Новый фон научных заметок

Опять некоторые изменения в дизайне. Не знаю, долго ли я выдержу такой весёлый фон, но пока что мне он показался весьма настроенческим и подходящим под научный контент блога. Надеюсь, успешность проекта от этого только возрастёт!
Оставайтесь на связи, дорогие почемучки и любители научных новостей! :)

Женщины с поликистозом яичников более восприимчивы к бисфенолу А

Последние исследования указывают на зависимость между вредом, наносимым таким распространённым веществом как бисфенол А и наличием у женщин синдрома поликистоза яичников (очень популярного гинекологического заболевания). Статья с http://scienceblog.com/41751/women-with-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-may-be-more-vulnerable-to-bpa:

Chevy Chase, MD — A recent study accepted for publication in The EndocrineSociety’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism(JCEM), found higher Bisphenol A (BPA) levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to controls. Furthermore, researchers found a statistically significant positive association between male sex hormones and BPA in these women suggesting a potential role of BPA in ovarian dysfunction.BPA is a very common industrial compound used in food and drink packaging, plastic consumer products and dental materials. PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder of women of reproductive age and is characterized by excessive secretion of androgens which are masculinization-promoting hormones. The syndrome raises the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, infertility and heart disease.“Our research shows that BPA may be more harmful to women with hormonal and fertility imbalances like those found in PCOS,” said Evanthia Diamanti-Kandarakis, MD, PhD, study co-author and professor at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece. “These women should be alert to the potential risks and take care of themselves by avoiding excessive every-day consumption of food or drink from plastic containers.”In this study, researchers divided 71 women with PCOS and 100 healthy female control subjects into subgroups matchedby age and body composition. Blood levels of BPA were nearly 60 percent higher in lean women with PCOS and more than 30 percent higher in obese women with the syndrome when compared to controls. Additionally, as BPAlevels increased, so did concentrations of the male sex hormone testosterone and androstenedione, a steroid hormone that converts to testosterone.
“Excessive secretion of androgens, as seen in PCOS, interfere with BPA detoxification by the liver, leading to accumulation of blood levels of BPA,” said Diamanti-Kandarakis. “BPA also affects androgen metabolism, creating a vicious circle between androgens and BPA.”Other researchers working on the study include: Eleni Kandaraki of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Hospital in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom; Antonis Chatzigeorgiou, Sarantis Livadas, Eleni Palioura, Frangiscos Economou, Michael Koutsilieris and Sotiria Palimeri of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece; and Dimitrios Panidis of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece.The article, “Endocrine disruptors and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Elevated serum levels of Bisphenol A in women with PCOS,” appears in the March 2011 issue ofJCEM.Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators,nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endo-society.org.

Прощай, Прозак, Привет, Микроб!

В сфере поиска новых эффективных антидепрессантов - революция. Вероятно, что состав микрофлоры кишечника может влиять на ментальное состояние достаточно сильно. Поэтому приём правильных пробиотиков, в определённом смысле, сможет снизить потре6ность в традиционных антидепрессантах.
Читаем подробнее статью Elizabeth Nolan Brown на http://blisstree.com/feel/goodbye-prozac-hello-microbial-bacteria/:

Probiotics are the good-for-you bacteria found in things such as yogurt and kombucha (plus in myriad dietary supplement forms) and alleged to help with digestion, immune-system functioning, stomach issues, diarrhea, lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. Mark Lyte, a professor at Texas Tech University interested in the intersection of microbiology and neuroscience, thinks neurochemicals (such as serotonin) delivered directly to the gut via probiotics could help not just with gastrointestinal health but also psychological well-being.

Lyte’s theory, which was published in the July issues of BioEssays, has yet to be tested in humans. In a commentary in the same issue of BioEssays, though, Dr. Gregor Reid of the University of Western Ontario says the idea is supported by studies. “Could this mean that adjunct treatment for people suffering from certain types of mental health problems is a fecal transplant? Food for thought,” writes Reid (scientist humor!). Research on mice has shown microbial bacteria can produce and respond to neurochemicals, and that the connection between gut microbes and the nervous system provides “a viable route for influencing neurological function.”

Ресвератрол - источник полезностей в красном вине

О пользе красного вина написано достаточно много. Вот - очередные новости о весьма интересном компоненте - ресвератроле, который скорее всего обладает канцеропротекторными свойствами:

FANCY receiving the heart protecting abilities of red wine without having to drink a glass every day? Soon you may be able to, thanks to the synthesis of chemicals derived from resveratrol, the molecule believed to give wine its protective powers. The chemicals have the potential to fight many diseases, including cancer.

Plants make a huge variety of chemicals, called polyphenols, from resveratrol to protect themselves against invaders, particularly fungi. But they only make tiny amounts of each chemical, making it extremely difficult for scientists to isolate and utilise them. The unstable nature of resveratrol has also hindered attempts at building new compounds from the chemical itself.

Scott Snyder at Columbia University in New York and his team have found a way around this: building polyphenols from compounds that resemble, but are subtly different to, resveratrol. These differences make the process much easier. Using these alternative starting materials, they have made dozens of natural polyphenols, including vaticanol C, which is known to kill cancer cells (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature10197).

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028185.300-red-wines-heart-health-chemical-unlocked-at-last.html