In 1996, Friedgut and Kalai made the Fourier Entropy–Influence Conjecture: For every Boolean function f : {−1, 1} → {−1, 1} it holds that H[f̂] ≤ C · I[f ], where H[f̂] is the spectral entropy of f , I[f ] is the total influence of f , and C is a universal constant. In this work we verify the conjecture for symmetric functions. More generally, we verify it for functions with symmetry group Sn1×· ...

Adviser: Brigitte Tenhumberg Food acquisition is a complicated task. The profitability of potential food items depends on numerous factors, including the spatial distribution, probability of detection and capture, and suitability of the food. Animals faced with such challenges can use relatively simple mechanisms to maximize foraging efficiency. However, mechanisms that maximize foraging effici...

Protein-energy malnutrition is the most serious nutritional body depletion disorder among infants and young children in developing countries, attributable to inadequate energy and nutrient intake, partly due to high dietary bulk of weaning and infant foods. The gruels fed to children are typically of low nutrient and energy density due to the low flour incorporation rate required for drinking v...

The objective of this study was to find innovative approaches for the production of iron fortified noodles that are natural and economically feasible. The functional food was produced using different combinations . The investigated variables were the ratio of sorghum to white bean flour, pre-gelatinized flours (drum dried or extruded) and guar gum addition while the emulsifier added was kept co...

Climate changes, mostly related to high temperature, are predicted to have major negative impacts on coffee crop yield and bean quality. Recent studies revealed that elevated air [CO2] mitigates the impact of heat on leaf physiology. However, the extent of the interaction between elevated air [CO2] and heat on coffee bean quality was never addressed. In this study, the single and combined impac...

1. BENSON, A. A., BASSHAM, J. A., CALVIN, M., GOODALE, T. C., HAAs, V. A. and STEPKA, W. The path of carbon in photosynthesis. V. Paper chromatography and radioautography of the products. Jour. Am. Chem. Soc. 72: 1710-1718. 1950. 2. FANG, S. C., JAWORSKI, E. G., LOGAN, A. V., FREED, V. H. and BuTrs, J. S. The absorption of radioactive 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and the translocation of C"4 ...

A high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (DAD) procedure separating and quantifying 16 phenolic acids was used for determination of phenolic acids content in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Dry beans from 10 market classes and 15 varieties that are commonly consumed in the United States were screened for phenolic acids content. Systematic sequential hydrolysis of a mode...

63 Bean rust is a devastating disease of common bean in the Americas and Africa. The historically 64 important Ur-3 gene confers resistance to many races of the highly variable bean rust pathogen 65 that overcome all known rust resistance genes. Existing molecular markers tagging Ur-3 for use 66 in marker assisted selection produce false results. We described here the fine mapping of Ur-3 67 fo...

Rhizoctonia solani causes economically important root and hypocotyl diseases in common bean throughout the world. Root health is a vital factor in plant development and root diseases would negatively influence water and nutrient uptake as well as cause direct stand reduction and root rot damage to the crop. An efficient common bean screening method to evaluate damping-off and early root/ hypoco...

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an annual grain legume that was domesticated in Mesoamerica (Central America) and the Andes. It is currently grown widely also on other continents including Africa. We surveyed seedborne viruses in new common bean varieties introduced to Nicaragua (Central America) and in landraces and improved varieties grown in Tanzania (eastern Africa). Bean seeds, harvest...