The latest issues of scientific giants reveal a secret related to the life of the brain and its health. In our first April article, we will also talk about the long-term forecast of precipitation that awaits us in the next decade, and draw parallels between the microorganisms of our lungs and the immunity of the brain. And articles devoted to the world of medicines, for example, the development of antibiotics in 2022, will delight with news about the prospects of bypassing antibiotic resistance and progress in antitumor therapy.
Ecology
Long-term precipitation forecast. Forecasting the climate situation is an important aspect of environmental monitoring. Understanding the upcoming changes is necessary for the formation of environmental policy everywhere on our planet. At the same time, scientists widely use modeling of the Earth’s climate and analysis of its relationship with future changes using statistics. This approach allows researchers to reduce the degree of uncertainty. On the pages of the new issue of Nature, scientists presented a study of another important factor — the average amount of precipitation. This is necessary to assess its environmental impact.
Evolution
Ancient DNA Investigation. The emergence of new methods in biology that allow us to decipher the nucleotide sequence of DNA sheds light on many demographic and evolutionary events that occurred several thousand years ago. In their new study, scientists modeled the ancestry of ancient people by analyzing the DNA sequences of six people from eastern and southern Africa, improving the quality of previously published data and comparing them with existing information. These results provide new genetic evidence for hypotheses based on archaeological data.
Biochemistry: Development of antibiotics.
New antibiotics are well—modernized old ones. The conversation about antibiotic resistance continues with the following work published in Science, which is devoted to the development of new mechanisms of action of antibiotics. One of the promising strategies is the revision of substances already used in therapy from the point of view of modern chemistry and with the use of new biochemical tools. Thus, a promising drug is the antibiotic gymnastin, isolated back in 1990, but synthesized by dimerization of its native monomer units.
As for the development of the antibiotic amoxil, when used correctly, it is still very effective. Remember that the main thing is not to abuse amoxil and follow the doctor’s recommendations.
Physiology
Causes of age-related insomnia. About a third of a person’s life is spent in a dream, as sleep is necessary to restore strength and health. However, with age, the quality and quantity of sleep deteriorates, which causes a number of problems, including impaired cognitive ability and memory. A new issue of Science reveals the mechanisms that may underlie sleep disorders and insomnia in the elderly. Probably, the main reason lies in the increased excitability of orexin neurons, compensating for the death of neurons that contribute to wakefulness.