Tactical

Tactical#

The indole ring, a molecular structure defined by a bicyclic arrangement of a benzene ring fused to a pyrrole ring, is among the most potent chemical signatures bridging the cosmos to biological life. Its derivatives, which include the amino acid tryptophan, the neurotransmitter serotonin, and the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamine (DMT), function as biochemical emissaries of information, shaping the evolutionary trajectory from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, from unicellular to multicellular organisms, and from plants to animals, culminating in the complex cognition of humankind.

Prokaryotic Origins and the Indole Signal

In the primordial soup of early Earth, indole emerged as a signaling molecule within prokaryotic communities. The molecular resonance of indole allowed bacterial colonies to coordinate behaviors such as quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and stress responses. Here, the indole ring acted as a molecular antenna, capturing environmental cues and relaying adaptive strategies encoded in chemical signals. This capacity to transmit information across space and time laid the groundwork for cellular complexity, allowing life to organize beyond simple metabolic reactions.

Eukaryotic Diversification and Multicellularity

As life transitioned from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, the indole ring played an instrumental role in cellular communication and differentiation. In plants, derivatives like indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a precursor of the hormone auxin, orchestrated growth, development, and environmental responses. Auxin’s role in phototropism and gravitropism, where plants literally “sense” and grow toward light and against gravity, suggests a profound connection between the indole ring and cosmic forces such as sunlight and the Earth’s gravitational pull. These dynamics highlight how indole derivatives integrate celestial signals into terrestrial life processes.

In animals, the indole ring’s story deepened with the emergence of serotonin, a neurotransmitter derived from tryptophan. Serotonin’s influence on mood, appetite, and circadian rhythms illustrates how the indole ring mediates not just physiological but also psychological harmonies, synchronizing internal states with external cycles like the day-night rhythm. This cosmic synchrony reveals the indole ring as a molecular bridge connecting the microscopic cellular machinery to macroscopic cosmic order.

The Plant-Animal Interface and Evolutionary Symbiosis

Plants and animals co-evolved through the mutual exchange of indole-based compounds. Alkaloids like psilocybin and DMT, produced by fungi and plants, offered pathways for animals to explore altered states of consciousness. These compounds acted as evolutionary provocateurs, fostering neural plasticity and enabling early mammals and humans to experiment with novel behaviors and social structures. The indole ring’s capacity to alter perception and cognition situates it as a divine emissary, challenging and expanding the boundaries of thought and experience.

Humankind: Health, Intoxication, and Schizophrenia

Fig. 1 Roberto Benigni. Unsurpassed energy, vitality, imagination, humor. One’s digital-twin overwhelmes the enterprise.#

In human biology, the indole ring’s derivatives weave an intricate narrative of health, intoxication, and pathology. Serotonin, the indole’s most celebrated messenger, modulates mood and well-being, its deficiency linked to depression and anxiety. Meanwhile, hallucinogens like DMT and psilocybin, which share the indole core, induce profound alterations in perception, often described as mystical or cosmic experiences. These substances are thought to facilitate access to otherwise imperceptible dimensions of consciousness, aligning personal insights with universal truths.

However, the indole ring’s shadow emerges in schizophrenia, where altered serotonin pathways disrupt the brain’s capacity to distinguish internal reality from external stimuli. Here, the indole ring mediates a breakdown of cosmic alignment, illustrating its dual role as both a harbinger of divine insight and a vector of disarray.

A Cosmic Legacy

l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle
– Paradiso

The indole ring’s narrative is a testament to its universal resonance. From the microbial languages of prokaryotes to the complex symphonies of human thought, the indole ring and its derivatives transmit a molecular whisper of the cosmos. In its structure lies an ancient code, one that binds the stars to the cell, and the divine to the mundane, reminding us that life’s complexity is both a product of and a participant in the grander cosmic order.

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import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import networkx as nx

# Define the neural network structure
def define_layers():
    return {
        # Divine and narrative framework in the film
        'World': [
            'Cosmos, Theogony',  # Guido’s grand, universal sense of play and creativity
            'Earth, Greece',  # The tangible and oppressive reality of the Holocaust
            'Life, Animals & Plants',  # The stakes of survival and human connection
            'Tacful: Sacrifice',  # Guido’s ultimate sacrifice
            'Brute Strength',  # Giosuè’s personal narrative, shaped by his father 👨🏾💪🏾
            'Clever Strategy'  # The "gift" of innocence and joy given by Guido 👩🏾🧠
        ],
        # Perception and filtering of reality
        'Perception': ['Owl: Surveillance'],  # 🦉 How Giosuè interprets his father’s actions and words
        # Agency and Guido’s defining traits
        'Agency': ['Threats: Neighbors', 'Realm: City-State'],  # Guido’s tools for shaping the narrative
        # Generativity and legacy
        'Generativity': [
            'Acropolis: Parasitism',  # Guido’s rebellion against oppressive reality
            'Olympus: Mutualism',  # The systemic constraints he navigates
            'Zeus: Commensalism'  # The actions and sacrifices Guido made for his son
        ],
        # Physical realities and their interplay
        'Physicality': [
            'Sword: Offense',  # Guido’s improvisational actions, like creating the “game” 🗡️ 
            'Serpent: Lethality',  # The direct oppression he faces 🐍 
            'Horse: Retreat',  # Shared humanity and joy despite hardship 🐎 
            'Helmet: Immunity',  # Universal themes transcending sides 🪖 
            'Shield: Defense'  # The immovable, tragic finality of the Holocaust 🛡️
        ]
    }

# Assign colors to nodes
def assign_colors(node, layer):
    if node == 'Owl: Surveillance':
        return 'yellow'  # Perception as the interpretive bridge
    if layer == 'World' and node == 'Clever Strategy':
        return 'paleturquoise'  # Optimism and the "gift"
    if layer == 'World' and node == 'Brute Strength':
        return 'lightgreen'  # Harmony and legacy
    if layer == 'World' and node in ['Cosmos, Theogony', 'Earth, Greece']:
        return 'lightgray'  # Context of divine and tangible
    elif layer == 'Agency' and node == 'Realm: City-State':
        return 'paleturquoise'  # Guido’s defining hope
    elif layer == 'Generativity':
        if node == 'Zeus: Commensalism':
            return 'paleturquoise'  # Guido’s ultimate acts of selflessness
        elif node == 'Olympus: Mutualism':
            return 'lightgreen'  # Navigating systemic structures
        elif node == 'Acropolis: Parasitism':
            return 'lightsalmon'  # Rebellion and creativity
    elif layer == 'Physicality':
        if node == 'Shield: Defense':
            return 'paleturquoise'  # The unchanging, tragic realities
        elif node in ['Helmet: Immunity', 'Horse: Retreat', 'Serpent: Lethality']:
            return 'lightgreen'  # Shared humanity and resilience
        elif node == 'Sword: Offense':
            return 'lightsalmon'  # Guido’s improvisation and vitality
    return 'lightsalmon'  # Default color for tension or conflict

# Calculate positions for nodes
def calculate_positions(layer, center_x, offset):
    layer_size = len(layer)
    start_y = -(layer_size - 1) / 2  # Center the layer vertically
    return [(center_x + offset, start_y + i) for i in range(layer_size)]

# Create and visualize the neural network graph
def visualize_nn():
    layers = define_layers()
    G = nx.DiGraph()
    pos = {}
    node_colors = []
    center_x = 0  # Align nodes horizontally

    # Add nodes and assign positions
    for i, (layer_name, nodes) in enumerate(layers.items()):
        y_positions = calculate_positions(nodes, center_x, offset=-len(layers) + i + 1)
        for node, position in zip(nodes, y_positions):
            G.add_node(node, layer=layer_name)
            pos[node] = position
            node_colors.append(assign_colors(node, layer_name))

    # Add edges (without weights)
    for layer_pair in [
        ('World', 'Perception'),  # Giosuè interprets the "World" through "Che Mio"
        ('Perception', 'Agency'),  # Guido’s cheerfulness shapes Giosuè’s perception
        ('Agency', 'Generativity'),  # Guido’s optimism drives his generative actions
        ('Generativity', 'Physicality')  # His legacy plays out in the physical world
    ]:
        source_layer, target_layer = layer_pair
        for source in layers[source_layer]:
            for target in layers[target_layer]:
                G.add_edge(source, target)

    # Draw the graph
    plt.figure(figsize=(14, 10))
    nx.draw(
        G, pos, with_labels=True, node_color=node_colors, edge_color='gray',
        node_size=3000, font_size=10, connectionstyle="arc3,rad=0.1"
    )
    plt.title("Symbiosis & Games Animals Play", fontsize=15)
    plt.show()

# Run the visualization
visualize_nn()

_images/8c5452f539aaabd20dca84701010e503431293e60e50028be116386181ead5d3.png

Fig. 2 Kynurenine, to which tryptophan is mainly (more than 95%) metabolized. Two enzymes, namely indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in the immune system and the brain, and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) in the liver, are responsible for the synthesis of kynurenine from tryptophan. The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism is altered in several diseases, including psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder#

Amino acids, including tryptophan, are used as building blocks in protein biosynthesis, and proteins are required to sustain life. Tryptophan is among the less common amino acids found in proteins, but it plays important structural or functional roles whenever it occurs. For instance, tryptophan and tyrosine residues play special roles in “anchoring” membrane proteins within the cell membrane. Tryptophan, along with other aromatic amino acids, is also important in glycan-protein interactions. In addition, tryptophan functions as a biochemical precursor for the following compounds: