SPACE

Saturn’s moon is a testing ground to gain a better understanding of the methane molecule

FACULTY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LISBON

 

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IN THE UPPER LAYER OF TITAN'S ATMOSPHERE, VISIBLE HERE IN BLUE LIGHT, METHANE MOLECULES ARE BEING DISSOCIATED BY SUNLIGHT AND RECOMBINING INTO ETHANE AND ACETYLENE MOLECULES. FURTHER DOWN, THE ORANGE MISTS COMPLETELY HIDE THE SURFACE.

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CREDIT: NASA/JPL/SPACE SCIENCE INSTITUTE

New study uses Titan’s atmosphere as a natural laboratory to delve deeper into the chemistry of the methane molecule – a molecule that, on Earth, may be a byproduct of life.

Titan is the second largest moon in the Solar System and the only one with a dense atmosphere. At the top of this atmosphere, rich in nitrogen and methane, the Sun’s radiation produces a great diversity of organic molecules, some of which we also find on Earth as constituents of the basic unit of life, the cell.

An international research team led by Rafael Silva, from the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences and master from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa), analyzed the sunlight reflected by Titan’s atmosphere and identified for the first time almost one hundred signatures that the methane molecule (CH4) inscribes in the visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum, traces that are essential for finding it in other atmospheres.

Furthermore, the team found possible evidence of the presence of the tricarbon molecule (C3), a molecule that could participate in the chain of chemical reactions that generate complex molecules of Titan- If confirmed, it will be the first detection of the tricarbon molecule on a planetary body.

“Titan’s atmosphere works like a planetary-sized chemical reactor, producing many complex carbon-based molecules”, says Rafael Silva, adding: “Of all the atmospheres we know in the Solar System, the atmosphere of Titan is the most similar to the one we think existed on the early Earth”.

Methane, which on Earth is a gas, provides information about geological processes and potentially about biological processes. It is a molecule that does not survive long in the atmospheres of Earth or Titan because it is quickly and irreversibly destroyed by solar radiation. For this reason, on Titan, methane must be being replenished by geological processes, such as the release of underground gas.

This work brought new information about the chemistry of methane itself. The 97 new lines of its spectral absorption in wavelengths of visible light – in the orange, yellow and green color regions – were identified in bands of lines previously associated with absorption by methane but never individualized. For the first time, the wavelength and intensity of each of these lines is known.

“Even in high-resolution spectra, methane absorption lines are not strong enough with the amount of gas we can have in a laboratory on Earth. But on Titan we have an entire atmosphere, and the path that light travels through the atmosphere can be hundreds of kilometers long. This makes the different bands and lines, which have a weak signal in laboratories on Earth, very evident on Titan”, says Rafael Silva.

Knowing and cataloguing all the signatures of the methane molecule will also help to identify new molecules, especially in atmospheres with such complex chemistry, where analyzing the spectra is challenging due to the density of molecular signatures, even with high-resolution instruments.

This is how the team found signs of the possible presence of the tricarbon molecule (C3) in the high layers, at an altitude of 600 kilometers. In the Solar System, this molecule, which manifests itself as a bluish emission, was until now only known in the material surrounding the nucleus of a comet. The absorption lines on Titan that the team associated with tricarbon are few and of low intensity, despite being very specific to this type of molecules, so new observations will be carried out in the future to try to confirm this detection.

“The more we know about the different molecules that participate in the chemical complexity of Titan's atmosphere, the better we will understand the type of chemical evolution that may have allowed, or be related to, the origin of life on Earth”, says Rafael Silva, and adds: “Some of the organic matter that contributed to the origin of life on Earth is thought to have been produced in its atmosphere by processes relatively similar to those we observed on Titan.”

Currently, this moon of Saturn is a unique world in the Solar System, being a testing ground in preparing future observations of the atmospheres of planets outside our planetary system, the so-called exoplanets. Among these, there may be small, cold bodies like Titan.

“The experience gained in challenging analyzes like this could benefit infrared observations with the James Webb space telescope, or the future Ariel space mission, from the European Space Agency (ESA)”, comments Pedro Machado, second author of this now published article.

The data used for this work came from observations carried out in June 2018 with the UVES high-resolution visible and ultraviolet spectrograph, installed on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), in Chile. Archived data collected with the same instrument in 2005 were also used.

TITAN

The atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon hides its surface beneath a global layer of thick, opaque fogs. They are made up of organic molecules and hydrocarbons, “so large that they form particles, like the atmospheric pollution in some cities on Earth, and which are deposited on the surface”, says Rafael Silva, adding: “There could be even more interesting chemistry there.”

Artist's conception of Titan's surface. This moon of Saturn is one of the worlds in the Solar System that most resembles Earth, despite the temperature there reaching -179° Celsius. It is the only place in the Solar System with lakes, but these are hydrocarbon lakes. These molecules, made only of carbon and hydrogen, act like water on Earth, participating in a methane cycle, with rain, river formation and evaporation.

CREDIT

NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

JOURNAL

Planetary and Space Science

DOI

10.1016/j.pss.2023.105836 

ARTICLE TITLE

A study of very high resolution visible spectra of Titan: Line characterisation in visible CH4 bands and the search for C3

Complex chemistry in the cold depths of space (video)

Business Announcement

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

 

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FOR YEARS, SCIENTISTS THOUGHT SOME COMPLEX MOLECULES COULD ONLY BE FORMED ON EARTH. BUT WHAT IF WE FOUND THESE KINDS OF MOLECULES OUT IN SPACE AFTER ALL? IN THIS EPISODE OF REACTIONS, WE EXPLORE NEW FINDINGS THAT SHOW COMPLEX CARBON RING STRUCTURES CAN BE FORMED IN SPACE, AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND OUR OWN CHEMICAL HISTORY! https://youtu.be/Jh_O5JP10aQ?si=HFvdSchFY95y4idV

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CREDIT: THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2024 — For years, scientists thought some complex molecules could only be formed on Earth. But what if we found these kinds of molecules out in space after all? In this episode of Reactions, we explore new findings that show complex carbon ring structures can be formed in space, and what that might mean for biology, chemistry and our own chemical history! https://youtu.be/Jh_O5JP10aQ?si=HFvdSchFY95y4idV

Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on Twitter @ACSReactions.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

 

Global-local path choice model: a new method to understand the walkability of cities

The novel route-choice model elucidates the influence of different attributes of a path on the local and global path choices of pedestrians

SHIBAURA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

 

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THE GLOBAL-LOCAL PATH CHOICE MODEL EXPLAINS THE EXTENT TO WHICH DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCE THE GLOBAL AND LOCAL PATH CHOICES OF PEDESTRIANS. IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE PEDESTRIANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHOOSE STREET 1 WHICH IS MORE VISUALLY ATTRACTIVE THAN EFFICIENT.

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CREDIT: PROFESSOR YUKI OYAMA FROM SHIBAURA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

In many cities worldwide, the notion of walking as sustainable urban mobility is becoming increasingly popular. Improving the walkability of cities has many benefits, including improved health, reduced traffic, and consequently lower air pollution. To improve walkability, it is important to conduct a thorough analysis of what factors make cities more walkable.  

One essential aspect in analyzing walkability is understanding traveler behavior. Before and during their journey, various factors can influence their path choices. For example, travelers can consider the most efficient route before starting but could encounter unexpected events necessitating route changes. Factors like surface conditions, traffic lights or a more scenic view can also influence their decisions. As such, the path choice of travelers can be categorized into two routing mechanisms - global path preferences and local responses to the perceived attributes of the path. While global preferences like the total distance can play a role, pedestrians often prioritize locally perceived attributes. Thus, it is necessary to understand to what extent and which attributes influence the global and local preferences of travelers and related design policies.

To address this, Associate Professor Yuki Oyama from the Department of Civil Engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, developed a novel network path choice model, called the global-local path choice model. “Traditional route choice models typically assume that travelers mainly have global preferences such as using the shortest path. However, in reality, travelers locally perceive and respond to different attributes of a path and capturing this behavior has been challenging. The present model successfully analyses this behavior,” explains Dr. Oyama.  The details of the model were outlined in a study published in the journal Transportation Research Part A on February 13, 2024.

Central to this innovative model is a reward decomposition approach integrated into a link-based (Markovian) path choice model, which considers path choice as sequential link choices towards the destination in a Markovian way. In this approach, the Markovian reward function is broken down into a global utility, which is a function of attributes that can be globally perceived from anywhere, and a local utility, a function of attributes that can be only locally perceived from the current state. This enables empirical analyses of the influence of different attributes on the local and global path choices of travelers.

Dr. Oyama applied this model to study a real pedestrian network using GPS data collected from pedestrian movements. In this analysis, the green view index (GVI), which represents the greenery around streets, extracted from Google Street View images, was used as a locally perceived attribute. The idea was to study how visual street quality influences the decisions of pedestrians. The results revealed that pedestrians locally perceived and reacted to GVI values, rather than having pre-trip global perceptions of the values. Moreover, results also revealed the importance of the location of interventions like increasing greenery and showed that interventions should be placed on streets that are directly connected to the most walked-on streets.

Highlighting the potential applications of the study, Dr. Oyama remarks, “This method can be used as a decision-making tool for the design and control of a transportation network as well as visual information provision for route guidance. Moreover, beyond travelers in transportation networks, this model can contribute to elucidating the routing behavior of other agents like animals.”

Overall, this study provides a new way for analyzing walkability from the viewpoint of pedestrians’ local responses to the environment, paving the way for more walkable and environment-friendly cities!

 

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Reference

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2024.103998

 

About Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Japan
Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) is a private university with campuses in Tokyo and Saitama. Since the establishment of its predecessor, Tokyo Higher School of Industry and Commerce, in 1927, it has maintained “learning through practice” as its philosophy in the education of engineers. SIT was the only private science and engineering university selected for the Top Global University Project sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and will receive support from the ministry for 10 years starting from the 2014 academic year. Its motto, “Nurturing engineers who learn from society and contribute to society,” reflects its mission of fostering scientists and engineers who can contribute to the sustainable growth of the world by exposing their over 8,000 students to culturally diverse environments, where they learn to cope, collaborate, and relate with fellow students from around the world.

Website: https://www.shibaura-it.ac.jp/en/

 

About Associate Professor Yuki Oyama from SIT, Japan
Yuki Oyama is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s in engineering from the University of Tokyo in 2012 and 2014, respectively, followed by a Ph.D. in 2017. At SIT he currently leads the Activity Landscape Design (ActScape) Lab. In 2017, he received the Kometani-Sasaki Award for his PhD thesis from Institute of Systems Science Research, Japan. His main research interest is developing new methodologies for modelling and analyzing agents’ behavior in networks, particularly, urban transportation networks, such as congested transport networks, pedestrian activity networks, and sustainable transport networks.

 

Funding Information
This work was financially supported by JSPS, Japan KAKENHI Grant numbers 20K14899 and 23H01586. The data for the case study was collected through a Probe Person survey, a complementary survey of the Sixth Tokyo Metropolitan Region Person Trip Survey.

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JOURNAL

Transportation Research Part A General

DOI

10.1016/j.tra.2024.103998 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Global path preference and local response: A reward decomposition approach for network path choice analysis in the presence of visually perceived attributes

Increases in suicide rate linked to ‘shocks’ in the economy

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

A study by the University of Southampton has shown a link between unexpected economic performance and a rise in the suicide rate.

Researchers have found a strong connection between daily suicides, people’s expectations formed by professional economic forecasts and the subsequent outcome of actual economic performance.

A negative ‘shock’ that emerges from the potential mismatch between reality and predictions can prompt an overwhelming sense of lack of identity and purpose of life among vulnerable sections of the population – sadly leading some to take their own lives.

Findings are published in the journal Social Science & Medicine.

Economic forecasts are an attempt by established institutions, such as banks, governments and private companies, to foretell the future condition of the economy. They help policymakers to make important financial decisions which can affect entire populations.

Professor Tapas Mishra, one of the lead researchers of the study and the Head of Banking and Finance at the University of Southampton’s Business School, explains: “Economic forecasts are regularly reported and debated in news media. They set our expectations for how the economy is likely to perform. However, the further their predictions are from the real-life economic performance parameters, the greater is the probability that they will trigger negative emotions in people. We have explored and quantified what influence these ‘shocks’ have on incidents of suicide.”

The study found that, overall, outcomes that led to a reduction in people’s estimated permanent income are highly correlated with an increase in the suicide rate. Specifically, negative shocks affect consumer confidence, leading consumers to feel they have lost identity and control of their lives. This may act as a catalyst to both the ideation and, ultimately, committing of suicides.

A poor growth rate in gross domestic product (GDP) at times when the economy didn’t perform well, also related to a raised suicide rate. Negative performance in the retail price index (RTI) saw a rise in suicides in men, while they rose in women when increases in the unemployment rate coincided with a lack of public trust in government.

The researchers used data from the Office for National Statistics on daily suicide rates in England and Wales between the beginning of 1997 and the end of 2017. They also obtained information from a major economic data provider on all relevant UK macroeconomic indicators, such as GDP, RTI and the housing market.

By applying sophisticated modelling to analyse the data relating to identification and establishment of reliable causal effects, the team were able to establish incidents of suicide which coincided with economic forecasts and later economic shocks. By also identifying and discounting other influencing factors, they were able to make plausible assumptions of direct links between suicides, forecasting and economic performance.

Professor Mishra comments: “Over the last decade or more, people have been coping with increasing financial pressures and finding it harder to make ends meet. Unexpected negative economic performance can tip the balance for some, and our study shows starkly the influence financial matters, particularly predictions by professional forecasters, can have on suicides.

“We hope our research can help inform policies to provide better support for people in the future, as well as encourage wider discussions on the timing of the release of professional forecasts.”

The researchers suggest interventions, such as job clubs for the unemployed, consistent mental health support for the vulnerable, and extra financial support during bad economic times, could play a role in reducing the impact of sudden negative economic news. Also, that social media may have a supportive role to play – directing people to available help after economic announcements are made. However, they acknowledge more evidence is needed to form robust, effective strategies for the future.

Ends
 

Notes to Editors

1. The paper Economic activity and suicides: Causal evidence from macroeconomic shocks in England and Wales is published in the February edition of the journal Social Science & Medicine and online at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116538
    
2. Contact Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton. press@soton.ac.uk +44 2380 593212
    
3. For more about the Southampton Business School visit: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/faculties-schools-departments/southampton-business-school
    
4. The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2024). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk

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JOURNAL

Social Science & Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116538 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Economic activity and suicides: Causal evidence from macroeconomic shocks in England and Wales

Financial toxicity affects at least one-third of patients with cancer

CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL

At least one-third of Canadians diagnosed with cancer experience financial distress, called "financial toxicity," which adds to the burden of the diagnosis, write authors in a commentary published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230677.

"Financial toxicity, which refers to the direct, indirect, and emotional costs to patients following a cancer diagnosis, is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for poor health and cancer outcomes," writes Dr. Rachel Murphy, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia with coauthor Truman Wood.

Many take-home cancer drugs are not funded by provincial health plans, and only 60% of people in Canada have private plans that may fund these drugs. Additional financial burdens include home care costs, parking fees for the many hospital visits, travel and accommodation costs for treatments for people who live outside major centres, reduced income, and child care and other costs. 

"Financial toxicity is a contemporary issue in Canadian cancer care that has the potential to overwhelm a large number of people, given projected increases in cancer incidence in Canada, the high costs of novel cancer treatments, and rising costs of living," write the authors. 

Suggestions to reduce financial burden include federal and provincial support for home care and medical equipment, improved benefit plans for sick leave and disability benefits, and pharmacare support. As well, cancer centres could offer patient navigation programs to connect people with supportive services and consider parking fee relief and transportation services for patients with financial need. 

"People on low incomes are at greatest risk of financial burden and related consequences, including poorer health outcomes. Calls for health system innovation and transformation must not overlook the need for supports to manage the financial burden of cancer for patients and their families." 

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JOURNAL

Canadian Medical Association Journal

DOI

10.1503/cmaj.230677 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Tackling financial toxicity related to cancer care in Canada

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

11-Mar-2024

 

Happiness can be learnt, but you have to work at it – study finds

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

 

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PROF BRUCE HOOD

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CREDIT: PROF BRUCE HOOD

We can learn to be happy, but only get lasting benefits if we keep practising, a first-of-its-kind study has revealed.

The team behind the University of Bristol’s ‘Science of Happiness’ course had already discovered that teaching students the latest scientific studies on happiness created a marked improvement in their wellbeing.

But their latest study found that these wellbeing boosts are short-lived unless the evidence-informed habits learnt on the course – such as gratitude, exercise, meditation or journaling - are kept up over the long-term.

Senior author Prof Bruce Hood said: “It’s like going to the gym – we can’t expect to do one class and be fit forever. Just as with physical health, we have to continuously work on our mental health, otherwise the improvements are temporary.”

Launched in 2018, the University of Bristol’s Science of Happiness course was the first of its kind in the UK. It involves no exams or coursework, and teaches students what the latest peer-reviewed studies in psychology and neuroscience say really makes us happy.

Students who took the course reported a 10 to 15% improvement in wellbeing. But only those who continued implementing the course learnings maintained that improved wellbeing when they were surveyed again two years on.

Published in the journal Higher Education, is the first to track wellbeing of students on a happiness course long after they have left the course.

Prof Hood said: “This study shows that just doing a course – be that at the gym, a meditation retreat or on an evidence-based happiness course like ours – is just the start: you must commit to using what you learn on a regular basis.

“Much of what we teach revolves around positive psychology interventions that divert your attention away from yourself, by helping others, being with friends, gratitude or meditating.

“This is the opposite of the current ‘selfcare’ doctrine, but countless studies have shown that getting out of our own heads helps gets us away from negative ruminations which can be the basis of so many mental health problems.”

Prof Hood has distilled the Science of Happiness course into a new book, out on March 10. ‘The Science of Happiness: Seven Lessons for Living Well’ reveals an evidence-informed roadmap to better wellbeing.

The other paper authors are fellow University of Bristol academics Catherine Hobbs and Sarah Jelbert, and Laurie R Santos, a Yale academic whose course inspired Bristol’s Science of Happiness course.

Paper:

'Long‑term analysis of a psychoeducational course on university students’ mental well‑being' by Catherine Hobbs, Sarah Jelbert, Laurie R. Santos, and Bruce Hood in Higher Education.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

• Surprising take aways from the Science of Happiness course include:
  • Talking to strangers makes us happier, despite a majority of us shying away from such encounters.
  • Social media is not bad for everyone, but it can be bad for those who focus on their reputation.
  • Loneliness impacts on our health by impairing our immune systems.
  • Optimism increases life expectancy.
  • Giving gifts to others activates the reward centres in our brain - often providing more of a happiness boost than spending money on oneself.
  • Sleep deprivation impacts on how well we are liked by others.
  • Walking in nature deactivates part of the brain related to negative ruminations, which are associated with depression.
  • Kindness and happiness are correlated.
• Paper details: ‘Long‑term analysis of a psychoeducational course on university students’ mental well‑being’ by Catherine Hobbs, Sarah Jelbert, Laurie R. Santos and Bruce Hood in Higher Education. Read the paper here.

For more information, photos and interviews please contact jack.pitts@bristol.ac.uk / 07977 983547

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JOURNAL

Higher Education

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Long‑term analysis of a psychoeducational course on university students’ mental well‑being

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

8-Mar-2024

MYCOPHILIA

Exploring the therapeutic potential of natural mushroom compounds to address psychiatric disorders

Peer-Reviewed Publication

THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM

New study indicates that mushroom extract might demonstrate superior efficacy compared to chemically synthesized psilocybin, especially in stimulating neuroplasticity and promoting the development of new connections between nerve cells—an essential attribute. This discovery unveils potential applications for addressing conditions such as depression, PTSD, and schizophrenia.

A new study led by Orr Shahar, a PhD student, and Dr. Alexander Botvinnik, under the guidance of researchers Dr. Tzuri Lifschytz and psychiatrist Prof. Bernard Lerer from the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, suggests that mushroom extract containing psilocybin may exhibit superior efficacy when compared to chemically synthesized psilocybin.

The research, focusing on synaptic plasticity in mice, unveils promising insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of natural psychedelic compounds in addressing psychiatric disorders. The study indicates that psilocybin-containing mushroom extract could have a more potent and prolonged impact on synaptic plasticity in comparison to chemically synthesized psilocybin.

Millions of individuals globally, constituting a significant portion of the population, grapple with psychiatric conditions that remain unresponsive to existing pharmaceutical interventions. Alarming statistics reveal that 40% of individuals experiencing depression find no relief from currently available drugs, a trend similarly observed among those with OCD. Moreover, with approximately 0.5% of the population contending with schizophrenia at any given time, there exists a pressing demand for innovative solutions tailored to those who derive no benefit from current medications. In response to this urgent need, psychedelic drugs are emerging as promising candidates capable of offering transformative solutions.

The study's preliminary findings shed light on the potential divergence in effects between psilocybin-containing mushroom extract and chemically synthesized psilocybin. Specifically, the research focused on the head twitch response, synaptic proteins related to neuroplasticity, and metabolomic profiles in the frontal cortex of mice.

The results indicate that psilocybin-containing mushroom extract may exert a more potent and prolonged effect on synaptic plasticity when compared to chemically synthesized psilocybin. Significantly, the extract increased the levels of synaptic proteins associated with neuroplasticity in key brain regions, including the frontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and striatum. This suggests that psilocybin-containing mushroom extract may offer unique therapeutic effects not achievable with psilocybin alone.

 

Metabolomic analyses also revealed noteworthy differences between psilocybin-containing mushroom extract and chemically synthesized psilocybin. The extract exhibited a distinct metabolic profile associated with oxidative stress and energy production pathways.

These findings open up new possibilities for the therapeutic use of natural psychedelic compounds, providing hope for those who have found little relief in conventional psychiatric treatments. As the demand for innovative solutions continues to grow, the exploration of psychedelic drugs represents a crucial avenue for the development of transformative and personalized medicines.

Additionally - in Western medicine, there has historically been a preference for isolating active compounds rather than utilizing extracts, primarily for the sake of gaining better control over dosages and anticipating known effects during treatment. The challenge with working with extracts lay in the inability, in the past, to consistently produce the exact product with a consistent compound profile. Contrastingly, ancient medicinal practices, particularly those attributing therapeutic benefits to psychedelic medicine, embraced the use of extracts or entire products, such as consuming the entire mushroom. Although Western medicine has long recognized the "entourage" effect associated with whole extracts, the significance of this approach gained recent prominence.

A major challenge with natural extracts lies in achieving a consistently stable compound profile, especially with plants; however, mushrooms present a unique case. Mushroom compounds are highly influenced by their growing environment, encompassing factors such as substrate composition, CO2/O2 ratio, light exposure, temperature, and microbial surroundings. Despite these influences, controlled cultivation allows for the taming of mushrooms, enabling the production of a replicable extract.

This research not only underscores the superiority of extracts with diverse compounds but also highlights the feasibility of incorporating them into Western medicine due to the controlled nature of mushroom cultivation.

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JOURNAL

Molecular Psychiatry

DOI

10.1038/s41380-024-02477-w 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Effect of chemically synthesized psilocybin and psychedelic mushroom extract on molecular and metabolic profiles in mouse brain

Unveiling Inaoside A: An antioxidant derived from mushrooms

Researchers in Japan discover a new antioxidant compound Inaoside A in the edible mushroom, Laetiporus cremeiporus

SHINSHU UNIVERSITY

 

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RESEARCHERS FROM JAPAN DISCOVERED A NEW ANTIOXIDANT, INAOSIDE A, ALONG WITH THREE OTHER KNOWN BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS, FROM LAETIPORUS CREMEIPORUS, AN EDIBLE MUSHROOM VARIETY.

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CREDIT: ATSUSHI KAWAMURA FROM SHINSHU UNIVERSITY, JAPAN

Natural products have unique chemical structures and biological activities and can play a pivotal role in advancing pharmaceutical science. In a pioneering study, researchers from Shinshu University discovered Inaoside A, an antioxidant derived from Laetiporus cremeiporus mushrooms. This breakthrough sheds light on the potential of mushrooms as a source of therapeutic bioactive compounds.

The search for novel bioactive compounds from natural sources has gained considerable momentum in recent years due to the need for new therapeutic agents to combat various health challenges. Among a diverse array of natural products, mushrooms have emerged as a rich reservoir of bioactive molecules with potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. The genus Laetiporus has attracted attention for its extracts exhibiting antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antithrombin bioactivities. The species Laetiporus cremeiporus, spread across East Asia, has also been reported to show antioxidant properties. However, the identification and characterization of specific antioxidant compounds from this species have not been conducted.

In a groundbreakng study, researchers led by Assistant Professor Atsushi Kawamura from the Department of Biomolecular Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, along with Hidefumi Makabe from the Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, and Akiyoshi Yamada from the Department of Mountain Ecosystem, Institute for Mountain Science, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, recently discovered the antioxidant compound derived from L. cremeiporus.

The researchers collected fresh fruiting bodies of L. cremeiporus from the Ina campus of Shinshu University. The obtained extracts were concentrated and partitioned between water and ethyl acetate. After this, the extracts were subjected to advanced chromatographic techniques, which led to the successful isolation of Inaoside A, a new antioxidant phenolic compound, along with three other well-characterized bioactive compounds, i.e., 5'-S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine (MTA), nicotinamide, and adenosine. They reported their findings in an article that was made available online on 20 January 2024 and subsequently published in the journal Heliyon.

“Our study marks the pioneering discovery of Inaoside A from an extract of the edible mushroom Laetiporus cremeiporus. To date, there has been only one prior report on the biological function of an extract of L. cremeiporus. We are the first to uncover the isolation of an antioxidant compound from L. cremeiporus,” states Professor Kawamura, highlighting the breakthrough research.

Next, the researchers wanted to determine the structure of the newly found antioxidant compound. For this, they utilized one and two- dimensional NMR and other spectroscopic analyses. The structure of Inaoside A revealed a planar configuration. With a molecular formula of C17H24O7, the compound was found to feature a distinctive ribose moiety, identified as α-ribofuranoside through stereochemical analysis. Subsequent investigation into the absolute stereochemistry confirmed the D-ribose configuration, thereby reinforcing the planar structure of this compound.

The mushroom extracts were then isolated into fractions to determine the antioxidant activities of the four isolated bioactive compounds. These fractions were then examined by DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase assays. The findings were noteworthy as the DPPH radical scavenging activity exhibited by Inaoside A was significant, showing 80% inhibition at 100 μg/mL, indicative of its significant antioxidant properties. The IC50 value of Inaoside A was determined to be 79.9 μM, further highlighting its efficacy as an antioxidant agent.

What are the objectives of the researchers following the discovery of Inaoside? Professor Kawamura reveals, “We are now focusing on investigating the chemical compositions and biological properties of natural compounds obtained from mushrooms. Our goal is to uncover the potential of edible mushrooms as functional foods through this discovery.”

The identification of Inaoside A as an antioxidant from Laetiporus cremeiporus marks a significant breakthrough in natural product research, highlighting the potential of mushrooms as a source of therapeutic bioactive compounds. These findings may lead to the development of novel antioxidant-based therapies for various health conditions. Further studies should focus on synthetic research and detailed investigations into the biological activity of Inaoside A, aiming to harness its potential as a pharmaceutical lead compound.

 

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About Shinshu University

Shinshu University is a national university founded in 1949 and located nestling under the Japanese Alps in Nagano known for its stunning natural landscapes. Our motto, "Powered by Nature - strengthening our network with society and applying nature to create innovative solutions for a better tomorrow" reflects the mission of fostering promising creative professionals and deepening the collaborative relationship with local communities, which leads to our contribution to regional development by innovation in various fields. We’re working on providing solutions for building a sustainable society through interdisciplinary research fields: material science (carbon, fiber, and composites), biomedical science (for intractable diseases and preventive medicine) and mountain science and aiming to boost research and innovation capability through collaborative projects with distinguished researchers from the world. For more information visit https://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/english/ or follow us on X (Twitter) @ShinshuUni for our latest news.

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JOURNAL

Heliyon

DOI

10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24651 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Inaoside A: New antioxidant phenolic compound from the edible mushroom Laetiporus cremeiporus