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- Take it as data: a pill instead of training and the global extinction of birds
Take it as data: a pill instead of training and the global extinction of birds
Chinese scientists have discovered the compound betaine in the body of runners, the intake of which causes an effect in mice similar to the results of physical exertion. In the near future, researchers will find out if it is possible to achieve the same for humans. British experts have created a computer model of the bird extinction process, which has shown that it will accelerate three times by the end of this century. If 187 species have disappeared in the last 500 years, then by the next century humanity may lose up to 500 species of birds. Russian scientists have found that taking the popular antidepressant fluoxetine can interfere with conception. Read about the most interesting scientific events of the week in the Izvestia collection.
Radiation-resistant mushrooms will help grow food in space
Scientists from the Molecular Genetics Cell sector of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) have discovered that living organisms, fungi of several species, are present in the center of the IBR-2 research reactor at radiation levels 16 times higher than the lethal dose for humans per day.
The research team is conducting a study on exactly what genetic mechanisms allowed fungi to adapt to survive in such harsh conditions. In the future, scientists plan to re-search the reactor for representatives of this and other kingdoms of wildlife. The work of the specialists is unique in that it was possible to develop a sampling system and collect samples as close as possible to the very heart of a nuclear reactor, as well as to check whether living organisms live there.
— There is always a radiation background in the area of the IBR-2 reactor: this year, in the inactive state of the reactor, the background was about 160 degrees per day. There are no such indicators anywhere in nature. For comparison, a dose of 10 Gy is fatal for humans," said Elena Kravchenko, head of the JINR Nuclear Power Plant's Molecular Genetics Sector.
Such research, in addition to its fundamental scientific importance, will be useful for planning long—range manned space flights - for example, it will be possible to modify agricultural crops in order to grow them on a spacecraft during flight, the specialist noted. Radiation-resistant organisms will also be able to help clean up radionuclide-contaminated areas on Earth, and the radioprotection mechanisms they have developed will help protect healthy tissues around a cancerous tumor when it is exposed.
Russian doctors will treat dementia with light
Scientists of Saratov National Research State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky (SSU) have laid the foundations of a new direction in biophotonics — lymphatonics. This was reported to Izvestia by the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science. Researchers have found that meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLS) located in the meninges of the brain can be effectively stimulated by light, improving the elimination of toxins and slowing the development of diseases.
— For the first time in the world, we have shown that meningeal lymphatic vessels are ideal targets for therapeutic exposure to light. They are located in the membranes of the brain directly on its surface, and therefore light, even with the loss of energy when passing through the skull and scalp, has a stimulating effect on the functions of the MLS,— said Oksana Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya, head of the Department of Human and Animal Physiology and deputy head of the SSU Scientific Medical Center.
MLS removes toxins from the brain along with the flow of fluids. This action of blood vessels helps to maintain the immunity of the central nervous system and increases its resistance to the development of diseases, the scientists said.
A popular antidepressant may reduce the effectiveness of the female reproductive system
Russian scientists have studied the effect of the antidepressant fluoxetine on the reproductive function of female mice. It turned out that long-term use of the drug reduces the number of mature eggs and slows down their preparation for fertilization. This effect can significantly complicate conception. The results obtained may indirectly indicate a possible negative effect of fluoxetine on women planning pregnancy.
The drug reduces anxiety and helps fight depression by regulating serotonin, the hormone of joy. The drug prevents the reuptake of molecules of this substance by nerve cells. This increases its concentration.
To determine the effect of fluoxetine on the reproductive system, the scientists took two groups of mice: one was given the drug, the other was not. In animals treated with the drug, the proportion of mature eggs decreased by 20-25% compared to control individuals.
The rate of bird extinction will triple by the end of the century.
British scientists have created a computer model that reflects the dynamic curve of bird extinction. The program takes into account the destruction of their habitat, climate change, and the impact of species that have entered the local ecosystem from remote regions. Calculations have shown that by the end of the 21st century, the rate of bird extinction may triple compared to all losses over the past 500 years.
If the trends continue, more than 500 bird species will disappear. At the same time, over the past five centuries, only 187 cases of extinction have been recorded. Even with the most favorable development of the situation, at least 250 species will disappear.
According to the authors of the study from the University of Reading, all previous forecasts did not take into account the rate of biodiversity loss, as they were based on data from previous periods. They also did not take into account the current anthropogenic impact on birds. For this reason, the scale of the extinction was underestimated.
Scientists have found a pill that has the effect of sports training
Chinese scientists have discovered a compound in the body of athletes, the intake of which can affect a person in the same way as physical training. This is betaine, which is secreted by runners. The aging process slowed down in the mice that took it. In the future, the researchers plan to find out if a similar effect is possible in humans. To understand this mechanism, the experts studied the organisms of 13 healthy young men who regularly ran 5 km. One of the most pronounced results of training was an excess of betaine. Exercise can sharpen the mind, relieve inflammation, and force cells to repair damaged tissues. However, there are no drugs that have such an effect yet.
— Physical activity is a well—known and inexpensive way to maintain health and fight aging. However, we still don't fully know how it works at the cellular level," said one of the study's authors, Guanhui Liu.
Scientists have found that betaine is secreted in the kidneys and suppresses the TBK1 protein, which causes aging. This explains the effect of the compound found by the specialists.
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