Adherence to the MIND diet and onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A case-control study.

Dietary α-linolenic acid intake, different food sources, and risk of all-cause mortality: A prospective cohort study.

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) in Euphorbiaceae family is an important tropical crop cultivated for seeds containing industrially valuable oil. With economic development, demand for castor beans and oil is rapidly increasing, yet production is severely affected by fungal diseases, particularly Fusarium and Macrophomina, due to limited advanced breeding methods. F. oxysporum f. sp. ricini -induced wilt in castor is a major pathogenic factor responsible for severe yield losses. Wilt resistance, a complex trait controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), was investigated in this study by developing a linkage map and identifying novel QTLs in castor using F2:3 population. The was developed from the cross between two castor inbred lines, 48 - 1 (Jwala) and the wilt-susceptible genotype JI-35, and screened under pot conditions. Linkage map was developed using 71 SSR markers. A genetic map comprising 13 linkage groups, spanning a total of 1,028.7cM centimorgans (cM). Analysis of genotypic and phenotypic data from the mapping population, evaluated for wilt in pots, identified two QTLs on LG1 and 6 explaining 12.44-16.58% of phenotypic variation. PCR amplification using linked markers on LG 1 in resistant and susceptible F₄ families of the mapping population demonstrated that these markers effectively distinguish plants resistant or susceptible to wilt disease. These markers can be utilized for developing resistant varieties via backcross breeding and for screening germplasm at the seedling stage.

The Mediterranean diet: historical benefits and contemporary challenges in Southern Italy.

Extra-virgin olive oil and additional cardiovascular outcomes in the PREDIMED Trial: An outcome-wide perspective.

ABSTRACT Understanding the interrelations between oil price (OP) and environmental, social and governance (ESG)‐related uncertainty is critical in formulating effective strategies to advance sustainability goals. This study employs full‐sample and sub‐sample causal relation tests to investigate the complex relationship between OP and the ESG‐related uncertainty index (ESGUI). The empirical findings suggest that OP exerts both positive and negative influences on ESGUI, where the negative effects indicate that high OP may paradoxically reduce ESG‐related uncertainty, while low OP may increase it, thereby hindering sustainability efforts. However, sustained high OP levels elevate ESGUI by constraining clean energy financing and reviving carbon‐intensive investments, thereby creating a challenging environment for sustainability policies. Conversely, ESGUI boosts OP by delaying green investments and prolonging fossil fuel use, thus increasing oil demand and its price. Amidst ongoing energy and climate challenges, this study presents OP‐responsive policy recommendations for policymakers, corporate managers, investors and auditors, designed to mitigate ESG‐related uncertainties and effectively advance sustainability objectives.

The present study aims to examine the evolution of the Argentine fiscal regime in the oil sector in a comparative perspective with respect to other countries in the region, in a context characterized by the promotion of the Vaca Muerta productive project. In recent years, the sector has been projected as a future export platform in the context of the pressing external constraints. To deal with the shortage of foreign currency, different government administrations have been sacrificing state participation through deep reforms in the fiscal regime, granting benefits to attract investments. In this context, companies in the sector emerge as the main winners in the dispute over oil revenues, to the detriment of state participation. However, fiscal policy should prioritize sustainable development due to the progressive depletion of nonrenewable resources. Based on a comparative analysis with other countries in the region, we can conclude that Argentina stands out as the only country that has significantly sacrificed its state participation by implementing profound reforms to its tax system.

The study evaluates the effects of Dutch disease on the manufacturing and agricultural sectors of Nigeria and Angola, the two most oil-dependent nations in Africa. The research explores the effects of oil-based economic stability on the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, as these sectors are key drivers of economic growth and sustainable development. The paper examines the effects of oil rent, real exchange rates, and government spending on sectoral output by analyzing annual data from 1990 to 2023 from World Bank and IMF sources as well as national statistics agencies. The results of the study show that oil income and exchange rate appreciation have a significant detrimental influence on Nigerian and Angolan industry and agricultural output, proving the existence of Dutch disease. According to the research, conventional export industries become less competitive over time as a result of oil reliance, which shifts resources towards non-tradable sectors. According to the study, the volatility of oil revenue lowers sectoral resistance to short-term changes and causes economic instability. A stable process towards reaching long-run equilibrium is indicated by the error correction terms' negative significant values in both models. According to the research, both countries are still dominated by oil-driven economic distortions since their policies are insufficiently robust to encourage the growth of non-oil sectors. In order to promote long-term economic development, the research backs the necessity for improved fiscal control, effective currency management, and focused oil income investment into the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

Introduction. Vacuum piston type dough dividing machines are widely used in the bakery industry for batching dough blanks. However, their technical documentation lacks criteria for assessing the ultimate state. The aim of the study is to determine the criterion of the ultimate state and the method for finding its value when evaluating the technical condition of vacuum-piston type dough dividing machines. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted on a TD-4 machine using Foodline WP 32 oil. Oil consumption was measured using scales and a specially designed device. Experiments involved processing 300 dough pieces weighing 500 g. Results. The indicator of food oil consumption is defined as the evaluation criterion. According to the data obtained, the optimal oil consumption ranges from 320-350 ml per 1,000 units of production (production cycles). To maintain this flow rate, the upper throttles must be opened for three turns, and the side throttles for two turns. At the beginning of the process, oil consumption increases through the upper chokes, and when ten opening revolutions are reached, through the side chokes. The scheme of the device for measuring oil consumption has been designed. Discussion and Conclusion. It is shown that the consumption of food oil is a diagnostic criterion for the parts wear. To temporarily compensate for the parts wear, a short-term increase in the oil supply from the pump to the maximum value is carried out by opening the throttles. Timely monitoring helps to extend the equipment service life. The proposed methodology can be used by technical service enterprises.

Growing demand for patchouli oil has undoubtedly become an opportunity for the patchouli industry, particularly in Aceh, which supplies about 80% of Indonesia’s patchouli oil in the global supply chain system. However, the opportunity is often misguided by farmers and even the government, which implements various programs related to patchouli cultivation without identifying the potential land that is suitable to be used for it. The condition indicated that not every land is suitable for patchouli cultivation. Thus, it is necessary to cluster the distribution of existing patchouli plantations. The clustering aims to identify the existing patchouli plantations that have the potential for replication. This study uses the K-Means method that combines variables (the planting land, the harvesting land, and total production) to provide information on the plantation’s potential scale in each region. The clustering measurement pointed out that the plantation in South Aceh Regency has the most potential land for sustainable cultivation, followed by several other areas included in Cluster 2 and Cluster 3. The study’s result is essential in contributing significantly to optimizing patchouli cultivation management sustainability to fulfill Aceh Province’s role as the best quality patchouli oil supplier.

Oceans and seas have an important impact on economic growth, environmental sustainability, and human wellbeing. Unfortunately, marine ecosystem services are exploited due to marine degradation, such as plastic pollution, ocean acidification, and dumping of industrial chemical but it is most and severely affected by oil spills. The current study attempts to check the validation of Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis for global marine degradation by using time series econometrics techniques with structural breaks. The world level data time series data on oil spillage, oil consumption and GDP per capita is used, covering the time period of 50 years from 1970 to 2019. The results concluded that there is an existence of inverted U-shaped between marine degradation and global economic activities. The turning point has already appeared in the dataset, most probably, due to the shifting trend from non-renewable energy to renewable energy as well as various conventions and laws being introduced on the prevention of marine oil spillage.

Camellia oleifera oil (CO) is an important edible oil with excellent nutritional value. Recently, there has been an increasing market demand for oils with distinct flavor profiles. However, the formation mechanisms of characteristic aromas in CO remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of roasting (170 °C, 0–30 min) on free amino acids, soluble sugars, and volatile components in camellia seeds and the corresponding oils. To further elucidate the generation mechanisms of flavor compounds in CO, reaction systems simulating the Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation were constructed. The results show strong correlations between volatile compounds and both soluble sugars and free amino acids during roasting. The key flavor precursors identified included arginine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, and lysine, as well as sucrose and glucose. The simulated systems indicated that the flavor compounds in CO were mainly derived from the Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation, with significant interactions enhancing its unique flavor. This study potentially provides scientific guidance for the production and flavor control of fragrant CO.

The triple burden of malnutrition (TBM), comprising undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, remains a major nutritional challenge in Indonesia amid rapid economic growth and shifting dietary habits. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of TBM and its association with maternal dietary patterns using data from 1,005 mother–child pairs in the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey. Complex sample logistic regression was applied to account for the multistage sampling design. The prevalence of TBM was 4.3%. In children, 16.6% were underweight, 21.3% stunted, and 21.7% anemic, while 51.4% of mothers were overweight or obese and 15.0% anemic. Maternal dietary patterns were significantly associated with TBM risk, whereby mothers who rarely or never consumed grilled or charred foods were more likely to belong to non-TBM families (AOR = 8.57; 95% CI: 1.43–51.29; p = 0.018), as were those with moderate consumption (AOR = 4.78; 95% CI: 1.09–20.98; p = 0.038). In contrast, rare consumption of meat, poultry, or fish products with preservatives (AOR = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02–0.95; p = 0.043) and fruits or fruit-based products (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.06–0.61; p = 0.005) was associated with a higher likelihood of TBM. A non-linear association was observed for flavor enhancers, where moderate consumption was linked to lower odds of TBM (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.15–0.73; p = 0.006), whereas rare consumption increased the likelihood of belonging to non-TBM families (AOR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.04–7.48; p = 0.041). Additionally, moderate consumption of fats and oils was positively associated with TBM risk (AOR = 2.94; 95% CI: 1.01–8.54; p = 0.047). In conclusion, maternal dietary patterns significantly influence TBM risk among Indonesian families.

Purpose The relative roles of political-economy and oil dependence on the procyclicality of fiscal policy in Nigeria are examined in this study. The focus is on assessing whether the fiscal characteristics of sub-national governments and over dependence on oil revenue provide additional influences on fiscal performance. Design/methodology/approach The study employs data for the period 1960–2020 that are further partitioned into the 1970–1998 period (before democracy) and the 1999–2020 period (during democracy). Both the autoregressive distributed lags and Ordinary Least Squares techniques are used to determine the presence of fiscal procyclicality and to explain the main drivers. Findings The study finds evidence of fiscal procyclicality in Nigeria which is more intense during the democratic era of 1999–2020. Neither oil price volatility nor oil dependence is found to significantly influence fiscal procyclicality during the democratic era in Nigeria, rather, political economy factors in terms of increased state governments’ fiscal participation in the democratic era are found to effectively increase fiscal procyclicality in the country. This implies that it is the pattern of fiscal federalism and fiscal participation of state governments in Nigeria, rather than oil dependence, that pose significant threats to maintaining efficient fiscal policy in Nigeria. More focus therefore needs to be on political agents (mainly sub-national governments) in the economy in the drive to enhance efficiency of fiscal policy in Nigeria. Originality/value The paper partitions the data into pre- and post-democratic eras in order to better show the influence of democracy as a background factor in explaining fiscal procyclicality in Nigeria.

This article analyzes opportunities for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the economy of the Russian Arctic through Russian-Chinese cooperation. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing competition for resources and logistical routes in the Arctic, where AI can become a key catalyst for increasing efficiency, environmental sustainability, and the safety of economic activities. The purpose of the research is to identify priority areas and assess the potential for AI integration into the Arctic economy via a Russian-Chinese partnership. The methods used include a systematic review of domestic and international sources, a comparative statistical analysis of macroeconomic indicators for Russia and China, and a scenario-based forecasting model up to the year 2030. The novelty of the research lies in the development of a comprehensive roadmap for an AI project in the Arctic, considering technological, infrastructural, environmental, and investment factors from both countries, along with a risk matrix and risk mitigation proposals. Research results include a taxonomy of seven key AI application areas (ice monitoring, digital logistics of the Northern Sea Route, intelligent resource extraction, Big Data infrastructure, and urban digital twins), a quantitative assessment of expected effects (logistics cost savings of approximately $2 billion per year, an increase in oil and gas project revenues of approximately $18–20 billion per year, a 30% reduction in accidents along the NSR, etc.), and a heat map highlighting bottlenecks and growth points for bilateral initiatives. The findings suggest that comprehensive AI integration could generate a cumulative economic effect of $45–60 billion by 2030 (approximately 15–20% of the GDP of Russia's Arctic regions and China’s northeastern provinces), while simultaneously strengthening the region’s environmental and social sustainability. Future research should focus on developing unified data exchange protocols, creating joint AI testing sites, studying the social effects on indigenous peoples, and establishing a multi-level cybersecurity system for critical Arctic infrastructure.

Introduction. The efficiency of the Russian transport sector, characterized by its vast territory and advantageous geographic location between Asia and Europe, is determined by the state of its infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficiency of the Russian transport sector and formulate measures to improve the state of its transport infrastructure. Materials and Methods. The study focused on Russia's transportation system, broken down by mode (road, rail, and air). The database consisted of Rosstat data for 2000–2023. The analysis of Russia's transportation system development dynamics was conducted using the index method with standardization based on the Mazziotta–Pareto index. A transport system efficiency index, developed based on standardized indicators, was applied. Results. Overall, the Russian transport system meets domestic demand for transportation services. Exports of such services are limited not so much by the length of routes and the resulting high cost of transportation, but by the inefficiency of the system itself. Railroads remain the most efficient, while road and air transport are subject to sanctions and risks. The need for a new financing system for the development of Russia's transport system, based on the allocation of surplus revenues and their investment in transport development, is justified. It is proven that the potential efficiency of the Russian transport system is not being fully utilized. Discussion and Conclusion. The novelty of the obtained results lies in the author's proposed approach to assessing the effectiveness of existing infrastructure and measures for its development, the implementation of which could lead to increased competitiveness of Russian transport services in the global market. Of interest to government agencies is the proposal to stimulate investment in transport infrastructure through the allocation of oil and gas revenues.

This research examines the impact of taxes on the Iraqi national economy by analyzing their impact on key economic activities such as production,consumption,and investment. It also examines the challenges that hinder the efficiency of the tax system. The research highlights the weak contribution of taxes to public revenues compared to oil revenues,the absence of tax justice,and widespread tax evasion. The research concludes that administrative,legislative,and structural reforms,along with improving collection and oversight mechanisms,are necessary to strengthen the tax system,reduce dependence on oil,and achieve financial stability.

This study is motivated by the high consumption of cooking oil in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, which is often constrained by operational costs, triggering the repeated use of waste cooking oil (jelantah) that poses carcinogenic health risks. This study aims to design and build a portable waste cooking oil filtration machine for households/MSMEs to provide a preventive solution to health risks while supporting economic efficiency. The research method uses a Participatory Ergonomics approach, involving active stakeholder participation including users, chemists, and manufacturing practitioners in identifying design needs. The design development results transformed the initial concept relying solely on gravity into an integrated four-stage purification system, namely: initial filtration using 100 mesh, heating process to reduce viscosity, water and odor absorption using zeolite adsorbent, and final filtration. The realization of the prototype with dimensions of 36 × 35 × 67 cm shows that this system is effective in separating solid contaminants, reducing water content and rancid odor, and producing visually clearer and usable oil. However, this study is limited to qualitative evaluation of oil clarity, odor, and water content reduction, and has not yet included quantitative laboratory analysis of free fatty acid levels.

Following a period of recovery, the Russian economy has entered a “soft landing”. Production in non-military sectors of production is slowing or declining, while consumer and investment demand is cooling. A decline in oil and gas revenues, driven by lower oil prices, a stronger ruble, and the impact of external sanctions, coupled with an unexpected increase in expenditures, have contributed to a record budget deficit. A fundamental increase in budget-forming taxes is unable to offset the decline in oil and gas revenues, creating risks to fiscal sustainability. The federal budget parameters for 2026 point to a return to fiscal consolidation, but the feasibility of this is exaggerated. The federal budget revenue forecast is based on optimistic assumptions, and expenditure reductions are not guaranteed. The accumulated structural problems of the Russian economy could be exacerbated by new challenges from fiscal policy.

The increasing demand for palm oil has drastic effects on the ecosystem, as its production is not sustainable. To that end, developing a sustainable alternative to fatty acids and oils is urgent and of utmost interest. Oils produced by oleaginous yeasts present a promising solution, particularly because the fatty acid profile of the oil produced by these yeasts is comparable to that of plant-based oils and fats. The fatty acid composition of the oil determines its physiological properties, thereby determining its potential applications. Accordingly, the production of microbial oil with an optimal composition profile for a specific application is of great importance. In this study, we evaluated the variation that occurred in fatty acid composition due to different cultivation parameters (temperature, C/N ratio, carbon, and nitrogen sources) and applied genetic modifications to improve the lipid accumulation of Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosus and Yarrowia lipolytica. We showed that specific fatty acid profiles associated with a particular application can be obtained by carefully selecting the microorganism and cultivation conditions.