The Destructive Effect of Corruption on Economic Growth in Mali : a Nonlinear Model Analysis

A growing body of empirical work has raised awareness of the destructive effect of corruption on economic development, although no existing study has considered the threshold value at which corruption impedes economic growth. This study assesses the effect of corruption on economic growth by adopting a non-linear approach to determining the corruption threshold. By analyzing the effect of corruption on economic growth in Mali over the period 1988 to 2021, this study examines whether there is evidence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and corruption. The threshold effect of corruption is assessed using an augmented quadratic model. The results confirm the existence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between corruption and economic growth on the one hand and show the existence of a long-run relationship between these variables on the other hand, thus validating our initial hypothesis. Furthermore, the results show that economic growth peaks when the corruption perception index reaches 0.07 points. The main lessons to be drawn from these results are that below this threshold, corruption becomes a lubricant for economic growth, while above this threshold, it constitutes a brake on economic growth in Mali

Characterization of sugar from Arenga pinnata and Saccharum officinarum sugars

The study was carried out to characterize the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and the volatile compounds of sugars from Arenga pinnata and Saccharum officinarum. Refined cane sugar exhibited the highest L* value, whereas jaggery powder showed the lowest L* value (p<0.05). The solubility ranged from 99.18% to 99.57%. The proximate composition and chemicals properties were significantly (p<0.05) varied among different sugar samples. The highest moisture content (4.11%), crude fat (0.11%), crude fiber (0.02%) and reducing sugar (9.31%) were found in aren sugar. Highest amount of ash content (1.19%), crude protein (0.28%), titratable acidity (0.50%) and vitamin C (6.62 mg/100 g) were found in jaggery powder. As control, refined cane sugar contain significant amount of carbohydrate (99.95%), total soluble solid (90.00 °Brix) and water activity (0.55 aw). The pH values of all samples ranged from 4.14 to 6.65. The maximum DPPH radical scavenging activity and TPC were found in jaggery powder with values 4170 μg of GAE/g and 46.98% respectively. The volatile compounds detected were 5-hydroxymethylfurfural,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one, aminoacethydrazine, hydroxyacetic acid, hydrazine, acetic acid, [S-(R*, R*)]-2, 3-butanediol, 2, 3-dihydro-3, 5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one and 6-acetyl-á-d-mannose. The quality data from this characterization can be used to indicate the standard of A. pinnata and S. officinarum sugars

The effect of overconfidence behaviour on stock market volatility in Belgium

The purpose of this paper is to measure whether the investor operating on the Brussels Stock Exchange exhibits overconfidence behaviour, and to examine, under this hypothesis, the role of overconfidence in explaining fluctuations in the value of the BEL20 benchmark index over a 22-year period from 03 January 2000 to 21 October 2022. By exploiting econometric techniques in terms of causality and modelling conditional volatility, the results of this research show the presence of the excess confidence feature and its positive effect on the conditional volatility of the daily return of the BEL20 index

Characterization of Arenga pinnata and Saccharum officinarum sugars properties

The study was carried out to characterize the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and the volatile compounds of sugars from Arenga pinnata and Saccharum officinarum. Refined cane sugar exhibited the highest L* value, whereas jaggery powder showed the lowest L* value (p < 0.05). The solubility ranged from 99.18% to 99.57%. The proximate composition and chemicals properties were significantly (p < 0.05) varied among different sugar samples. The highest moisture content (4.11%), crude fat (0.11%), crude fiber (0.02%) and reducing sugar (9.31%) were found in aren sugar. Highest amount of ash content (1.19%), crude protein (0.28%), titratable acidity (0.50%) and vitamin C (6.62 mg/100 g) were found in jaggery powder. As control, refined cane sugar contain significant amount of carbohydrate (99.95%), total soluble solid (90.00 °Brix) and water activity (0.55 aw). The pH values of all samples ranged from 4.14 to 6.65. The maximum DPPH radical scavenging activity and TPC were found in jaggery powder with values 4170 μg of GAE/g and 46.98% respectively. The volatile compounds detected were 5-hydroxymethylfurfural,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one, aminoacethydrazine, hydroxyacetic acid, hydrazine, acetic acid, [S-(R*, R*)]-2, 3-butanediol, 2, 3-dihydro-3, 5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one and 6-acetyl-á-dmannose. The quality data from this characterization can be used to indicate the standard of A. pinnata and S. officinarum sugars

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) flower extract

Plant extracts with various bioactive compounds have gained considerable attention especially when used as functional ingredient. The aims of the present study were to profile the bioactive and volatile compounds in different maturity stages of torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) and also to study the effect of drying methods on bioactive compounds of torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) extract. The bioactive compounds in unopened and opened torch ginger were identified using Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GCMS). Unopened torch ginger flower was sun-dried with mid -day temperature ranged from 35–40°C for almost 27 hours, overnight oven drying at 40°C and the torch ginger also be lyophilized for 48 hours in a vacuum flask at 0.125 mbar and -50°C in a freeze-dryer till moisture content reached 10±2% in weight. The total phenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity of unopened torch ginger extract were determined by using UV-vis spectrophotometer. The most abundant compounds in torch ginger included á-pinene, decanal, and 1-dodecanol. Freeze-dried unopened torch ginger flower resulted the highest level of total phenols content (485.50±3.24mg GAE/100g), total flavonoids (61.26±14.87 mg GAE/100g),ferric reducing assay power (1943.50±84.15mg GAE/100g) and scavenging activity (89.24±1.24%) respectively. The extract from torch ginger flower could be potentially used as a new source of natural antioxidant in functional ingredient

Aqueous extraction, purification and characterization of galactomannans from aren sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) fruits

The effect of different aqueous extraction conditions on the crude gum extraction yield of Aren sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) fruit was evaluated. A water-soluble polysaccharide was extracted from the endosperm of A. pinnata fruit with water at different extraction conditions. The results indicated that water to seed ratio, alkaline pH and temperature were significantly (p<0.05) effect the extraction yield of the crude gum. The ideal extraction conditions (W/S ratio: 20:1, pH: 10 and temperature: 80˚C) led to the highest yield (5.50%) of the A. pinnata fruit gum. The purified gum was characterized as white, thread-like precipitate and become a powder-like substance after being freeze dried. It had relatively low protein content (1.15%) and partially solubilised at ambient (50.93%) and at elevated temperature (71.00%). The gum had a high water holding capacity but lower oil-holding capacity which was 150.00 g water/100 g and 103.33 g oil/100 g of gum respectively. The viscosity of the purified gums increased with the increase of solution concentration. This revealed that A. pinnata gum is suitable for applications as stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsion or as food additives due to its capability to hold water molecules and form a viscous solution at low concentration

A Trial of Early Antiretrovirals and Isoniazid Preventive Therapy in Africa

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis is high. We conducted a trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design to assess the benefits of early antiretroviral therapy (ART), 6-month isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), or both among HIV-infected adults with high CD4+ cell counts in Ivory Coast. METHODS: We included participants who had HIV type 1 infection and a CD4+ count of less than 800 cells per cubic millimeter and who met no criteria for starting ART according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: deferred ART (ART initiation according to WHO criteria), deferred ART plus IPT, early ART (immediate ART initiation), or early ART plus IPT. The primary end point was a composite of diseases included in the case definition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), non-AIDS-defining cancer, non-AIDS-defining invasive bacterial disease, or death from any cause at 30 months. We used Cox proportional models to compare outcomes between the deferred-ART and early-ART strategies and between the IPT and no-IPT strategies. RESULTS: A total of 2056 patients (41% with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter) were followed for 4757 patient-years. A total of 204 primary end-point events were observed (3.8 events per 100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3 to 4.4), including 68 in patients with a baseline CD4+ count of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter (3.2 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 2.4 to 4.0). Tuberculosis and invasive bacterial diseases accounted for 42% and 27% of primary end-point events, respectively. The risk of death or severe HIV-related illness was lower with early ART than with deferred ART (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.76; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.94) and lower with IPT than with no IPT (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.88; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.01). The 30-month probability of grade 3 or 4 adverse events did not differ significantly among the strategies. CONCLUSIONS: In this African country, immediate ART and 6 months of IPT independently led to lower rates of severe illness than did deferred ART and no IPT, both overall and among patients with CD4+ counts of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter. (Funded by the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis; TEMPRANO ANRS 12136 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00495651.)

Effects of sugar sources and fermentation time on the properties of tea fungus (kombucha) beverage

Recently, fermented foods have been developing huge demand among modern consumers due to their health benefits and pleasant flavour. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of fermentation time and different sugar sources on the physicochemical and antioxidant activities of kombucha tea. The sugar sources selected were white refined sugar (WRS), coconut palm sugar (CPS) and molasses sugar (MS). The fermentation substrate was boiled black tea, 10% (w/v) of each sugar, 3% (w/v) of tea fungus (SCOBY) and 10% (v/v) of previously fermented kombucha tea (back slope fermentation). The mixture was incubated in the dark at 24±3°C for 14 days. The sugar and organic acid contents were determined by HPLC, while the antioxidant active was determined by the DPPH and FRAP methods. Results demonstrated significantly higher biomass formation, glucose and sucrose content for kombucha tea fermented with WRS, while kombucha tea fermented with MS showed higher organic acid contents. Moreover, kombucha tea fermented with CPS exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic content, followed by those fermented with MS and WRS. The present work demonstrated that kombucha tea fermented with CPS is recommended to be consumed as functional beverage for health benefits and prevention of oxidation related diseases. In addition, CPS and MS are good sugar alternatives to sucrose and other sugars frequently used in kombucha fermentation