Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Sirulina And Nannochloropsis Supplementation On Broiler Performance, Intestinal Morphology, And Gut Microbiology, Emily Beckerman

Master's Theses

The poultry industry is constantly searching for new nutritional strategies and better feed conversion ratio to enhance broiler growth and productivity. Microalgae have been shown to improve broiler performance and health depending on species and supplementation levels. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Spirulina supplementation (Experiment I) and Nannochloropsis supplementation (Experiment II) on broiler production performance, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiology. In Experiment I, a total of 270 broiler chicks (one-day-old Ross 708) were obtained from a local hatchery after vaccinating against Newcastle, Marek’s disease, and Infectious Bronchitis. They were weighed and sorted into 18 …

Tailoring Evaluations Of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Understanding Sleep And Its Effect On Memory Through Actigraphy, Donyea Moore, Rachel Nolte, Yitong Pepper Huang, Shreya Maharana, Pavan Nataraj, Bichun Ouyang, Mahboobeh Mahdavinia

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a persistent inflammatory condition of the sinonasal mucosa lasting for at least three months. For patients, CRS-related sleep disturbances can significantly disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to further health complications such as cognitive impairment. Despite the well-documented sleep disturbances associated with CRS, there is limited research on objective assessment methods. Additionally, the severity of these issues can vary among patients. This study aims to assess sleep quality and timing in CRS patients and investigate their impact on cognition, providing guidance for personalized and tailored assessment and management of CRS. Methods: Our case–control study compares sleep patterns …

Elucidating The Functions Of Gut Microbiota From Two Edible Dung Beetle Species: Implications For Waste Management And Food Industry, Syombua S. Mwanza, Cynthia M. Mudalungu, John Mark Makwatta, James Kabii, Njogu M. Kimani, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Dung beetle larvae are consumed globally, yet their gut microbiota across different geographical locations remains largely unexplored. This study examined the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota of two edible dung beetle species, Cetonia aurata and Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes sp.), from three sites in Kenya. Using advanced molecular techniques, bacterial and fungal communities were sequenced. The most abundant bacterial phyla in C. aurata were Firmicutes (42.10%) and Bacteroidota (32.50%), while Oryctes sp. had higher levels of Proteobacteria (35.00%), Actinobacteriota (11.40%) and Desulfobacterota (7.40%). Fungal communities were dominated by Lecanoromycetes (92.60%) in Oryctes sp. and Saccharomycetes (92.60%) in C. aurata. …

Genetic Control Of Prickles In Tetraploid Blackberry, Carmen Johns, Alexander Silva, Thomas Mason Chizk, Lacy Nelson, John R. Clark, Rishi Aryal, H. Ashrafi, Ellen Thompson, Michael Hardigan, Margaret Worthington

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Prickle-free blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) canes are strongly preferred by growers due to food and worker safety concerns and damage to fruit from mechanical injury by prickles. This project was conducted to identify the genetic region responsible for prickle-free canes derived from the recessive "Merton Thornless" source in autotetraploid blackberry using a genome-wide association study, develop diagnostic Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR markers for prickle-free canes, and determine the effects of allele dosage at the prickle-free locus on prickle density in 2 biparental populations. The prickle locus was located on chromosome Ra04 from 30.48 to 36.04 Mb in an extensive LD block, …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2024, Fred M. Bourland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Planted cotton acreage in Arkansas increased in 2024 to 670,000 planted acres, which was 160,000 acres more than in 2023 when Arkansas producers planted approximately 510,000 acres of cotton. A wet spring, and two hurricanes in three weeks in late summer/early fall led to a slight decrease in harvested acres that culminated in a final number of 640,000 (https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=ARKANSAS). Producers harvested 640,00 acres of cotton, which ranked third nationally, behind Texas and Georgia (https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/k3569432s/nk324887m/qn59s0097/cropan25.pdf). The total harvested acreage is the greatest amount since 680,000 acres in 2011. The average cotton yield in Arkansas in 2024 was …

United Seas For Resilient Reefs: A Blueprint For Coral Conservation Through International Cooperation, John J. Bohorquez, Maoz Fine, Dana I. Grieco, David A. Gill, Ali Al-Swalimih, Jacqueline Padilla-Gamino, Isaiah W. Bolden, Margaux Hein, Callum Backstrom, Melanie Mcfield, Raphael Martinez, Benjamin Midberry, Fahd Al-Guthmy, Ellen K. Pikitch, Natalia Benejam, Chen Azulay, Britt Ronen, Oren Levy, Anne Mcelroy, Karine Kleinhaus

School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral reefs are one of Earth’s most vital and threatened ecosystems. They protect coastlines, generate billions of dollars of tourism revenue, support valuable fisheries, and contribute to the development of vital medicines. Yet half of the world's coral reefs have been lost in the last 50 years, and 90% of remaining reefs are projected to die off by the middle of this century, mainly due to warming seas from climate change.

Despite these challenges there is reason for hope. Some coral reefs – such as in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba – have demonstrated remarkable resilience to …

The Ethnobotany And Pharmacology Of Medicinal Plants For Caribbean Women’S Health, Ella Thomas Vardeman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Approximately 55% of the world’s population lives in cities, and the United Nations estimates that this number will rise to 68% by 2050. Urban ethnobotany, the study of people’s traditional knowledge and use of plants in cities, is increasingly important as people adapt their cultural traditions to changing environments. In New York City (NYC), there have been several urban ethnobotany investigations in collaboration with Caribbean immigrant groups. However, there has yet to be an ethnobotanical survey that documents and botanically authenticates the medicinal plants used in the Haitian community. Previous collaborative research with women from the Caribbean in NYC has …

The Sub-Syllabic Symphonies Of Self-Learning: How Do Zebra Finches Sing Them?, Abiesha Abiola Budiman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Learning is a lifelong journey, where the mind and muscle dance to a tune of memory and motion. It begins at infancy and continues throughout life, encompassing everything from singing to achieving peak performance in sports. Complex motor skills involve multiple components and require coordination of several muscles. Humans and animals are extremely adept at learning complex motor skills on their own. However, we do not completely understand how self-directed learning works. One group of animals used to observe self-directed learning are songbirds. Zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, are one of the most studied songbird species due to their well-defined …

Environmental Enrichment Reduces Cue-Induced Reinstatement Of Heroin-Seeking Following Prolonged Use And Reverses Region-Specific Heroin-Induced Neuroadaptations, Apoorva Vashisht

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Relapse remains the greatest barrier to long-term recovery and the consequential rising overdose-related mortality in heroin use disorder (HUD). Currently available behavioral and pharmacological interventions fail to extend their benefits beyond the duration of the treatment. Additionally, opioid agonist-based medications accompany harmful neurobiological risks and propensity to promote further drug-seeking post-treatment. We have shown that environmental enrichment (EE), as a therapeutic strategy applied after drug intravenous-self administration (IVSA), can effectively facilitate abstinence and reduce reinstatement of drug-seeking in animal models of drug abuse. Moreover, dopamine receptors like D1 and D3, and mu-opioid (MO) receptors are well known for their …

Disturbance And Diversity: Lichens In Changing Landscapes, Laura Boggess

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Disturbance is a fundamental ecological force that shapes biodiversity, community composition, and ecosystem function. Human-driven disturbances—such as habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and air pollution—are increasing worldwide, altering ecosystems at unprecedented rates. While ecological research has illuminated many effects of disturbance, significant knowledge gaps remain for underappreciated but ecologically vital organisms, such as lichens. Lichens are obligate symbioses between at least one fungus and one alga or cyanobacterium. As such, they are sensitive bioindicators of environmental change, offering unique insights into ecosystem health due to their responses to stressors such as poor air quality, habitat fragmentation, and deforestation. Yet, their responses to …

When Avatars Go To School: The Effect Of Virtual Reality On Learning And Error Correction, Lauren Barack

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The pandemic in 2020 led to an increasing dependency on technology particularly in learning environments. National educational assessments in the proceeding years have indicated steep, measurable learning loss. While a fully virtual learning environment is not the norm today, we chose to investigate how virtual reality (VR) environments influence learning in college students.

Our primary research goal was to look at how students learn and remember information gathered in virtual spaces. In particular, we examined whether sensory inputs in the VR environment, including spatial audio and haptic feedback, such as vibrations felt in a handheld controller, would help to better …

Neural Mechanisms Of Context-Sensitive Behavior In The Adult Male Zebra Finch, Katherine L. Anderson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Adapting behaviors to the perceived external environment is key to the success and survival of individuals in social species. This context-sensitive modulation of behavior is critical for informative interactions with conspecifics, like alerting a neighbor to a nearing predator or capturing the attention of a potential mate. For the adult male zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a vocal-learning songbird, context-sensitive adaptions to a learned song are key for developing and maintaining pair-bonds with females who are extremely attentive to subtle modulations of song structure. In this thesis, I explore the hypothesis that the influence of a social behavior network …

Understanding How Genetic Mutations Induce Oligodendrocyte Progenitors To Become Cancer Cells, Dennis Huang

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Gliomas are the most devastating adult brain tumors characterized by poor survival rate and limited options for treatment. Previous studies have shown that they are very heterogeneous and can be further sub-classified based on their transcriptional signature and the presence of specific mutations. One such subtype, is the “proneural glioma”, which is characterized by the enrichment in oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) transcripts and mutations in genes encoding for the tumor suppressor P53 (Trp53) and for Platelet Derived Grow Factor (PDGF) signaling. Since OPCs are the most abundant proliferative population in the adult brain, in this …

Biophysical Analysis Of S100a12 And The Nucleosome Core Particle, Christopher Diforte Jr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Calcium signaling and chromatin remodeling are fundamental regulatory processes that control protein activity and gene expression, respectively. This thesis investigates the molecular mechanisms by which local ligand binding and structural perturbations propagate allosteric effects across larger protein systems, using two distinct yet mechanistically analogous models: the calcium binding protein S100A12 and the nucleosome core particle. These studies are unified by a shared emphasis on how physical forces govern biological function.

In the first part, we explore calcium mediated allostery in S100A12, focusing on the distinct roles of its two EF-hand calcium binding loops (EF-I and EF-II). Through a combination of …

Memory Interference In The Lateral Entorhinal Cortex, Omar Ghazy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Memory interference occurs when previously formed memories disrupt the acquisition or retrieval of new information. A prominent example of proactive interference is latent inhibition (LI), defined as a reduced ability to form or express Pavlovian associations with a stimulus following non-reinforced exposure. The interference-based model suggests that LI arises because the memory that the pre-exposed stimulus is inconsequential interferes with the memory that it predicts a reinforcer.

Because interference increases with age, identifying its neural basis may help prevent or slow cognitive decline. Prior studies using the LI paradigm implicate the entorhinal cortex (EC) in retrieving the memory that a …

Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors Associated With Patterns Of Parasitic Infection In Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Imitator), Megan C. Henriquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Parasites, and the infectious diseases they carry, are thought to have significantly impacted our evolutionary trajectory for millennia. Exploring how parasites are acquired and transmitted by their hosts in wild, natural populations is integral to understanding how similar processes may have shaped host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships over time. However, parasitological studies in humans and in non-human primates have produced inconsistent results, highlighting the dynamic, nuanced, and unique relationships individual parasites have with their hosts. These relationships are largely regulated by variation in factors at host, social, and environmental levels. Characteristics unique to the host (e.g., age and sex), factors pertaining to …

Structural Studies Towards The Mechanism Of Scanning And Initiator Trna Recruitment During Eukaryotic Translation Initiation, Da Cui

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The central dogma, proposed by Francis Crick in 1958, marks the direction of the flow of genetic information: from DNA to DNA (DNA replication), DNA to RNA (transcription), and RNA to protein (translation). Each of these is tightly regulated and important for cells and organisms to function correctly, grow, and reproduce.

In the eukaryotic system, the initiation stage of translation is the first, the rate-limiting, and the most regulated stage. It involves direct regulation of multiple eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), scanning factors such as DHX29, and other factors such as Poly-A binding protein (PABP). It starts with the small subunit …

Dynamic Environments Generate Geographic Fluctuations In Population Structure Of An Inland Shorebird, Andrea Contina, Scott W. Yanco, Allison K. Pierce, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Craig A. Stricker, Gabriel J. Bowen, Michael B. Wunder

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Species distributions depend on fine-scale ecological processes and population growth trajectories and are influenced by climate and weather changes. However, the characterization of inter-population dynamics underlying the geographic distributions of migratory organisms remains challenging. We adopted a stable isotope approach to investigate the dynamic population geography of a terrestrial migratory bird across multiple generations. We found that the age-specific geographic source of Mountain Plovers sampled during winter shifted over four years across a latitudinal gradient. Moreover, our results show that differential effects of climate on the probability of occurrence at the wintering ground could be a driver of population turnover …

Electrospun Membranes From Bio-Renewable Poly (Ethylene Furanoate)/Poly (Ethylene Teraphthalate) (Pef/Pet) Blend For Emulsification Application, Aya Ismat Sayed

Theses

This thesis focuses on manufacturing electrospun fibrous membranes from a blend of poly (ethylene terephthalate) and poly (ethylene furanoate) and using in premix emulsification. Poly (ethylene furanoate), which is a 100% bio-renewable polymer being blended with synthetic poly (ethylene terephthalate) for membrane fabrication contributes towards sustainability in the production of food and pharmaceutical emulsions. The primary objective of this research is to optimize the fabrication conditions of poly (ethylene terephthalate)/poly (ethylene furanoate) porous membranes, characterize their properties, and evaluate their performance in emulsification. This study compares poly (ethylene terephthalate) / poly (ethylene furanoate) blend membranes with individual poly (ethylene terephthalate) …

An Eco-Epidemiological Model For Malaria With Microsporidia Mb As Bio-Control Agent, Charlène N.T. Mfangnia, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Berge Tsanou, Jeremy Keith Herren

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Microsporidia MB is an endosymbiont which naturally infects Anopheles mosquitoes. Due to its ability to block Plasmodium transmission, it shows potential as a bio-based agent for the control of malaria. Its self-sustainability is promising, as it can spread through both vertical and horizontal transmissions. However, its low prevalence in mosquito populations remains a challenge. We develop an eco-epidemiological mathematical model describing the co-dynamics of Microsporidia MB (within mosquito population) and malaria (within human population). The model is used to assess the potential of Microsporidia MB-infected mosquitoes on the control of malaria infection. The results on the basic reproduction numbers, the …

Association Of Sirt6 Expression With Risk Of Pneumonitis Induced By Radiotherapy In Cancer Patients, Fengyuan Yu, Zheng Gong, Yuan Li, Danial F Naseem, Chen Li, Miaowei Wen, Bingying Zhao, Zhezhe Xu, Shanshan Zhang, Rukun Zang, Ailu Wu, Qingxin Han, Shuhui Wu, Hongwei Li, Yipeng Song

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Thoracic tumours represent a significant proportion of malignant cancers. While radiotherapy (RT) improves prognosis, it can also lead to side effects such as radiation-induced pneumonitis (RP). Since SIRT6 is involved in DNA repair, energy metabolism and inflammation, this study aims to investigate the expression of SIRT6 in lymphocytes as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for RP. This study included 170 patients diagnosed with thoracic tumours, all of whom underwent thoracic RT. RP was evaluated and classified as severe RP (SRP) and lower as non-severe RP (NSRP). Analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0 and the R. Among 170 patients …

A Virtual Wellness Program To Enhance Well-Being For Pediatric Oncology Staff During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Karen M Moody, Maria Chang Swartz, Zachary Gresham, Martha Askins, Laura Cahalan, Christine Geistkemper, Amy Heaton, Ruitao Lin, Melissa Melo, Alakh Rajan, Madeline Smith, Priti Tewari, Keyana Williams, Cheng-Han Yang, Rhonda Robert

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In response to the COVID-19 global health crisis and mandated social isolation, Pediatric leadership at MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital was concerned for the psychological impact on its workforce and encouraged wellness programming. A grassroots wellness taskforce was assembled for the Division of Pediatrics. The task force's primary mission was to promote the well-being of clinicians and non-clinical staff members through a broadly accessible, sustainable, and effective virtual wellness program. Guided by the Stanford Model for Professional Fulfillment, a virtual program entitled, "Weekly Wellness Webex" for Pediatrics staff was launched. Weekly Wellness Webex is a 1-hour live-streamed program with varied …

The Burden Of Burnout: Understanding Its Prevalence And Organizational Drivers In Medical Physics, Deborah Schofield, C Lynn Chevalier, Laurence Court, William Harmsen, Akiva Turner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Burnout is a work-related syndrome characterized by increased levels of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP) along with decreased levels of personal achievement. In the healthcare setting, higher burnout levels have been associated with negative impacts on personnel, an increased risk of errors, and a decrease in the quality of delivered care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of burnout among medical physicists working in the United States. Additionally, the impact of personal and organizational features on burnout risk was examined.

Methods: The anonymous survey was distributed to 1962 full members of the American …

National Institutes Of Health Funding To Support Radiation Oncology Research: A Comparative Trend Analysis Over A Decade, 2011-2021, Amir Razavi, Michael K Rooney, Clifton D Fuller, James B Yu, Neil T Pfister, Charles R Thomas, John M Buatti, Sophia C Kamran, Heather M Mcgee, Debra Nana Yeboa, Ana P Kiess, Andrew M Baschnagel, Randall J Kimple

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Funding to support radiation oncology discovery and research is essential for advancement in therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes for patients with cancer. We aimed to comprehensively characterize trends in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding that supports radiation oncology research over time to identify trends, successes, and areas for improvement.

Methods and materials: We queried the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results database to identify all awarded grants to support radiation oncology research conducted by principal investigators at academic centers, using 3 individual years as representative samples (2011, 2016, and 2021). Abstracts and keywords for resulting …

International Expert-Based Consensus Definition, Classification Criteria, And Minimum Data Elements For Osteoradionecrosis Of The Jaw: An Interdisciplinary Modified Delphi Study, Amy C Moreno, Erin E Watson, Laia Humbert-Vidan, Douglas E Peterson, Lisanne V Van Dijk, Teresa Guerrero Urbano, Lisa Van Den Bosch, Andrew J Hope, Matthew S Katz, Frank J P Hoebers, Ruth A Aponte Wesson, James E Bates, Paolo Bossi, Adeyinka F Dayo, Mélanie Doré, Eduardo Rodrigues Fregnani, Thomas J Galloway, Daphna Y Gelblum, Issa A Hanna, Christina E Henson, Sudarat Kiat-Amnuay, Anke Korfage, Nancy Y Lee, Carol M Lewis, Charlotte Duch Lynggaard, Antti A Mäkitie, Marco Magalhaes, Yvonne M Mowery, Carles Muñoz-Montplet, Jeffrey N Myers, Ester Orlandi, Jaymit Patel, Jillian M Rigert, Deborah Saunders, Jonathan D Schoenfeld, Ugur Selek, Efsun Somay, Vinita Takiar, Juliette Thariat, Gerda M Verduijn, Alessandro Villa, Nicholas S West, Max J H Witjes, Alex M Won, Mark E Wong, Christopher M K L Yao, Simon W Young, Kamal Al-Eryani, Carly E A Barbon, Doke J M Buurman, François J Dieleman, Theresa M Hofstede, Abdul Ahad Khan, Adegbenga O Otun, John C Robinson, Lauren Hum, Jorgen Johansen, Rajesh Lalla, Alexander Lin, Vinod Patel, Richard J Shaw, Mark S Chambers, Daniel Ma, Mabi Singh, Noam Yarom, Abdallah Sherif Radwan Mohamed, Katherine A Hutcheson, Stephen Y Lai, Clifton David Fuller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) is a severe iatrogenic disease characterized by bone death after radiation therapy to the head and neck. With >9 published definitions and at least 16 classification systems, the true incidence and severity of ORNJ are obscured by lack of a standard for disease definition and severity assessment, leading to inaccurate estimation of incidence, reporting ambiguity, and likely underdiagnosis worldwide. This study aimed to achieve consensus on an explicit definition and phenotype of ORNJ and related precursor states through data standardization to facilitate effective diagnosis, monitoring, and multidisciplinary management of ORNJ.

Methods and materials: The …

Impact Of Screening For Human Papillomavirus-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancers: A Microsimulation-Based Modeling Study, Rebecca Landy, Gregory W Haber, Barry I Graubard, Carole Fakhry, Nicole G Campos, Emily A Burger, Li C Cheung, Hormuzd A Katki, Maura L Gillison, Anil K Chaturvedi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: We estimated the impact of screening on morbidity and mortality of human papillomavirus (HPV)16-positive oropharyngeal cancer among US men aged 45-79 years.

Methods: We developed an individual-level, state-transition natural history microsimulation model to estimate the impact of screening using oral HPV16 detection, HPV16-E6 antibody detection, and transcervical ultrasound of neck/oropharynx. We compared clinical detection to counterfactual screen detection for cancer stage, single- vs multiple-modality treatment, and survival. Screening scenarios encompassed 4 progression speeds across cancer stages (very slow, slow, fast, and very fast) and 4 screening frequencies.

Results: Among US men aged 45-79 years in 2021 (n = 54 …

Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation For Major Depressive Disorder: 6-Month Follow-Up From Randomised Sham-Controlled Trial And Open-Label Treatment Phases, Rachel D Woodham, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Nahed Lajmi, Harriet Hobday, Gabrielle Sheehan, Ali-Reza Ghazi-Noori, Peter J Lagerberg, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Jair C Soares, Allan H Young, Cynthia H Y Fu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a potential home-based treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). In our double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) (n = 174; UK and USA), a 10-week course of home-based tDCS demonstrated clinical efficacy (clinical response: 58.3 % active treatment arm and 37.8 % sham (p = 0.017). tDCS was delivered in a bifrontal montage, with anode over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathode over right DLPFC. Each session was 30 min, with active stimulation at 2 mA and sham at 0 mA, incorporating brief ramp-up and ramp-down phased. Following the 10-week RCT, all participants were …

Emerging Technologies Of Single-Cell Multi-Omics, Yi June Kim, Koichi Takahashi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The heterogeneity of the hematopoietic system was largely veiled by traditional bulk sequencing methods, which measure the averaged signals from mixed cellular populations. In contrast, single-cell sequencing has enabled the direct measurement of individual signals from each cell, significantly enhancing our ability to unveil such heterogeneity. Building on these advances, numerous single-cell multi-omics techniques have been developed into high-throughput, routinely accessible platforms, delineating the precise relationships among different layers of the central dogma in molecular biology. These technologies have uncovered the intricate landscape of genetic clonality and transcriptional heterogeneity in both normal and malignant hematopoietic systems, highlighting their roles in …

Desert Locust (Schistocerca Gregaria) Flour As An Emerging Functional Ingredient For Baking Flavorful And Nutritious Whole Wheat Bread, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Antonny M. Nzomo, Paul N. Ndegwa, Sunday Ekesi, Fathiya M. Khamis, Komivi S. Akutse, George Ong'amo, Brian O. Ochieng, Margaret Kababu, Dennis Beesigamukama, Shaphan Y. Chia, J․Ghemoh G. Changeh, Sevgan Subramanian, Thomas Dubois, Segenet Kelemu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Increasing interest in consuming insects is accelerating the expansion of the fortified snacks market. However, there is limited knowledge of the drivers of consumers to appreciate the role of desert locust [DL] Schistocerca gregaria Forskål as emerging functional ingredient for use in the food industry. Here, we evaluated the nutrient profile and functional properties of wheat breads fortified with powder from captive mass reared DL. The crude protein values of processed DL meal fed on three different food plants ranged between 40 and 56 %. The specific volume and firmness of the breads correlated positively and negatively, respectively, with incremental …

Modelling The Environmental And Terrestrial Drivers Of The Spread Of The Invasive Fall Armyworm Spodoptera Frugiperda In Africa, Marian Adan, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Klaus Greve, Christian Borgemeister, Georg Goergen

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lep.: Noctuidae) a destructive invasive pest, poses a significant threat to maize cultivation in Africa, highlighting the need for a better understanding the factors affecting its prevalence. In this study we utilized the Maxent modelling approach to assess the impact of environmental and terrestrial parameters on the spread of FAW in Africa. We compared four different models based on their predictive accuracy: the most comprehensive model, which included bioclimatic factors, landscape structure, and FAW phenology, achieved an accuracy of 0.902. In contrast, models using only single categories of variables yielded lower accuracies, …