Latest news with #sucrose
Medscape
7 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Watching Peers Eat Can Trigger Overeating, Says Mouse Study
TOPLINE: Even in the absence of hunger, mice increased their sucrose diet intake after observing their peers eat. This effect was abolished by the inhibition of dopamine receptors. METHODOLOGY: Previous studies in humans have shown a significant association between external eating behaviors and watching eating shows, but this has not been confirmed in a mouse model. This study examined whether satiated mice, despite not being hungry, increased their food intake when watching a peer engage in binge-like eating behavior. A total of 14 male mice were divided into two groups: One group was either fed or fasted overnight before testing, and the other group was always fed before testing. Mice were paired according to genetic and parental information and placed in separate but adjacent chambers for interaction without physical contact. Food intake was recorded hourly for 4 hours across different days, using chow, high-fat, and sucrose diets. In a follow-up experiment, the group of mice that was always fed before testing received intraperitoneal injections of saline, a D1 dopamine receptor inhibitor, or a D2 dopamine receptor inhibitor prior to testing. TAKEAWAY: Satiated mice increased their sucrose diet intake during the first hour while watching peers that had fasted eat, with significant increases noted in both the initial and repeated tests (P = .0043 and P = .0154, respectively). No significant increase in chow or high-fat diet intake was observed when satiated mice watched peers that had fasted consume the diets. The increase in sucrose intake persisted after saline injection (P = .0057) but was abolished after the administration of the D1 or D2 dopamine receptor inhibitors. IN PRACTICE: 'Establishing this animal model provides a foundation for future studies on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive-driven food intake and may contribute to the development of targeted therapeutic strategies for obesity,' the authors of the study wrote. 'This animal model opens the door to developing new treatments that target the brain's reward system to help prevent or reduce overeating,' Yong Xu, PhD, MD, professor and associate director for Basic Sciences at the Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, said in a news release. 'It also supports public health efforts that aim to limit the influence of visual food cues in media and social settings, which could help people better manage their weight and eating habits.' SOURCE: The study was led by Xu Xu, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston. It was presented on June 14, 2025, at the ENDO 2025: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco. LIMITATIONS: No limitations were discussed in the abstract. DISCLOSURES: No disclosures or conflict of interest statements were provided. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Sustainability Times
15-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'They're Turning Pollution Into Candy!': Chinese Scientists Stun the World by Making Food from Captured Carbon Emissions
IN A NUTSHELL 🌱 Chinese researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to convert methanol into sucrose, bypassing traditional agriculture. have developed a groundbreaking method to convert methanol into sucrose, bypassing traditional agriculture. 🔬 The innovative in vitro biotransformation (ivBT) system uses enzymes to transform methanol derived from industrial waste into complex sugars. system uses enzymes to transform methanol derived from industrial waste into complex sugars. 🌍 This method contributes to sustainability by utilizing carbon dioxide as a raw material, supporting carbon neutrality efforts. by utilizing carbon dioxide as a raw material, supporting carbon neutrality efforts. 💡 The research opens possibilities for producing a wide range of sugars for industries beyond food, including pharmaceuticals and industrial products. In a remarkable scientific breakthrough, Chinese researchers have pioneered a method to convert methanol into sucrose, bypassing the need for traditional agriculture. This innovative approach not only promises to revolutionize the food industry but also offers a sustainable solution to environmental challenges. By turning carbon waste into a valuable resource, scientists are paving the way for a future where food production is less dependent on land and water. The implications of this technology extend beyond food, potentially impacting various industries that rely on carbohydrates. Converting Carbon Waste to Valuable Sugars The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has made significant strides in the field of biotransformation with their latest research. The team at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology has developed an in vitro biotransformation (ivBT) system that synthesizes sucrose from methanol, a low-carbon chemical. This method showcases a potential shift in how we produce essential nutrients, moving away from traditional agriculture. By utilizing enzymes to convert methanol, which is derived from industrial waste or carbon dioxide, the researchers have presented a sustainable alternative to sugar cane and sugar beet cultivation. Such developments are crucial as climate change and population growth exert pressure on agricultural resources. With China importing approximately 5 million tons of sugar annually, the need for an efficient, scalable solution is evident. This groundbreaking method not only addresses the demand for sugar but also contributes to carbon neutrality by utilizing carbon dioxide as a raw material. As the world seeks to mitigate environmental impacts, this technology offers a promising avenue for sustainable food production. 'We Finally Cracked the Cold': Engineers Unveil Breakthrough That Makes EVs Charge 6× Faster in Freezing Temperatures Advancing Methanol to Sugar Conversion In 2021, researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics developed a low-temperature method to convert CO₂ into methanol. Building on this, the Tianjin team has established a high-efficiency process to transform methanol into complex sugars through a series of rapid, low-energy reactions. Achieving an impressive conversion rate of 86%, this research marks a significant milestone in the field of biomanufacturing. The system not only synthesizes sucrose but also produces starch, using less energy than traditional methods. The implications of these findings are vast, offering a potential solution for producing a wide range of sugars without relying on plant-based sources. This approach could revolutionize industries that depend on carbohydrates, from food production to pharmaceuticals, by providing a plant-independent route for synthesizing complex sugars. As the research progresses, the focus will be on improving enzyme efficiency and system stability to facilitate industrial-scale applications. 'China's Runway Disintegrates on Impact': Revolutionary Super-Soft Material Now Shields Planes and Passengers From Catastrophic Crashes, Shocking Aviation Experts A Future Beyond Traditional Agriculture The ivBT system developed by the Tianjin researchers extends its potential beyond just sucrose production. By adapting the system, the team successfully synthesized other carbohydrates such as fructose, amylose, and cellooligosaccharides. These compounds have applications not only in food but also in medicines and industrial products, highlighting the versatility of this technology. The plant-independent synthesis of these sugars represents a monumental step toward a future where we can produce essential nutrients without relying on traditional agricultural methods. While the research shows promise, the team acknowledges that further work is needed to refine the system for large-scale use. Enhancements in enzyme efficiency and system robustness are critical to realizing the full potential of this technology. Published in Science Bulletin, this study lays the groundwork for future developments in carbon-negative biomanufacturing platforms, potentially transforming how we produce food and essential chemicals. 'Coffee Stains Unleash Medical Breakthrough': This Radical Test Delivers a 100x Leap in Disease Detection Speed and Accuracy, Shocking US Doctors Everywhere Implications for Food and Environmental Sustainability As the global population continues to rise, the pressure on agricultural resources intensifies. The development of methods to produce food from carbon waste represents a significant advancement in addressing these challenges. By converting industrial waste into valuable sugars, scientists are offering a sustainable alternative to traditional food production, potentially reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. This approach aligns with global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and mitigate climate change. The research conducted by the CAS team is a testament to the innovative solutions being developed to address complex global issues. As we look to the future, the potential for this technology to transform not only the food industry but also various sectors reliant on carbohydrates is immense. With continued research and development, could this method become a cornerstone in the quest for sustainable food production? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (30)
South China Morning Post
13-07-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Chinese team says carbon dioxide can turn to sugar, offering solution to global problems
Chinese scientists have developed a method to turn the alcohol methanol into white sugar, which they say could allow captured carbon dioxide to be converted into food. The team's biotransformation system produces sucrose without the need to grow sugar cane or sugar beets – crops that require large amounts of land and water resources. Their method to convert methanol – which can be derived from industrial waste or made by hydrogenating carbon dioxide – into sucrose using enzymes was also adapted to make other complex carbohydrates, including fructose and starch. 07:58 Why is the Chinese government so concerned about food security? Why is the Chinese government so concerned about food security? 'Artificial conversion of carbon dioxide into food and chemicals offers a promising strategy to address both environmental and population-related challenges while contributing to carbon neutrality,' the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Bulletin in May. Reducing carbon dioxide to less complex molecules has proven successful, though the researchers said that generating long-chain carbohydrates – the most abundant substances in nature – has proven to be a challenge for scientists. 'In vitro biotransformation (ivBT) has emerged as a highly promising platform for sustainable biomanufacturing,' the team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology wrote. 'In this work, we successfully designed and implemented an [ivBT] system for sucrose synthesis from low-carbon molecules'. Sucrose, or white sugar, is mainly obtained from sugar cane grown in warmer climates, such as Southeast Asia. The second major source is sugar beets grown in colder northern regions.
