Digital Commons Network^™

Shakespeare’S Early Histories And The Construction Of Government, Paul Olson

Department of English: Faculty Publications

Shakespeare’s first tetralogy has been treated as an account of the reinvention of government, especially a Hobbesian reinvention demonstrating how authoritarian government forces order out of chaos. This article argues that, though Hobbesian elements present themselves, Shakespeare employs subtexts available to his time and place to speak of how orderly government is constituted: that is, he relies on accounts of the Fall from perfection into chaos and the return from it through divinely blessed kingship that are present in syncretic readings of Ovid and the Bible. The two subtexts give order to the progress from Fall into chaos and back …

Herbicide Management For Bromus Tectorum To Enhance Rangeland Productivity In Western Nebraska, Miranda Mueller

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

Cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum (L.), has increased in the mixed-grass prairies of the Nebraska Panhandle. Limited research is available in these ecosystems on the ecological factors that influences its spread and options for management. This study focuses on the efficacy of herbicide treatments (indaziflam and imazapic) as a cheatgrass control method on the native rangelands of western Nebraska. In September of 2022, a mixture of indaziflam (73 g ai ha^-1, Rejuvra) and imazapic (70 g ai ha^-1, Plateau) was aerially applied at 6 unique upland ecological sites (1-3 ha) near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Functional group plant biomass data …

Clinical Case Study: The Effects Of Saltatory Pneumotactile Stimulation Of Glabrous Hand And Perioral Face On Cerebral Oxygenation, Cognitive Performance, And Sensorimotor Function In An Adult Following Left Hemorrhagic Stroke, Tara L. Hull

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

Stroke remains a leading cause of adult disability and a significant global health concern. Effective rehabilitation strategies for cognitive and communicative impairments following stroke are limited (Kuhn & Sharman, 2023). One emerging approach involves repetitive somatosensory stimulation to drive cerebral hemodynamic changes, potentially offering a novel rehabilitative method. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive, accessible tool for monitoring these changes during stroke recovery. Prior studies suggest tactile stimulation rapidly affects brain hemodynamics (Custead et al., 2015; Oh et al., 2017). This clinical single-case study explored the use of GALILEO saltatory pneumotactile stimulation applied to the face and hand in …

Music And Word Learning In Children Diagnosed With Developmental Language Disorder, Rebekah G. Sweeney

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

Purpose: This study investigates whether incorporating music into vocabulary interventions improves rate of learning and retention of words in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Emerging literature continues to show the plentiful benefits of music as a tool for intervention in many settings, including the world of speech pathology (Levitin, 2024). However, it is also evident that there is a connection between struggling with language, and struggling with musical elements, such as rhythm and pitch perception, particularly in children with DLD (Boorom et al., 2022; Kreidler et al., 2023). This study seeks to tease out if music is an effective …

Investigating Child-Informed Considerations For Animated Picture Symbols Representing Emotion For Aac Use In Children With Asd, Hannah Kitsmiller

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

Development of emotional competence is an important area of consideration when supporting individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Emotional competence includes skills related to identifying and communicating about one’s emotions. Individuals who use AAC may struggle to develop strong skills in emotional competence. One potential barrier to developing emotional competence may be access to symbols that facilitate understanding of the represented emotion. Emotions are abstract and challenging to represent in visual symbols. Additionally, evidence suggests individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have visual perceptual differences when viewing faces. Current emotion symbols are often depicted using isolated facial …

Impact Of Diet Quality And Functional Food (Honey) On Gut Microbiota And Metabolic Health In Obesity, Sarah M. Eaton

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Understanding the impact of dietary patterns and functional foods on human health is crucial for the advancement of evidence-based nutrition choices. This dissertation investigates the effects of three a priori-defined healthful dietary patterns as well as a functional food, specifically Manuka honey, on gut health and metabolic markers in individuals with overweight and obesity. Two studies were conducted to explore these relationships. The first study, a post-hoc, cross-sectional analysis, compared the effects of three healthful dietary patterns: Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP) on markers of intestinal permeability and gut microbiota …

Dental Disparities: An Analysis Of Dental Caries Risk Factors Promoting Disparities Between Rural And Urban Communities In Nebraska, Nick Lounsbery

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The prevalence of dental caries in the United States remains a public health concern, as it is one of the most common chronic conditions across people of all ages. Research shows that preventative measures including brushing, fluoridated water, and regular checkups are effective strategies to mitigate tooth decay. However, there appears to be a divide between rural and urban populations, as the presence of dental cavities is significantly greater in remote areas in the State of Nebraska. Research methods used in this analysis included analyzing accredited academic literature to illustrate how cavities form from a biochemical perspective. Research methods also …

News From The Front: How To Win The Ai War, Christine Haverington

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

While artificial intelligence is currently and justifiably a hot topic among scholars and university administrators, students are way ahead of the curve in terms of its use and application. Calling for educators to stop trying to catch AI “cheaters,” this essay provides evidence from honors and other classroom observations, student research on peer and faculty usage and attitudes, course evaluations, and external sources to demonstrate how and why generative AI can be creatively and effectively incorporated into teaching. Toward this end, practical pedagogical strategies are shared describing teaching modalities and innovative curricular design, avoiding the cognitive degradation of students, and …

Next-Generation Biomedical Implants And Stimuli Responsive Soft Optical Arrays Via Surface Functionalized Elastomeric Materials, John M. Kapitan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The demands of emerging technologies, such as soft robotics, stretchable electronics, and next generation biomedical implants, has led to the development of diverse polymeric and hybrid organic/inorganic materials specifically tuned to meet these challenges. These materials typically have low Young’s moduli and are inert with high chemical stability. However, this has led to materials that are static in nature, lacking any meaningful way of responding to changes in their environment and adapting to these changes. This has driven a shift towards the design, manufacturing, and characterization of various stimuli responsive surfaces, relying on precise control of surface chemical coatings and …

Evelyn Waugh And The Problems Of Representing Conversion, Alec J. Miller

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Evelyn Waugh’s conversion to Catholicism in 1930 raised the question of how his writing would change. The satires he wrote before his conversion, Decline and Fall (1928) and Vile Bodies (1930), are hilarious but have no spiritual vision. Critics attacked his second novel after his conversion, A Handful of Dust (1934), for not being fitting for a Catholic writer to have made. Yet, Waugh makes a religious point in A Handful of Dust, exploring the wages of spiritual apathy without showing a path out. Later in Waugh’s career, he makes his finest attempt in the Sword of Honour trilogy …

For The Birds, Charlotte L. Middleton

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

For the Birds is a homogenous material exhibition of porcelain pottery that explores the relationships between, expectations of, and roles placed upon women and pottery. Using traditional craft processes, still life imagery, and the language and limits of porcelain, I create arrangements that expose the viewers assumptions of both subjects. Pottery- pitchers, cups, and vases—is a product of anthropocentrism and anthropomorphism and can be entirely taken for granted- their role is assumed and unquestionable—to serve. The language and expectations of these objects are the medium I build with.

The title of the show, For the Birds, is both a …

Aesop Under L'Oreal: Growth Vs. Brand Integrity, Gowrav Ghatamaneni, Spencer Godina, Reed Mchenry, Cole Miller, Shruti Pradeep

B-Corp Case Studies by UNL Raikes Seniors

Founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 1987, Aesop has emerged as a global luxury skincare brand known for its minimalist packaging, commitment to sustainability, and sensory in-store experience. In 2023, L'Oréal Groupe acquired Aesop from Natura & Co. in a deal valued at $2.5 billion, marking the largest acquisition in L'Oréal's history. The brand's dedication to aesthetics has set it apart in the competitive beauty industry. But how does a brand built on small-scale, curated retail experiences navigate the expansion driven by a multinational owner? Can Aesop maintain its core values while scaling up?

Understanding How Family Dynamics Affect Mental Health Communication In Inside Out: A Content Analysis, Kataryna Morton

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study examines the impact of open communication between family members on mental health and a child’s sense of belonging in the film Inside Out. Previous research has shown the impact of media on children’s socialization, which can influence stigma and make it less likely for vulnerable communication to occur. It is crucial for children to learn to communicate their emotions, and the media can play a key role in shaping these beliefs. Inside Out provides a positive example of mental health communication, which is specifically explored through Riley’s communication with her parents throughout the film. Using a content analysis, …

Evaluation Of Gfap And Ptau Protein Expression In Male And Female Cci Mouse Models, Sara Wallace

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern that leads to the death or disability of thousands of individuals in the US annually. Progression of TBI involves primary damage from the initial, mechanical injury and secondary damage, from nonmechanical, pathological dysfunction. The secondary damage mechanisms can be better understood, diagnosed, and treated through the quantification of TBI biomarkers. The two biomarkers of interest in this study are pTau and GFAP. The male and female mouse models showed similar significant increase in GFAP following injury, as well as a general lack of increase in pTau expression following the injury. …

Profiles Of East Frisian (German) Pioneers Who Settled The Prairie In Turner County, South Dakota, Derek M. Heeren

Genealogy Resources

Summary

Hundreds of East Frisian Pioneers from northwest Germany came to the Lennox-Chancellor East Frisian settlement in southeastern South Dakota at the end of the nineteenth century. Their ethnic heritage and pioneering spirit are illustrated with stories of the Plucker, Carlson, DeNeui, and Heeren families. The events of the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s are highlighted with a focus on the Pioneer Generation (born between 1840 and 1869). This genealogy paper is written primarily for descendants of East Frisians who are studying family history, but it may be of interest to anyone who wonders what life was like for the Pioneers …

Nebraska Beef Cow Breeding Herd As Capital Stock, Richard Perrin, Margarida Noelia De Aguiar Cunha Souza, Lilyan E. Fulginiti

Cornhusker Economics

Throughout her lifetime, the capital stock value of a cow first rises as the size/quality of calves increase, then declines because there are fewer calves expected over her remaining lifetime. The value later in life begins to rise in anticipation of culling value.

We estimate the age distribution of the Nebraska cow herd every year, then we estimate the capital value of each cohort. Adding these values across ages and adjusting to 2015 prices, we obtain the series of capital values, measured in terms of 2015 dollars.

In addition, we calculate the value of the annual flow of services provided …

2025 Nebraska Farmland Values And Cash Rental Rates, Jim Jansen

Cornhusker Economics

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined by 2% over the prior year to an average of $3,935 per acre, according to the 2025 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. This marks the first decline in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since reaching the record non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey's 46-year history in 2024.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Economics annually surveys land industry professionals across Nebraska, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, agricultural bankers, and related industry professionals. Results from the survey are divided by land class and summarized by …

Cardiometabolic Benefits Of A Non-Industrialized-Type Diet Are Linked To Gut Microbiome Modulation, Fuyong Li, Anissa M. Armet, Katri Korpela, Junhong Liu, Rodrigo Margain Quevedo, Francesco Asnicar, Benjamin Seethaler, Tianna B. S. Rusnak, Janis L. Cole, Zhihong Zhang, Shuang Zhao, Adele Gagnon, Edward C. Deehan, Joao F. Mota, Jeffrey A. Bakal, Russell Greiner, Dan Knights, Nicola Segata, Stephan C. Bischoff, Laurie Mereu, Andrea M. Haqq, Catherine J. Field, Liang Li, Carla M. Prado, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Industrialization adversely affects the gut microbiome and predisposes individuals to chronic non-communicable diseases. We tested a microbiome restoration strategy comprising a diet that recapitulated key characteristics of non-industrialized dietary patterns (restore diet) and a bacterium rarely found in industrialized microbiomes (Limosilactobacillus reuteri) in a randomized controlled feeding trial in healthy Canadian adults. The restore diet, despite reducing gut microbiome diversity, enhanced the persistence of L. reuteri strain from rural Papua New Guinea (PB-W1) and redressed several microbiome features altered by industrialization. The diet also beneficially altered microbiota-derived plasma metabolites implicated in the etiology of chronic non-communicable diseases. Considerable …

The Nebraska Bird Review (March 2025) 93(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, December 2024–February 2025, by W. Ross Silcock
2024–2025 Christmas Bird Counts, by Don Paseka
Annual Color Photo Section
Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2024, by Jan Johnson
Subscription and Organization Information

Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

The following seven pages show examples of this year’s theme: birds feeding or carrying food.

Osprey with striped bass
Spotted Sandpiper with beetle
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher with insect
Male Pine Grosbeak with green ash seeds
Merlin eating sparrow
Whooping Crane carrying ear of corn
Yellow-billed Cuckoo with harvestman spider
Black-billed Magpie eating grain
Red-tailed Hawk with plains garter snake
Summer Tanager with hackberry emperor butterfly
Cattle Egret with bullfrog
Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk eating garter snake
Red-breasted Merganser eating fish
Juvenile White Ibis eating unidentified item
Bohemian Waxwing eating crab apples
Rose-breasted Grosbeak eating sunflower seeds
Loggerhead Shrike eating dragonfly
Yellow-crowned Night …

2024–2025 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

For the second year in a row, all twenty CBCs [Christmas Bird Counts] were run during the 2024–2025 season. The weather was generally cooperative, although five circles reported fog and two others had rain. Branched Oak-Seward was postponed a week due to icy conditions on the originally scheduled day. The average high temperature for all circles on count day was 41 and the average low temperature was 22. Because December had remained relatively mild, there was a good deal of open water, which encouraged many species of water birds to remain. Consequently, most of the circles reported species totals higher …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2024, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

Winter Field Report, December 2024–February 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Since I started a few years ago to compare each season’s reports with the status of each species as presented in BONO (Species Accounts – Birds of Nebraska – Online), I had expected that “Routine reports” would apply to an increasing number of species as the BONO database firmed up, but this hasn’t happened. My comments from last winter continue to be valid this winter, now for the third winter in a row: As was the case for winter 2022–2023, the big general story was the large number of reports of tardy fall migrants and unexpectedly northerly occurrences in mid-winter… …

Nebline, March/April 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Be Groundwater Aware in Your Day-to-Day Life! Becky Schuerman

National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 9-15, 2025

National Nutrition Month: Food Connects Us, Alyssa Havlovic

Recipe of the Month: Wild Vegetable Salad, Alyssa Havlovic

Prepare Your Landscape’s Spring Game Plan, Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month, Mary Jane Frogge

2025 GROBigRed

Embracing the Puddle: The Joy of Rainy Day Outdoor Play, Hayley Jackson Perez

Agronomic Practices to Reduce Nitrate Losses to Groundwater, John Nelson

Ethan & Morgan Gabel Attend National 4-H Congress

4-H Horse Teams at Nationals

Teen Council 4-H’ers Team Up to Lead Overnight Lock-in

Heart of …

Contraceptive Hormone Influences On The Role Of Primary Reinforcement And Reinforcer-Enhancement In Nicotine Self-Administration, Kathleen Robin Mcnealy

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Hormonal contraceptives contain a synthetic estrogen (e.g., ethinyl estradiol/EE) and/or a synthetic progestin (e.g., levonorgestrel/LEVO) and can exacerbate nicotine intake. However, whether altered intake reflects changes in nicotine reinforcement or enhancement by nicotine of co-occurring reinforcers is unknown. This reinforcer-enhancement effect is evidenced in rats when nicotine self-administration is increased by the presence of a visual stimulus (VS) reinforcer. This dissertation examined the effects of EE and LEVO on nicotine reinforcement and reinforcer-enhancement in ovary-intact female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were implanted with a jugular catheter and assigned to receive daily injections of EE (Vehicle, 0.125 [Low], or 0.18 [High] μg/day; …

Applications Of Archaeal Antioxidant Coenzyme M As An Agricultural Biostimulant, Jeremy Hunter Brown

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

As the demand to meet global food security goals continue to increase, the need to increase efficiency and productivity of agricultural output also rises. This calls for innovative and cost-effective methods for improving plant growth and yield. Here we explore how antioxidants, molecules that inhibit oxidation and are necessary for redox based signaling and redox homeostasis, can be utilized as chemical biostimulants. Specifically, we investigated Coenzyme M, an antioxidant from archaea that holds potential economic advantages over other antioxidants. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive review of antioxidants and how exogenously application of them affects plant growth and biology, highlighting the …

Be Aware Of Basis Volatility When Using Price Risk Management For Calves And Feeder Cattle, Jay Parsons, Aaron Berger

Cornhusker Economics

Understanding basis volatility and the impact it has on the actual price received for calves or feeder cattle in relation to the CME Feeder Cattle Futures is important when considering price risk management opportunities. Currently, cattle markets are in a time frame where volatility appears to be like market conditions experienced in 2014 and 2015. These conditions should prompt producers to think through how basis volatility could impact the expected price they will receive for their calves or feeder cattle.

Consumer Acceptance Of Gene-Edited Food: The Role Of Knowledge, Trust, And Information, Anubrata Deka, Syed Imran Ali Meerza, Amalia Yiannaka

Cornhusker Economics

The research aims to assess consumer preferences and attitudes toward CRISPR applications in the food sector and estimate consumer willingness to pay for a food product developed using CRISPR technology to enhance food safety and confer health benefits. Additionally, the research assesses the impact of information provision on perceptions, attitudes and willingness to pay. Specifically, we consider the potential effect of both the nature of information provided (i.e., whether it emphasizes the differences between GM and CRISPR technology or not) and the delivery format (i.e., text versus video) used to present content-equivalent information. In this context, we also assess consumer …

Additional Geographic Records Of Dekay’S Brownsnake (Storeria Dekayi) In Nebraska, Including A Late Seasonal Observation And Likely Range Expansion, Lauren Bahe, Dan D. Fogell, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) occurs across much of eastern North America, inhabiting diverse environments such as marshes, woodlands, woodland edges, and urban areas. In Nebraska, recent studies documented its presence beyond the extreme southeastern region of the state, indicating a potential range expansion to the west and north. Our study continues to update its distribution with four additional county records. Two counties, Franklin and Harlan, represent the farthest west observations for Dekay’s Brownsnake in the state, further indicating a likely westward expansion. An observation from 6 December 2023 also represents the latest seasonal observation in the state. Despite …

Unl Emeriti And Retirees Association Newsletter, February 2025

UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association: Newsletters and Other Materials

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association Newsletter, February 2025

Welcome from ERA President Pam Edwards

New members

ERA Board members

Award-winning ERA members

Wake up your social well-being, Connie Boehm

Book review, The Brothers:John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles and Their Secret World War

Funding opportunities

Glow BIG RED

A look ahead at programming

Recapping past programming

Memory moments

Special announcements