need them. And get savvy about sunglasses. They can protect skin around the eyes from sun damage and keep you from squinting.

Read more…

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How Well Are You Aging? A Blood Test Might Tell

Imagine a blood test that could spot whether you are aging too quickly.

New research suggests it’s not the stuff of science fiction anymore.

The scientists analyzed plasma — the cell-free, fluid part of blood — from more than 4,200 people between the ages of 18 and 95, and found a link between 373 proteins and aging.

“We’ve known for a long time that measuring certain proteins in the blood can give you information about a person’s health status — lipoproteins for cardiovascular health, for example,” said study senior author Tony Wyss-Coray. He’s co-director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Stanford University in California.

“But it hasn’t been appreciated that so many different proteins’ levels — roughly a third of all the ones we looked at — change markedly with advancing age,” he added in a university news release.

The study was published Dec. 5 in the journal Nature Medicine.

“Proteins are the workhorses of the body’s constituent cells, and when their relative levels undergo substantial changes, it means you’ve changed, too,” Wyss-Coray explained. “Looking at thousands of them in plasma gives you a snapshot of what’s going on throughout the body.”

The findings suggest that physical aging doesn’t occur at a steady pace, but is uneven and has three distinct surges — ages 34, 60 and 78.

At those ages, there are spikes in levels of specific proteins in the blood with noticeable changes, according to the researchers.

Eventually, a blood test for these proteins might be able to identify people who are aging more rapidly than normal and at increased risk for age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or heart disease.

Such a test might also help identify drugs or other factors that slow or speed aging, the study authors said.

However, any clinical use of such a blood test is at least five to 10 years away, the researchers noted.

“Ideally, you’d want to know how virtually anything you took or did affects your physiological age,” Wyss-Coray said.

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Revolutionising radiotherapy: making a cornerstone cancer treatment more personal and powerful

“We have a very powerful treatment which contributes to the cure of cancer in around a third of patients treated,” says Professor David Sebag-Montefiore from the University of Leeds of radiotherapy, a cornerstone of cancer treatment in the UK.

But there’s always room for improvement. “Some of the radiotherapy we give today isn’t doing a good enough job.”

We want more people to reap the benefits of this tried and tested treatment, so we’re investing £56 million to launch the Cancer Research UK Radiation Research Network (CRUK RadNet). This will support radiotherapy research in seven specialist institutes across the UK and aims to propel radiotherapy into the future.

It’s money to develop new tech, harness the power of existing ones, apply approaches like artificial intelligence (AI) and to help scientists really understand what’s going on when cancer cells are hit by radiotherapy beams, so we can use drugs to boost their cancer-killing effects.

“Because radiotherapy is an effective treatment across such a broad range of cancers it’s clearly a job that can’t be achieved in one centre alone,” says Sebag-Montefiore. This new initiative hopes to make use of the different expertise from each research station involved, bringing in knowledge from scientists who have never worked in radiotherapy before. “This network will allow us to focus along the breath of cancer research and actually make a big impact.”

Although radiotherapy has become extremely advanced in the last couple of decades and comes in many high-tech forms, there are still plenty of questions around how it’s effects can be maximised to benefit more people and how to reduce side effects of the treatment.

Here are just three of a number of research areas CRUK RadNet hopes to get answers for.

How does radiotherapy affect the tumour microenvironment?

Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells. “These fatal DNA breaks mean the cancer cells can’t divide,” says Sebag-Montefiore.

But cancer cells aren’t just quietly hanging out by themselves. They’re sitting in a busy environment of blood cells, immune cells and healthy tissues, all of whom are likely to be interacting.

The full extent of the influence these cells have on each other is still unclear, but clues from the clinic suggest that the immune system plays an important role in mopping up cancer cells after radiotherapy, even after they’ve spread to other parts of the body.

“Clinically we are now starting to see situations in people who have incurable cancer that has spread, where irradiating the primary tumour improves their survival,” says Sebag-Montefiore. It’s a positive benefit that scientists are still working to understand.

One theory is that radiation causes cancer cells to break down and release their contents, which creates lots of interesting molecules for the immune system to detect and home in on. The energised immune cells then move around the body looking for cancer cells displaying these same molecules. And when they find them, they kill them, which may explain why tumours that are distant from where the cancer first started shrink.

Figuring out what’s going on in and around a tumour when it’s being irradiated could point to ways to enhance treatment and may even help radiotherapy work for those who currently don’t respond to it. For example, immunotherapies could give immune cells the boost they need to turn against tumours. Or, giving patients drugs that stop cancer cells repairing their DNA alongside radiotherapy might give the cancer an extra blow.

Sebag-Montefiore says there is clearly a substantial piece of work needed to understand the environment that the radiotherapy beams operate in and are also creating. Learning more about this will help us “know how to best to harness the microenvironment and have maximum impact”.

“This is a significant part of the work that will be done in CRUK RadNet.”

How could AI improve radiotherapy?

Every day we hear of new ways that AI is improving everything from how we shop to healthcare. Now Sebag-Montefiore and his team in Leeds, alongside researchers across the CRUK RadNet network, are exploring how it can be used to help cancer treatment.

“In Leeds, we think we can harness AI to actually improve how radiotherapy is given to patients.”

Computer programmes may help them deliver a highly targeted radiotherapy called SABR more accurately, sparing healthy cells. “Both the tumour and the organ we target during treatment move so we apply a safety margin around the tumour to make sure we hit the whole tumour. At the moment this margin is pretty much the same for every patient.”

But the money from CRUK RadNet will allow them to develop algorithms that could work out the exact area the radiotherapy beam will need to cover for each patient. The team hope to use AI to analyse MRI scans from a range of cancers that are in areas of the body that move a lot, like the liver.

“We could analyse those scans with AI to build up a personalised picture of the actual movement,” which means more precise treatment and fewer side effects.

Why do cancer cells become resistant to radiotherapy?

Unfortunately, radiotherapy doesn’t work on everyone.

“We need to understand why radiotherapy isn’t as effective as it could be in some patients,” says Sebag-Montefiore.

“Within all cancers we can identify some groups of patients where radiotherapy resistance is a major barrier to the cure of cancer.”

This may be someone whose cancer initially responds well to treatment but then it stops working. Or, in a few cases, radiotherapy might have no affect at all.

CRUK RadNet members are investigating resistance from a number of angles, looking at ways to overcome the fact that radiotherapy can’t destroy certain cancers. They’re particularly focusing on the cancer types where survival is still depressingly low, like pancreatic cancer and brain tumours.

For instance, a team in Manchester are delving into how radiotherapy changes the biology of cancer cells and how this may contribute to them standing firm against its powerful beams.

A community effort

Sebag-Montefiore is keen to get going. “The last 10 years have seen significant progress in radiotherapy research, but we can do better.”

He says the network now needs to make sure they work with the whole UK radiotherapy community to make sure they do the best science. Because for Sebag-Montefiore, the potential impact of the network is huge.

“CRUK RadNet is a fantastic investment because it gives us a great chance in improving radiotherapy cure rates and reduce side effects further to ensure patients are getting the best possible treatment.”

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The Best Foods to Eat for a Healthy Gut

If you haven’t given a second thought (or even a first thought) to your gut bacteria (a.k.a. microbiota), the time is now. Your gut plays an important role in immunity, and the bacteria it houses are the stars of the show. The foods you eat can change the makeup of your gut bacteria very quickly after you eat them—for better or for worse. Colorful fruits and vegetables and other plant-based foods help the ‘good’ bacteria flourish. A recent study from the University of Connecticut found that male mice who ate the human equivalent of 1 ounce of walnuts per day were able to create more diverse gut bacteria. The researchers say they believe there’s a connection to these changes in gut bacteria and a reduced risk of colon cancer also noticed in these male mice. ” Lead study author, Daniel Rosenberg told UConn Today that “this study shows that walnuts may also act as a probiotic to make the colon healthy, which in turn offers protection against colon tumors.”

The vitamin E and omega-3 to omega-6 fats found in walnuts may have played a role in these results, but these little nuts aren’t the only food that keeps your gut healthy. Choosing foods that fall into one of two categories—prebiotics or probiotics—is the secret to maintaining a healthy balance of good bacteria. Here are some delicious ways to get a good dose of both.

Prebiotic Foods

Prebiotics are non-digestible parts of your food that gut bacteria actually uses as a kind of fertilizer or fuel. Learn more about prebiotics and how they are different than probiotics.

Onions: Caramelize some in-season spring onions and put on some grilled chicken or a lean steak. You can also pickle them to add to tacos or a salad.
Asparagus: Whether you enjoy asparagus grilled, steamed, or in a chilled soup, this versatile veggie will help get that good bacteria growing.
Whole wheat foods: Fiber is the preferred fuel for beneficial gut bacteria, so choose whole wheat bread as a base for avocado toast.

Probiotic Foods

Probiotics contain the good bacteria to help create a healthy and balanced gut and digestive system. (Did you know that Your Gut Bacteria Can Help You Drop Pounds?)

Yogurt: Whether you prefer your yogurt plain Greek-style or loaded with fresh fruit in a parfait, choose varieties that contain ‘live active cultures’ on the label for the most benefits.
Kimchi: This staple of Korean cuisine does more than add a kick to fried rice or lettuce wraps. The tangy acidic flavor is evidence of bacteria hard at work.
Kefir: Those shot-sized bottles of kefir in the dairy aisle have big benefits for gut health. They contain live bacteria cultures and beneficial yeast that makes your gut happy.

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3 Nutrition Lessons to Steal from Olympians While Training

Imagine that your day job consisted of running, swimming, or gymnastics; followed by strength training and prepping for competition. It sounds exhausting, but it’s a typical day for the Olympic athletes in Rio. There’s also another element to the Olympic athlete’s training: a ceaseless hunger. Most Olympic athletes need to consume a tremendous number of calories (some eat up to 8,000 per day) to fuel for their daily workouts and maintain strength. But eating whatever, whenever isn’t the solution. Food is more about fuel and nutrition than anything else. So what exactly do Olympians eat, and what can you steal from their diet plans?

Calories Matter

It’s impossible to pinpoint the exact diet of an Olympian. They all have different needs based on size, sport, and training. But Olympic athletes need to be mindful about making healthy food choices. Just because they can eat thousands of calories of McDonald’s doesn’t mean that they should. Jason Machowsky, R.D., C.S.S.D., a sports dietitian who works with many athletes at the Hospital for Special Surgery, says one of the most important aspects of fueling the Olympic athlete is to “create a plan that allows you to get in the right fuel each day based on the day’s demands, which involves eating foods for good health and immunity plus performance nutrition.” Elite competitors are putting enormous strain on their bodies and immune systems, which means eating enough vitamins and minerals is even more important. A sick athlete is a benched athlete!

Make it work for you:

Choose healthy foods to get the most gains from your workout and overall health. The healthier you are, the better you will feel, and the more your body will respond to your hard work.
Fueling properly for a workout will only make you feel better during the workout. Olympians may eat a mound of pasta before an intense gym session, but mere mortals can grab a piece of fruit or a handful of crackers.
All About Those Carbs
Carbohydrates are a huge part of fueling the Olympic athlete, making up 55 to 65 percent of the diet. For those athletes who don’t want to count their calories or carbohydrates? Dietitians who work with the U.S. team have created a simple plate system. On easy training days, athletes should build an “easy plate”: 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 grains, and 1/4 protein. On moderate days, the grains increase to 1/3 of the plate; on hard days, the grains should be half the plate. This system allows athletes to get adequate carbs to fuel their workouts while still eating a balanced diet.

Make it work for you:

On most days, we can follow the “easy plate,” which is what the USDA has been recommending for years.
Recovery Matters
Kristi Spence, R.D., C.S.S.D., a dietitian who competed in the Olympic Trials for the marathon in 2008, says that when training, she always paid close attention to her recovery meal. “I think recovery nutrition is crucial, and I would make sure that I consumed something with carbohydrate and protein as soon as I could after intense training. I would often make chocolate milk smoothies—chocolate milk with frozen strawberries or frozen bananas—to enjoy after training. The flavor was terrific and I knew that the milk was delivering exactly what I needed.”

Make it work for you:

Recovery is the key to feeling good enough to work out again the next day. After an intense workout, your muscles need a mixture of carbs and protein. Chocolate milk is one of the best way to refuel.
For any competitive athletes, don’t try anything new on race day. Your stomach won’t be happy with you.