Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Fabrication Of A Scaled Automated Dairy Farm Model: A Report, Md Towfiqur Rahman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Summary

This study investigates how ventilation systems work in dairy barns and builds a scaled model to support education and research. The project is designed to help students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), K-12 learners, and researchers in animal science, veterinary medicine, and engineering gain visual experience with dairy facility components and processes. Different ventilation methods were studied, leading to the design of a 1/64-scale tunnel-ventilated dairy barn meant for 60 Holstein Friesian cows. Barn dimensions were set based on real Holstein cow measurements to ensure proper cow comfort, while airflow requirements were calculated and scaled down. Miniature fans …

Analyzing The Impact Of Sunscreen Pollutants On The Development Of Lytechinus Variegatus, Christina M. Lillenas, Chesney J. Anderson, Ann M. Buchmann

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Lytechinus variegatus or the variegated sea urchin is found in shallow, tropical waters. Lytechinus variegatus can be found in sandy reef beds, and sea grass, covered in algae and debris to protect itself from the UV rays and predators. Sea urchins play a crucial role in coral reef ecosystems. Sea urchins follow an omnivore diet, feeding on algae and phytoplankton. In coral reef ecosystems, sea urchins eat unwanted algae, allowing coral reefs to continue growing and thriving. Without the presence of sea urchins in coral reef communities, algae can negatively affect the growth and success of coral reefs. Sunscreen serves …

When We Don’T Get Community Right In Restorative Justice Spaces: Cancel Culture And Failure To Transform, Aparna Polavarapu

Nebraska Law Review

This Article argues that community is a central but deeply misunderstood feature of restorative justice. Restorative justice asks us to understand harm as a break in relationship that creates obligations for the person harmed, the person who caused harm, and the community. Community is theorized to play a key role in working towards reintegration and social change, both goals of restorative justice. Yet in practice, community is often misused or underused in ways that weaken these goals. Practitioners are observing an increase in cancel culture actions by groups that claim affinity with restorative and transformative justice. However, by weaponizing the …

Restorative Justice Behind Bars: Evidence Supporting A Post-Adjudication Brief Intervention, Dennis E. Mcchargue Ph.D., Ashley Votruba, Casey N. Tisdale, Sarah M. Noone

Nebraska Law Review

This Article details a post-adjudication restorative justice intervention implemented in Nebraska during the 1990s. This Article summarizes research findings from samples of individuals in prison and on probation, demonstrating meaningful reductions in recidivism and harm. This brief restorative justice intervention is low-cost, group-based, and uses surrogate victim impact statements as opposed to victim-offender mediation. This intervention offers a realistic template for statutory and policy reform in jurisdictions that cannot implement more resource-intensive restorative models.

Effects Of Particle Size Difference In Two Different Sweet Bran Products On Total Tract Digestibility And Rumen Ph, Emily K. Hoefling, Anna Kobza, Jessica L. Miller, Maggie E. Youngers, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

Seven ruminally fistulated heifers were utilized in a 6 x 7 row-column design to evaluate two different Sweet Bran particle size products (1.8 or 2.5 mm) included at 13%, 18%, or 23% of the diet (DM) on total tract digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters. The treatment design was a 2 x 3 factorial. Rumen pH was reduced and organic matter digestibility tended to be reduced with the small particle size when Sweet Bran was included at 13% of the diet. Both NDF digestibility and dietary digestible energy concentration tended to improve with the larger particle size. The …

Evaluation Of Herddogg Remote Sensing Tag On Detection Of Morbidity Of Newly Received Steers, Lauryn O. Smidt, Rebecca Mcdermott, Jessica L. Sperber, Josh R. Benton, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A receiving study was conducted to evaluate the HerdDogg remote sensing tag for the detection of morbidity in newly received steers. Treatments were assigned to cattle in the order they came through the chute, and those included a treatment whereby pen-riders evaluated the cattle and made the decision on when to treat (Pen-Rider), compared to the HerdDogg remote sensing ear tag that solely identified and flagged cattle in need of treatment (TAG). Cattle were fed for 41 days before being weighed off the receiving trial. While no differences in performance were observed, the TAG treatment had a …

Use Of Virtual Fences To Co-Fence Two Groups Of Cattle With Adjacent Virtual Boundaries, Thomas E. Aquino, Mary E. Drewnoski, Biquan Zhao, Pedro Henrique Jota Fernandes, Isaque F. Vicci, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Yijie Xiong

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

While virtual fencing (VF) has proven effective in managing cattle, limited data exist on using it to manage two separate groups of cattle within the same area. If successful, this approach could reduce infrastructure costs and increase management flexibility. In this trial, VF-trained steers (n = 39) were placed in pastures with either no neighboring cattle (isolated) or next to a separate group with only a VF boundary between them (co-fenced). Containment exceeded 99% across all cattle, demonstrating that VF creates effective boundaries regardless of fence treatment. There was no statistical difference in the number of audio …

Long-Term Trends Of Annual Herbaceous Expansion In The Nebraska Panhandle: Rangeland Analysis Platform Data, Karley Dieckmann, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Miranda Mueller

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This descriptive analysis evaluated changes in Annual Forb and Grass (AFG) herbaceous cover in the Nebraska Panhandle from 1986 to 2023 using the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP). It was hypothesized that AFG herbaceous cover would show an increasing trend over time, indicating the potential expansion of the annual invasive cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). County-level RAP data were used to calculate long-term means as an indicator. Results showed an increase in AFG cover across the region. Trends were cyclical, with cover peaking and dipping over time, but the overall trajectory showed increases in AFG in the Panhandle. The increasing …

Impact Of Feeding Palm Oil To Finishing Cattle On Performance, Carcass, And Meat Characteristics, Tate S. Johnson, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Josh R. Benton, Galen E. Erickson, Jessie C. Morrill, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This finishing study evaluated the effect of feeding palm oil products on performance and carcass characteristics, and beef quality measures. Dietary treatments included no supplemental fat or feeding: crude palm oil, crude high-oleic palm oil (HOPO), refined, bleached, and de-odorized palm olein oil (RBD olein), or tallow. Supplemental fat was included at 3.5% of diet dry matter. Cattle fed diets containing supplemental fat had improved feed conversion compared to no supplemental fat. Feeding cattle crude palm oil resulted in improved F:G compared to cattle fed RBD olein, with steers fed tallow and crude HOPO being intermediate and …

Comparison Of Spayed Heifer Performance To Intact Heifers Fed Melengestrol Acetate On Feedlot Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Tate S. Johnson, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Halden J. Clark, Jim C. Macdonald, Jessica L. Sperber

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

Pregnancy and estrous cycle management are critical considerations when feeding intact heifers in the feedyard. Alternatively, producers can opt to spay heifers, which eliminates hormonal fluctuations associated with the estrous cycle. A proportion of U.S. feedlots have spayed heifers on feed, although there is limited data comparing the performance of spayed heifers to intact heifers. A commercial feedlot experiment was conducted to compare performance between spayed and intact heifers fed melengestrol acetate. Intact heifers had greater ADG and tended to have greater DMI compared to spayed heifers, although no difference in feed conversion was observed. Carcass weight …

Court Review: Journal Of The American Judges Association, Vol. 62, No. 1, Eve M. Brank, David J. Dreyer, Reba Ann Page, Ana Cienfuegos-Silvera

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Contents

Creating “Buy-in” for Juvenile Restorative Justice Programs: Lessons from Nebraska’s Community Mediation Centers, Kristen M. Blankley, Lisa M. PytlikZillig, and Ashley M. Votruba

Consensus and Conflict Over Context: Select Criminal Law and Procedure Cases from the Supreme Court’s 2024-25 Term, Eve Brensike Primus and Elena Schultz

In the Shadow of Trauma: Opportunities and Obstacles of Restorative Justice with Young People Who Offend, William R. Wood

Restorative Transitional Justice: The Judicial Role in Colombia’s Peace Tribunal, Gabriel Rojas-Andrade

Editor’s Note: Restorative Justoce: Repairing Harm, Rebuilding Community, Eve Brank

Thoughts from Canada: Restorative Justice Through Prohibition on Arrest, Wayne K. Gorman …

Sae For All: Curriculum Guide, Emily Carpenter

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

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a critical component of agricultural education, designed to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. The SAE for All model ensures that every student participates in meaningful experiential learning tailored to their interests and career goals. By integrating SAE into the curriculum, students develop technical skills, career readiness competencies, and an understanding of real-world agricultural applications. This guide includes a teaching plan and a comprehensive set of assignments.

Western Massasauga (Sistrurus Tergeminus): A Species Conservation Assessment For The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Colleen Rothe-Groleau, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the western massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding western massasaugas. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk species that will aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs to benefit the species.

Criteria for selection as Tier I: State listed, G3

Estimated Population in NE: 1,000–2,500

Estimate based on: Field surveys

Trends since 2005 …

Deep Learning Framework For Sow Posture Classification From Depth Images: Comparison With Data Transformation Techniques, Models, And Cross-Validation, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Gary A. Rohrer, Sudhendu R. Sharma, Suzanne M. Leonard, Yeyin Shi

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Piglet preweaning mortality (PWM) in the United States averages ≈14–15%, with sow overlaying causing about one third proportion of these losses. This research aimed to develop and evaluate deep learning models to classify six sow postures using depth images to monitor behaviors linked to overlaying risk. Top-down depth images were captured with Kinect V2^® cameras at 10 frames min^-1 for five consecutive days (2 days before to 2 days after farrowing), yielding 26,506 training images from 18 sows, 17,901 testing images from 12 sows, and 4,697 additional images from three sows in diagonal stalls for external validation. Three …

Design Considerations For Development Of A Youth Advisory Board, Michelle I. Graef, Penny Putnam Collins

Center on Children, Families, and the Law (and Related Organizations): Publications

This guide provides an overview of youth advisory board (YAB) design components. The guide is organized around key design components, with examples from States across the country to illustrate different approaches. A range of examples are provided that highlight diverse and instructive models of the various ways YABs have been structured. Each section describes approaches that states have used in practice, offering jurisdictions a menu of options to consider when developing or strengthening their own YABs. Descriptive information about state YABs was gathered through interviews conducted with state YAB administrators and contractors from 8 states, conducted from October–December 2024. Examples …

Course Portfolio For A New Course On Data Analysis And Visualization In Animal Research, Jessie C. Morrill

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio describes the design and development of a new course focused on data analysis and visualization in animal research at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. The course was developed to meet the needs of students enrolled in Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy graduate programs in the Department of Animal Science as well as those in the Master of Applied Science in Beef Cattle Production program. The new course was taught on an exploratory basis in Fall 2024 and Fall 2025; the perspectives of both students and the instructor are contained within this portfolio. The reflections …

Assessing Global Citizenship Pathways In A Communication, Advocacy, And Global Citizenship Classroom In The Midwest, Satveer Kaur-Gill

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

To assess instruction in an undergraduate communication course titled Communication, Advocacy, and Global Citizenship, this qualitative inquiry examined how undergraduate students at a Midwest university engaged with global citizenship as a communicative process by conducting a content analysis of student assignments, guided by three key research questions formulated from four course objectives. The assessment found that place-based learning on global issues enhanced students' understanding of the meaning of global citizenship in a globalized world. Based on a qualitative evaluation of their key assignments, students successfully articulated threads and connections between local community concerns and issues as globally situated communicative phenomena. …

First Portfolio – Mngt 475: Business Strategies, Lisa Tschauner

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

MNGT 475: Business Strategies serves as the undergraduate strategic management capstone course in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business. The course integrates knowledge from accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management, supply chain management, analytics, and entrepreneurship while providing students with opportunities to apply strategic frameworks to authentic business challenges. This portfolio documents the design, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of the course, with particular attention given to experiential learning and the comparison of two instructional models: a traditional case-study project and a real-world industry-partner consulting project. Drawing upon Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, self-reflection, self-efficacy, and teamwork constructs, the portfolio examines …

Toward A General Legislative Presumption Of Probation In Nebraska, Velma Lockman

Nebraska Law Review

“It is curious that the Legislature has chosen to give a presumption of probation for more serious felony offenses, but not for lesser misdemeanor offenses.” With those words, Judge Bishop concluded a heart-wrenching opinion in State v. Anderson, which upheld Courtney Anderson’s sentence of 240 days in jail. Despite being sentenced for a first offense Class I misdemeanor and nearly every sentencing factor counseling in favor of probation, the district court decided to separate Ms. Anderson from her two children, one of whom was a newborn. A combination of the Nebraska Supreme Court’s highly deferential standard of review for excessive …

Foreword: Why Restorative Justice, Nicholas L. Marti

Nebraska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Restorative Reparatory Justice, Inga N. Laurent

Nebraska Law Review

As global calls for reparatory justice—aimed at addressing “historical” and ongoing harms stemming from genocide, dispossession, assimilation, and enslavement—grow, this Article explores critical challenges in designing transformative processes of reparation. While a host of transitional justice mechanisms, such as reparations, tribunals, and truth and reconciliation processes are at the forefront of these discussions, a critical examination of their limitations will provide the groundwork for their enhancement. Past applications of transitional justice mechanisms have frequently failed to address root causes of violence, which reinforces State power despite its failures to protect its citizens from that violence, causing secondary harm to survivors/victims.

Guidos And Grenades: Shaming Discourses In Mtv’S Jersey Shore, Mackenzie K. Mickavicz Ms., Aubree A. Herman

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

MTV’s Jersey Shore, launched in 2009, reached nearly 9 million viewers at the peak of its popularity. Inspired by the language used by the show’s male cast members to criticize a woman’s weight and appearance, such as “grenade” and “atomic bomb,” this study applies social congitive theory and reality television framework to analyze instances of shaming on Jersey Shore. Through a mixed-methods analysis, this study identifies the various forms of shaming depicted and explores how gender dynamics and character relationships affect these interactions. Findings reveal the most frequent forms of shaming, shame targets, and shame initiators as well as …

Comparisons Of Zooplankton Communities Before And After Chemical Renovation In Lake Ogallala, Nebraska, Theo Huber, Melissa Wuellner, Alexandria Keiler-Klein, Alexander D. Engel, Keith D. Koupal

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Rotenone is commonly used to remove undesirable fish species and support recreational fisheries. Lake Ogallala, a 263-ha tailwater reservoir located in western Nebraska, has had a history with rotenone use dating back to 1969. While past renovations of the reservoir have documented impacts on water quality, aquatic vegetation establishment, and benthic invertebrate and fish communities, zooplankton responses had not been studied. To evaluate potential effects, we compared zooplankton densities and community composition before and after the most recent renovation. Monthly samples were collected from April – September in 2023 (pre-renovation) and 2024 (post-renovation) using an 80-μm circular plankton net at …

A Comprehensive Study Of Crash Severity And Its Contributing Factors, Seyedmahyar Madarshahian

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

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of factors influencing crash injury severity across diverse road and work zone environments. Using advanced statistical modeling techniques, it examines crash outcomes in four critical contexts: general road crashes, work zone crashes, truck-involved crashes, and high-speed rear-end collisions. A mixed logit modeling framework with random parameters, incorporating heterogeneity in parameter means and variances, is employed to capture unobserved heterogeneity in crash data. The analyses are further refined through targeted segmentation by speed regime, work zone type, and crash type to identify context-specific risk factors. In addition, a fuzzy cluster analysis is utilized to discern …

Interview With Orca Award Winner John J. Janovy, Jr., Unl Biological Sciences; Parasitologist And Author, Mark Griep, John J. Janovy Jr.

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Professor John Janovy, Jr., was awarded the ORCA in 1998. John was born in Louisiana, but his family moved to Oklahoma, where he grew up in Tulsa and then Oklahoma City. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he earned three degrees from the University of Oklahoma in Norman: a bachelor of science in math in 1959, a master of science in zoology in 1962, and doctoral degree in zoology in 1965. Next, he ventured 1400 miles east to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he did post-doctoral work for about a year. …

An Updated Annotated Checklist Of The Mammals Of The Crane Trust, Hall County, Nebraska, Bethany L. Ostrom, Amanda H. Medaries, Andrew J. Caven, Jenna M. Malzahn, Alexa Rojas, Matthew R. Schaaf, David M. Baasch, Thomas E. Labedz, Greg D. Wright

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Crane Trust is a regional nonprofit conservation organization that has protected land in the biologically important Central Platte River Valley for over four decades. A mammal inventory was conducted on the Crane Trust’s main habitat complex in 1980. Since, a variety of environmental conditions have shifted locally, regionally, and globally. An analysis of the mammal community was conducted using past and recent data to determine how species composition and relative abundance have shifted categorically from 1980 to 2021. We used all available data to categorize relative abundance during two distinct time periods per a modified “DAFOR” scale including 7 …

Transportation Practitioners' Reflections On Addressing Transportation Barriers For Vulnerable Populations In Nebraska, Aysan Esmaely

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

This study examines transportation planning practices and challenges in Nebraska, with particular attention to how planners and agencies address the needs of vulnerable populations. Using a qualitative approach, thirty-five transportation planners, practitioners, and service providers were interviewed. Participants were selected based on their professional in transportation planning and service delivery. The study explores what institutional and funding barriers planners and practitioners face, and what strategies they consider most effective for improving access and inclusion. Findings reveal that limited funding, fragmented authority, and the absence of a coordinated regional planning framework significantly constrain transportation development across Nebraska. While metropolitan areas such …

Molecular Pathway Dysregulation In Chronic Liver Disease: Metabolic And Mechanotransductive Drivers Of Hepatic Pathophysiology, Samantha Harvat

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents a rapidly growing cause of chronic liver injury, yet the molecular interactions linking metabolic stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain incompletely defined. This thesis integrates transcriptomic analyses across multiple GEO datasets to identify coordinated metabolic, inflammatory, and mechanotransductive pathways that collectively drive disease progression.

Analysis of human liver biopsy datasets (GSE126848 and GSE89632) revealed consistent suppression of glycolysis, β-oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation across MASLD and MASH samples, accompanied by modest compensatory TCA cycle activation. These alterations reflect impaired metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial stress, and increased ROS susceptibility. Concurrently, cytokine-network enrichment demonstrated activation …

Bridging Conservation And Planning: State Wildlife Action Plans Analyzed Using Wildlife Value Orientation, Ciara Nelson-Forcade

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Wildlife conservation in the United States has transitioned from managing resources for human use to prioritizing ecosystem preservation and species protection. However, the ways in which conservation values and attitudes are reflected in state-level policy documents remain insufficiently examined. This thesis investigates how Wildlife Value Orientations (WVO) are expressed within State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs). Using a qualitative content analysis and flexible coding approach, fifteen SWAPs representing all eight U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions were analyzed to identify conservation themes, value orientations, and structural characteristics such as plan length, departmental budgets, and political context. Findings reveal that most plans …

Evaluating The Preparedness Of Local Zoning Regulations For Flood Risk Reduction In The Most Affected Local Jurisdictions In Nebraska, Md Asaduzzaman Noor

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Flooding has profound social, economic, and environmental impacts on local communities, and zoning plays a critical role in mitigating these risks. The 2019 Nebraska floods, among the most severe in the state’s history, highlighted the urgent need to strengthen local preparedness and mitigation strategies. This study assesses the extent to which local zoning regulations in Nebraska’s most affected jurisdiction, including rural areas, address flood risk reduction. A systematic review of 117 zoning ordinances from counties, cities, towns, and villages, we applied a structured analytical framework encompassing regulatory and permitting policies, voluntary and incentive-based measures, and nature-based solutions. The results show …