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Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2018, 138th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Chemistry and Physics>/p>

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Learn to Print 3-D Models for Your Classroom Workshop

Aeronautics and Space Science Poster Session

Maiben Memorial Lecture: Thomas Clemente

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Earth Science

Environmental Sciences

Teaching of Science and Mathematics

Friend of Science Award: Mary Kalen Romjue and Michael Sibbernsen

Physio-Chemical And Functional Properties Of Nine Proso Millet Cultivars, Manjot Singh, Akinbode A. Adedeji, Dipak Santra

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Evaluation of the postharvest properties of nine proso millet cultivars was carried out to determine their physical and engineering properties, which are very useful for designing appropriate systems for process operations such as sorting, drying, heating, cooling, and milling. Nine cultivars of proso millet comprising waxy and non-waxy types, namely Cope, Earlybird, Huntsman, Minco, Plateau, Sunrise, Rise, Dawn, and Panhandle, were obtained from the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, University of Nebraska, Scottsbluff. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) differences in their physical properties, such as sphericity, volume, bulk density, porosity, and angle of repose, which ranged from 0.86 to 0.91, from 3.94 to 5.14 mm³, from 765.49 to 809.67 kg m^-3, from 42.49% to 44.20%, and from 22.98° to 25.74°, respectively. The cultivars were …

Development Of An Odor Management Plan For South Dakota, Suraiya Akter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Odor from livestock operations is often a nuisance to the neighborhood stakeholders and is one of the major environmental and societal issues associated with livestock industries. An odor management plan is not a requirement during the state permitting process of any livestock operation in South Dakota, but may be required to varying degrees for county level approval. Some neighboring states have developed odor management planning guides or templates which help address odor issues. Adoption of an odor management plan in SD can help address concerns of odor for the continuously expanding livestock industry in this state. Hence, an odor management …

Chronic Risk And Disease Management Model Using Structured Query Language And Predictive Analysis, Mamata Ojha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with chronic conditions are the ones who use health care most frequently and more than 50% of top ten causes of death are chronic diseases in United States and these members always have health high risk scores. In the field of population health management, identifying high risk members is very important in terms of patient health care, disease management and cost management. Disease management program is very effective way of monitoring and preventing chronic disease and health related complications and risk management allows physicians and healthcare companies to reduce patient’s health risk, help identifying members for care/disease management along …

Application Of Drainage Water Management And Saturated Buffers For Conservation Drainage In South Dakota, Abhinav Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Edge of field practices such as drainage water management (DWM) and saturated buffers can reduce nutrient transport from croplands to surface waterbodies. DWM uses stackable weir boards in a control structure to manipulate the water table depth throughout the cropping season and reduce the amount of nutrient rich water draining out from the field. Saturated buffers, on the other hand, use a control structure to divert water draining out from the cropland to a vegetative strip via a subsurface tile installed parallel to a waterway. For the saturated buffer systems, a combination of natural denitrification, nitrogen mineralization, and plant uptake …

Just Around The Corner: The Future Of U.S. Public Transportation, Steven E. Polzin

Journal of Public Transportation

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Chemical Cleaning Regimes On Ageing Of Microfiltration (Mf) And Ultrafiltration (Uf) Hollow-Fiber Membranes, Mariny Chheang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Membrane fouling is a major obstacle in microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) in wastewater treatment and water reuse. Fouling and membrane cleaning have been extensively studied in batch experiments at a short filtration time, but long-term membrane property changes (e.g. ageing) are not fully explored. Thus, this dissertation focused on changes in physical and chemical properties of the PVDF membranes, and membrane ageing. Impacts of feed water composition (tannic acid and tannic acid+Fe2O3) and chemical cleaning regimes (NaOH, citric acid) on the membrane performance and property changes were investigated. UF and MF membranes rejected iron oxide particles perfectly. Whilst both …

Development Of Polylactic Acid (Pla)-Based Nanocomposite Films For Smart Food Packaging Applications, Zeyad Albahr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most of current food packaging resources are non-renewable and nonbiodegradable. The use of these materials has resulted in serious environmental issues. In recent years, the recognition of waste disposal problems and their impacts on the environment has risen the demand for packaging manufactured from renewable materials. However, there are some limitations of using biopolymers for food packaging applications. These limitations include unreliable mechanical and barrier properties. These issues may be addressed by combining biopolymers and nanotechnologies. Nanotechnologies are expected to improve the performance of biopolymer-based packaging materials for food packaging applications. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) has shown a potential to be …

Localization Of Microcalcification On The Mammogram Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network, Jieun Jhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and the mammogram is the most widely used screening technique for breast cancer. To make a diagnosis in the early stage of breast cancer, the appearance of masses and microcalcifications on the mammogram are two crucial indicators. Notably, the early detection of malignant microcalcifications can facilitate the diagnosis and the treatment of breast cancer at the appropriate time. Making an accurate evaluation on microcalcifications is a timeconsuming and challenging task for the radiologists due to the small size and the low contrast of microcalcification. Compared to the background and mammogram …

Iact Undergraduate Certificate In Applied Creativity (Year 1 - 2018), Brian Laduca

IACT Certificate Program

At the Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation (IACT) at ArtStreet, we seek to empower a creatively confident 21st-century student with the ability to discover, invent and innovate ambiguous ideas through a disruptive design process that will impact today’s ever-changing global world regardless of degree focus.

IACT is home to the nation’s first undergraduate certificate in Applied Creativity for Transformation. Open to undergraduate students of any major, the certificate is a first step in achieving the University of Dayton’s vision of innovation, applied creativity, entrepreneurship and community engagement for the common good.

A Novel Optimization Method For Solving Constrained And Unconstrained Problems: Modified Golden Sine Algorithm, Erkan Tanyildizi

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Recently, the metaheuristic optimization algorithms inspired by nature and different science branches have been powerful solution methods for unconstrained, constrained, and engineering problems. Various metaheuristic optimization algorithms have been proposed and they have been applied to problems in different fields. This paper proposes a novel optimization method based on a modified version of the Golden Sine Algorithm for solving unconstrained, constrained, and engineering problems. The basic idea behind the proposed modified Golden Sine Algorithm (GoldSA-II) depends on finding the optimum solution field in search space by using the decreasing pattern of the sine function and the golden ratio. The performance …

Neuroprotective And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Rhus Coriaria Extract In A Mouse Model Of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, Saba Khalilpour, Ghazaleh Behnammanesh, Fouad Suede, Mohammed O. Ezzat, Jayadhisan Muniandy, Yasser Tabana, Mohamed B. K. Ahamed, Ali Tamayol, Amin Malik Shah Majid, Enrico Sangiovanni, Mario Dell'agli, Aman Shah Majid

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Modulating oxidative stresses and inflammation can potentially prevent or alleviate the pathological conditions of diseases associated with the nervous system, including ischemic optic neuropathy. In this study we evaluated the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective activities of Rhus coriaria (R. coriaria) extract in vivo. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for DPPH, ABTS and B-carotene were 6.79 ± 0.009 µg/mL, 10.94 ± 0.09 µg/mL, and 6.25 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively. Retinal ischemia was induced by optic nerve crush injury in albino Balb/c mice. The anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of R. coriaria (ERC) and linoleic acid (LA) on …

The Microfluidic Intravital Window : A Tool For Manipulation And Imaging Of The Tumor Microenvironment, Logan William Butt

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a heterogeneous collection of both healthy and pathological cells, whose complex interactions hold the key for understanding and overcoming cancer. Metastasis leverages these complex interactions into a sophisticated process by which single cells from the tumor disseminate into the blood and form new colonies in other organ systems. Subsequent formation of tumors throughout the body, as a direct result of metastatic events, is responsible for most deaths related to cancer, making metastasis a necessary target for cancer therapy.

Diode Clamped Gate Driver-Based High Voltage Pulse Generator For Electroporation, Krishnaveni Subramani, Rajini Veeraraghavalu

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Pulsed electric field technology is an emerging nonthermal food processing method. PEF food processing requires a high voltage pulse generator that produces high intensive pulses to be delivered to the food product. Innovation in semiconductor technology motivates researchers to modernize high voltage pulse generators to reduce the cost, size, and complexities in circuit operation and to increase the suitability for food processing since the last few decades. The present study aims to explore a high voltage pulse generator for electroporation study. The implemented high voltage pulse generator develops $\sim $1.62 kV with adjustable pulse widths of 0.62 $\mu $s and …

Development Of Intelligent Decision Support System Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps For Migratory Beekeepers, Ahmet Albayrak, Feci̇r Duran, Rai̇f Bayir

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This study presents the development of an intelligent information system using fuzzy cognitive maps that provides information to migratory beekeepers about the nectar flow and climate conditions in the regions they will visit. Beekeeping is an agricultural activity essentially focused on honey production. High honey yields in beekeeping can be achieved through migratory beekeeping. Migratory beekeepers complete the honey production season by carrying their hives to regions with high nectar flow. Beekeepers decide on the regions they will visit based on their previous experiences. In this study, a software-based system that provides information to the beekeepers about the honey yield …

Effects Of Yogurt Fortification With Different Legumes Protein On The Physio-Chemical, Microbiological, And Rheological Properties, Prachi Pahariya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nowadays, yogurt (a nutritious fermented dairy product) is getting popular around all over the world due to beneficial action provided by bacteria present in yogurt culture. Along with that, diet plans, which are high in protein and low in fat, has become appealing for growing healthy conscious population that makes a huge shift toward plantbased protein consumption. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to study the effects of yogurt fortification with extracted protein of different beans (legumes)- pinto and kidney beans on the physio-chemical (Moisture, Fat, Protein, Ash, Total Solids Content (TSC), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA), Water Holding …

Differentiating Human Populations Based On K-Mer Classification Of Hand Bacteria, Thrisha Doppala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bacterial communities found in and on the human body are not only used in studying human health conditions but are also effective in differentiating individuals due to their distinct profiles. Human palm regions harbor relatively more diverse bacterial communities and are indicative of population groups, life styles, geographic locations, age groups and health conditions. Sequences extracted from hypervariable region V3 of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene of hand bacterial samples from 9 different population groups were classified into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) with GreenGenes reference taxonomy using RDP (Ribosomal Database Project) classifier. Frequencies of identified OTUs were used to study …

Influential Factors In Consumer's Adoption Of Innovative Products, Mahdokht Kalantari

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenges involved with the process of diffusion of innovations in the contexts of innovative educational materials and technological innovations.

Chapters 2 and 3 discuss building and using Online Brand Communities (OBCs) to disseminate innovative math educational materials. OBCs are known to be important platforms where consumers can communicate with the brand as well as other consumers. Through the effective use of these platforms, brands could accelerate the process of diffusion of their innovations. However, OBCs will not survive if consumers do not get engaged and participate in these communities. The purpose of this section of the …

Coupling Of Mechanical And Electromagnetic Fields Stimulation For Bone Tissue Engineering, Alyaa I. Aldebs

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Alternative bone regeneration strategies that do not rely on harvested tissue or exogenous growth factors and cells are badly needed. However, creating living tissue constructs that are structurally, functionally and mechanically comparable to the natural bone has been a challenge so far. A major hurdle has been recreating the bone tissue microenvironment using the appropriate combination of cells, scaffold and stimulation to direct differentiation. This project presents a bone regeneration formulation that involves the use of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stems cells (hASCs) and a 3D scaffold based on a self-assembled peptide hydrogel doped with superparamagnetic nanoparticles (NPs). Osteogenic differentiation of …

Thermoresponsive, Redox-Polymerized Cellulosic Hydrogels Undergo In Situ Gelation And Restore Intervertebral Disc Biomechanics Post Discectomy, Devika Varma, H. A. Lin, R. G. Long, G. T. Gold, A. C. Hecht, J. C. Iadridis, Steven B. Nicoll

Publications and Research

Back and neck pain are commonly associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Structural augmentation of diseased nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue with biomaterials could restore degeneration-related IVD height loss and degraded biomechanical behaviors; however, effective NP replacement biomaterials are not commercially available. This study developed a novel, crosslinked, dual-polymer network (DPN) hydrogel comprised of methacrylated carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and methylcellulose (MC), and used in vitro, in situ and in vivo testing to assess its efficacy as an injectable, in situ gelling, biocompatible material that matches native NP properties and restores IVD biomechanical behaviors. Thermogelling MC was required to enable consistent and timely …

Assessing The Spatial Accuracy And Precision Of Lidar For Remote Sensing In Agriculture, Surya Saket Dasika

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The objective of this whole study was to evaluate a LiDAR sensor for high-resolution remote sensing in agriculture. A linear motion system was developed to precisely control the dynamics of LiDAR sensor in effort to remove uncertainty in the LiDAR position/velocity while under motion. A user control interface was developed to operate the system under different velocity profiles and log LiDAR data synchronous to the motion of the system. The LiDAR was then validated using multiple test targets with five different velocity profiles to determine the effect of sensor velocity and height above a target on measurement error. The results …

Valorization Of Proso Millet And Spent Grain For Extruded Snack Development, Joseph Woomer

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Fast-paced lifestyles result in consumers replacing traditional meals with on-the-go snack foods. In general, snacks are higher in saturated fats and simple sugars, and pose health concerns for consumers, which prompts the need for healthy nutritious alternatives to common snacks. Proso millet is a nutritious, and fast growing gluten free cereal. Spent grain (SG), the main by-product of brewing and distilling, contains high amount of protein and insoluble fibers. This study utilized proso millet and spent grain in the production of an extruded expanded snack, demonstrating their appropriateness as an ingredient in food production.

The first objective of this study …

Investigation Of Environmental Cadmium Sources In Eastern Kentucky, Elizabeth Maher

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Utilizing data collected by the University of Kentucky Lung Cancer Research Initiative (LCRI), this study investigated potential mining-related sources for the elevated levels of cadmium in Harlan and Letcher counties. Statistical analyses for this study were conducted utilizing SAS. A number of linear regression models and logarithmic models were used to evaluate the significance of the data. The linear regression models consisted of both simple and multivariate types, with the simple models seeking to establish significance between the potential sources and urine cadmium levels and the multivariate models seeking both to identify any statistically significant linear relationships between source types …

Comparative Analysis Of The Effects Of Virtual Reality Active Video Game And Controller-Free Active Video Game Play On Physiological Response, Perceived Exertion, And Hedonic Experience, Shanon Wooden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over 60% of US adults are overweight or obese. Sedentary lifestyles are considered major contributors to the high rates and increasing prevalence of obesity. Physical activity is a critical component in shifting from sedentary lifestyles. Studies indicate that less than half of U.S. adults meet the CDC/ACSM physical activity recommendations. Interactive video games can increase PA, but no study has yet assessed physiologic effort, hedonics, and perceived exertion for playing immersive virtual reality (VR) and controller-free screen-based active video games (AVGs), compared to treadmill walking and resting. We ran 25 subjects (9 female, 16 male) in 10-minute sessions of five …

Advanced Nanoscale Characterization Of Plants And Plant-Derived Materials For Sustainable Agriculture And Renewable Energy, Mikhael Soliman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need for nanoscale, non-invasive functional characterization has become more significant with advances in nano-biotechnology and related fields. Exploring the ultrastructure of plant cell walls and plant-derived materials is necessary to access a more profound understanding of the molecular interactions in the systems, in view of a rational design for sustainable applications. This, in turn, relates to the pressing requirements for food, energy and water sustainability experienced worldwide. Here we will present our advanced characterization approach to study the effects of external stresses on plants, and resulting opportunities for biomass valorization with an impact on the food-energy-water nexus. First, the …

Targeting Metastatic Breast Cancer With Statin Drugs And Coq10, Jacob Thrasher

Honors Theses

Statin drugs are commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol levels in patients, but recently statins have been under investigation as a potential anti-cancer drug. Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and subsequently inhibit the mevalonate pathway and cholesterol synthesis. Since cholesterol trafficking is vital in the growth and metastasis of cancer, statin drugs are being studied to explore their effects on cancer cells. CoQ10, one of the products from the mevalonate pathway, also has shown some potential anti-cancer properties, but its use to combat cancer is controversial. While some studies have shown that CoQ10 supplements can be synergistic with other cancer treatment …

Cm-Dii And Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cell Responses To Chemotherapeutic Agents, Ashten M.C. Anderson

Honors Theses

CM-DiI is a lipophilic, red fluorescent dye used for staining and tracking the migration of cells. CM-DiI makes it possible to visualize cells in histological regions and can therefore be very useful for the tracking of cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in vivo. The ability to track and quantitate cancer cell proliferation in vivo is essential for cancer drug discovery. If CM-DiI labeled cancer cells respond to chemotherapy agents similar to unlabeled cancer cells, it facilitates screening of potential anti-cancer compounds using CM-DiI labeled cells in a xenotransplanted, transgenic zebrafish model (Danio rerio). To investigate whether CM-DiI labeling would affect …

Soybeans To Chemicals: A Case Study For Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Education, Kaitlyn Myers

Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis is to develop a case study to reinforce the concepts that are required knowledge for chemical engineers in their sophomore year of curriculum, continuing through all of their education. The process that will be examined is the production of soybean oil, protein powder, and succinic acid from the harvest of soybeans. Further, this process will be used to align with the objectives of the chapters from the required textbook for the material balances class. The soybean industry is one of the largest in the United States agricultural sector, so it is an important real-world example …

Cardiolipin Profiling In Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells, Meghan Houston Mcneely

Honors Theses

Six human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, LM, BoM, T47D, MCF7, and MCF7-BoM) were treated with three differentially targeted phospholipase inhibitors (bromoenol lactone, tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate, and halopemide) as well as various dietary oils (canola oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, and soybean oil). Cell viability assays were performed to examine the effects of each inhibitor and oil in varying concentrations on the proliferation of each breast cancer cell line. The goal was to detect changes in cardiolipin concentration within each cell line after exposure to a series of various phospholipase inhibitors and oils. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was …

Apple Pomace Consumption Favorably Alters Hepatic Lipid Metabolism In Young Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed A Western Diet, Roy Chris Skinner, Derek C. Warren, Soofie N. Lateef, Vagner A. Benedito, Janet C. Tou

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Apple pomace, which is a waste byproduct of processing, is rich in several nutrients, particularly dietary fiber, indicating potential benefits for diseases that are attributed to poor diets, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD affects over 25% of United States population and is increasing in children. Increasing fruit consumption can influence NAFLD. The study objective was to replace calories in standard or Western diets with apple pomace to determine the effects on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism and on risk of NAFLD. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned (n = 8 rats/group) to isocaloric diets of AIN-93G and …