Saturday, September 21, 2013

Why Humans Live So Long

Why Humans Live So Long by Heather Pringle.  Scientific American. September 23, 2013.  (The website provides only a preview.  Subscription required or buy the physical copy.  Well worth the effort and expense!

(1)  The trend toward slower aging and longer lives began with the evolution of an increasingly powerful ____________________ to fight off the many ________________ in the ancient environment.

(2)  Hunter-gatherer groups provide a hint that modern health practices might not____________________.

(3)  Studies reveal that living to ______________ became common only recently in our prehistoric past.  

(4)  Meat eating helped to fuel ____________ but also increased exposure to ____________.

(5)  The adaptive immune system responds to particular pathogens and in so doing creates a _____________  that confers lifelong protection agains the invader.  

(6)  The gene E (APOE) influences ______________________________________.

(7)  APOE e4 vigorously ramps up the ___________________ thus providing the children of ancient families with a better chance of _______________________.

(8)  Early humans who carried APOE e4 had a means to facilitate the absorption of _______ and the efficient storage of _______________.

(9)  Even today APOE e4 carriers s shown in a study of Brazilian children scored higher on __________ tests.

(10)  APOE e4 carriers tend to _________ childhood infections.  However, in old age they are more vulnerable to diseases such as __________________.

(11)  Antagonistic pleiotropy refers to ____________________.

(12)  APOE e3 carriers produce a _____________ inflammatory response and are better adapted to ________ and _____-rich diets.

(13)  APOE e3 carriers tend to live as much as __________ longer than APOE e4 carriers

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