CHRIST (Deemed to be University), is a deemed to be university in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Founded in 1969 as Christ College, the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India conferred autonomy to Christ College in 2004. On 22 July 2008 it was declared as an institution deemed to be university under section 3 of UGC Act 1956 by the Ministry of Education (India). The university is under the management of the priests of the Catholic religious order, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), part of Syro Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church. In 2016, the University was accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council with A Grade.
This study investigates the enablers and barriers influencing the acceptance of Agentic AI in the hospitality sector using a mixed-methods research design. In the first phase, thirty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with hospitality managers to identify the key drivers and barriers of Agentic AI adoption. Based on these insights, a theoretical model grounded in Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT) was developed and subsequently validated through a survey of 980 consumers. The findings reveal that autonomy, personalization, social influence, and perceived usefulness are the primary drivers of Agentic AI adoption, whereas technological anxiety, perceived privacy risk, perceived hallucination, and traditional barriers impede its acceptance. This study contributes to the literature on advanced technology adoption in hospitality by extending the application of BRT to the context of Agentic AI. It also offers practical insights for hospitality managers and technology developers seeking to design and implement Agentic AI solutions that effectively promote consumer adoption.
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets are extensively used in photocatalytic applications but are often decorated with noble-metal co-catalysts to yield relevant efficiencies. Herein, we report a dual-metal co-catalyst system comprising cobalt and molybdenum (CoMo) nanoclusters uniformly integrated into heptazine g-C3N4 nanosheets for enhanced visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The intimate contact between metals as well as with gC3N4 layer was verified through X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Mechanistic insights obtained through a combination of experimental and computational studies suggest that Co acts as primary catalytic center, while Mo plays a preliminary role in facilitating surface hydrogen coverage, collectively accelerating the redox rates and achieving 10 times higher performance compared to bare gC3N4. Post-HER analysis reveals disintegration of co-catalyst into Co single-atoms, which then takes the leading role in sustaining the HER. The role of co-catalyst was mainly limited to the surface, acting as electron trap, reducing charge recombination and as a HER catalytic center. The composite exhibits excellent photostability over 13 h of ON/OFF illumination cycles, highlighting its potential for intermittent operations under practical conditions. This study presents a co-catalyst design strategy leveraging dual-metal synergy as a non-noble, scalable alternative to conventional noble-metal-based HER co-catalysts for solar fuel generation.
Indole alkaloids, a well-known class of nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites, are characterized by their complex structures and diverse biological activities. Although they have historically been produced from plants, microbial sources like bacteria, fungi, endophytes, and cyanobacteria are becoming more and more popular as effective and sustainable substitutes. In order to synthesize indole alkaloids, these microorganisms have specialized enzymatic pathways, which frequently offer benefits like shorter production cycles and environmental adaptability. The production yields and structural diversity of these compounds have been greatly increased by developments in biotechnological techniques, such as metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and optimized fermentation methods. Indole alkaloids are widely used in agriculture as biopesticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators, as well as in pharmaceuticals as anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, and neuroprotective agents. The study of microbial systems for their production addresses a number of problems with plant-based extraction, including low yields, seasonal variability, and environmental impact. Additionally, microbial platforms present chances for the sustainable development and large-scale, economical synthesis of these valuable compounds. An outline of the microbial sources of indole alkaloids is provided in this review, which includes endophytes, bacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungi. It also looks at the most recent developments in biotechnological production techniques and emphasizes their applications. This review highlights the growing importance of microbial systems in meeting the growing demand for indole alkaloids worldwide in a variety of sectors by highlighting them as scalable and environmentally friendly platforms.
In a fast-paced digital world of growing sustainability demands, organizations must utilize knowledge-based and financial resources in order to stay competitive and accountable. Even though there is increasing academic interest, the empirical evidence on how and when the major dimensions of intellectual capital (IC), human, structural, and relational capital, combine to contribute to sustainable performance (SP) remains fragmented and inconclusive. Given this, the present study empirically investigates the impact of IC, including human, structural, and relational capital, on SP. It also aims to examine the potential impact of FinTech innovation (FI) and financial literacy on IC and SP. Based on the Technology innovation theory and Resource based view, this study develops and empirically tests the proposed model that integrates intangible knowledge resources and technological capabilities to explain SP. Data were collected from 413 managers of the Indian banking industry. Structural equation modeling and Hayes Process were used to test the hypotheses. The findings exhibit that IC-human, structural, relational capital, and financial literacy-play a significant and positive role in FI and SP. The path analysis also confirmed a significant role of FI on IC and SP. This study suggests that managers and policymakers can improve the banking performance in an eco-friendly manner by actively resorting to investments in knowledge resources and digital transformation initiatives. Accordingly, the study model offers an integrative framework showing how financial institutions can ensure SP by converging IC, FI, and FL.
One of the perennial problems faced by the food industry is the poor bioavailability of nutrients, arising generally due to lowered solubility or inadequate absorption by the gastrointestinal tract. Nanotechnology-based encapsulation techniques have shown to significantly enhance the bioavailability of various food bioactive compounds. Targeted delivery of specific nutrients to specific organs, low toxicity, maximization of nutrient uptake, extended release of nutrients, and enhanced texture and flavor are the major advantages of such systems, a few of which are discussed in this review. In keeping with these pertinent paradigms, the current review also highlights how food nanotechnology-based delivery systems ensure efficient bioaccessibility of dietary compounds that otherwise cannot be maximally achieved under in vivo conditions or by using biopolymer-based encapsulation. However, as with any technology, this also comes with its own set of drawbacks and lacunae, which are also presented in the current review. With the surge in global population, emphasis should be placed on optimizing bioavailability of vital food nutrients, catering to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 3. In a global landscape, a collaborative effort from regulatory bodies, consumers, and manufacturers will enable satisfactory, efficient, and safe commercialization of nanotechnological delivery systems for functional foods and bioactives.
