Digital Commons Network^™

First Evidence For Substrate Channeling Between Proline Catabolic Enzymes A Validation Of Domain Fusion Analysis For Predicting Protein-Protein Interactions, Nikhilesh Sanyal, Benjamin W. Arentson, John J. Tanner, Donald F. Becker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: PRODH and P5CDH from Thermus thermophilus are monofunctional enzymes in proline catabolism.

Results: Steady-state kinetics and intermediate trapping data show the PRODH and P5CDH reactions are coupled by a channeling step.

Conclusion: Substrate channeling in monofunctional enzymes is achieved via weak interactions.

Significance: Evidence for substrate channeling between monofunctional proline catabolic enzymes is shown and confirms the Rosetta Stone hypothesis.

Role Of Micrornas In Alcohol-Induced Multi-Organ Injury, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Joseph M. Pachunka, Justin L. Mott

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Alcohol consumption and its abuse is a major health problem resulting in significant healthcare cost in the United States. Chronic alcoholism results in damage to most of the vital organs in the human body. Among the alcohol-induced injuries, alcoholic liver disease is one of the most prevalent in the United States. Remarkably, ethanol alters expression of a wide variety of microRNAs that can regulate alcohol-induced complications or dysfunctions. In this review, we will discuss the role of microRNAs in alcoholic pancreatitis, alcohol-induced liver damage, intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, and brain damage including altered hippocampus structure and function, and neuronal loss, …

Comparison Of Six Commercial Elisa Kits For Their Specificity And Sensitivity In Detecting Different Major Peanut Allergens, Shyamali Jayasena, Mieke Smits, Daniëlle Fiechter, Aard De Jong, Julie A. Nordlee, Joe Baumert, Steve L. Taylor, Raymond H. Pieters, Stef J. Koppelman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Six commercial peanut enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were assessed for their ability to recover peanut from the standard reference material 2387 peanut butter and also for their specificity in detecting four major peanut allergens, Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6. The percentage recovery of peanut from peanut butter differed across different kits as well as at different sample concentrations. The highest recovery was observed with the Romer and R-Biopharm kits, while four other kits were found to underestimate the protein content of the reference peanut butter samples. Five of the kits were most …

Nutritional Physiology Of Life-History Trade-Offs: How Food Protein–Carbohydrate Content Influences Life-History Traits In The Wing-Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus Firmus, Rebecca M. Clark, Anthony J. Zera, Spencer T. Behmer

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Although life-history trade-offs result from the differential acquisition and allocation of nutritional resources to competing physiological functions, many aspects of this topic remain poorly understood. Wing-polymorphic insects, which possess alternative morphs that trade off allocation to flight capability versus early reproduction, provide a good model system for exploring this topic. In this study, we used the wing-polymorphic cricket Gryllus firmus to test how expression of the flight capability versus reproduction trade-off was modified across a heterogeneous protein–carbohydrate nutritional landscape. Newly molted adult female long- and short-winged crickets were given one of 13 diets with different concentrations and ratios of protein …

Paleoparasitology – Human Parasites In Ancient Material, Adauto Araújo, Karl Reinhard, Luiz Fernando Ferreira

Karl Reinhard Publications

Parasite finds in ancient material launched a new field of science: paleoparasitology. Ever since the pioneering studies, parasites were identified in archaeological and paleontological remains, some preserved for millions of years by fossilization. However, the paleoparasitological record consists mainly of parasites found specifically in human archaeological material, preserved in ancient occupation sites, from prehistory until closer to 2015. The results include some helminth intestinal parasites still commonly found in 2015, such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms, besides others such as Amoebidae and Giardia intestinalis, as well as viruses, bacteria, fungi and arthropods. These parasites as a …

Fruit And Vegetable Perceptions Among Caregivers Of American Indian Toddlers And Community Stakeholders: A Qualitative Study, Rachel C. Sinley, Julie A. Albrecht

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

American Indians experience higher rates of obesity than any other ethnic group living in the USA. This disparity begins to develop in early childhood, and the excess weight carried by American Indian children contributes to health conditions that can affect their quality of life by the time they enter preschool. These children consume less than recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, a dietary pattern that may be related to the development of obesity and other health conditions. This qualitative study explored the fruit and vegetable intake of American Indian toddlers through use of the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model. Focus groups …

Characterization Of The Ecological Role Of Genes Mediating Acid Resistance In Lactobacillus Reuteri During Colonization Of The Gastrointestinal Tract, Janina A. Krumbeck, Nathan L Marsteller, Steven Frese, Daniel A. Peterson, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Robert W. Hutkins, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Rodent-derived strains of Lactobacillus reuteri densely colonize the forestomach of mice and possess several genes whose predicted functions constitute adaptations towards an acidic environment. The objective of this study was to systematically determine which genes of L. reuteri 100-23 contribute to tolerance towards host gastric acid secretion. Genes predicted to be involved in acid resistance were inactivated, and their contribution to survival under acidic conditions was confirmed in model gastric juice. Fitness of five mutants that showed impaired in vitro acid resistance were then compared through competition experiments in ex-germ-free mice that were either treated with omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor …

Medical-Legal Partnerships: Origins And Ethical Lessons, Cathryn Miller-Wilson

Nebraska Law Review

I. Introduction

II. Ethical Obligations Beyond Resource Limitations

III. The Medical-Legal Gap: History of Disability Claims Adjudication ... A. The Rise and Fall of the Treating Physician Rule … B. The Search for Accuracy and Consistency: Regulatory and Contractual Amendments

IV. The Medical-Legal Gap: Physician Perspectives vs. Legal Requirements ... A. Medical Definitions vs. Legal Definitions ... B. Medical Records: Doctor Goals vs. Legal Documentation Requirements ... C. Evidentiary Standards: The Legal Myth of Medically Objective Evidence ... D. Medical Records Revisited: Medical Follow-up vs. Legal Reviews

V. The Gap Widens: The Rise in Judicial Support of Nontreating Physician Evidence …

‘‘We Can Wipe An Entire Culture’’: Fears And Promises Of Dna Biobanking Among Native Americans, Roberto Abadie, Kathleen Heaney

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper explores Native American perceptions on DNA biobanking. A qualitative study was conducted among self-declared Native Americans living off reservation in two Midwest cities. Findings demonstrate a paradox: Informants maintain strong hopes for the transformative power of gene-based research while voicing very particular social anxieties. Emerging genomic technologies elicit concerns over the potential for genetic stigmatization or discrimination based on race, preventing access to health insurance or employment. Frequently, social anxieties adopt the narrative form of conspiracy theories which portray powerful agents exploiting or abusing a disenfranchised population. We argue that while Native Americans do not have a monopoly …

Citizen Volunteers In Prison: Bringing The Outside In, Taking The Inside Out, Lisa Kort-Butler, Sarah E. Malone

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The United States correctional system relies heavily on citizen volunteers, but there is little contemporary research on prison volunteers, which is further limited by sample and geographic region. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of citizen volunteers, including investigating why they volunteer and what their experiences with inmates and prison staff are like. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with citizen volunteers in the penal system of a Midwestern state. Volunteers had altruistic or faith-based motivations, viewing themselves as ‘seed planters’ but not saviors, and placing priority on building relationships. They described how volunteering transformed their views on …

Characteristics Of Mothers Caring For Children During Episodes Of Homelessness, Melissa L. Welch-Lazoritz, Les B. Whitbeck, Brian E. Armenta

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study provides a description of the physical, psychological, and substance use problems of adult homeless women who are and are not caring for children. We also examined differences in the characteristics of these two groups of women. Interviews were conducted with 148 homeless women from three mid-sized U.S. cities, 24.3% of whom were caring for at least one child. Our results showed that women caring for children were more likely to be sheltered and have health insurance. Homeless women caring for children and solitary homeless women were generally similar in terms of substance abuse problems. However, rates of Borderline …

Encouraging Faculty Attendance At Professional Development Events, Dakin Burdick, Tim Doherty, Naomi Schoenfeld

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

For faculty development events to have the greatest impact on campus practice, faculty developers need to attract and include as many faculty members as possible at their events. This article describes the testing of a checklist regarding faculty attendance at professional development events through a survey of 238 faculty members at small colleges in the United States. The results demonstrate the influence of social relationships upon faculty attendance at teaching and learning events, the difficulties of scheduling such events, and motivational differences between full-time and adjunct faculty. The use of food as a motivator for attendance is also appraised. The …

Cyanobacterial Alkanes Modulate Photosynthetic Cyclic Electron Flow To Assist Growth Under Cold Stress, Bertram M. Berla, Rajib Saha, Costas D. Maranas, Himadri B. Pakrasi

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

All cyanobacterial membranes contain diesel-range C15-C19 hydrocarbons at concentrations similar to chlorophyll. Recently, two universal but mutually exclusive hydrocarbon production pathways in cyanobacteria were discovered. We engineered a mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 that produces no alkanes, which grew poorly at low temperatures. We analyzed this defect by assessing the redox kinetics of PSI. The mutant exhibited enhanced cyclic electron flow (CEF), especially at low temperature. CEF raises the ATP:NADPH ratio from photosynthesis and balances reductant requirements of biosynthesis with maintaining the redox poise of the electron transport chain. We conducted in silico flux balance analysis and showed that …

A Sequential Algorithm For Multiblock Orthogonal Projections To Latent Structures, Bradley Worley, Robert Powers

Robert Powers Publications

Methods of multiblock bilinear factorizations have increased in popularity in chemistry and biology as recent increases in the availability of information-rich spectroscopic platforms has made collecting multiple spectroscopic observations per sample a practicable possibility. Of the existing multiblock methods, consensus PCA (CPCA-W) and multiblock PLS (MB-PLS) have been shown to bear desirable qualities for multivariate modeling, most notably their computability from single-block PCA and PLS factorizations. While MB-PLS is a powerful extension to the nonlinear iterative partial least squares (NIPALS) framework, it still spreads predictive information across multiple components when response-uncorrelated variation exists in the data. The OnPLS extension to …

Dietary Plant Sterol Esters Must Be Hydrolyzed To Reduce Intestinal Cholesterol Absorption In Hamsters, Trevor J. Carden, Jiliang Hang, Patrick Dussault, Timothy P. Carr

Patrick Dussault Publications

Background: Elevated concentrations of LDL cholesterol are associated with the development of atherosclerosis and therefore are considered an important target for intervention to prevent cardiovascular diseases. The inhibition of cholesterol absorption in the small intestine is an attractive approach to lowering plasma cholesterol, one that is addressed by drug therapy as well as dietary supplementation with plant sterols and plant sterol esters (PSEs).

Objective: This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the cholesterol-lowering effects of PSE require hydrolysis to free sterols (FSs).

Methods: Male Syrian hamsters were fed atherogenic diets (AIN-93M purified diet containing 0.12% cholesterol and 8% …

Shift Gears, Veronica Vanderbeek, Haylee Carpenter, Sara Slater, Christina Kruse, Jessie Gray, Mollie Sundermeier, Christine Breazier, Garrett Kallhoff, Dexter Mckenzie, Tyler Sells

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Student Advertising Projects

BicycLincoln challenged the advertising and public relations students to develop a campaign to get more people riding bicycles more often safely in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Drought Monitoring And Assessment: Remote Sensing And Modeling Approaches For The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, G B. Senay, N M. Velpuri, S Bohms, M Budde, C Young, J Rowland, J P. Verdin

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Drought monitoring is an essential component of drought risk management. It is usually carried out using drought indices/indicators that are continuous functions of rainfall and other hydrometeorological variables. This chapter presents a few examples of how remote sensing and hydrologic modeling techniques are being used to generate a suite of drought monitoring indicators at dekadal (10-day), monthly, seasonal, and annual time scales for several selected regions around the world. Satellite-based rainfall estimates are being used to produce drought indicators such as standardized precipitation index, dryness indicators, and start of season analysis. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index is being used to …

Another Possible Source Of Archeological Maize Found In Chaco Canyon, Nm: The Tohatchi Flats Area, Nm, Usa, Deanna Grimstead, Sharon M. Buck, Bradley J. Vierra, Larry V. Benson

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Understanding the linkage and relationship between Chaco Canyon and its residents to surrounding communities has been a primary research question for several decades. This research has focused on identifying the Chacoan road systems, similar architectural designs, and the sourcing of economic and non-economic goods to outlier communities of origin. Extensive fieldwork has been completed to identify potential source regions of Chacoan corncobs, but the San Juan Basin and surrounding regions are vast and many potential agricultural features remain uninvestigated. One such region is the Tohatchi Flats, located near modern day Gallup, New Mexico. This paper uses ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr …

Toxicity Reference Values For Chlorophacinone And Their Application For Assessing Anticoagulant Rodenticide Risk To Raptors, Barnett A. Rattner, Katherine E. Horak, Rebecca S. Lazarus, Sandra L. Schultz, Susan Knowles, Benjamin G. Abbo, Steven F. Volker

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Despite widespread use and benefit, there are

growing concerns regarding hazards of second-generation

anticoagulant rodenticides to non-target wildlife which

may result in expanded use of first-generation compounds,

including chlorophacinone (CPN). The toxicity of CPN

over a 7-day exposure period was investigated in American

kestrels (Falco sparverius) fed either rat tissue mechanically-

amended with CPN, tissue from rats fed Rozol bait

(biologically-incorporated CPN), or control diets (tissue

from untreated rats or commercial bird of prey diet)

ad libitum. Nominal CPN concentrations in the formulated

diets were 0.15, 0.75 and 1.5 µg/g food wet weight, and

measured concentrations averaged 94 …

Haemorrhagic Colitis Associated With Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli O165:H25 Infection In A Yearling Feedlot Heifer, Rodney A. Moxley, Zachary R. Stromberg, Gentry L. Lewis, John D. Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen, Isha R. Patel, Jayanthi Gangiredla

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cause haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome in humans. Although EHEC infection typically results in haemorrhagic colitis in all ages of human patients, in cattle it is usually limited to 1- to 5-week-old nursing calves.

Case Presentation: A 1-year-old feedlot beef heifer was moribund with neurological signs and bloody diarrhoea. At necropsy, the colonic mucosa contained multiple grossly visible haemorrhagic erosions, each measuring <1 mm in diameter. Histologically, foci corresponding to the gross erosions had E. coli O165 antigen-positive bacterial rods adherent to the apical surfaces of degenerate and necrotic colonic mucosal epithelial cells in association with attaching and effacing lesions, and also within cytoplasmic vacuoles in …

Expanding Mental Health Consultation In Early Head Start: Recommendations For Supporting Home Visitors In Increasing Parental Engagement, Samantha L. Pittenger, Tori R. Van Dyk, Alayna Schreier, Michelle Haikalis, Mary F. Flood, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Early Head Start strongly emphasizes the importance of intervening with the entire family to promote healthy child development. Parents, in particular, are recognized as their child’s most important teacher. While Early Head Start performance standards currently mandate mental health consultation to identify and intervene with child mental health problems, there is little direct focus on the role of consultation in managing parental mental health concerns. This is problematic given that a wide body of literature outlines the impact of parental mental health on engagement in home-based programs such as Early Head Start. Investigations within the home visiting field have also …

Monthly Land Cover-Specific Evapotranspiration Models Derived From Global Eddy Flux Measurements And Remote Sensing Data, Yuan Fang, Ge Sun, Peter Caldwell, Steven G. Mcnulty, Asko Noormets, Jean-Christophe Domec, John King, Zhiqiang Zhang, Xudong Zhang, Guanghui Lin, Guangsheng Zhou, Jingfeng Xiao, Jiquan Chen

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Evapotranspiration (ET) is arguably the most uncertain ecohydrologic variable for quantifying watershed water budgets. Although numerous ET and hydrological models exist, accurately predicting the effects of global change on water use and availability remains challenging because of model deficiency and/or a lack of input parameters. The objective of this study was to create a new set of monthly ET models that can better quantify landscape-level ET with readily available meteorological and biophysical information. We integrated eddy covariance flux measurements from over 200 sites, multiple year remote sensing products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and statistical modelling. Through examining …

Perception Of Time Since Smoking Cessation: Time In Memory Can Elapse Faster, Julia N. Soulakova, Brianna C. Bright, Lisa J. Crockett

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Self-reports concerning smoking behaviors are subject to different types of response bias that may severely affect the data quality. This study examined the evidence and extent of backward telescoping bias in reports on time since completely quitting smoking among former smokers. The study goals were to determine whether the extent of bias differs, on average, across subpopulations with diverse sociodemographic characteristics, prior smoking habits and duration of smoking abstinence, and across the survey administration mode (phone, in-person, mixed). The sample included 1,611 subjects who responded to the 2002–2003 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Multiple regressions for subjects …

Reductions In Urinary Collection Frequency For Assessment Of Reproductive Hormones Provide Physiologically Representative Exposure And Mean Concentrations When Compared With Daily Collection, Heather C.M. Allaway, Nancy J. Williams, Rebecca J. Mallinson, Karsten Koehler, Mary Jane De Souza

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objective — To determine if reducing the frequency of urinary sample collection from daily to 5, 3, or 2 days per week during a menstrual cycle or 28-day amenorrheic monitoring period provide accurate representations of the reproductive hormone metabolites estrone- 1-glucuronide (E1G) and pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) exposure and mean concentrations.

Methods — Exercising women presenting with eumenorrhea or exercise-associated menstrual disturbances collected daily urine samples for the assessment of E1G and PdG concentrations. After enzyme immunoassay analysis of the daily samples, E1G and PdG data were systematically removed from each menstrual cycle or amenorrheic monitoring period to mimic three reduced …

Evolution In Action: Climate Change, Biodiversity Dynamics And Emerging Infectious Disease, Eric P. Hoberg, Daniel R. Brooks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Climatological variation and ecological perturbation have been pervasive drivers of faunal assembly, structure and diversification for parasites and pathogens through recurrent events of geographical and host colonization at varying spatial and temporal scales of Earth history. Episodic shifts in climate and environmental settings, in conjunction with ecological mechanisms and host switching, are often critical determinants of parasite diversification, a view counter to more than a century of coevolutionary thinking about the nature of complex host–parasite assemblages. Parasites are resource specialists with restricted host ranges, yet shifts onto relatively unrelated hosts are common during phylogenetic diversification of parasite lineages and directly …

Bmp7 Drives Human Adipogenic Stem Cells Into Metabolically Active Beige Adipocytes, Meshail Okla, Jung-Heun Ha, Ryan E. Temel, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Adult humans have a substantial amount of inducible-brown (or beige) fat, which is associated with increased energy expenditure and reduced weight gain via thermogenesis. Despite the identification of key regulators of beige adipogenesis, impacts of dietary factors on adaptive thermogenesis are largely unknown, partly due to a lack of validated human cell models. Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) is known to promote brown adipogenesis in rodent and human progenitor cells. However, controversy still surrounds the cellular identity in BMP7-mediated transition of white to brown adipocytes. The aim of this study is to confirm BMP7-derived human adipocytes as a relevant in …

Nutrition-Related Policy And Environmental Strategies To Prevent Obesity In Rural Communities: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, 2002–2013, Larissa Calancie, Jennifer Leeman, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Laura Kettel Khan, Kelly R. Evenson, Michelle Schreiner, Carmen Byker, Clint Owens, Jared Mcguirt, Ellen Barnidge, Wesley Dean, Donna Johnson, Jane Kolodinsky, Emily Piltch, Courtney Pinard, Emilee Quinn, Lauren Whetstone, Alice Ammerman, Sheila Fleischhacker

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Residents of rural communities in the United States are at higher risk for obesity than their urban and suburban counterparts. Policy and environmental-change strategies supporting healthier dietary intake can prevent obesity and promote health equity. Evidence in support of these strategies is based largely on urban and suburban studies; little is known about use of these strategies in rural communities. The purpose of this review was to synthesize available evidence on the adaptation, implementation, and effectiveness of policy and environmental obesity-prevention strategies in rural settings.

Effects Of Partners Together In Health (Path) Intervention On Physical Activity And Healthy Eating Behaviors: A Pilot Study, Bernice C. Yates, Joseph Norman, Jane Meza, Kaye L. Stanek Krogstrand, Susana Harrington, Scott Shurmur, Matthew Johnson, Karen Schumacher

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background—Despite proven efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in helping patients initiate physical activity and healthy eating changes, less than 50% of CR participants maintain changes 6 months later.

Objective—The objective of this feasibility study was to test the Partners Together in Health (PaTH) Intervention versus usual care (UC) in improving physical activity and healthy eating behaviors in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients and spouses.

Methods—An experimental, two-group (n = 17 couples/group), repeated measures design was used. CABG patients in both groups participated in Phase II outpatient CR. Spouses in the PaTH group attended CR with the patient and …

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Of Native American Families With Young Children: A Mixed Methods Study, Kara Vlasin-Marty, Paula Ritter-Gooder, Julie A. Albrecht

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Children are at increased risk for foodborne illness due to underdeveloped immune system. Limited research has been reported on food safety knowledge of Native American families with children 10 years of age and younger. This study was conducted to determine the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the main food preparer in these families by collecting quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously in a mixed method approach. A food safety knowledge survey created using FightBAC!™ concepts was administered prior to focus groups discussions held in Native American communities using a script based upon the Health Belief Model. Quantitative data were …

The Benefits And Risks Of Telling And Listening To Stories Of Difficulty Over Time: Experimentally Testing The Expressive Writing Paradigm In The Context Of Interpersonal Communication Between Friends, Jody Koenig Kellas, Haley Kranstuber Hortsman, Erin K. Willer, Kristen Carr

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The overarching goal of the current study was to determine the impact of talking interpersonally over time on emerging adults’ individual and relational health. Using an expressive writing study design (see Frattaroli, 2006), we assessed the degree to which psychological health improved over time for college students who told and listened to stories about friends’ current difficulties in comparison with tellers in control conditions. We also investigated the effects on tellers’ and listeners’ perceptions of each other’s communication competence, communicated perspective taking, and the degree to which each threatened the other’s face during the interaction over time to better understand …