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Grapevine tissues (Vitis spp.) are rich in various phenolic compounds and polysaccharides, which complicates the isolation of dsDNA for molecular analysis. In this study, 25 different DNA extraction buffers were developed and tested using a six-factor matrix method with five levels of variation. An optimized buffer based on 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) was developed, containing 1% (m/v) CTAB, 1% (m/v) PVP, 5% (v/v) β-mercaptoethanol, 30 mM Na₂EDTA, 1.0 M NaCl, and 60 min of incubation. The protocol allowed us to obtain high-quality DNA (187–305 ng/µL, OD260/OD280 = 1.80–1.88) suitable for PCR from five grape varieties: ‘Chardonnay’, ‘Kober 5BB’, ‘Shine Muscat’, ‘Selection Oppenheim 4’, and ‘Fercal’, grown in vitro. This universal buffer improves the reproducibility of results in studies of genetic diversity, pathogen detection, and breeding.

This study investigats both emerging and existing ethical issues associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa, a region characterised by unique socio-economic and cultural complexities. Even though AI adoption is rapidly transforming and delivering substantial benefits in sectors such as healthcare, finance, agriculture, education, industry, and governance, its implementation still raises ethical concerns. These ethical issues include digital colonialism, algorithmic bias, job displacement, limited infrastructure, data scarcity, linguistic diversity, and the risk of imposing foreign values that may undermine indigenous knowledge and social cohesion. Grounded in Afro-communitarianism and stakeholder theory, which emphasises communal values such as Ubuntu and cooperative engagement among stakeholders, this desk-based research identifies these major challenges and introduces a culturally grounded framework for responsible AI adoption in Africa. The framework calls for stronger governance, capacity building, collaboration among stakeholders, and tailored strategies across multiple stakeholders to ensure AI supports Africa’s inclusive and sustainable progress.

Background: Food-related reactions can significantly impact children’s dietary choices, health, and nutritional status. This study evaluated adherence to the Mediterranean diet and explored its associations with regional and family socioeconomic status among Croatian children whose parents reported adverse food-related reactions. Methods: The cross-sectional study analyzed data on 193 children aged 2–9 years with parent-reported food-related reactions, collected from the Croatian National Food Consumption Survey, which included 1820 children aged 3 months to 9 years, based on the EU Menu methodology (OC/EFSA/DATA/2016/02 CT3). Parents completed standardized questionnaires on food-related reactions, lifestyle, dietary patterns, and socioeconomic indicators. Regional differences were assessed, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED index. Results: This survey found an 11% prevalence of parent-reported adverse food-related reactions among children aged 2 to 9 years. Milk, eggs, and tree nuts were the most commonly reported allergens. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was moderate (36%) to low (41%; p = 0.011), with higher KIDMED scores associated with greater fruit, vegetable, legume, fish, and olive oil intake and lower adherence associated with more ultra-processed foods and obesity. Children from coastal and urban areas had better diet quality and socioeconomic indicators. Maternal education was strongly associated with Mediterranean diet adherence (OR = 1.88, p < 0.001), while maternal employment and household income showed no significant relationship. Conclusions: The findings highlight significant nutritional challenges among Croatian children with adverse food-related reactions, driven by regional and socioeconomic disparities. An adherence to a low Mediterranean diet indicates a need for a personalized approach to the diet management of children with food-related reactions. Addressing these through targeted, equitable public health strategies may improve outcomes for affected children.