Digital Commons Network^™

Defining An Epidemiological Landscape That Connects Movement Ecology To Pathogen Transmission And Pace-Of-Life, Kezia Manlove, Mark Wilber, Lauren White, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Anni Yang, Marie L.J. Gilbertson, Meggan E. Craft, Paul C. Cross, George Wittemyer, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Pathogen transmission depends on host density, mobility and contact. These components emerge from host and pathogen movements that themselves arise through interactions with the surrounding environment. The environment, the emergent host and pathogen movements, and the subsequent patterns of density, mobility and contact form an ‘epidemiological landscape’ connecting the environment to specific locations where transmissions occur. Conventionally, the epidemiological landscape has been described in terms of the geographical coordinates where hosts or pathogens are located. We advocate for an alternative approach that relates those locations to attributes of the local environment. Environmental descriptions can strengthen epidemiological forecasts by allowing for …

Evaluation Of The Feeding Value Of Proso Millet In Growing-Finishing Diets For Pigs And Effects Of Feed Ingredients And Medium-Chain Fatty Acids On Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Survivability, Khang Nguyen

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of the project were to: 1) evaluate the feeding value of proso millet as a potential substitute for corn in corn-soybean meal-based diets for pigs; and 2) investigate the relationship between feed ingredients and virus survivability, followed by examining feed additive candidates that could mitigate the risk of transmission of viral pathogens.

In Exp. 1, 36 barrows were fed 1 of 4 dietary treatments, including: Diet 1, corn-soybean meal-based (control), and Diets 2, 3, and 4 had proso millet replacing 33%, 67%, and 100% of corn in the control diet, respectively. During Phase 3, pigs consuming the proso …

Impact Of Increasing Level Of Milk Production On Cow And Calf Behavior And Performance In The Nebraska Sandhills, Selby L. Boerman

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Selection for increased milk production across the United States has resulted in variable cow and calf production responses. Better understanding of calf nursing and grazing behaviors may provide opportunities to help estimate how milk and grazed forage intake influence variability in calf performance. In a 2-yr study, cow-calf pairs (n = 65) were equipped with neck collars containing global positioning system (GPS) units to validate the efficacy of high-frequency GPS data to accurately identify calf nursing events and grazing behavior. Data were collected during 3-wk tracking periods during early lactation (calf age 65.4 ± 10.0 d; EARLY) and late …

Using Strategic Supplementation To Enhance Cow/Calf Productivity In Summer Calving Herds In The Nebraska Sandhills, Nicole M. Woita

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Young range beef cows consuming low-quality forage may result in an imbalance of energy and metabolizable protein, which can negatively affect the nutrient status of the cow and reproductive performance. In a 2-yr study conducted at Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory near Whitman, NE, 2- and 3-yr-old May-calving range cows (n = 181) grazing native range were individually supplemented daily with one of four supplements: 1) mineral with a target intake of 113 g/d (MIN), 2) MIN with 200 mg per head of Rumensin to with a target intake of 113 g/d (RUM), 3) MIN with a 226 g/d of high …

Investigating Bacterial Community Composition And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes In Beef Cattle, Arena E. See

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While antibiotics have been critical over the last decade for curbing infectious diseases, they have contributed to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Infections resulting from antimicrobial-resistant pathogens are correlated with severe morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. With the increasing concerns regarding AMR and its emergence, it is paramount to understand not only the effects of antibiotics on microbial community and diversity, but also to develop a novel tool that gives us a better understanding of the spread and functional traits of AMR genes.

To this end, rumen, fecal, and pen surface samples were collected from 72 animals at United …

Manufacturing And Characterization Of Continuous Nanofiber-Reinforced Composites, Lucas Barry

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fiber-reinforced composite laminates are some of the most advanced structural materials available. However, delamination remains a critical challenge due to its prevalence in structures and ability to cause catastrophic failure. Recently, high-temperature composites are at the forefront of polymer-matrix composites research, but they are prone to microcracking followed by delamination. Nanoreinforcement of interfaces by continuous nanofibers has been proposed earlier at UNL and produced increased interlaminar fracture resistance in conventional advanced composites. However, no studies have yet been conducted on emerging high-temperature composites. Also, there is insufficient information on the translatability of observed modes I and II interlaminar fracture toughness …

Eulogy On King Philip, William Apess, Paul Royster (Ed.)

Zea E-Books in American Studies

In the heart of New England, on the doorstep of the Pilgrim founding fathers, William Apess delivered this eulogy honoring their greatest enemy, Metacomet of the Wampanoags, known as King Philip, who led a coalition of Native peoples that came close to destroying the whole English colonial enterprise in 1675–76. In 1836, one hundred sixty years later, Apess chose to re-examine the circumstances of King Philip’s life and death, and pronounced him equal to or even greater than Washington in love for his country, military skill, and personal honor. While redeeming the memory of Philip as a martyr for his …

Non-Nutritive Suck Burst Pattern Stability In Extremely Premature Infants, Alejandra Marquez

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The development of non-nutritive suck (NNS) burst dynamics in preterm infants reflects the integrity of the brain and is used clinically to assess feeding readiness and orofacial motor development (Mizuno and Ueda, 2005). The application of NNS analytics in the present report represents one outcome measurement set that is part of an ongoing clinical trial involving extremely preterm infants (EPI’s,[GA]) randomized to receive either pulsed orocutaneous stimulation therapeutics or a sham (blind pacifier), in conjunction with salivary sampling twice weekly to map gene expression of key proteins involved in neural development and molecular sensing of feeding related pathways in the …

Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Intercepted On Plant Product Imported To South Korea From 2013–2021, Suhyeon Lee, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Current globalization and technological progress has facilitated and increased the international trade of plant products worldwide and has promoted the long-distance movement of immobile sucking pests such as whiteflies attached on plants. Therefore, being able to compile and update information on intercepted insect pests will help to improve the inspection procedures, to detect, identify and mitigate the damage caused by exotic invasive pests. Records of whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) intercepted on import plants from 2013 to 2021 in the Pest Information System (PIS) database of South Korea were analyzed. A total of 32 species belonging to 19 genera were intercepted on …

Natural History Of Cassida Sphaerula Boheman, 1854 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Cassidini) On Arctotheca Prostrata (Salisb.) Britten (Asteraceae: Arctotidinae) In South Africa, With A Checklist Of South African Cassidinae (Leaf-Mining And Tortoise Beetles), Sally Adam, Mariana Campos, Hugh D.C. Heron, C. L. Staines, Rob Westerduijn, Caroline Simmrita Chaboo

Insecta Mundi

The tortoise beetle, Cassida sphaerula Boheman, 1854 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Cassidini) is endemic to South Africa. Its endemic host, Arctotheca prostrata (Salisb.) Britten (Asteraceae) has been introduced in other countries where it is becoming invasive. Cassida sphaerula could provide a potential biocontrol of Arctotheca weeds as it spends the entire life cycle on this host. An intensive field study, with rearing, photography, and short films of C. sphaerula was conducted in its native habitat to document the life cycle. A checklist of Cassidinae genera in South Africa, along with 19 new host records for Cassidini species in South Africa are …

Quantification And Machine Learning Based N2o–N And Co2–C Emissions Predictions From A Decomposing Rye Cover Crop, Deepak R. Joshi, David E. Clay, Sharon A. Clay, Janet Moriles-Miller, Aaron L. M. Daigh, Graig Reicks, Shaina Westhoff

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cover crops improve soil health and reduce the risk of soil erosion. However, their impact on the carbon dioxide equivalence (CO_2e) is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this 2-yr study was to quantify the effect of cover crop-induced differences in soil moisture, temperature, organic C, and microorganisms on CO_2e, and to develop machine learning algorithms that predict daily N₂O–N and CO₂–C emissions. The prediction models tested were multiple linear regression, partial least square regression, support vector machine, random forest (RF), and artificial neural network. Models’ performance was accessed using R², …

Studies On Air Injection In A Wastewater-Fed Subsurface Drip Irrigation System, Henry A. Gonzalez Hernandez

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2020, the Ogallala High Plains Aquifer supplied irrigation water for approximately 3.6 million hectares in Nebraska, making it the most irrigated state in the United States. Although Nebraska is highly dependent in groundwater, locations included in the Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District (border of Nebraska and Wyoming) rely on surface water resources. In addition to these conventional water sources, using non-conventional alternatives for crop production can be just as important during water shortage times such as the one that e occurred in 2019 with the collapse of the Goshen/Gering-Fort Laramie Canal. Feedlot runoff presents a great opportunity in Nebraska, but …

Development Of A Decellularized Hydrogel Composite And Its Application In A Novel Model Of Disc-Associated Low Back Pain In Female Sprague Dawley Rats, David Lillyman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chronic low back pain is a global socioeconomic crisis compounded by an absence of reliable, curative treatments. The predominant pathology associated with chronic low back pain is degeneration of intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. During degeneration, nerves can sprout into the intervertebral disc tissue and be chronically subjected to inflammatory and mechanical stimuli, resulting in pain. Pain arising from the intervertebral disc, or disc-associated pain, is a complex, multi-faceted disorder which necessitates valid animal models to screen therapeutics and study pathomechanisms of pain.

While many research teams have created animal models of disc degeneration, the translation of these platforms …

Efficiency Of Bank Filtration In The Removal Of Cyanotoxins Under Different Levels Of Nutrients, Luke Walkenhorst

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an increasing concern not only in Nebraska, but across the world. Increasing global temperatures in conjunction with overuse of synthetic fertilizers are leading causes to the increasing frequency and concern of HABs. In the present work, the effectiveness of simulated bank filtration (BF), as an economical water treatment option, to remove cyanotoxins under different levels of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) was investigated. Vertical flow-through columns pre-acclimated with two levels of nutrients (e.g., nitrate and phosphate—10 vs. 50 mg/L) were exposed to two different levels of cyanotoxins (10 vs. 75 μg/L). Results from the study confirmed …

Haemosporidian Parasite Diversity In An Under-Surveyed Australian Avifauna, Ian R. Hoppe, Allison E. Johnson, Elizabeth Vanwormer

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Haemosporidian parasites of birds are geographically widespread, have been detected in a phylogenetically diverse array of hosts, and have been the focus of extensive research due to both their impacts on birds and their similarity to vector-borne diseases of humans. Advances in molecular diagnostic tools have created a greater awareness of the genetic diversity of haemosporidian infections. Yet in spite of their more or less global distribution, comparatively little is known about the haemosporidians affecting birds in Australia. We screened blood from 889 birds (23 species) for haemosporidian blood parasite infections during the 2019 breeding season at Brookfield Conservation Park, …

Understanding The Role Of Antioxidant Nanoparticles In Improving The Outcome Of Secondary Injury In Traumatic Brain Injury, Aria W. Tarudji

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Following traumatic brain injury (TBI), excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other free radicals are released, inducing the cascade of secondary injury that exacerbate the outcomes of TBI. Antioxidant nanoparticles (ANPs) have shown promising outcomes in reducing the progression of TBI, which may be due to the higher accumulation and retention of ANPs in the injured brain. However, there is limited knowledge of: 1) antioxidant activities needed in TBI treatment, 2) correlation between longer retention, bioavailability, and target engagement with antioxidant treatments, and 3) sexual dimorphism to ANP treatments.

This dissertation assesses multiple ANPs with various scavenging activities and durations …

Long-Distance Vocalizations Of Spotted Hyenas Contain Individual, But Not Group, Signatures, Kenna D.S. Lehmann, Frants H. Jensen, Andrew Gersick, Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin, Kay E. Holekamp

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

In animal societies, identity signals are common, mediate interactions within groups, and allow individuals to discriminate group-mates from out-group competitors. However, individual recognition becomes increasingly challenging as group size increases and as signals must be transmitted over greater distances. Group vocal signatures may evolve when successful in-group/out-group distinctions are at the crux of fitness-relevant decisions, but group signatures alone are insufficient when differentiated within-group relationships are important for decision-making. Spotted hyenas are social carnivores that live in stable clans of less than 125 individuals composed of multiple unrelated matrilines. Clan members cooperate to defend resources and communal territories from neighbouring …

Sweet Taste Signaling: The Core Pathways And Regulatory Mechanisms, Sunil Kumar Sukumaran, Salin Raj Palayyan

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sweet taste, a proxy for sugar-derived calories, is an important driver of food intake, and animals have evolved robust molecular and cellular machinery for sweet taste signaling. The overconsumption of sugar-derived calories is a major driver of obesity and other metabolic diseases. A fine-grained appreciation of the dynamic regulation of sweet taste signaling mechanisms will be required for designing novel noncaloric sweeteners with better hedonic and metabolic profiles and improved consumer acceptance. Sweet taste receptor cells express at least two signaling pathways, one mediated by a heterodimeric G-protein coupled receptor encoded by taste 1 receptor members 2 and 3 (TAS1R2 …

The Role Of Parental Health And Distress In Assessing Children’S Health Status, Sherrie H. Kaplan, Marilou Shaughnessy, Michelle A. Fortier, Marla Vivero‑Montemayor, Sergio Gago Masague, Dylan Hayes, Hal Stern, Maozhu Dai, Lauren Heim, Zeev Kain

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine the contributions of parents’ health and distress to parent’s and children’s assessments of children’s health.

Methods We used baseline data from a longitudinal study of 364 children (ages 4–12) about to undergo surgery and their parents in a Southern California pediatric hospital. We used the 20-item child self-reported CHRIS 2.0 general health and the parallel parent-reported measure of the child’s health, along with a measure of parental distress about the child’s health were administered in the perioperative period. Other measures included parents’ physical and mental health, quality of life, distress over …

Optimising Response To An Introduction Of African Swine Fever In Wild Pigs, Kim M. Pepin, Vienna R. Brown, Anni Yang, James C. Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Ryan S. Miller, Sarah N. Bevins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

African swine fever virus (ASFv) is a virulent pathogen that threatens domestic swine industries globally and persists in wild boar populations in some countries. Persistence in wild boar can challenge elimination and prevent disease-free status, making it necessary to address wild swine in proactive response plans. In the United States, invasive wild pigs are abundant and found across a wide range of ecological conditions that could drive different epidemiological dynamics among populations. Information on the size of the control areas required to rapidly eliminate the ASFv in wild pigs and how this area should change with management constraints and local …

Nmr And Metabolomics—A Roadmap For The Future, David S. Wishart, Leo L. Cheng, Valérie Copié, Arthur S. Edison, Hamid R. Eghbalnia, Jeffrey C. Hoch, Goncalo J. Gouveia, Wimal Pathmasiri, Robert Powers, Tracey B. Schock, Lloyd W. Sumner, Mario Uchimiya

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Metabolomics investigates global metabolic alterations associated with chemical, biological, physiological, or pathological processes. These metabolic changes are measured with various analytical platforms including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). While LC-MS methods are becoming increasingly popular in the field of metabolomics (accounting for more than 70% of published metabolomics studies to date), there are considerable benefits and advantages to NMR-based methods for metabolomic studies. In fact, according to PubMed, more than 926 papers on NMR-based metabolomics were published in 2021—the most ever published in a given year. This suggests that NMR-based metabolomics …

Estimates Of Daily Oxygen Consumption, Carbon Dioxide And Methane Emissions, And Heat Production For Beef And Dairy Cattle Using Spot Gas Sampling, C. Lee, K. A. Beauchemin, J. Dijkstra, D. L. Morris, K. Nichols, Paul J. Kononoff, D. Vyas

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A simulation study was conducted to examine accuracy of estimating daily O₂ consumption, CO₂ and CH₄ emissions, and heat production (HP) using a spot sampling technique and to determine optimal spot sampling frequency (FQ). Data were obtained from 3 experiments where daily O2 consumption, emissions of CO2 and CH4, and HP were measured using indirect calorimetry (respiration chamber or headbox system). Experiment 1 used 8 beef heifers (ad libitum feeding; gaseous exchanges measured every 30 min over 3 d in respiration chambers); Experiment 2 used 56 lactating Holstein-Friesian cows (restricted feeding; gaseous exchanges measured every 12 min …

The Future Of Synbiotics: Rational Formulation And Design, David Fabian Gomez Gomez, Car Reen Kok, Robert Hutkins

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Synbiotics, mixtures of live microbes and substrates selectively utilized by host organisms, are of considerable interest due to their ability to improve gastrointestinal health. However, formulating synbiotics remains challenging, due in part, to the absence of rational strategies to assess these products for synbiotic activities prior to clinical trials. Currently, synbiotics are formulated as either complementary or synergistic. Complementary synbiotics are made by combining probiotics and prebiotics, with each component acting independently and with the combination shown to provide a clinical health benefit. Most commercial synbiotics as well as those used in clinical trials have been of the complementary type. …

Immobilization Of A Bifidobacterial Endo-Ss-N-Acetylglucosaminidase To Generate Bioactive Compounds For Food Industry, Burcu Pekdemir, Hatice Duman, Ayşenur Arslan, Merve Kaplan, Melda Karyelioğlu, Tolgahan Özer, Hacı Mehmet Kayılı, Bekir Salih, Bethany M. Henrick, Rebbeca M. Duar, Sercan Karav

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Conjugated N-glycans are considered next-generation bioactive prebiotic compounds due to their selective stimulation of beneficial microbes. These compounds are glycosidically attached to proteins through N-acetylglucosamines via specific asparagine residue (AsN-X-Ser/Thr). Certain bacteria such as Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis (B. infantis) have been shown to be capable of utilizing conjugated N-glycans, owing to their specialized genomic abilities. B. infantis possess a unique enzyme, Endo-ß-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EndoBI-1), which cleaves all types of conjugated N-glycans from glycoproteins. In this study, recombinantly cloned EndoBI- 1 enzyme activity was investigated using various immobilization methods: 1) adsorption, 2) entrapment-based alginate immobilization, …

Use Of Livestock Risk Protection Insurance For Cattle Continues To Grow, Jay Parsons

Cornhusker Economics

When used as a regular part of a market risk management plan, livestock risk protection (LRP) insurance can help protect profits in years where markets turn for the worse. The recent changes to the program have made LRP insurance more appealing to cattle producers and sales of LRP have subsequently increased dramatically. Strong price increases may make LRP unnecessary, but it is difficult to predict when the price increases will end. LRP insurance is a safety net, reducing downside price risk by providing a floor on national price expectations while also allowing producers to take advantage of higher national prices …

Effect Of Bromoform And Linseed Oil On Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Stored Beef Manure, Andrew Ortiz Balsero, Mara Zelt, Amy Millmier Schmidt, Miguel Fudolig, Daniel N. Miller

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – potent greenhouse gases - from stored beef feedlot manure are a significant concern relative to climate change. Research on methane reduction strategies for enteric emissions has identified the application of organic additives, such as bromoform and linseed oil, to ruminant diets as potential solutions for reducing enteric emissions and pathogenic bacteria in excreted manure. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of bromoform and linseed oil on greenhouse gas emissions from beef feedlot manure, and on E. coli concentration in beef cattle manure, during a 5-week storage period. …

Evaluating The Shelf Life And Sensory Properties Of Beef Steaks From Cattle Raised On Different Grass Feeding Systems In The Western United States, Toni L. Duarte, Bakytzhan Bolkenov, Sarah C. Klopatek, James W. Oltjen, D. Andy King, Steven D. Shackelford, Tommy L. Wheeler, Xiang Yang

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Consumer interest in grass-fed beef has been steadily rising due to consumer perception of its potential benefits. This interest has led to a growing demand for niche market beef, particularly in the western United States. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of feeding systems on the change in microbial counts, color, and lipid oxidation of steaks during retail display, and on their sensory attributes. The systems included: conventional grain-fed (CON), 20 months-grass-fed (20GF), 25-months-grass-fed (25GF) and 20-months-grass-fed + 45-day-grain-fed (45GR). The results indicate that steaks in the 20GF group displayed a darker lean and fat …

Genetic Protocols For Dna Extraction From White-Tailed Deer Cast Antlers To Confirm Individuality, Zach Carter, Brian C. Peterson, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Kimberly A. Carlson

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the most sought-after deer species in America. The antlers of mammals, such as deer, are one of the fastest regenerative tissues in the world and are grown and naturally cast every year. Research on cast antlers have been used for a variety of purposes including population comparisons and impacts of deer health due to climatic stressors. When investigating cast antlers, it is important to confirm individuality of match sets in addition to antlers of the same individual between years. Therefore, individuality must be confirmed genetically, and protocols must be developed and established to …

Using Satellite Imagery To Compare Land Cover And Water Resources In Two Counties Of The Nebraska Sandhills, Gabrielle Baker, Mary Ann Vinton

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Nebraska Sandhills comprise the most intact grassland habitat in the world and 95% of land use consists of low intensity cattle grazing. Water is a key resource for cattle and for growing hay forage in this semi-arid grassland. Ranchers rely on either naturally occurring wet meadows or center pivot irrigation systems (CPIS) to produce hay. With the possibility of climate change creating more frequent extreme weather events, more flooding events or severe droughts could affect land and water resources in the Sandhills. With potentially more wet/dry extremes in the future, an understanding of the way water resources respond, and …

Amplification Of Black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus) Dna From Regurgitated Food Pellets, Daniel R. Taylor, Bryan M. Kluever, John S. Humphrey, Iona M. Hennessy, Amber Sutton, William E. Bruce, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studies that rely on noninvasive collection of DNA for birds often use feces or feathers. Some birds, such as vultures, regurgitate undigested matter in the form of pellets that are commonly found under roost sites. Our research demonstrates that regurgitated pellets are a viable, noninvasive source of DNA for molecular ecology studies of vultures. Our objectives were to amplify 5 microsatellite loci designed for distinguishing Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) and Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) in a single, multiplexed PCR, and to determine how long the target nuclear DNA persists after a vulture pellet is regurgitated and …