Sclareol exerts synergistic antidepressant effects with quercetin and caffeine, possibly suppressing GABAergic transmission in chicks.

This study evaluated the effects of sclareol (SCL) with or without caffeine (CAF) and quercetin (QUR) using in-vivo and in-silico studies. For this, 5-day-old chicks weighing between 45 and 48 g were randomly divided into five groups and treated accordingly. The chicks were monitored to compare the occurrence, latency, and duration of sleep as well as the loss and gain of righting reflex in response to SCL-10 mg/kg, CAF-10 mg/kg, and QUR-50 mg/kg using a thiopental sodium (TS)-induced sleeping model. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by t-Student-Newman-Keuls' as a posthoc test at 95% confidence intervals with multiple comparisons. An in-silico study was also performed to investigate the possible antidepressant mechanisms of the test and/or standard drugs with different subunits of GABAA receptors. In comparison to the SCL, CAF, and QUR individual groups, SCL+CAF+QUR significantly increased the latency while decreasing the length of sleep. The incidence of loss and gain of the righting reflex was also modulated in the combination group. SCL showed better interaction with GABAA (α2 and α5) subunits than QUR with α2, α3, and α5. All these compounds showed stronger interactions with the GABAA receptor subunits than the standard CAF. Taken together, SCL, CAF, and QUR reduced the TS-induced righting reflex and sleeping time in the combination group more than in the individual treatments. SCL may show its antidepressant effects, possibly through interactions with GABAA receptor subunits.

Physico-chemical, sensory, and microbiological quality of raw chicken meat: an exploratory study in the Hisar city of Haryana, India.

A survey was conducted in Hisar, located in Haryana, India, to assess the quality of raw chicken meat. To ensure comprehensive coverage, healthy broiler chickens were obtained from various meat retail outlets in Hisar city, encompassing the majority of such establishments. Additionally, a sample of control chickens was obtained from the Livestock Farm, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar, Haryana, India. The raw chicken meat was grouped into two categories, breast cut and thigh cut. The breast muscles, which include pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, and the thigh muscles, which include the abductor muscles, were chosen as the samples for proximate analysis, which included physico-chemical, sensory, and microbiological analyses of raw chicken meat. The analysis of the raw meat in the laboratory revealed inconsistent variations between the control and retail samples in terms of parameters, such as proximate composition, pH, the water-holding capacity (WHC), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), instrumental color analysis, and sensory evaluation. The moisture content of the control breast sample was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the samples from shops 2, 3, and 5. However, it was statistically similar to that of the samples from shops 1, 4, and 6. The total plate and psychrotrophic counts of the control thigh sample were significantly lower than those of the samples from shops 3, 4, 5, and 6. Among the thigh pH values, the samples from shops 1, 2, 5, and 6 had significantly higher pH values than the control sample. The variations in the various parameters were multifactorial and established the superiority of birds slaughtered under laboratory conditions and grown in university farms compared to the raw chicken meat available in retail outlets in Hisar city.

Sustainable transformation agenda for enhanced global food and nutrition security: a narrative review.

The world's population is currently growing at an exponential rate, which is estimated to be over 8 billion inhabitants as reported by United Nations on November 15, 2022. According to FAO, 870 million people out of this population do not have enough food to eat, with the vast majority of hungry people (98%) living in developing countries, where almost 15% of the population is undernourished. Furthermore, the world's population is estimated to come to 9 billion by 2050, which would incur severe food scarcity and would seriously hamper global food security. Food losses, especially post-harvest loss as a result of poor agricultural practices have also been reported to greatly impact the economy, the environment, and the livelihoods of low and medium countries and Sub-Saharan-African. Therefore, realistic options should be established for promoting sustainable agriculture systems, improving nutrition, and achieving food security to end hunger in our nations. This paper elucidates the drivers of food insecurity including food losses, escalating population growth, hunger, and food production, among others, and provided some transformation approaches such as value addition through appropriate and emerging food processing and preservation techniques, application of biotechnological options through genetically modified foods and functional foods consumption and integration of indigenous underutilized nutrient-dense food crops which could serve as all-inclusive and sustainable transformation options for enhanced food and nutrition security, especially in developing countries, which is where the hunger burden and the prevalence of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases are high.

Comparative transcriptomics analysis of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in response to treatment with the terpenic compounds thymol and carvacrol.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative opportunistic bacterium that has become a major public health concern and a substantial medical challenge due to its ability to acquire multidrug resistance (MDR), extended-drug resistance, or pan-drug resistance. In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of thymol and carvacrol alone or in combination against clinical isolates of MDR A. baumannii. Additionally, we used RNA-sequency to perform a comparative transcriptomic analysis of the effects of carvacrol and thymol on the Acb35 strain under different treatment conditions. Our results demonstrated that thymol and carvacrol alone, effectively inhibited the bacterial growth of MDR A. baumannii isolates, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) lower than 500 µg/mL. Furthermore, the combination of thymol and carvacrol exhibited either synergistic (FICI ≤ 0.5) or additive effects (0.5 < FICI ≤ 4), enhancing their antibacterial activity. Importantly, these compounds were found to be non-cytotoxic to Vero cells and did not cause hemolysis in erythrocytes at concentrations that effectively inhibited bacterial growth. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the down-regulation of mRNA associated with ribosomal subunit assemblies under all experimental conditions tested. However, the up-regulation of specific genes encoding stress response proteins and transcriptional regulators varied depending on the experimental condition, particularly in response to the treatment with carvacrol and thymol in combination. Based on our findings, thymol and carvacrol demonstrate promising potential as chemotherapeutic agents for controlling MDR A. baumannii infections. These compounds exhibit strong antibacterial activity, particularly in combination and lower cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells. The observed effects on gene expression provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of action, highlighting the regulation of stress response pathways.

Plant protection from virus: a review of different approaches.

This review analyzes methods for controlling plant viral infection. The high harmfulness of viral diseases and the peculiarities of viral pathogenesis impose special requirements regarding developing methods to prevent phytoviruses. The control of viral infection is complicated by the rapid evolution, variability of viruses, and the peculiarities of their pathogenesis. Viral infection in plants is a complex interdependent process. The creation of transgenic varieties has caused much hope in the fight against viral pathogens. The disadvantages of genetically engineered approaches include the fact that the resistance gained is often highly specific and short-lived, and there are bans in many countries on the use of transgenic varieties. Modern prevention methods, diagnosis, and recovery of planting material are at the forefront of the fight against viral infection. The main techniques used for the healing of virus-infected plants include the apical meristem method, which is combined with thermotherapy and chemotherapy. These methods represent a single biotechnological complex method of plant recovery from viruses in vitro culture. It widely uses this method for obtaining non-virus planting material for various crops. The disadvantages of the tissue culture-based method of health improvement include the possibility of self-clonal variations resulting from the long-term cultivation of plants under in vitro conditions. The possibilities of increasing plant resistance by stimulating their immune system have expanded, which results from the in-depth study of the molecular and genetic bases of plant resistance toward viruses and the investigation of the mechanisms of induction of protective reactions in the plant organism. The existing methods of phytovirus control are ambiguous and require additional research. Further study of the genetic, biochemical, and physiological features of viral pathogenesis and the development of a strategy to increase plant resistance to viruses will allow a new level of phytovirus infection control to be reached.

A narrative action on the battle against hunger using mushroom, peanut, and soybean-based wastes.

Numerous generations have been affected by hunger, which still affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The hunger crisis is worsening although many efforts have been made to minimize it. Besides that, food waste is one of the critical problems faced by most countries worldwide. It has disrupted the food chain system due to inefficient waste management, while negatively impacting the environment. The majority of the waste is from the food production process, resulting in a net zero production for food manufacturers while also harnessing its potential. Most food production wastes are high in nutritional and functional values, yet most of them end up as low-cost animal feed and plant fertilizers. This review identified key emerging wastes from the production line of mushroom, peanut, and soybean (MPS). These wastes (MPS) provide a new source for food conversion due to their high nutritional content, which contributes to a circular economy in the post-pandemic era and ensures food security. In order to achieve carbon neutrality and effective waste management for the production of alternative foods, biotechnological processes such as digestive, fermentative, and enzymatic conversions are essential. The article provides a narrative action on the critical potential application and challenges of MPS as future foods in the battle against hunger.

Detoxifying the heavy metals: a multipronged study of tolerance strategies against heavy metals toxicity in plants.

Heavy metal concentrations exceeding permissible limits threaten human life, plant life, and all other life forms. Different natural and anthropogenic activities emit toxic heavy metals in the soil, air, and water. Plants consume toxic heavy metals from their roots and foliar part inside the plant. Heavy metals may interfere with various aspects of the plants, such as biochemistry, bio-molecules, and physiological processes, which usually translate into morphological and anatomical changes. They use various strategies to deal with the toxic effects of heavy metal contamination. Some of these strategies include restricting heavy metals to the cell wall, vascular sequestration, and synthesis of various biochemical compounds, such as phyto-chelators and organic acids, to bind the free moving heavy metal ions so that the toxic effects are minimized. This review focuses on several aspects of genetics, molecular, and cell signaling levels, which integrate to produce a coordinated response to heavy metal toxicity and interpret the exact strategies behind the tolerance of heavy metals stress. It is suggested that various aspects of some model plant species must be thoroughly studied to comprehend the approaches of heavy metal tolerance to put that knowledge into practical use.

The sharing economy in the hospitality sector: The role of social interaction, social presence, and reciprocity in eliciting satisfaction and continuance behavior.

The sharing economy is still transforming the hospitality industry at an exponential speed. The idea of acquiring goods and services through a collaborative approach is becoming a significant part of the world's overall economy. Many use platforms and social media channels to make purchase decisions while communicating with others. This study, therefore, investigates the socialization factors and values of the sharing economy as driving forces of the rapid growth of the hospitality businesses related to sharing economy. The study also assesses their influence on satisfaction and continuance behavior and explores the role of reciprocity and perceived risk by applying the value-based adoption theory. Using mixed methods, the present research identifies the crucial attributes and validates the proposed theoretical framework. Our findings provide valuable insights for hospitality businesses participating in the sharing economy.

Halal Food Performance and Its Influence on Patron Retention Process at Tourism Destination.

Muslim tourism is one of the most rapidly developing sectors in the international tourism industry. Nevertheless, halal food performance and its relationship with international Muslim traveler decision-making and behaviors have not been sufficiently examined. The present research explored the influence of halal food performance, which encompasses availability, health/nutrition, accreditation, and cleanness/safety/hygiene factors, on the Muslim traveler retention process at a non-Islamic destination. A survey methodology with a quantitative data analytic approach was employed to achieve research goals. Our findings indicated that halal food performance increased destination trust and destination attachment, which in turn influenced Muslim traveler retention. Additionally, the efficacy of the higher-order framework of halal food performance was defined. Both destination trust and attachment mediated the effect of halal food performance on retention. A halal-friendly destination image included a moderating influence on the retention process. The effectiveness of the proposed theoretical framework for explicating Muslim traveler behaviors was uncovered. This research better introduces the importance of halal food performance and its attributes for the elicitation of Muslim traveler approach responses and behaviors at a non-Islamic destination to researchers and practitioners.

Sustainable Choices and Behaviors among Eco-Friendly Museum Travelers: Exploring the Drivers of Sacrifice, Visit, Pay, and WOM Intentions.

This research developed a sturdy theoretical framework that offers a better comprehension regarding customer approach intentions for eco-friendly museum products. Using a quantitative process, the apparent role of ecological value, connectedness to nature, social pressure, pro-environmental reputation was explored. Data quality testing demonstrated the validity of the construct measures. The critical mediating nature of customer-product relationship quality and feeling of pride was unveiled by conducting a structural analysis. In addition, the feeling of pride was a prominent factor determining sacrifice, visit, pay, and word of mouth (WOM) intentions. Social pressure played a major role in building relationship quality, whereas pro-environmental reputation was a key contributor to increase the feeling of pride. The model contained a strong prediction power for intentions. Results of this study contribute to enriching the extant knowledge regarding customer pro-environmental decision-making process, which is helpful for an eco-friendly museum and its success.