Digital Commons Network^™

Predictors Of Testosterone In Male African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Kaitlyn Campbell

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Male African elephant (Loxodonta africana) populations in zoos suffer from a range of reproductive complications. In particular, insufficient testosterone production can have a detrimental effect on spermatogenesis and fertility. Few studies have explored the potential social, environmental, physiological and physical factors that influence bull testosterone levels in a zoo environment. The present study will collect endocrine and metabolic information from weekly fecal and blood serum samples taken over the course of the six-month study period. Social and environmental data will be collected in a survey provided to the institutions. Results will highlight the key factors contributing to fluctuations in testosterone …

High-Throughput Sequencing Pipeline Tool Analysis - Staphylococcus Aureus, Justin Fay

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In this project, I compared the tools used at each step of the high-throughput sequencing pipeline used to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP’s). There are 11 sequences I utilized from my mentor, Dr. Kate Cooper, on this project (pertaining to Staphylococcus aureus) and I used those in the sequencing pipeline. I evaluated different tools by using different ones at different steps of the pipeline. By doing this, I was able to see how close or far the outputs are by only changing one factor. It is also important to note that, with each online tool comes its own sets of parameters. …

Combined Berry Extract And Bromelain Supplement Improves Blood Pressure, Endothelial Function, And Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Status In Healthy Young Adults, Tesean K. Wooden

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with the manifestation of increased levels of oxidative stress and inflammation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production may cause damage to the vasculature that can lead to diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Anthocyanins are the largest class of flavonoid that are found in vegetables and fruit. Therefore, the combination of anthocyanins and bromelain may be an ideal intervention for improving or maintaining cardiovascular health. We sought to examine the effects of this combination of powerful antioxidants within healthy young adults.

Young healthy adults (n=18) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were randomly assigned …

Do Social Networks Impact Perceived Loneliness In Caregivers To Older Adults With Chronic Conditions?, Janelle N. Beadle, Hayley Fouche, Angela Gifford

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The abstract is not published at this time to protect intellectual property.

The Effects Of Trichloroethylene On The Germination And Early Development Of Radish, Butternut Squash, Corn, And Soybean, Sarah Jaksich

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a small molecule used as a metal degreaser and as an extraction solvent for lipids. Historically, TCE has been used to clean missiles and rockets after testing at military sites. However, TCE has decreased in use due to its potential health hazards. TCE is particularly dangerous because it is soluble in water and easily seeps into ground water. As a result, TCE has contaminated groundwater in Mead, Nebraska. The town is near the formal Nebraska Ordnance Plant, a military factory specializing in bomb assembly, ammonium nitrate production, and explosives burning. Soil sampling in Mead indicated TCE levels …

Mitochondrial Targeted Antioxidant Intake Improves Vascular Function And Exercise Tolerance In Peripheral Artery Disease Patients, Liz Pekas, Won-Mok Son, Ronald J. Headid Iii, Tesean Wooden, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a manifestation of atherosclerosis in the leg arteries, which causes reduced blood flow and leg pain. This may be in part due to excessive mitochondria-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attenuated mitochondrial respiratory function. Mitoquinol mesylate, a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, has been shown to scavenge ROS and improve vascular function in older adults and animal models. However, the impacts of mitoquinol on vascular function in PAD patients are unknown. We sought to examine the impacts of mitoquinol intake (80mg) on endothelial function (flow mediated dilation, FMD), resting heart rate (RHR), blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness (pulse …

Influence Of Cattle Grazing On Milkweed And Other Native Forbs, Karen Klug

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

One of the most identifiable plants of the Great Plains are milkweed species (Asclepias spp.), which are also the only food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars (Danaus plexippus). Conservation of the milkweed population has taken renewed importance as the population of eastern migratory monarchs has dropped by over 80% from 1996 to 2017, largely because of a loss of over 1.3 billion stems of milkweed. As a result of this monarch population decline, it has been petitioned to protect the monarch butterfly population under the US Endangered Species Act. To increase the population size of the …

How Stair Negotiation Affects Knee Joint Contact Forces In Individuals Post-Total Knee Arthroplasty, Todd Leutzinger

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This study investigates how walking up and down stairs affects knee joint contact forces in individuals post-total knee arthroplasty compared to overground level walking and healthy controls.

Juvenile Hormone Mediation In An Insect With Parental Care Behavior, Jessica M. Rodino

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a well-known catalyst for hormonal processes in insects. However, the role of JH in insects that exhibit parental behavior is unknown. We investigated the influence of JH on parental behavior in the burying beetle (Nicrophorus orbicollis). In the first experiment, we manipulated the JH production of females via the administration of varying doses of fluvastatin sodium immediately following oviposition. We found that with increasing fluvastatin dosage, the total mass of offspring and number of offspring decreased while at the same time less of the food source was consumed. These results suggest a link between …

Developing And Testing Of Low-Cost 3d Printed Prostheses To Restore And Improve Function Of Children With Congenital Or Traumatic Amputations, Rahul Raj, Christopher Copeland, Claudia Cortes Reyes, Kaitlin Fraser, David Salazar

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this investigation was to provide technical considerations and clinical evidence of the possible benefits and obstacles in the use of upper-limb 3D printed prostheses in paediatric populations. This information is crucial for clinicians interested in exploring the use of 3D printed prostheses for their patients. In the present study, children with congenital digit reductions (n=5); absent digits (one traumatic and four congenital) (n=5) and with upper-limb reductions (n=9). The perceived functionality of upper-limbs before the use of the prosthesis and after 4 months of use. In addition, gross dexterity, anthropometric measurements, active range of motion, and strength …

Determining The Optimal Tension For An Ankle-Foot Assistive Device, Cody Anderson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Introduction

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is caused by atherosclerosis, a buildup of cholesterol and fatty acid deposits, which blocks blood flow to the arms, legs, and feet. Ankle assistive devices have recently been implemented in various clinical population to improve walking ability. Our group has developed an ankle assistive device to improve walking ability in patients with PAD. This study tested our newly developed assistive device with several tension assistance levels and their effect on metabolic cost.

Methodology

Ten healthy subjects were recruited for this study. A spring was attached to the posterior side of the device parallel to the …

The Effect Of Sensory Input On The Temporal Structure Of Center Of Pressure In Stroke Survivors, Samantha Chong

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Stroke is the leading cause of disability that affects 17 million people worldwide. Patients post-stroke suffer from maintaining balance because the brain may not be able to receive or process visual, vestibular and proprioceptive sensory information: all of which contribute towards maintaining stability. Information provided by vision is important for spatial orientation, as it develops an environmental perspective. Proprioception is detected through the stretching of tendons and surrounding tissue and is able to help the brain determine spatial location. The vestibular system provides a sense of balance detecting rotations and linear accelerations through the vestibulo-ocular reflex. The vestibular system is …

Impacts Of Mitoquinol Mesylate Intake On Vascular Function And Cognitive Impairment In Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Case Study, Lindie Strickler

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a decline in cognitive function to a greater extent than natural aging. It has been suggested that reduced brain blood flow is strongly associated with reduced cognitive function and neurodegenerative diseases, of which is partially attributed to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Mitoquinol mesylate has been shown to scavenge ROS and improve vascular function in healthy older adults. However, the effects of mitoquinol in MCI patients have not been investigated.

Purpose: to elucidate the impacts of mitoquinol intake on vascular endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation, FMD), arterial stiffness (pulse-wave velocity, PWV), and cognitive function in …

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sensorimotor Synchronization With Different Forms Of Rhythms, Ryan Meidinger

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Neural activity exhibits non-periodic rhythm [2] but it is unknown if neural activity synchronizes with non-periodic rhythms, as it does with periodic rhythms [1]. The purpose of this research is to determine the neural mechanisms present leading to synchronized finger tapping to varying rhythms. Twenty healthy young adults tapped their finger on a pressure sensitive pad, listened to metronomes, and wore a electroencephalogram (EEG) during synchronized finger tapping tasks (periodic, fractal, and random). Inter-tap intervals (ITIs), inter-beat intervals (IBIs), and frequency tags were used as the behavioral and cortical synchronization with the metronome. One-way ANOVAs were used to determine differences …

Effects Of Novel Tool Use: Cortical And Functional Measures In Children Using A Prosthetic Simulator, Chris Copeland

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

As of 2005, there were a total of 1.6 million people living with the loss of a limb, with this population projected to double to 3.6 million by 2050 [1]. While prostheses aim to enhance the function of these individuals, it is estimated that 45% of pediatric prosthetic users reject their prosthesis [2]. The literature which describes the neurological control mechanisms of prosthetic use is sparse and often low-powered due to an inadequate number of participants. However, prosthetic simulators may be a solution to chronically low-powered prosthetic-centric studies by serving as functional homologues, though this has yet to be tested. …