Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans, Katharine Boyd, Timothy A. Crombie

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

Pyrethroids are a type of insecticide widely used in agriculture and public health programs. These insecticides disrupt neuronal signaling in target insects through voltage-gated sodium channels and have been linked to cardiovascular and neurological disease in humans.The nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is fully mapped, and specific behavioral circuits can be tested, making it a powerful model for studying neurotoxicity. Because the primary target of pyrethroids is not conserved in C. elegans, secondary mechanisms of pyrethroid neurotoxicity can be identified by testing whether specific behavioral circuits are affected.

Phenotype Variations Among Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Under Quorum-Sensing Conditions, Marcel Pedrosa

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system that allows unicellular microorganisms like the eukaryote C. reinhardtii to regulate phenotypic switching as a function of cell density due to the accumulation of signaling molecules.  The goal of this study is to evaluate whether QS in C. reinhardtii is regulated by nutrient availability. We propose that in a nutrient-limited environment (low nitrogen TAP (N-TAP)), cells of C. reinhardtii (cc124) would adjust their motility-driven dispersion of cells and upregulate chlorophyll and carotenoid production per cell.

How Pollinator Populations Can Impact Chronic Disease Risk, Kylee Cubbison

Honors Projects

This project investigates how pollinator populations can impact chronic disease risk. Pollinator populations are declining, which can have serious implications for human health. Declining pollinator populations can limit healthy food production and affordability. Poor nutrition is a major risk factor for most chronic diseases. Less healthy food available for people to consume can negatively impact diets and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases. This project aims to address a potential gap in research existing on this specific topic regarding pollinator populations and human chronic disease risk. A brochure targeted towards educating the general public on this topic was created …

Program And Proceedings, The Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2026: 146th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program and abstracts of the proceedings for the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 136th annual meeting, 2025

Sessions

Aeronautics and Space Science

Anthropology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Earth Sciences

Ecology, Sustainability, and Environmental Science

Physics and Engineering

General Poster Session

2026 Maiben Lecture: Shifting Extremes: Understanding Nebraska’s Changing Climate and Preparing for What Lies Ahead, Deborah Bathke

2026 Friends of Science Awards: Julie Shaffer and Irina Filina

2026 C. Bertrand and Marian Othmer Schultz Colleaguate Schoalrship Award: Piper Ryschon and Bryce Reeson

In Memoriam: Paul Royster

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (Acl) Injuries In Female Athletes: Implications For Prevention And Rehabilitation, Natalie Amm

Honors Theses

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common lower limb injuries and pose significant physical, psychological, and long-term functional challenges for athletes. Additionally, research has suggested that females are up to eight times more likely to experience an ACL injury than their male counterparts. This increased risk is multifactorial with risks including anatomical structure, neuromuscular control, strength deficits, and hormonal fluctuations. However, the elevated risk of ACL injuries in female athletes may not solely be caused by biological differences, but also due to training programs and sports being designed around male athletes. This pushes us to change the …

From Bench To Bedside: Unraveling The Role Of Sarm1 In Chronic Human Neurodegenerative Disease, Caitlin Dingwall

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Axon degeneration (AxD) is an early and often causative event in many neurodegenerative diseases, yet no treatments exist to halt the breakdown of axons. In healthy axons, the axon survival factor NMNAT2 inhibits SARM1, the central executioner of programmed axon degeneration. NMNAT2 is a highly labile protein produced in the soma and trafficked into the axon. Nerve injury blocks axonal transport and leads to rapid depletion of axonal NMNAT2, causing NMN buildup and NAD+ loss. Recent breakthroughs led to the discovery that SARM1 is activated by an increase in the NMN to NAD+ ratio. While the SARM1 axon degeneration pathway …

High Performance Ae-Cnn Model Enhanced Via Gaussian Augmentation For Rssi-Dependent Indoor Positioning In Wireless Sensor Networks, Kahlaa K. Al-Nassrawy, Ghaidaa A Al-Sultany

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Precise indoor positioning system remains a significant challenge within Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to the instability and noise sensitivity of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data. This paper proposes an advanced hybrid deep learning framework designed for 2D indoor localization, utilizing RSSI measurements to predict human or object position. Furthermore, to enhance the robustness of the model against signal variance and promote its generalization capability under this uncertainty, a data augmentation strategy is applied using three methods: Gaussian Noise Injection (GNI), Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), and Bayesian Gaussian Mixture Model (BGMM). The purpose of data augmentation is to simulate …

Parasite Prevalence In Local Grasshopper Populations, Lucia B. Freund, Ali Gronquist

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Spur-throated grasshoppers (genus Melanoplus) are a common agricultural pest in North America. Spur-throated grasshoppers are also a common host to several parasitic organisms. Horsehair worms (phylum Nematomorpha) are parasitic organisms known for their ability to manipulate the behavior of its insect host, particularly grasshoppers and crickets, by urging the host to enter water so it can complete its life cycle. Along with being a host to parasitic worms, they are a frequent target of grasshopper mites. Grasshopper mites (Eutrombidium locustarum) is a short-lived parasite that can negatively influence the reproductive ability of their host. Because grasshoppers are a major agricultural …

Characterization Of Bacteria In Cattle Specimens, Jacob D. Hanson, Josie M. Tieskoetter

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Cattle nasal cavities provide a favorable environment for microbial colonization and can habit a wide population of bacteria, including opportunistic and pathogenic species. The objective of this research was to isolate, characterize, and identify bacteria present is nasal swap specimen collected from multiple calves. Samples were cultured and analyzed using selective and differential media, Gram staining, spore staining, and a range of biochemical assays. Several bacterial species were identified including the genus Corynebacterium and Streptococcus while some isolates could not be identified using classical biochemical methods alone. These results demonstrate that calf nasal specimens commonly contain diverse bacterial populations, some …

Establishment Of A Hek293t Cell Model System To Investigate Direct Intracellular Interactions Between Amyloid-Β (Aβ) And The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Cristina Sinobas Pereira

Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. While Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation is a defining pathological feature, increasing evidence highlights chronic neuroinflammation as a critical contributor to disease progression. Soluble Aβ assemblies can act as damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) including activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which links amyloid pathology to sustained inflammatory responses in the brain (Heneka et al., 2015; Nakanishi et al., 2018). However, the molecular mechanisms by which specific Aβ conformations influence inflammasome assembly remain incompletely understood.This study aimed to investigate whether distinct aggregation states of amyloid β42 (Aβ42) are …

Modulating Acute Stress Reactivity: Behavioral Interventions And Caffeine-Linked Stress Physiology In College Students, Kaitlyn Smith

Honors Theses

College students frequently rely on caffeine to manage academic demands, yet its physiological and psychological effects on acute stress remain poorly understood. Although caffeine is known to increase cardiovascular arousal and self‑reported anxiety, little research has compared different caffeine sources within the same individuals or examined whether brief behavioral interventions can buffer these effects. Self‑affirmation, a short writing exercise centered on personal values, has been shown to reduce stress reactivity, but its interaction with caffeine‑induced arousal has not been tested. This within‑subjects study examines how coffee, energy drinks, and a no‑caffeine control influence acute cardiovascular and self‑reported stress responses, and …

Three Bacterial Endophytes Enhanced Plant Growth And Yield And Reduced The Severity Of Phytophthora Capsici In Bell Pepper And Tomato Plants In The Field, Daniel Ambachew, Margaret T. Mmbaga Mmbaga, Richard Hall, Peter Eyegheleme, Mustapha Olawuni, Jamille Robinson, Emily Rotich

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Naturally abundant endophytes colonize plants internally without causing harm to their host plants. Endophytes are likely to occupy the same ecological niches as phytopathogens and thus have a high potential to be effective biological control agents. Their demonstrated ability to suppress more than one plant pathogen suggests that they can offer a viable alternative to chemical fungicides and a strategy for decreasing the inoculum potential of soil-borne pathogens. Some biocontrol endophytes are also known to improve soil health and the overall health of plants. However, the results in greenhouse studies do not always translate to consistent field efficacy. In this …

Quantification Of Mouse Tracheal Epithelial Cell Differentiation With Cilia Defects, Olivia V. Allen

Honors Thesis

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder that affects 1 in every 7,500 live births. PCD results from motile cilia defects, impairing mucociliary clearance and causing chronic respiratory infections. Our lab studies include three PCD mouse lines — bgh (Spef2), nm1054 (Cfap221), and Cfap54^gt/gt (Cfap54). Prior transcriptomic data led us to hypothesize that PCD mutant mouse tracheal epithelial cells (MTECs) exhibit reduced differentiation into ciliated cells. MTECs from the trachea of the Wild Type (WT) and the PCD mutant mouse lines were cultured at an Air Liquid Interface (ALI) to start …

Dietary Preferences And Food-Seeking Behavior Of Discoid Cockroaches, Blaberus Discoidaliscont., Robert Larsen, Sadie Ariola

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Blaberus discoidalis, also known as discoid cockroaches, inhabit the tropics of South America where their diet consists of leaf litter and decaying organic matter on the ground. This experiment expands on research from two previous years, originally based on the loitering time of the roach's different food types. Such as peanuts, leaf litter, and bananas. The experiment this year was to determine which food was preferred by determining how much it was eaten. Each food item, peanuts, banana, and leaf litter (peanuts alone are crushed) were dried in an oven for 24 hours and weighed before and after each trial. …

Horned Oak Galls And Their Dispersal On Lindenwood's Campus, Peyton Birkenmeier, Timothy Sesterhenn

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Horned oak galls are woody growths found on the branches of oak trees (Quercus sp.). These growths are caused by the parasitic wasp, Callirhytis cornigera. These wasps produce the galls by piercing the branch with their ovipositors and laying eggs into the branch. Based on the severity of infestation, these galls can cause severe damage or even death to oak trees. This research determined the dispersal and severity of horned oak galls infesting the different species of oak trees around the heritage side of Lindenwood. This was done by walking around the heritage side of campus and observing different species …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid On Mutant Millet, Claire Swiderski, Eric Grant, Kimberly Karlsson, Neil Telfer, Jonathan Becker

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Millets are grasses with small seeds grown as a cereal crop, a major food crop, especially in equatorial regions and in developing countries. Millet plants can develop a dwarfism mutation that leads to less growth and lower yields than normal millet plants. This mutation can be related to a deficiency or insensitivity to a plant growth hormone called gibberellin. We used two experimental groups of millet plants, a control group and a group that received gibberellin treatments. By treating the plants with gibberellin, we observed increased growth in mutant and wild-type millet plants. We measured the length of each plant …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) On Growth, Height, And Structural Strength In Mutant Setaria Viridis, Gracie Jones, Emma Lewis, Robert Larsen, Alejandro Molina

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Gibberellin (GA3) is a plant hormone that promotes stem elongation and overall plant growth. It increases cell elongation, which results in taller plants. However, increased growth may come at the cost of structural strength. Some mutant plants respond differently to gibberellin depending on whether they are sensitive or insensitive to the hormone. Sensitive mutants lack the ability to produce gibberellin but respond when it is applied, while insensitive mutants do not respond due to defects in hormone signaling. This experiment examines how GA3 affects plant height, panicle development, and structural stability in mutant Setariaviridis.

Neuromuscular Function And Balance In Young Adults: Feasibility And Reliability Of Strength And Conditioning Assessments, Riley Fritzsche, Nicole Waldo Johnson, Jessica M. Moon

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Neuromuscular assessments are widely used in exercise science however; the reliability of comprehensive functional testing batteries in healthy young adults remains unclear. Since sex and hormone status may influence performance, this study proposes that neuromuscular outcomes will differ across males, naturally cycling females, and hormonal contraceptive users. This pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and test-retest reliability of a neuromuscular assessment battery in adults aged 18–35 using a repeated-measures design. Participants will complete two identical testing sessions separated by 5–10 days. Assessments will include balance on force plates, handgrip strength, a 5-repetition chair-rise, and the 3-meter Timed Up-and-Go, alongside neuromuscular …

How Does The Concentration Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) Impact The Growth Of Different Setaria Viridis Mutants?, Liz Ritenhour, Gracey Horn, Lawson Veit, Grant Juris, Rodrigo Suarez Almajano

2026 Student Academic Showcase

We tested the relationship between gibberlin and plant growth through the use of gibberellic acid and different dwarf millet variants. Subjects were split into two groups: group one with no gibberellic acid application, and group two with periodic gibberellic application. Each group consisted of 17 pots. Each row held one mutant variant, while the bottom left pot was removed to store water. The objective was to have significant data by the end of the semester to prove the relevant relationship of gibberellin and plant growth.

Growth Effects Of Gibberellin Acid On Seteria Viridis, Isabella Calmet, Jamie Karase, Riley Massey, Allsion Schrumpf, Molly Suppa

2026 Student Academic Showcase

This study examined the effects of gibberellic acid (GAs) on growth in dwarf mutant families of Setaria viridis, a model grass species used to investigate hormone-regulated plant development. Dwarf phenotypes in grasses are often associated with disruptions in gibberellin biosynthesis or signaling, making them ideal for evaluating hormone response. Eight mutant families were analyzed using a paired experimental design, where each family was equally distributed between a control group and a GAs-treated group. Seeds were planted in pots with four seeds per pot, maintaining consistent representation of each family across treatments. During the third week of growth, the treatment group …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) On Growth In Setaria Viridis Mutant Families, Rebecca Laird, Charmaine Dao, Kayneisha Hepburn, Madison Brown, Hailey Veninga

2026 Student Academic Showcase

The grass Setaria viridis has frequently been employed in research due to its short life cycle, small genome, and close relationship to food crops like maize (corn). Setaria is utilized to study the genetic processes governing reproductive development. In this experiment, the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) therapy on several Setaria viridis mutant families have been investigated. This experiment also aims to detect variations in plant height phenotype by comparing GA-treated plants with untreated control plants. The researchers collected and planted eight dwarf millet seeds and one wild type mutant seed and planted in a ‘control’ tray and a ‘treatment’ …

Aggression And Fish Welfare: Challenges And Opportunities, Christine M. Soper, Peter D. Dijkstra

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano’s (2024) [O&B] target article discusses the wellbeing and sociality of bony fishes. Many fish species, such as cichlids, are not only social but territorial. Aggression is normal, but territorial aggression in a captive environment can have a negative impact on welfare. Aggression-related injuries and deaths are prevalent in pet stores as well as research settings. We discuss the need to develop effective methods to minimize the negative consequences of aggression.

Effects Of Spatially Targeted Fertilizer Strategies On Canopy Growth Across Contrasting Tart Cherry Orchard Sites, Kurt Wedegaertner, Brent Black, Matt Yost, Grant Cardon

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Variable-rate fertilization is increasingly promoted in perennial orchard systems, but its effectiveness remains difficult to predict because tree responses are often inconsistent and strongly conditioned by site-specific constraints. To address this, we evaluated soil-based and vigor-based zoning frameworks across four commercial tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) orchards representing contrasting soil conditions, canopy structures, and management histories. Within each orchard, management zones were defined using either soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) or satellite-derived canopy vigor. Fertilization strategies were implemented by varying fertilizer application timing among zones using split-application approaches while maintaining a constant total fertilizer rate. Tree-level canopy structure was …

Mitochondrial Dna Replication Is Regulated By Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondrial Contact Sites, The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter, And Manganese, Amaia Lopez De Arbina, Angelica Zamudio-Ochoa, Mikel Muñoz-Oreja, Diego Perez-Rodriguez, Laura Mosqueira-Martín, Rebecca Lasalandra, Marina Villar-Fernandez, Uxoa Fernandez-Pelayo, Laura Rodriguez-Gomez, Seungtae Lee, Francisco Gil-Bea, Nerea Osinalde, Ainara Vallejo-Illaramendi, Dmitry Temiakov, Antonella Spinazzola, Ian Holt

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Mitochondrial DNA replication occurs at contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria (ERMCS). Beyond the known role of the tubular ER protein RTN4, the factors regulating this process are poorly defined. Here, we show that repressing the ER protein ERLIN2 in human fibroblasts depletes ER-mitochondrial contact sites and inhibits mitochondrial DNA replication, as does silencing RTN4 or the ER-mitochondrial tether GRP75. GRP75 or RTN4 scarcity also decreases the level of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), whose inhibition blocks mitochondrial DNA synthesis. Because ERMCS depletion did not diminish mitochondrial calcium, and MCU complex can transport manganese, we tested whether …

The Effects Of Oleuropein In Olive Leaf Extract Alone Or Combined With Calcitriol On The Viability And Migration Of Human Endometrial Cells In Vitro, Katelyn Devereaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide and is commonly associated with pelvic pain, infertility, and reduced quality of life. Current management strategies, including hormonal therapies and surgical intervention, often provide only temporary relief and are associated with recurrence and adverse effects. These limitations highlight the need for alternative, non-hormonal therapeutic approaches that target underlying inflammatory and cellular mechanisms of disease progression.

This study evaluated the effects of oleuropein, contained within an olive leaf extract, and calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, on cellular viability and migration in immortalized human endometriotic epithelial (12Z) …

Cognition In Pair-Living Owl Monkeys: The Role Of Partner Affiliation In The Willingness To Cooperate To Solve A Cognitive Task, Aaron J. Mencia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cooperative problem-solving tasks, including the loose-string paradigm, require individuals to coordinate their actions simultaneously to obtain a shared reward. These paradigms have been used extensively to assess social cognition, behavioral coordination, and partner preferences across taxa. Although the loose-string paradigm has been widely tested, it has not been applied to pair-bonded, monogamous primates such as owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae), which exhibit affiliative behaviors including food sharing and bi-parental care. Investigating cooperation in this species may offer some clarification on whether more stable social bonds are associated with cooperative and cognitive task success as compared to those observed in …

Tree Resin Effects On Environmental Microbial Growth In Tetramorium Ant Colonies, Abigail Peralta, Emma Crisman

Biology Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Trial Of Vaginal Microbiome Transplant To Prevent Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis, Grace Pierson

Biology Student Scholarship

Comparative Inhibition Testing for Personalized Microbiota Selection

This case report evaluates a strategy for selecting optimal donor material for Cervicovaginal Secretion (CVS) transplantation. To identify a suitable match, CVS from four healthy, Lactobacillus-dominated donors was tested against a patient’s sample to observe microbial inhibition. Theoretically, effective donor material should produce a visible inhibition zone (halo), indicating suppressed growth of pathogenic bacteria. However, initial testing yielded unreadable results with no conclusive evidence of inhibition. Consequently, my study pivoted to analyze the direct effects of donor samples on the growth of specific pathogens, Gardnerella vaginalis and Prevotella bivia.

Altered Clock Genes Affect Fly Circadian Rhythms And Rhythms Of Cell Respiration In The Brain, Connor Enestvedt, Campbell Bridges, Anna Costello, Brenda Rodrigues, Jake Antosca

Biology Student Scholarship

Drosophila have circadian rhythms which are daily biological rhythms synchronized by an internal clock. These rhythms regulate behavioral and physiological systems within their bodies. The endogenous fly clock—made of an oscillating gene-protein feedback loop found in central pacemaker cells in the brain— sets endocrine, locomotor, and metabolic rhythms to the 24-hour Earth day The central clock signals to peripheral clocks, setting measurable rhythms. Mutations to these clock genes disrupts the oscillator, resulting in rhythm changes. In this project, we will study how flies’ circadian rhythms and cell respiration in the brain changes with mutations to clock genes. By measuring oxygen …

Wheel-Running As A Window Into The Pten-Ko Neurological Clock, Jake Antosca, Campbell Bridges, Elizabeth Burke, Chris Sama

Biology Student Scholarship

The phosphatase and tensin homolog protein (PTEN) is a critical regulator of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which governs cellular growth and metabolic balance. Mutations in the PTEN gene are strongly linked to macrocephaly and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in humans. While PTEN deficiency is known to cause neuronal hypertrophy and metabolic stress, its impact on the< endogenous circadian clock, the internal timing system that regulates daily physiological cycles, remains poorly understood. Proper circadian function is vital for metabolic homeostasis, which may be dysregulated in PTEN-deficient models.

In this poster, we compare PTEN conditional knockout mice with CRE controls to test whether PTEN-related cerebellar dysfunction alters entrainment to a light-dark cycle, free-running period in constant conditions, and food-anticipatory activity in age-matched animals between approximately 130 and …