Life Sciences Commons^™

Local Stabilising Density Effects In The Context Of Ecological Disturbance And Community Assembly, Cole J. Doolittle, Joseph A. Lamanna

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The maintenance of species diversity in ecological communities has many promising explanations, including certain types of local biotic interactions that generate differential effects on the performance of conspecific and heterospecific individuals. To date, most studies of these local biotic interactions have focused on relatively stable systems, such as mature forests or undisturbed grasslands. However, many ecosystems are far from a stable state, especially under accelerating global climate change. Here, we present a synthesis of local differences between conspecific and heterospecific interactions following disturbances—and how disturbances may alter the strength and scaling of these effects to population growth and species diversity. …

When Can We Detect Lianas From Space? Toward A Mechanistic Understanding Of Liana-Infested Forest Optics, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas, woody vines acting as structural parasites of trees, have profound effects on the composition and structure of tropical forests, impacting tree growth, mortality, and forest succession. Remote sensing could offer a powerful tool for quantifying the scale of liana infestation, provided the availability of robust detection methods. We analyze the consistency and global geographic specificity of spectral signals—reflectance across wavelengths—from liana-infested tree crowns and forest stands, examining the underlying mechanisms of these signals. We compiled a uniquely comprehensive database, including leaf reflectance spectra from 5424 leaves, fine-scale airborne reflectance data from 999 liana-infested canopies, and coarse-scale satellite reflectance data …

A Practical Guide To Uav-Based Weed Identification In Soybean: Comparing Rgb And Multispectral Sensor Performance, Kelvin Betitame, Cannayen Igathinathane, Kirk Howatt, Joseph Mettler, Cengiz Koparan, Xin Sun

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Precision agriculture relies heavily on accurate, efficient, and economical methods to distinguish between crops and weeds of various types. The advancement of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies provides practical approaches for generating land-cover maps that are essential for monitoring and managing crop fields affected by various weeds. Although the overall cost of scouting crop fields with UAVs may be low and practical, it varies depending on the sensors used; and the existing studies have mainly focused on weed detection methods but not compared the sensors' performance. Therefore, to address this knowledge gap, this research aims to compare a UAV-mounted visual …

Daratumumab/Lenalidomide/Dexamethasone In Transplant-Ineligible Newly Diagnosed Myeloma: Maia Long-Term Outcomes, Thierry Facon, Philippe Moreau, Katja Weisel, Hartmut Goldschmidt, Saad Z Usmani, Ajai Chari, Torben Plesner, Robert Z Orlowski, Nizar Bahlis, Supratik Basu, Cyrille Hulin, Hang Quach, Michael O'Dwyer, Aurore Perrot, Caroline Jacquet, Christopher P Venner, Noopur Raje, Mourad Tiab, Margaret Macro, Laurent Frenzel, Xavier Leleu, Gordon Cook, George Wang, Huiling Pei, Maria Krevvata, Robin Carson, Fredrik Borgsten, Shaji K Kumar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the MAIA study, daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Rd) improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) alone in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). We report updated efficacy and safety from MAIA (median follow-up, 64.5 months), including a subgroup analysis by patient age (< 70, ≥70 to < 75, ≥75, and ≥80 years). Overall, 737 transplant-ineligible patients with NDMM were randomized 1:1 to D-Rd or Rd. The primary endpoint, PFS, was improved with D-Rd versus Rd (median, 61.9 vs 34.4 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.67; P <  0.0001). Median OS was not reached in the D-Rd group versus 65.5 months in the Rd group (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53-0.83; P = 0.0003); estimated 60-month OS rates were 66.6% and 53.6%, respectively. D-Rd achieved higher rates of complete response or better (≥CR; 51.1% vs 30.1%), minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity (32.1% vs 11.1%), and sustained MRD negativity (≥18 months: 16.8% vs 3.3%) versus Rd (all P <  0.0001). D-Rd demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy benefits across age groups. No new safety concerns were observed. Updated results (median follow-up, >5 years) continue to support frontline use of D-Rd in transplant-ineligible patients with NDMM.

Investigating Sk-3 Based Spore Killing In Neurospora Crassa Through Deletion Analysis Of Dna Intervals I383 And I394, Paulina Paulikas

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Neurospora fungi are found around the world. The species N. crassa is a popular model for use in genetics research. N. crassa produces sexual spores, called ascospores, during mating between strains of opposite mating types. N. crassa also produces spore sacs called asci, and each ascus typically contains eight viable ascospores. However, some Neurospora fungi carry selfish genetic elements called Spore killers, and when a strain carrying a Spore killer mates with a spore killing-susceptible strain, asci contain four black viable ascospores and four white inviable ascospores. In this project, I investigated a Spore killer called Sk-3. To act as …

Examining The Mechanism Of Spore Sacs Undergoing Sk-3-Based Spore Killing After Deletion Of Neurospora Crassa Dna Intervals I382 And I400, Makenna Klann

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Neurospora crassa is a well-known model organism for studying eukaryotic genetics, particularly non-Mendelian inheritance mechanisms such as meiotic drive. In N. crassa, meiotic drive can be observed in fungal spore killing, where Spore killer-3 (Sk-3) is a selfish genetic element transmitted to offspring through spore killing. Sk-3 is thought to contain two principal components: a killer (poison) gene and a resistance (antidote) gene. While the resistance gene (rsk) has been identified, the killer gene remains unknown. Building on previous research that identified a 1.3 kb DNA interval (i350) essential for Sk-3-based spore killing, I …

Determining The Effects That Deletion Of I386 And I408 Have On Sk-3-Type Spore Killing, Kole Damkoehler

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Neurospora crassa is a genus of fungus that exhibits a phenomenon called Sk-3 spore killing. Sk-3 spore killing occurs when an Sk-3 killer strain mates with an Sk-3 sensitive strain, and it results in the death of half of the offspring. A DNA interval called i350, located on N. crassa Chromosome III, has previously been identified as critical for spore killing. Here, to obtain a more detailed understanding of this DNA interval, the effects of the deletion of related DNA intervals i386 and i408 on spore killing has been studied. Deletion of i386 resulted in no disruption of spore …

The Impacts Of Physical (In)Activity On Endothelial Function, Joel Ernest Harden

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Exercise and physical activity are known to have beneficial effects on endothelial function and vascular health. Sedentary behavior and physical inactivity, however, have been shown to be related to poor endothelial function and vascular health. The overall purpose of this dissertation was to further elucidate the physiological links between physical (in)activity and vascular health. In the first study, 12 active, young (18-40 yr) individuals and 12 active, old (55+ yr) individuals were recruited. Participants underwent 5 days of removal of exercise, and had their endothelial function assessed via flow-mediated dilation (FMD) during their normal, habitual exercise state (EX) and during …

Machine Learning Predicts Non-Preferred And Preferred Vertebrate Hosts Of Tsetse Flies (Glossina Spp.) Based On Skin Volatile Emission Profiles, Olabimpe Y. Orubuloye, David P. Tchouassi, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Christian W.W. Pirk, Daniel K. Masiga, Edward Kariuki, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse fly vectors of African trypanosomosis preferentially feed on certain vertebrates largely determined by olfactory cues they emit. Previously, we established that three skin-derived ketones including 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, acetophenone and geranyl acetone accounted for avoidance of zebra by tsetse flies. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these three ketones serve as biomarkers for tsetse flies to distinguish between non-preferred- and preferred-vertebrate hosts. We used coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to analyze and compare the skin volatile emissions of two non-preferred- (waterbuck and zebra) and four preferred- (buffalo, donkey, horse, warthog) vertebrate hosts in two wildlife parks in Kenya. We detected a total …

Nanosilica Supplementation In Tomato Increases Oviposition On Stems And Caterpillar Mortality In The Tomato Pinworm, Kokou R. Fiaboe, Fathiya M. Khamis, Xavier Cheseto, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Silicon-induced responses play a key role in plant defense against herbivory, though the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. In this study, we examined how mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) affect tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) defense against an invasive and highly destructive lepidopteran herbivore, the tomato pinworm (TPW), Phthorimaea absoluta. In tomato plants supplemented with MSN, prior exposure to TPW oviposition shifted subsequent egg-laying from a preference for leaves to an even distribution between stems and leaves. This shift was not observed in nonsilicon-supplemented plants. Prolonged oviposition triggered pigmentation in the basal cells of type I glandular trichomes on the stems of silicon-supplemented plants. …

Know Where You Go: Infestation Dynamics And Potential Distribution Of Two Bed Bug Species (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) In Africa, Dennis M. Mbuta, Bonoukpoè M. Sokame, Fathiya M. Khamis, Komivi S. Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) are blood-feeding insects closely linked with humans and animals, causing discomfort, and posing potential threats as disease vectors. This study focuses on Cimex lectularius (common bed bug) and Cimex hemipterus (tropical bed bug), the two key species identified in Africa. Cimex lectularius infests human habitats, while C. hemipterus, more common in Africa, infests diverse habitats, including bat colonies. In our study, we investigated the infestation dynamics and distribution of bed bugs in Africa, when considering climate, habitat, and host availability using system dynamics and ecological niche modelling techniques. System dynamics modelling analyses in Kenya revealed varied …

A Personalized And Adaptive Distribution Classification Of Actigraphy Segments Into Sleep-Wake States, Austin G. Vandegriffe, V. A. Samaranayake, Matthew S. Thimgan

Research Data

Wearable actimeters have the potential to greatly improve our understanding sleep in natural environments and in long-term experiments. Current technologies have served the sleep community well, but they have known weaknesses that introduce errors that can compromise reliable and relevant clinical and research sleep and wakefulness profiles from these data. Newer data collection technologies, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), offer opportunities to gather movement data in different forms and at higher frequencies, making new analytical methods possible and potentially advantageous.

We have developed a novel statistical algorithm, called the Wasserstein Algorithm for Classifying Sleep and Wakefulness (WACSAW), that is based …

Culex Quinquefasciatus Mosquitoes In Abu Dhabi Emirate: Assessing Deltamethrin Insecticide Resistance And Associated Microbial Communities, Amgdsayed Ismat Ali

Theses

Culex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of West Nile virus, lymphatic filariasis, and arboviruses, which represent public health risk. Widespread application of pyrethroid insecticides has increased resistance in mosquito populations threatening the effectiveness of control strategies. This study aims to (1) assess deltamethrin resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus populations across the Abu Dhabi Emirate, (2) characterize the microbial communities associated with these mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes from sites around the Abu Dhabi Emirate were collected and genomic DNA extracted for molecular analysis. PCR and allele-specific primers were used to detect knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the sodium channel gene, classifying mosquitoes as susceptible …

Exploring Date Pomace As A Functional Ingredient In Bread: Nutritional And Functional Properties, Alaa Almoumen

Dissertations

This study investigated the incorporation of desugared date fruit pomace into wheat bread rolls and evaluated its effects on dough handling, bread quality, staling behavior, sensory acceptability, and nutritional composition. The research was conducted in three experimental phases: (i) development and characterization of a high-fiber dietary ingredient (HFDI) from date pomace, including its physicochemical and functional properties; (ii) bread fortification and quality assessment, where wheat flour was partially replaced with 0–20% HFDI to evaluate its effects on dough rheology, bread texture, color, moisture retention, shelf life, and consumer acceptance; and (iii) nutritional and physiological evaluation of the fortified breads, including …

Expanding The Lexa Bacterial Two-Hybrid System For Human Protein-Protein Interaction Screening: Application To Tumor Suppressor Par-4, Rebecca M. Richardson

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Protein-protein interactions (PPI) are fundamental to cellular function, influencing processes such as signaling, structural organization, and disease progression. Disruptions in PPIs are implicated in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting their importance as therapeutic targets. However, traditional methods for studying human PPIs, such as yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry, are costly and technically demanding. This dissertation explores the LexA-based bacterial two-hybrid (LexA-B2H) system as a cost effective and accessible alternative for investigating human PPIs.

This study focuses on the interaction between glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and cleaved prostate apoptosis response-4 (cl-Par-4), a tumor suppressor protein involved in apoptosis and neurodegenerative …

4-Ethylacetophenone From Potato Plants Repels Phthorimaea Operculella And Inhibits Oviposition: A Sustainable Management Strategy, Xinyu Ma, Junjie Yan, Guangyuan Su, Fathiya M. Khamis, Athanase Hategekiman, Yulin Gao

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is an important pest of potato crops capable of boring into and consuming the potato tubers. Although chemical insecticides are employed to control P. operculella populations, their efficacy is frequently limited, raising environmental concerns. Host plant volatiles are important allelochemicals that can be exploited for the management of pests. In our previous studies, we identified five volatile organic compounds (3-ethylacetophenone, 4-ethylacetophenone, geranylacetone, ethylbenzene, and 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone) as allelochemicals potentially influencing the oviposition behavior of P. operculella. Using electroantennography (EAG) and behavioral assays, we found that 4-ethylacetophenone significantly repelled P. operculella at all tested concentrations …

Circulating Short-Chain And Branched Short-Chain Fatty Acids And The Risk Of Incident Type 2 Diabetes: Findings From The 4c Study, Shuangyuan Wang, Hong Lin, Xiaojing Jia, Yiting Lin, Chunyan Hu, Mian Li, Yu Xu, Min Xu, Jie Zheng, Xinjie Zhao, Yanli Li, Lulu Chen, Tianshu Zeng, Ruying Hu, Zhen Ye, Lixin Shi, Qing Su, Yuhong Chen, Xuefeng Yu, Li Yan, Tiange Wang, Zhiyun Zhao, Guijun Qin, Qin Wan, Gang Chen, Meng Dai, Di Zhang, Bihan Qiu, Xiaoyan Zhu, Ruixin Liu, Xiao Wang, Xulei Tang, Zhengnan Gao, Feixia Shen, Xuejiang Gu, Zuojie Luo, Yingfen Qin, Li Chen, Xinguo Hou, Yanan Huo, Qiang Li, Guixia Wang, Yinfei Zhang, Chao Liu, Youmin Wang, Shengli Wu, Tao Yang, Huacong Deng, Jiajun Zhao, Yiming Mu, Guowang Xu, Shenghan Lai, Donghui Li, Guang Ning, Weiqing Wang, Yufang Bi, Jieli Lu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Previous studies suggested that fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched short-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are associated with glucose regulation. However, the potential relationship between circulating SCFAs and BCFAs with incident diabetes risk in both men and women remains unidentified in prospective cohort studies. In this study, we examined a panel of nine serum SCFAs and BCFAs in 3414 subjects with incident diabetes, and matched normoglycemic controls from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort study. In fully adjusted conditional logistic regression models, total SCFAs, total BCFAs, and isovaleric acid were significantly associated with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) …

Staged Screening Identifies People With Biomarkers Related To Neuronal Alpha-Synuclein Disease, Ethan G Brown, Lana M Chahine, Andrew Siderowf, Caroline Gochanour, Ryan Kurth, Micah J Marshall, Chelsea Caspell-Garcia, Michael C Brumm, Craig E Stanley, Monica Korell, Bridget Mcmahon, Maggie Kuhl, Kimberly Fabrizio, Laura Heathers, Luis Concha-Marambio, Claudio Soto, Sohini Chowdhury, Christopher S Coffey, Tatiana M Foroud, Tanya Simuni, Kenneth Marek, Caroline M Tanner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Remote identification of individuals with severe hyposmia may enable scalable recruitment of participants with underlying alpha-synuclein aggregation. We evaluated the performance of a staged screening paradigm using remote smell testing to enrich for abnormal dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography imaging (DAT-SPECT) and alpha-synuclein aggregation.

Methods: The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) recruited participants for the prodromal cohort who were 60-years and older without a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. Participants were invited to complete a University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) independently through an online portal. Hyposmic participants were invited to complete DAT-SPECT, which determined eligibility for enrollment in …

Uncertainty-Guided Pancreatic Tumor Auto-Segmentation With Tversky Ensemble, Cenji Yu, Skylar S Gay, Aashish C Gupta, Rachael M Martin-Paulpeter, Ethan B Ludmir, Yao Zhao, Jack Duryea, Xinru Chen, Carlos E Cardenas, Jinzhong Yang, Albert C Koong, Tucker J Netherton, Dong Joo Rhee, Laurence E Court

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and purpose: Pancreatic gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation is challenging due to their variable morphology and uncertain ground truth. Previous deep learning-based auto-segmentation methods have struggled to handle tasks with uncertain ground truth and have not accommodated stylistic customizations. We aim to develop a human-in-the-loop pancreatic GTV segmentation tool using Tversky ensembles by leveraging uncertainty estimation techniques.

Material and methods: In this study, we utilized a total of 282 patients from the pancreas task of the Medical Segmentation Decathlon. Thirty patients were randomly selected to form an independent test set, while the remaining 252 patients were divided into an …

Manual Therapy For Fibrosis-Related Late Effect Dysphagia In Head And Neck Cancer Survivors: The Mantle Nonrandomized Clinical Trial, Holly Mcmillan, Carla L Warneke, Sheila Buoy, Christine Porsche, Kiara Savage, Stephen Y Lai, Clifton D Fuller, Katherine A Hutcheson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Late radiation-associated dysphagia (RAD) after head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment is challenging and commonly treatment refractory, with fibrosis stiffening connective tissues and compressing peripheral nerve tracts, contributing to diminished strength and possibly denervation of swallowing muscles. Manual therapy (MT), while common for cancer-related pain and other indications, remains largely unstudied for fibrosis-related late RAD.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and safety of MT, estimate effect size and durability of MT for associated improvements in cervical range of motion (CROM), and examine functional outcomes after MT in survivors of HNC with fibrosis-related late RAD.

Design, setting, and participants: This …

The Effect Of Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Factors On Limbic White Matter Microstructure, Anna Lorenz, Aditi Sathe, Dimitrios Zaras, Yisu Yang, Alaina Durant, Michael E Kim, Chenyu Gao, Nancy R Newlin, Karthik Ramadass, Praitayini Kanakaraj, Nazirah Mohd Khairi, Zhiyuan Li, Tianyuan Yao, Yuankai Huo, Logan Dumitrescu, Niranjana Shashikumar, Kimberly R Pechman, Trevor Bryan Jackson, Abigail W Workmeister, Shannon L Risacher, Lori L Beason-Held, Yang An, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Guray Erus, Christos Davatzikos, Mohamad Habes, Di Wang, Duygu Tosun, Arthur W Toga, Paul M Thompson, Elizabeth C Mormino, Panpan Zhang, Kurt Schilling, Marilyn Albert, Walter Kukull, Sarah A Biber, Bennett A Landman, Sterling C Johnson, Barbara Bendlin, Julie Schneider, Lisa L Barnes, David A Bennett, Angela L Jefferson, Susan M Resnick, Andrew J Saykin, Timothy J Hohman, Derek B Archer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: White matter (WM) microstructure is essential for brain function but deteriorates with age and in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diffusion MRI, enhanced by advanced bi-tensor models accounting for free water (FW), enables in vivo quantification of WM microstructural differences.

Methods: To evaluate how AD genetic risk factors affect limbic WM microstructure - crucial for memory and early impacted in disease - we conducted linear regression analyses in a cohort of 2,614 non-Hispanic White aging adults (aged 50.12 to 100.85 years). The study evaluated 36 AD risk variants across 26 genes, the association between AD polygenic scores …

Unraveling Heart Failure Phenotypes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Peak Oxygen Uptake And Its Determinants, Corey R Tomczak, Stephen J Foulkes, Christopher Weinkauf, Devyn Walesiak, Jing Wang, Veronika Schmid, Sarah Paterson, Wesley J Tucker, Michael D Nelson, Simon Wernhart, Jan Vontobel, David Niederseer, Mark J Haykowsky

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Understanding the impact of heart failure (HF) phenotype on peak oxygen uptake (peak ˙V O2) is essential for advancing personalized treatment strategies and enhancing patient outcomes. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence examining differences in peak ˙V O2 (primary objective) and its determinants (secondary objectives) between patients with HF with reduced (HFrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods: Studies comparing peak ˙V O2 in HFrEF vs HFpEF were found through PubMed (1967-2024), Scopus (1981-2024), and Web of Science (1985-2024). Data extraction and methodologic quality assessment were completed by 2 independent coders. Differences between HFrEF …

Defining A 'Cells To Society' Research Framework For Appendiceal Tumours, Andreana N Holowatyj, Michael J Overman, Konstantinos I Votanopoulos, Andrew M Lowy, Patrick Wagner, Mary K Washington, Cathy Eng, Wai Chin Foo, Richard M Goldberg, Mojgan Hosseini, Kamran Idrees, Douglas B Johnson, Ardaman Shergill, Erin Ward, Nicholas C Zachos, Deborah Shelton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tumours of the appendix — a vestigial digestive organ attached to the colon — are rare. Although we estimate that around 3,000 new appendiceal cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the USA, the challenges of accurately diagnosing and identifying this tumour type suggest that this number may underestimate true population incidence. In the current absence of disease-specific screening and diagnostic imaging modalities, or well-established risk factors, the incidental discovery of appendix tumours is often prompted by acute presentations mimicking appendicitis or when the tumour has already spread into the abdominal cavity — wherein the potential misclassification of appendiceal tumours as …

Pediatric Myeloid Neoplasms With Ubtf Tandem Duplications: Morphologic, Immunophenotypic, And Clinical Characterization, Mahsa Khanlari, Wei Wang, Yonghui Ni, Paul E Mead, Masayuki Umeda, Tami Westover, Jing Ma, Jeffrey E Rubnitz, Juan M Barajas, Stanley Pounds, Jeffery M Klco

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tandem duplications (TDs) in exons of upstream binding transcription factor (UBTF-TD) are a rare recurrent alteration in pediatric and adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/neoplasm. Although recently identified, AML with UBTF-TD is now considered a distinct subtype of AML. To further our understanding of myeloid neoplasms with UBTF-TD, we analyzed clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic characteristics of 27 pediatric patients with UBTF-TD-positive myeloid neoplasm, including 21 diagnosed as AML and 6 as MDS. Our data demonstrated that UBTF-TD is frequently associated with cytopenia, hypercellular marrow with erythroid hyperplasia, and trilineage dysplasia. Blasts …

Building Online Digital Resources For Project-Based Learning Assignments, Roisin Burke, Ronan Donnelly

Case studies: Digital Education

TU Dublin’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology is a partner of the EU+ Tradinnovations project. which focuses on the study of recipes using project-based learning in an interdisciplinary environment. As part of the Tradinnovations project students and staff from EU partners in the disciplines of Food science, Nutrition, Food Engineering and the Social Sciences and Humanities work on project-based learning topics which aim to support innovation within the local food heritage of each country and adapt these recipes to specific vulnerable populations needs (malnutrition among elderly and Alzheimer population, challenges in obesity among young people, dietary needs of …

The Experiences Of Young Adults Attempting To Quit E-Cigarettes: A Mixed-Methods Analysis, Tyler Merreighn, Jennifer C. Veilleux, Eric Schisler, Mufazzela Tabassum, Page Daniel Dobbs

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Young adult users of e-cigarettes have expressed intention to quit using these products. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of young adult e-cigarette users with trying to quit e-cigarettes.
Methods: Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a convenience sample of young adults living in the US in 2021 who had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days completed a cross-sectional survey (n=592), and then a subsample of participants (n=25) completed a follow-up Zoom interview. Relationships between e-cigarette dependence and quitting were examined along with differences between motives for use, abstinence experiences, and stress intolerance of …

Anthropogenic Influences On Parasitoid Wasps’ Biocontrol Of Invasive Insect Pest Species In Africa, Fathiya M. Khamis, Inusa J. Ajene

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sustainable agriculture is crucial to ensuring food and nutritional security and improving livelihoods of millions across Africa. However, agricultural production is constrained by native and invasive pests. Indiscriminate insecticide use is often the first line of action to manage these pests, harming human and animal health, and impacting biodiversity. Thus, shifting to more ecologically sustainable alternatives is key to biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. Biological control is a core component of integrated pest management strategies, and natural enemies, like parasitoid wasps, are considered one of the most environmentally sustainable means of managing pests. However, the Anthropocene plays a significant role …

Differential Responses Of The Egg-Larval Parasitoid Chelonus Bifoveolatus To Fall Armyworm-Induced And Constitutive Volatiles Of Diverse Maize Genotypes, Collins O. Onjura, Emmanuel Peter, George O. Asudi, Michael M. Gicheru, Samira A. Mohamed, Toby J.A. Bruce, Amanuel Tamiru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious invasive crop pest and threat to food security. Conventional pest control approaches using chemical pesticides can lead to adverse environmental and human health problems calling for safer alternative pest management options. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plants constitutively and in response to herbivory have been shown to enhance ecologically benign biocontrol alternatives to chemical insecticides for pest management. However, genotypic variations in VOC emissions have also been reported for plant species including maize (Zea mays). Hence, a better insight into the variations in odor profiles of different maize varieties and …

Therapeutic Role Of Bioactive Peptides Derived From Hemoglobin, Priya Antony Pereppadan

Dissertations

Bioactive peptides are peptide fragments derived from the proteolytic cleavage or maturation of functional proteins that have shown promising therapeutic potential in addressing major health challenges, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and pain management. Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insufficient insulin production or utilization. There are several therapeutic targets for managing diabetes, and one key target is dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) due to its role in glucose metabolism. In hypertension, angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) is critical for regulating blood pressure by forming angiotensin II, and its inhibition represents an established treatment strategy. Additionally, the …

The Cellular Trafficking And Targeting Of Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme-2 (Ace2) And Neutral-Amino-Acid-Transporter (B0at1) Variants: Implications For The Pathogenesis Of Associated Diseases And Therapy, Nesreen Fayyad Alkhofash

Dissertations

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1, encoded by SLC6A19, are membrane proteins with pivotal roles in human physiology. ACE2 is involved in regulating blood pressure and serves as the cellular entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2, while B0AT1 facilitates amino acid absorption in the intestine. The interplay between ACE2 and B0AT1, particularly their physical interaction and co-expression in the intestine, underscores their relevance in both normal physiology and disease. Dysregulation of these proteins has been implicated in conditions such as hypertension, and Hartnup disease and they have been usurped by SARS-CoV-2 to cause COVID-19. Despite their …