Digital Commons Network^™

The Research And Analysis Of Potential Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Habitats And Gray Wolf Management In The U.S., Youhan Mei

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) is a keystone species that have significant impacts on the ecosystem where they belong. They used to have a wide range of habitat across the whole of North America. In 1960, the wolves were treated as threats to the safety of humans and livestock. They were wiped out by the government of the day and only had few populations left in Minnesota and Michigan. Today, there are identified in the “Red List) of International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered species all around the U.S. This shows the urgent need for conservation, …

The Effects Of Phosphate On Larval Western Barred Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma Mavortium), Lexy Polivanov, Dennis Ferraro

UCARE: Research Products

This study seeks examine the effects of elevated phosphate levels on the larval stage of the Western Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium). Hypothesis: Additional phosphate in the water will cause the larval salamanders to have a slower metamorphosis rate than the control group with no additional phosphates. This hypothesis is based off of research that showed that additional nitrogen in the water caused a slower growth rate in the Western Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) (Griffis-Kyle, 2007).

The hypothesis was rejected. The dates the larvae morphed alternated between treatment and control. The treatment metamorphosis was not …

Interactive Effect Of Maternal Activation And Disc-1 Knockout On Pup Preference Of Postpartum Rats, Barbara Bueno

UCARE: Research Products

The main purpose of the study was to find a three-way interaction between genotype, treatment and interacted subjects. Interestingly, and not expected, the KO*MIA rats spent more time with the pups compared to time spent with the male rat. This unexpected results from this study are evidence that there is a complex spectrum of behavioral symptoms due to genetics, environment and their interactive effect (Schwartzer et aI., 2013). For that reason, the interaction between genetics (DISCI) and environment (MIA) might be more complex than what is believed.

Comparative Effects Of Technical-Grade And Formulated Chlorantraniliprole To The Survivorship And Locomotor Activity Of The Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera (L.), Jennifer R. Williams, Daniel R. Swale, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: The loss of honey bee colonies is a nationally recognized problem that demands attention from both the scientific community and the beekeeping industry. One outstanding threat is the unintended exposure of these pollinators to agricultural pesticides. Anthranilic diamides, such as chlorantraniliprole, are registered for use in stone and pome fruits, vegetables, turf, and grains. There are few publicly available studies that provide an analysis of chlorantraniliprole effects on the survivorship and locomotion activity of beneficial, pollinating insects such as honey bees. The data gathered in this study provide the acute toxicity, 30-day survivorship, and locomotor activity of honey …

Development Of A Novel Vehicle Guidance System: Vehicle Risk Mitigation And Control, Michael Sweigard

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

Over a half of fatal vehicular crashes occur due to vehicles leaving their designated travel lane and entering other lanes or leaving the roadway. Lane departure accidents also result in billions of dollars in cost to society. Recent vehicle technology research into driver assistance and vehicle autonomy has developed to assume various driving tasks. However, these systems are do not work for all roads and travel conditions. The purpose of this research study was to begin the development a novel vehicle guidance approach, specifically studying how the vehicle interacts with the system to detect departures and control the vehicle

A …

Evaluation Of Low-Cost Depth Cameras For Agricultural Applications, Isabella C.F.S. Condotta, Tami M. Brown-Bandl, Santosh Pitla, John P. Stinn, Késia O. Silva-Miranda

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Low-cost depth-cameras have been used in many agricultural applications with reported advantages of low cost, reliability and speed of measurement. However, some problems were also reported and seem to be technology related, so understanding the limitations of each type of depth camera technology could provide a basis for technology selection and the development of research involving its use. The cameras use one or a combination of two of the three available technologies: structured light, time-of-flight (ToF), and stereoscopy. The objectives were to evaluate these different technologies for depth sensing, including measuring accuracy and repeatability of distance data and measurements at …

From Acorns To Oaks, Kristina Jensen

Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: Publications

To grow plants from seeds, you don't need to go to the local nursery and buy a colorful packet. A little knowledge can create a rewarding do-it-yourself experience.

Termitodiellus Mindanaoensis, A New Species Of Rhyparini Schmidt, 1910 (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) From The Philippines, Łukasz Minkina, Showtaro Kakizoe

Insecta Mundi

A new species of the genus Termitodiellus Nakane, 1961—T. mindanaoensis Minkina and Kakizoe, new species from Mindanao Island in the Philippines is described and illustrated. Photographs of the epipharynx of Termitodiellus species are provided for the first time. A short discussion of the phylogeny of Rhyparini Schmidt, 1910 is presented.

The Effects Of Temperature On Evacuation Rates And Absorption Efficiency Of Flathead Catfish, Zach Horstman

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

Knowledge of fish gastric evacuation rates are a necessary component for both field and laboratory studies when trying to understand feeding rates, modeling energy budgets, and understanding trophic dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Many freshwater fish encounter a broad range of environmental temperatures across life history stages, but the mechanistic link between temperature and physiological processes often remains poorly understood. We designed three recirculating aquatic systems capable of rearing Flathead Catfish Plyodictis olivaris in order to quantify gastric evacuation rates and gross energy absorption at three temperatures (17º C, 22º C and 25º C). We examined the relationship between temperature and …

Genetic Studies Of Wildlife, Brittaney L. Buchanan

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

Genetic techniques are being more frequently used to understand the biology and management of wildlife species. The wild turkey is one species of genetic interest because the correct identification of individuals to the subspecies level is difficult using traditional methods. Currently phenotypic differences in plumage, especially the upper tail coverts, are used to assign individuals to subspecies. To hunters wanting to complete a “grand slam,” identification of birds’ subspecies is important. This study focuses on the five extant subspecies: Eastern (M. g. silvestris), Osceola (M. g. osceola), Rio Grande (M. g. intermedia), Merriam’s ( …

Comprehensive And Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories For Nebraska And The Midwest As Baselines For Climate Change Mitigation, Eric R. Holley

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

Climate change is the paramount challenge of today for a sustainable future. Mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is necessary to reduce the associated risks and impacts on society. Using the EPA’s SIT and literature review, comprehensive GHG-emissions inventories were developed for the state of Nebraska over 25 years (1990-2015) and agricultural GHG emissions inventories were developed for the Midwest U.S for one year (2016). Nebraska’s net emissions increased from 56.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMtCO₂e) in 1990 to 87.4 MMtCO₂e in 2016. Agriculture was found to be the sector with the most …

In Hot Water: Influence Of Multiple Stressors On Thermal Tolerance Of Fathead Minnows Pimephales Promelas, Alexander Engel

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

Freshwater aquatic systems around the globe are often subjected to physical, biological, and chemical alterations to support societal needs. The Great Plains contains one of the largest agricultural industries in North America, but its productivity has ecological repercussions for adjacent freshwater ecosystems. Specifically, the dependency on surface water irrigation and application of chemical treatments has altered the thermal and chemical composition of freshwater ecosystems throughout the region. Stressors such as elevated temperatures, altered flow regimes, increased contaminant loads affect the physiology and behavior of fishes and can lead to long-term population effects. We examined thermal tolerance of Fathead minnows Pimephales …

A Memory Usage Comparison Between Jitana And Soot, Yuanjiu Hu

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There are several factors that make analyzing Android apps to address dependability and security concerns challenging. These factors include (i) resource efficiency as analysts need to be able to analyze large code-bases to look for issues that can exist in the application code and underlying platform code; (ii) scalability as today’s cybercriminals deploy attacks that may involve many participating apps; and (iii) in many cases, security analysts often rely on dynamic or hybrid analysis techniques to detect and identify the sources of issues.

The underlying principle governing the design of existing program analysis engines is the main cause that prevents …

Post‐Dispersal Factors Influence Recruitment Patterns But Do Not Override The Importance Of Seed Limitation In Populations Of A Native Thistle, Tatyana A. Rand, Natalie M. West, F. Leland Russell, Svata M. Louda

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Whether plant populations are limited by seed or microsite availability is a long-standing debate. However, since both can be important, increasing emphasis is placed on disentangling their relative importance and how they vary through space and time. Although uncommon, seed addition studies that include multiple levels of seed augmentation, and follow plants through to the adult stage, are critical to achieving this goal. Such data are also vital to understanding when biotic pressures, such as herbivory, influence plant abundance. In this study, we experimentally added seeds of a native thistle, Cirsium canescens, at four augmentation densities to plots at two …

Development Of A Sandwich Elisa Targeting Cashew Ana O 2 And Ana O 3, Morganne Schmidt

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cashew nut is the second leading tree nut allergy in the US. Cross-contact of cashew nut poses potential food safety risks for individuals with cashew allergies. Highly-processed foods, such as HTST/UHT cashew milks may lead to problems in cashew protein detection by current allergen detection methods. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a robust sandwich ELISA for detection of highly processed cashew proteins. Commercial cashew ELISAs were evaluated for their robustness and sensitivity in detecting cashew milk cashew protein. After unreliable results were determined, cashew Ana o 2 (11S) and Ana o 3 (2S) were semi-purified using …

"You Have Witchcraft In Your Lips": Sensory Witchcraft In Shakespeare's Antony And Cleopatra And Macbeth, Hannah Kanninen

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Scholarship on witches and witchcraft within Shakespeare’s plays has been a popular subject for many scholars. But one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters has not yet been integrated into this scholarship: Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra. Although scholars have often noted her “witchiness,” none have argued for an interpretation of Cleopatra as a witch. This is because traditional definitions of witchcraft have not been able to include Cleopatra. In comparison, Lady Macbeth from Macbeth has often been cited as the fourth witch in the play. But this interpretation relies upon examining Lady Macbeth’s perceived masculinity, which subsequently also makes her …

A Deeper Meaning For Shallow-Level Phylogenomic Studies: Nested Anchored Hybrid Enrichment Offers Great Promise For Resolving The Tiger Moth Tree Of Life (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Nicolas J. Dowdy, Shannon Keating, Alan R. Lemmon, Emily M. Lemmon, William E. Conner, Clare H. Scott Chialvo, Susan Weller, Rebecca B. Simmons, Melissa S. Sisson, Jennifer M. Zaspel

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Anchored hybrid enrichment (AHE) has emerged as a powerful tool for uncovering the evolutionary relationships within many taxonomic groups. AHE probe sets have been developed for a variety of insect groups, though none have yet been shown to be capable of simultaneously resolving deep and very shallow (e.g., intraspecific) divergences. In this study, we present NOC1, a new AHE probe set (730 loci) for Lepidoptera specialized for tiger moths and assess its ability to deliver phylogenetic utility at all taxonomic levels. We test the NOC1 probe set with 142 individuals from 116 species sampled from all the major lineages of …

The Role Of Conformational Dynamics In Isocyanide Hydratase Catalysis, Medhanjali Dasgupta

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Post-translational modification of cysteine residues can regulate protein function and is essential for catalysis by cysteine-dependent enzymes. Covalent modifications neutralize charge on the reactive cysteine thiolate anion and thus alter the active site electrostatic environment. Although a vast number of enzymes rely on cysteine modification for function, precisely how altered structural and electrostatic states of cysteine affect protein dynamics, which in turn, affects catalysis, remains poorly understood.

Here we use X-ray crystallography, computer simulations, site directed mutagenesis and enzyme kinetics to characterize how covalent modification of the active site cysteine residue in the enzyme, isocyanide hydratase (ICH), affects the protein …

Effect Of Calcium Supplement On Eyesight Of Western Tiger Salamanders, Abigail Horner, Dennis Ferraro

UCARE: Research Products

There has been some discussion in herpetoculture about adding calcium supplements to the diets of salamanders. Adding calcium supplements to a salamander’s diet has been indicated to contribute to blindness. Calcium supplements are usually given to reptiles and amphibians to prevent dietary deficiencies, particularly metabolic bone disease. The link between lack of calcium and metabolic bone disease is well established in reptiles, but is lacking significant research with regards to amphibians. Within the eye of a salamander, there are calcium channels that mediate photosynthetic rods in the absence of light. With a calcium rich diet, it is believed that these …

Phosphorus Nmr And Its Application To Metabolomics, Paula Evans, Fatema Bhinderwala, Robert Powers, Martha Morton, Thomas Smith

UCARE: Research Products

Stable isotopes are routinely employed by NMR metabolomics to highlight specific metabolic processes and to monitor pathway flux. 13C-carbon and 15N-nitrogen labeled nutrients are convenient sources of isotope tracers and are commonly added as supplements to a variety of biological systems ranging from cell cultures to animal models. Unlike 13C and 15N, 31P-phosphourous is a naturally abundant and NMR active isotope that doesn’t require an external supplemental source. To date, 31P NMR has seen limited usage in metabolomics because of a lack of reference spectra, difficulties in sample preparation, and an absence of two-dimensional (2D) NMR experiments. But, 31P NMR …

Examining Phenotypic Structural Traits As Indicators For Reproductive Longevity Success In Sows, Lindsay Kate Peters, Melanie Dawn Trenhaile-Grannemann, Benny Edd Mote

UCARE: Research Products

The objective of this study was to examine structure and body conformation traits of 494 gilts/sows as a prediction of reproductive longevity in sows. This study focused on specific traits including body length, body depth, front and rear pastern angles, knee angle, and hock angle. The primary method of data collection was based on videos. Still images were pulled from the videos when the sow was standing in a natural stance. The images were analyzed and interpreted objectively with Image J which gives the availability to measure distance and angles given known references in the images. The structural data was …

L'Amour, Fleur D’Araignée Publishing Co.

Zea E-Books Collection

A compilation of short fiction from Dr. Bev’s ‘Introduction to English Studies’

Throughout history, humankind has gathered together collections of beautiful things, ranging from bottle-caps to coins to seashells or even flowers. No matter the season, humans have devoted hours of their time to admire and share the world’s beauty with those around them. These relationships then become their own collections of the beautiful, friends and family gathering together to appreciate that which they find most lovely, spanning across distance, hardship, and time. Today, we continue to admire the world’s beauty and cherish the love we find there. The word …

Characterization Of A Split-Nluc Assay For Monitoring Changes In Alpha-Synuclein Solubility In Living Cells, Baolong Truong

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Alpha-synuclein is the primary constituent of Lewy Bodies, protein aggregates associated with Parkinson’s Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, and Multiple Systems Dystrophy. Given the terminal nature of these synucleinopathies, the need for an assay that can report on alpha-synuclein aggregation levels in living systems is critical. Western blotting represents one potential approach to this problem; however, this technique can often be limited by selectivity of available antibodies and experimental reproducibility. Herein, we describe a novel luminescence-based assay capable of detecting alpha-synuclein solubility in bacterial cells. This platform can report on the influence of disease-relevant mutations and small molecules. Antibodies are …

Variance Heterogeneity Genome-Wide Mapping For Cadmium In Bread Wheat Reveals Novel Genomic Loci And Epistatic Interactions, Waseem Hussain, Malachy T. Campbell, Diego Jarquin, Harkamal Walia, Gota Morota

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Genome-wide association mapping identifies quantitative trait loci (QTL) that influence the mean differences between the marker genotypes for a given trait. While most loci influence the mean value of a trait, certain loci, known as variance heterogeneity QTL (vQTL) determine the variability of the trait instead of the mean trait value (mQTL). In the present study, we performed a variance heterogeneity genome-wide association study (vGWAS) for grain cadmium (Cd) concentration in bread wheat. We used double generalized linear model and hierarchical generalized linear model to identify vQTL associated with grain Cd. We identified novel vQTL regions on chromosomes 2A and …

Structure, Function And Metabolism Of Hepatic And Adipose Tissue Lipid Droplets: Implications In Alcoholic Liver Disease, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Karuna Rasineni, Murali Ganesan, Dan Feng, Benita L. Mcvicker, Mark A. Mcniven, Natalia A. Osna, Justin L. Mott, Carol A. Casey, Kusum K. Kharbanda

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

For more than 30 years, lipid droplets (LDs) were considered as an inert bag of lipid for storage of energy-rich fat molecules. Following a paradigm shift almost a decade ago, LDs are presently considered an active subcellular organelle especially designed for assembling, storing and subsequently supplying lipids for generating energy and membrane synthesis (and in the case of hepatocytes for VLDL secretion). LDs also play a central role in many other cellular functions such as viral assembly and protein degradation. Here, we have explored the structural and functional changes that occur in hepatic and adipose tissue LDs following chronic ethanol …

Effects Of A Vitamin And Mineral Bolus On Beef Heifer Feedlot Performance, Feeding Behavior, Carcass Characteristics, And Liver Mineral Concentrations, Kacie L. Mccarthy, Sarah R. Underdahl, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Crossbred beef heifers (n = 23; initial body weight [BW] = 370 ± 12 kg) housed at the North Dakota State University Beef Cattle Research Complex in Fargo, North Dakota, were used to evaluate the effects of a 250-d slow-release vitamin and mineral bolus on feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and liver mineral concentrations. Heifers were assigned to one of two treatments: 1) received no supplemental mineral or vitamin (CON, n = 12 or 2) received two boluses on day 0 (minimum of 3,740 mg Ca, 16,456 mg Mg, 112 mg Na, 11,220 mg Cu, 2,995 mg I, …

Honeybee Microbiome Is Stabilized In The Presence Of Propolis, Perot Saelao, Renata S. Borba, Vincent Ricigliano, Marla Spivak, Michael Simone-Finstrom

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

Honeybees have developed many unique mechanisms to help ensure the proper maintenance of homeostasis within the hive. One method includes the collection of chemically complex plant resins combined with wax to form propolis, which is deposited throughout the hive. Propolis is believed to play a significant role in reducing disease load in the colony due to its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. However, little is known about how propolis may interact with bee-associated microbial symbionts, and if propolis alters microbial community structure. In this study, we found that propolis appears to maintain a stable microbial community composition and reduce the overall …

Writing After The Human: Marie Darrieussecq’S And Anne Garréta’S Posthumanisms, Annabel L. Kim

20th and 21st Century French and Francophone Studies International Colloquium

In our current moment of climate catastrophe and impending planetary doom, the posthuman seems like a harbinger of an all too imminent reality (felt especially keenly in the age of COVID-19). In the twenty-first century, the humanities, grappling with the multifarious failures and excesses of traditional humanism, are attempting to abandon the anthropocentric epistemologies and practices that have characterized Western thought and culture and to create new models for thinking the world—models that are able to accommodate the nonhuman and welcome other forms of life and matter as objects of focus, moving thus from an imperialist vertical mode of conquering …

“Nous Étions Ici Pour Durer”: Memorialization And Environmental Advocacy In Véronique Tadjo’S En Compagnie Des Hommes, Marda Messay

20th and 21st Century French and Francophone Studies International Colloquium

Detected for the first time in 1976 in Northern Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and in Southern Sudan (now South Sudan), the Ebola virus has reemerged periodically mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The deadliest outbreak of Ebola occurred in Guinea, eventually spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone from 2014-2016. At the end, there were 28, 652 cases and 11, 325 deaths (cdc.gov). The outbreak generated international news coverage and sparked panic, especially once cases were reported in the U.S., in Spain and in the UK. It also incited Veronique Tadjo’s latest work, En compagnie des Hommes (2017), as she …

Water Scarcity And Fish Imperilment Driven By Beef Production, Brian D. Richter, Dominique Bartak, Peter Caldwell, Kyle Fankel Davis, Peter Debaere, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Tianshu Li, Landon Marston, Ryan Mcmanamay, Mesfin Mekonnen, Benjamin L. Ruddell, Richard R. Rushforth, Tara J. Troy

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Human consumption of freshwater is now approaching or surpassing the rate at which water sources are being naturally replenished in many regions, creating water shortage risks for people and ecosystems. Here we assess the impact of human water uses and their connection to water scarcity and ecological damage across the United States, identify primary causes of river dewatering and explore ways to ameliorate them. We find irrigation of cattle-feed crops to be the greatest consumer of river water in the western United States, implicating beef and dairy consumption as the leading driver of water shortages and fish imperilment in the …