Digital Commons Network^™

Students’ Knowledge Of And Attitudes Toward Dairy Production: A Survey Methodology Report, Heather Akin, Babatope Akinyemi, Julia Mcquillan, Tami Brown-Brandl

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

This report presents findings from a pilot survey conducted among undergraduate and graduate students (N = 410) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln about students’ perspectives on technology usage, consumption, and sustainability in dairy production systems. An interdisciplinary research team developed the survey instrument and report. The main purpose of this pilot study was to create and administer survey items to support further research on experiential education and outreach opportunities related to robotics in small-scale dairy production and rural economic development. Descriptive findings indicated that most students had some familiarity with dairy production and the nutritional aspects of dairy products …

Potassium Ion Channels As A Molecular Target To Reduce Virus Infection And Mortality Of Honey Bee Colonies, Christopher J. Fellows, Michael Simone‑Finstrom, Troy D. Anderson, Daniel R. Swale

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Declines in managed honey bee populations are multifactorial but closely associated with reduced virus immunocompetence and thus, mechanisms to enhance immune function are likely to reduce viral infection rates and increase colony viability. However, gaps in knowledge regarding physiological mechanisms or ‘druggable’ target sites to enhance bee immunocompetence has prevented therapeutics development to reduce virus infection. Our data bridge this knowledge gap by identifying ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium ( K_ATP) channels as a pharmacologically tractable target for reducing virus-mediated mortality and viral replication in bees, as well as increasing an aspect of colony-level immunity. Bees infected with Israeli …

Archivo Y Memoria: Una Mirada A Tres Historias De Mujeres Esclavizadas En El Virreinato De La Nueva Granada De Finales Del Siglo Xviii, Luisa Carolina Julio Gomez

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Colonial documents preserve information that allows us to know the local Andean history of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. These manuscripts reveal forms of violence that shaped the subjectivities of the time and the resistance of oppressed women. This dissertation examines the effects of slavery and the response of three enslaved women to that colonial violence. This analysis seeks to better understand and make visible how the intersection between racism and patriarchy impacted the lives of three racialized women in the colonial context.

This dissertation focuses on the experiences, struggles, and resistance of three women present in the manuscripts consigned …

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome Of Eulaelaps Huzhuensis (Mesostigmata: Haemogamasidae), Hui-Juan Yang, Zhi-Hua Yang, Tian-Guang Ren, Wen-Ge Dong

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Some mites of the family Haemogamasidae can transmit a variety of zoonotic diseases and have important public health and safety implications. Currently, however, little attention has been paid to molecular data of Haemogamasidae species, limiting our understanding of their evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Eulaelaps huzhuensis was determined for the first time, and its genomic information was analyzed in detail. The mitochondrial genome of E. huzhuensis is 14,872 bp in length with 37 genes and two control regions. The base composition showed a distinct AT preference. Twelve protein-coding genes have a typical ATN …

Rickettsia Africae And Other Unclassified Rickettsia Species Of The Spotted Fever Group In Ticks Of The Western Ghats, India, N. Naren Babu, Anup Jayaram, Amogh Milind Auti, Yuvraj Bhandari, Ujwal Shetty, Govindakarnavar Arunkumar

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

The spotted fever group (SFG) of Rickettsia are zoonotic disease-causing pathogens, commonly transmitted by hard ticks to a wide range of hosts, including humans. Rickettsia conorii is the common SFG recognised in India, whereas most of the infections due to other group species go undifferentiated at the species level. Hence, this study was conducted to screen host-seeking ticks in the Western Ghats region, India, for the DNA of SFG Rickettsia. The ticks were collected from Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra states of India during a survey conducted between November 2017 and January 2018. In total, 288 tick pools were screened …

Impact Of Land Use/Cover Change And Slope Gradient On Soil Organic Carbon Stock In Anjeni Watershed, Northwest Ethiopia, Bethel Geremew, Tsegaye Tadesse, Bobe Bedadi, Hero T. Gollany, Kindie Tesfaye, Abebe Aschalew

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

Today’s agri-food systems face the triple challenge of addressing food security, adapting to climate change, and reducing the climate footprint by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). In agri-food systems, changes in land use and land cover (LULC) could affect soil physicochemical properties, particularly soil organic carbon (SOC) stock. However, the impact varies depending on the physical, social, and economic conditions of a given region or watershed. Given this, a study was conducted to quantify the impact of LULC and slope gradient on SOC stock and C sequestration rate in the Anjeni watershed, which is a highly populated and …

Influence Of Maternal Dietary Protein Precursor On Reproductive Endocrinology Of Neonatal Bovine Offspring, Jennifer F. Thorson, Ligia D. Prezotto

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Bovine oogenesis and follicular maturation are initiated during in utero development, a process that is stringently orchestrated by the endocrine milieu. Of paramount importance are the three major biologically active estrogens: estron, estradiol, and estriol that are involved in the development and maintenance of germ cells. Previous work using the current model have revealed that maternal urea (protein precursor) supplementation reduces the ovarian follicular reserve without compromising the number of secondary and tertiary follicles. Therefore, we did not anticipate an influence of dietary treatment on biologically active estrogens. However, as the ovarian reserve is positively associated with circulating concentrations of …

Mineral Composition Of Serially Slaughtered Holstein Steers Supplemented With Zilpaterol Hydrochloride, Andrea K. Watson, Trent J. Mcevers, Lee-Anne J. Walter, Nathan D. May, Jacob A. Reed, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson, N. Andy Cole, Johnjohn P. Hutcheson, Ty E. Lawrence

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Calf-fed Holstein steers (n = 115; 449 ± 20 kg) were utilized in a serial harvest experiment. A baseline group of five steers was harvested after 226 d on feed (DOF), which was designated day 0. The remaining cattle were assigned randomly to 11 harvest groups, with slaughter every 28 d. Cattle were either not (CON) or were fed zilpaterol hydrochloride for 20 d followed by a 3 d withdrawal (ZH). There were five steers per treatment in each slaughter group ranging from days 28 to 308. Whole carcasses were divided into lean, …

Restoration Of Normal Blood Flow In Atherosclerotic Arteries Promotes Plaque Stabilization, Morgan A. Schake, Ian Mccue, Evan T. Curtis, Thomas J. Ripperda Jr., Samuel Harvey, Bryan T. Hackfort, Anna Fitzwater, Yiannis S. Chatzizisis, Forrest Kievit, Ryan M. Pedrigi

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Blood flow is a key regulator of atherosclerosis. Disturbed blood flow promotes atherosclerotic plaque development, whereas normal blood flow protects against plaque development. We hypothesized that normal blood flow is also therapeutic, if it were able to be restored within atherosclerotic arteries. Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE^-/-) mice were initially instrumented with a blood flow-modifying cuff to induce plaque development and then five weeks later the cuffwas removed to allowrestoration of normal blood flow. Plaques in decuffed mice exhibited compositional changes that indicated increased stability compared to plaques in mice with the cuff maintained. The therapeutic benefit of decuffingwas comparable …

A Complete Telomere-To-Telomere Assembly Of The Maize Genome, Jian Chen, Zijian Wang, Kaiwen Tan, Wei Huang, Junpeng Shi, Tong Li, Jiang Hu, Kai Wang, Chao Wang, Beibei Xin, Haiming Zhao, Weibin Song, Matthew B. Hufford, James C. Schnable, Weiwei Jin, China Agricultural University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

A complete telomere-to-telomere (T2T) finished genome has been the long pursuit of genomic research. Through generating deep coverage ultralong Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) and PacBio HiFi reads, we report here a complete genome assembly of maize with each chromosome entirely traversed in a single contig. The 2,178.6 Mb T2T Mo17 genome with a base accuracy of over 99.99% unveiled the structural features of all repetitive regions of the genome. There were several super-long simple-sequence-repeat arrays having consecutive thymine–adenine– guanine (TAG) tri-nucleotide repeats up to 235 kb. The assembly of the entire nucleolar organizer region of the 26.8 Mb array with …

Enhancing Adaptation Of Tropical Maize To Temperate Environments Using Genomic Selection, Nicole E. Choquette, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Jason Brewer, Scott B. Davis, Randall J. Wisser, James B. Holland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Tropical maize can be used to diversify the genetic base of temperate germplasm and help create climate-adapted cultivars. However, tropical maize is unadapted to temperate environments, in which sensitivities to long photoperiods and cooler temperatures result in severely delayed flowering times, developmental defects, and little to no yield. Overcoming this maladaptive syndrome can require a decade of phenotypic selection in a targeted, temperate environment. To accelerate the incorporation of tropical diversity in temperate breeding pools, we tested if an additional generation of genomic selection can be used in an off-season nursery where phenotypic selection is not very effective. Prediction models …

Bat Use Of Afforested And Encroached Patches And Their Role In Extending Bat Habitat Into The Nebraska Sandhills, Jacob L. Wagner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Nebraska Sandhills are currently undergoing a state shift to a redcedar dominated woodland due to anthropologic planting of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and woody encroachment from the periphery of the Sandhills. To better understand this novel ecosystem and how bats are utilizing it I collected data at Barta Brothers Ranch with acoustic sensor grids consisting of 24,100 m-spaced acoustic sensors placed adjacent to planted windbreaks. Supplemental data from the Nebraska North American Bat Monitoring Program was used for data analysis at larger spatial scales. I used linear regressions and kriging interpolation maps to see how bats used windbreaks during …

Preliminary Evidence Of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure In American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) In The Western United States, Evan R. Buechley, Dave Oleyar, Jesse L. Watson, Jennifer Bridgeman, Steven Volker, David A. Goldade, Catherine E. Swift, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Although there is extensive evidence of declines in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) population across North America, the cause of such declines remains a mystery. One hypothesized driver of decline is anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) exposure, which could potentially cause mortality or reduced fitness. We investigated AR exposure in wild American Kestrels in Utah, USA. We collected and tested for AR residues in liver samples (n = 8) from kestrels opportunistically encountered dead and in blood samples (n = 71) from live wild kestrels, both nestlings and adults. We found high detection rates in both tissues. Adult …

Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Candidate Vaccine Strains Are Pro-Apoptotic In Raw264.7murinemacrophages, Raul G. Barletta, John P. Bannantine, Judith R. Stabel, Ezhumalai Muthukrishnan, Dirk Anderson, Enakshy Dutta, Vamsi Manthena, Mostafa Hanafy, Denise K. Zinniel

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiological agent of Johne’s disease, a severe gastroenteritis of ruminants. This study developed a model cell culture system to rapidly screen MAP mutants with vaccine potential for apoptosis. Two wild-type strains, a transposon mutant, and two deletion mutant MAP strains (MOI of 10 with 1.2 × 10⁶ CFU) were tested in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages to determine if they induce apoptosis and/or necrosis. Both deletion mutants were previously shown to be attenuated and immunogenic in primary bovine macrophages. All strains had similar growth rates, but cell morphology indicated that both deletion mutants …

Diet-Microbiome-Immune Interplay In Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding The Impact Of Phytoestrogen Metabolizing Gut Bacteria, Peter C. Lehman, Sudeep Ghimire, Jeffrey D. Price, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Ashutosh K. Mangalam

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to the pathobiology of the disease. Although HLA genes have emerged as the strongest genetic factor linked to MS, consensus on the environmental risk factors is lacking. Recently, the gut microbiota has garnered increasing attention as a potential environmental factor in MS, as mounting evidence suggests that individuals with MS exhibit microbial dysbiosis (changes in the gut microbiome). Thus, there has been a strong emphasis on understanding the role of the gut microbiome in the pathobiology of …

Essential And Recurrent Roles For Hairpin Rnas In Silencing De Novo Sex Chromosome Conflict In Drosophila Simulans, Jeffrey Vedanayagam, Marion Herbette, Holly Mudgett, Ching-Jung Lin, Chun- Ming Lai, Caitlin Mcdonough-Goldstein, Stephen Dorus, Benjamin Loppin, Colin D. Meiklejohn, Raphaëlle Dubruille, Eric C. Lai

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Meiotic drive loci distort the normally equal segregation of alleles, which benefits their own transmission even in the face of severe fitness costs to their host organism. However, relatively little is known about the molecular identity of meiotic drivers, their strategies of action, and mechanisms that can suppress their activity. Here, we present data from the fruitfly Drosophila simulans that address these questions. We show that a family of de novo, protamine- derived X-linked selfish genes (the Dox gene family) is silenced by a pair of newly emerged hairpin RNA (hpRNA) small interfering RNA (siRNA)-class loci, Nmy and Tmy. …

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Induces Proliferation And Collagen Production By Fibroblasts Derived From The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Corrine F. Monaco, Michele R. Plewes, Emilia Przygrodzka, Jitu W. George, Fang Qiu, Peng Xiao, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Cyclic regression of the ovarian corpus luteum, the endocrine gland responsible for progesterone production, involves rapid matrix remodeling. Despite fibroblasts in other systems being known for producing and maintaining extracellular matrix, little is known about fibroblasts in the functional or regressing corpus luteum. Vast transcriptomic changes occur in the regressing corpus luteum, among which are reduced levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and increased expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) after 4 and 12 h of induced regression, when progesterone is declining and the microvasculature is destabilizing. We hypothesized that FGF2 activates luteal …

Portfolio For Soci 346: Environmental Sociology, Gwendwr Meredith

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Environmental sociology, SOCI 346, is the study of how social systems interact with ecosystems. As such, it is a very broad course that is tasked with understanding complex and often controversial questions about the social causes, consequences, and responses to environmental disruption. In this teaching portfolio, I enumerate how I use a backward design for crafting assessments that cater to my specific teaching goals and learning objectives for the course. In the first stage of this process, I reflected on what learning outcomes I wished to achieve and determined that structuring the course in modules aligned with the learning objectives …

Spatial And Temporal Activity Patterns Among Sympatric Tree-Roosting Bat Species In An Agriculturally Dominated Great Plains Landscape, Christopher Fill, Craig R. Allen, John F. Benson, Dirac Twidwell

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In agroecosystems, bats can provide a critical ecosystem service by consuming night-flying insect pests. However, many bats also face intense population pressures from human landscape modification, global change and novel diseases. To better understand the behavioral activity of different bat species with respect to space, time, habitat, and other bat species in this environment, we investigated species correlations in space and time over row crop agricultural fields. We used acoustic grids to document spatial and temporal co-occurrence or avoidance between bats and recorded eight species across the 10 field sites we sampled. All species significantly overlapped in two-dimensional space and …

Curated And Harmonized Gut Microbiome 16s Rrna Amplicon Data From Dietary Fiber Intervention Studies In Humans, Cynthia I. Rodriguez, Ali Keshavarzian, Bruce R. Hamaker, Feitong Liu, Genelle R. Lunken, Heather Rasmussen, Hongwei Zhou, Julien Tap, Kelly S. Swanson, Maria Ukhanova, Marion Leclerc, Martin Gotteland, Paola Navarrete, Petia Kovatcheva-Datchary, Wendy J. Dahl, Jennifer B. H. Martiny

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Next generation amplicon sequencing has created a plethora of data from human microbiomes. The accessibility to this scientific data and its corresponding metadata is important for its reuse, to allow for new discoveries, verification of published results, and serving as path for reproducibility. Dietary fiber consumption has been associated with a variety of health benefits that are thought to be mediated by gut microbiota. To enable direct comparisons of the response of the gut microbiome to fiber, we obtained 16S rRNA sequencing data and its corresponding metadata from 11 fiber intervention studies for a total of 2,368 samples. We provide …

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting. Valentine, May 5-7, 2023

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days was held in Valentine on May 5-7, 2023, with 50 in attendance. Our meetings and meals took place in the Niobrara Lodge. Field trips were led by Robin Harding, William Flack, T. J. Walker, Dave Heidt, Mark Brogie and Don and Janis Paseka. Destinations included Thomas Creek WMA, Cub Creek Recreation Area, the Niobrara Valley Preserve (TNC Property), the river road from Meadville (SW of Springview) to Norden, the Valentine City Park, Valentine Fish Hatchery, Ft. Niobrara NWR, Anderson Bridge WMA, the Minnechaduza Creek crossing north of Kilgore, Steer Creek, Merritt Reservoir, …

Rethinking The Status And Temporal Occurrence Of The American Woodcock In Nebraska Because Of Its Unusual Life History, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner

Nebraska Bird Review

Historical distribution and range expansion -- We reviewed existing information to evaluate conclusions by previous authors (e.g., Sharpe et al. 2001, Silcock and Jorgensen 2023) that woodcock have expanded their range west since settlement of Nebraska by Euro-Americans. We also provide additional context about the species’ distribution over time using regional resources.

Temporal occurrence and abundance -- We used data from woodcock outfitted with satellite transmitters 2021-2022 and compared it with occurrence data from two sources, eBird (eBird.org 2023) from all years through 2022 and the SFRs in the Nebraska Bird Review 1994–2019. We chose not to use SFR data …

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

First off, I want to reiterate that reports compiled for this Spring Seasonal Report are evaluated against current knowledge as presented in Birds of Nebraska-Online (“BONO”; https://birds.outdoornebraska.gov/). Species whose reports do not add new information on distribution, early or late dates, etc., are listed as having “Routine reports”. Please let me know at [email protected] if you have information that is not in BONO, or if you have additions and/or corrections of information in BONO. Another reminder: if evidence of breeding is observed, please enter the appropriate descriptor in your eBird checklist under “Breeding and Behavior Code”. These descriptors can be …

The Nebraska Bird Review: A Magazine Of Ornithology Of The Nebraska Region. Volume 91 June 2023 Number 2

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023 by W. Ross Silcock …46

Correction to 2022-2023 Christmas Bird Count tally ….70

Rethinking the Status and Temporal Occurrence of the American Woodcock in Nebraska because of its Unusual Life History by Joel G. Jorgensen and Stephen J. Brenner …71

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting in Valentine, May 5-7, 2023 …..84

Subscription and Organization Information …91

Nebraska Law Review, Vol. 101, No. 3. Masthead And Table Of Contents.

Nebraska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Volume 101, Issue 4: Masthead & Contents

Nebraska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Nebline, June/July 2023

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Introducing Nit Kits: Extension's New Program on Head Lice in Early Childhood Settings by Kait Chapman

Curiosity as a Tool for Health Access by Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the Month: Refreshing Watermelon Salad by Emily Gratopp

Nebraska Celebrates Wildflower Week, June 5–11 by Sarah Browning

Graden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Fescue Toxicosis by Connor Biehler

Graywater Use in Nebraska by Becky Schuerman

Aphids, Scales and Spider Mites, Oh My! by Kait Chapman

Challenging Behaviors: Using Positive Language by Hayley Jackson

Extension News: New 4-H Assistant

4-H’ers Qualify for State Presentations Contest

4-H Clubs Helped at Kiwanis Karnival

Nebraska …

Impact Of Nitrogen Availability On The Accumulation Of Vegetative Lipids In Sorghum, Leticia Felicio Pasqualino

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a versatile and prosperous feedstock crop for renewable energy production. With the increase in bioenergy demand, the production of higher oil content per biomass in a feedstock crop is a highly desirable trait for the biofuel conversion process yield. Especially if this outcome can be achieved using fewer inputs in the field, such as nitrogen. In microalgae species, nitrogen limitation has been associated with changes in the carbon storage metabolic pathway favoring triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation. In this context, this study aimed to assess whether nitrogen starvation would result in a similar outcome in …

Intensification Differentially Affects The Delivery Of Multiple Ecosystem Services In Subtropical And Temperate Grasslands, Shishir Paudel, Nuria Gomez-Casanovas, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Samuel D. Chamberlain, Pradeep Wagle, Brekke L. Peterson, Rajen Bajgain, Patrick J. Starks, Jefferey Basara, Carl J. Bernacchi, Evan H. Delucia, Laura E. Goodman, Prasanna H. Gowda, Ryan Reuter, Jed P. Sparks, Hilary M. Swain, Xiangming Xiao, Jean L. Steiner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Intensification, the process of intensifying land management to enhance agricultural goods, results in “intensive” pastures that are planted with productive grasses and fertilized. These intensive pastures provide essential ecosystem services, including forage production for livestock. Understanding the synergies and tradeoffs of pasture intensification on the delivery of services across climatic regions is crucial to shape policies and incentives for better management of natural resources. Here, we investigated how grassland intensification affects key components of provisioning (forage productivity and quality), supporting (plant diversity) and regulating services (CO2 and CH4 fluxes) by comparing these services between intensive versus extensive pastures in subtropical …

Do Cover Crop Mixtures Improve Soil Physical Health More Than Monocultures?, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Rationale and Purpose — Adding multispecies cover crop (CC) mixtures could diversify the current simplified crop rotations and enhance soil health more than monoculture CCs. Further, CC mixtures with diverse plant species could adapt better to changing climatic and environmental conditions than monoculture CCs. However, our current understanding of the soil benefits of CC mixtures is still limited. This review discussed whether CC mixtures are better than monoculture CCs to improve soil physical health.

Methods — All studies published up to May 25, 2023, comparing soil physical properties between CC mixtures and their constituents grown as monocultures were searched in …