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Studying ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) plays a crucial role in understanding animal communication, particularly in the field of ethology and neuropharmacology. Communication is associated with social behaviour; so, USVs study is a valid assay in behavioural readout and monitoring in this context. This paper delved into an investigation of ultrasonic communication in mice treated with Cannabis sativa oil (CS mice), which has been demonstrated having a prosocial effect on behaviour of mice, versus control mice (vehicle‐treated, VH mice). To conduct this study, we created a dataset by recording audio‐video files and annotating the duration of time that test mice spent engaging in social activities, along with categorizing the types of emitted USVs. The analysis encompassed the frequency of individual sounds as well as more complex sequences of consecutive syllables (patterns). The primary goal was to examine the extent and nature of diversity in ultrasonic communication patterns emitted by these two groups of mice. As a result, we observed statistically significant differences for each considered pattern length between the two groups of mice. Additionally, the study extended its research by considering specific behaviours, aiming to ascertain whether dissimilarities in ultrasonic communication between CS and VH mice are more pronounced or subtle within distinct behavioural contexts. Our findings suggest that while there is variation in USV communication between the two groups of mice, the degree of this diversity may vary depending on the specific behaviour being observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has historically played a vital role in agriculture across the globe. Feral and wild populations have served as genetic resources for breeding, conservation, and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. However, feral populations of Cannabis, specifically in the Midwestern United States, remain poorly understood. This study aims to characterize the abiotic tolerances of these populations, estimate suitable areas, identify regions at risk of abiotic suitability change, and highlight the utility of ecological niche models (ENMs) in germplasm conservation. The Maxent algorithm was used to construct a series of ENMs. Validation metrics and MOP (Mobility‐oriented Parity) analysis were used to assess extrapolation risk and model performance. We also projected the final projected under current and future climate scenarios (2021–2040 and 2061–2080) to assess how abiotic suitability changes with time. Climate change scenarios indicated an expansion of suitable habitat, with priority areas for germplasm collection in Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. This study demonstrates the application of ENMs for characterizing feral Cannabis populations and highlights their value in germplasm conservation and breeding efforts. Populations of feral C. sativa in the Midwest are of high interest, and future research should focus on utilizing tools to aid the collection of materials for the characterization of genetic diversity and adaptation to a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis–drug interactions have caused significant concerns, mainly due to their role in the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme‐mediated metabolic pathway of numerous medications. A systematic review was conducted to gain an overview of the potential interactions of cannabis with different drug classes by extracting pertinent information from published study data. From the inception of the study to October 1, 2023, we performed a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, clinicaltrials.gov, and Web of Science. We included 54 out of 464 articles, and a total of 20 drug classes were identified to have interactions with medicinal cannabis. The cannabis–drug interactions were assessed and classified according to their probability and severity. The analysis revealed that antiepileptics had the most evidence of interaction with cannabis, followed by clobazam (CLB), warfarin, and tacrolimus. Generally, cannabis–drug interactions result in pharmacokinetic (PK) or pharmacodynamic (PD) changes. Therefore, careful monitoring should be performed to detect any unusual elevations in plasma levels. In addition, dose titrations or treatment withdrawal could help mitigate the adverse effects attributed to cannabis–drug interactions. Nevertheless, novel drugs are constantly emerging, and more research is needed to further identify potential interactions with cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the optimization of an ex vitro one-step hairy root transformation method in drug- and hemp-type cannabis using the RUBY system. Cannabis is a versatile plant species that has gained attention in medical research and industry due to recent legalization. The concentration of the cannabinoid Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) determines the legal categorization of cannabis as hemp-type or drug-type. The study presents a new method for transforming cannabis roots using the RUBY system, which allows for the visual identification of transformed roots. The results show that the transformation efficiency varied based on the bacterial strain and seed type, with drug-type cannabis exhibiting higher transformation rates. This ex vitro method offers simplicity, speed, and reduced contamination risk, making it suitable for the efficient production of secondary metabolites in cannabis. [Extracted from the article]