Digital Commons Network^™

The Ralph Mueller Health Galleries: Uncovering The Lost History Of Unl’S Morrill Hall, Eleanor Schmidt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Birth Series sculptures portrayed human development from fertilization through birth and were created by Robert Latou Dickinson, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and Abram Belskie, an artist. The sculptures were commission by the Maternity Center Association and were exhibited in 1939, at the Word’s Fair in New York City. Extremely popular at the fair, the sculptures were displayed all over the world, were used as educational models, and were the subject of the Birth Atlas.

In 1952, a set made their way to Morrill Hall as part of the Great Plain’s first health exhibit where they would remain on display for …

X-Ray Ptychography On Low-Dimensional Hard-Condensed Matter Materials, Xiaowen Shi, Nicolas Burdet, Bo Chen, Gang Xiong, Robert Streubel, Ross Harder, Ian K. Robinson

Robert Streubel Papers

Tailoring structural, chemical, and electronic (dis-)order in heterogeneous media is one of the transformative opportunities to enable new functionalities and sciences in energy and quantum materials. This endeavor requires elemental, chemical, and magnetic sensitivities at the nano/atomic scale in two- and three-dimensional space. Soft X-ray radiation and hard X-ray radiation provided by synchrotron facilities have emerged as standard characterization probes owing to their inherent element-specificity and high intensity. One of the most promising methods in view of sensitivity and spatial resolution is coherent diffraction imaging, namely, X-ray ptychography, which is envisioned to take on the dominance of electron imaging techniques …

Evaluation Of Selected Watershed Characteristics To Identify Best Management Practices To Reduce Nebraskan Nitrate Loads From Nebraska To The Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin, Aaron R. Mittelstet, Troy E. Gilmore, Tiffany Messer, Daran Rudnick, Thomas Heatherly

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nebraskan streams contribute excess nitrogen to the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin and Gulf of Mexico, which results in major water-quality impairments. Reducing the amount of nitrogen (N) exported in these streams requires the use of best management practices (BMPs) within the landscape. However, proper BMP utilization has rarely been statistically connected to potential controls of N export within watersheds, particularly precipitation and soil characteristics. In this study, 19 watershed variables were evaluated in five categories (hydrological, physiographic, point sources, land use, and soil properties) to determine the characteristics that influenced variable nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N) concentrations in 17 Nebraska watersheds …

Advanced Selection Methodologies For Dnazymes In Sensing And Healthcare Applications, Sandeep Kumar, Shikha Jain, Neeraj Dilbaghi, Amrik Singh Ahluwalia, Ashraf Aly Hassan, Ki-Hyun Kim

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

DNAzymes have been widely explored owing to their excellent catalytic activity in a broad range of applications, notably in sensing and biomedical devices. These newly discovered applications have built high hopes for designing novel catalytic DNAzymes. However, the selection of efficient DNAzymes is a challenging process but one that is of crucial importance. Initially, systemic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) was a labor-intensive and time-consuming process, but recent advances have accelerated the automated generation of DNAzyme molecules. This review summarizes recent advances in SELEX that improve the affinity and specificity of DNAzymes. The thriving generation of new DNAzymes …

Bibliography Of The Published Works Of Stephen L. Williams, Suzanne Boyer Mclaren, Catharine A. Hawks, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Bibliography of the published works of Stephen Lory Williams (1948-2018).

Investigating The Role Of Free Radicals In Huntington's Disease Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Jennifer Libov

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

During normal cell metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as a byproduct of oxidative phosphorylation. ROS are utilized in the cell as a signaling molecule and can be maintained at healthy levels by cellular antioxidants. However, when the cell experiences oxidative stress due to environmental or genetic conditions, levels of ROS can exceed healthy levels and inhibit necessary life functions by damaging biomolecules and cellular structures. This loss of function can lead to physiological decline and neurodegeneration, such as in diseases like Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and, potentially, Huntington’s disease. The following experiments use the model genetic organism …

Interparental Control During Pregnancy Predicts Parental Control Directed Toward Infants, Jaime Stephenson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Numerous studies have found that the quality of the intimate relationship between parents significantly impacts the quality of the parent-child relationship which, in turn, has important implications for child psychosocial adjustment. Research calls to Enfger’s spillover hypothesis suggesting that discord or dysfunction in one family relationship (e.g., the interparental relationship) puts other family relationships (e.g., parent-child relationships) at increased risk for dysfunction. Examining the association between interparental respect and control dynamics during pregnancy and the parent-child relationship when the child is 1 year of age is important because (a) children’s social and moral adjustment is in a critical stage of …

Injury Scores And Spatial Responses Of Wolves Following Capture: Cable Restraints Versus Foothold Traps, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, John D. Erb, Kevin C. Fuller, Jeffery P. Grabarkewitz, John P. Hart, Carolin Humpal, Barry A. Sampson, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wolves (Canis lupus) have been captured with foothold traps for several decades to equip them with radiocollars for population monitoring. However, trapping in most areas is limited to spring, summer, and autumn as cold winter temperatures can lead to frozen appendages in trapped animals. In addition, conflicts arise when domestic dogs encounter these traps in nonwinter seasons. An alternative capture method is the use of cable restraint devices (modified neck snares) in the winter. We evaluated injury scores, movement patterns, and space use of wolves captured in cable restraint devices and foothold traps in north central Minnesota, USA, during 2012–2016. …

Hillslope Hydrology In Global Change Research And Earth System Modeling, Y. Fan, M. Clark, D. M. Lawrence, S. Swenson, L.E. Band, S. L. Brantley, P. D. Brooks, W. E. Dietrich, A. Flores, G. Grant, J.W. Kirchner, D. S. Mackay, J. J. Mcdonnell, P. C. D. Milly, P. L. Sullivan, C. Tague, H. Ajami, N. Chaney, A. Hartmann, P. Hazenberg, J. Mcnamara, J. Pelletier, J. Perket, E. Rouholahnejad‐Freund, T. Wagener, X. Zeng, E. Beighley, J. Buzan, M. Huang, B. Livneh, B. P. Mohanty, B. Nijssen, M. Safeeq, C. Shen, W. Van Verseveld, J. Volk, D. Yamazaki

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

Earth System Models (ESMs) are essential tools for understanding and predicting global change, but they cannot explicitly resolve hillslope‐scale terrain structures that fundamentally organize water, energy, and biogeochemical stores and fluxes at subgrid scales. Here we bring together hydrologists, Critical Zone scientists, and ESM developers, to explore how hillslope structures may modulate ESM grid‐level water, energy, and biogeochemical fluxes. In contrast to the one‐dimensional (1‐D), 2‐ to 3‐mdeep, and free‐draining soil hydrology in most ESM land models, we hypothesize that 3‐D, lateral ridge‐to‐valley flow through shallow and deep paths and insolation contrasts between sunny and shady slopes are the top …

Assessing Public Support For Restrictions On Transport Of Invasive Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The United States, Meredith J. Grady, Erin E. Harper, Keith M. Carlisle, Karina H. Ernst, Stephanie A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a non-native invasive species in the United States that cause significant economic loss, transmit disease, and inflict damage upon natural resources, agriculture, livestock, and property. Geographic distribution of wild pigs in the United States has nearly tripled since 1982, with anthropogenic influences playing a significant role in the expansion. In this regard, there is speculation that a driver of the expansion may be human-mediated movement of wild pigs to new areas for the purpose of sport hunting. In response, states have implemented a variety of wild pig control policies, including legal restrictions on their transport. …

Exploring The Mind Of The Interviewer: Findings From Research With Interviewers To Improve The Survey Process, Robin Kaplan, Erica Yu

Interviewer Workshop, 2019: Interviewers and Their Effects from a Total Survey Error Perspective

The interviewers’ task in the data collection process is a complex one, with many judgments and decisions being made from moment to moment as they ask questions to get answers from respondents (Japec, 2008). Many survey organizations train their interviewers to use standardized language and read questions verbatim. However, in practice, interviewers may need to use a conversational approach and probe respondents to get the answers needed. This research explores the process by which interviewers make such decisions in real-time by conducting research with interviewers about their experiences collecting data. Using a cognitive interview approach, we asked interviewers about multiple …

Investigating The Use Of Nurse Paradata In Understanding Nonresponse To Biological Data Collection, Fiona Pashazadeh, Alexandru Cernat, Joseph W. Sakshaug

Interviewer Workshop, 2019: Interviewers and Their Effects from a Total Survey Error Perspective

The recent collection of biological data in large-scale sample surveys has opened up new possibilities for research into the interactions between physical and social mechanisms in the general population. Whilst the possibilities are undoubtedly exciting, these data can create additional challenges from the viewpoints of both collection and analysis. In particular, the extra burden of biological data collection can lead to increased incidences of nonresponse, potentially affecting the quality of the data and the robustness of results from subsequent analysis. Where the two-stage nurse visit survey design is used, such as in Understanding Society (UKHLS) and the English Longitudinal Study …

Effects Of Land Use On Greenhouse Gas Flux In Playa Wetlands And Associated Watersheds In The High Plains, Usa, Dale W. Daniel, Loren M. Smith, Scott T. Mcmurry, Brian A. Tangen, Charles F. Dahl, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Ted Lagrange

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

In the High Plains, U.S., native prairie conversion to cropland agriculture has resulted in a loss of service delivery capabilities from most depressional wet-lands as a result of sedimentation. Restoring historic hydrological conditions to affected wetlands may rejuvenate some services, however, there may be tradeoffs due to emissions of CH4 and N2O. We evaluated the influence of two predominant conservation programs (Wetlands Reserve Program, WRP and Conservation Reserve Program, CRP) on gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O) from 42 playas and uplands in the High Plains of Nebraska. Because playa restoration through the WRP is most prevalent in the Rainwater Basin …

Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels Shape Peripheral Auditory Function And Activity Of The Primary Auditory Neurons In Mice, Daniël O.J. Reijntjes, Jeong Han Lee, Seojin Park, Nick M.A. Schubert, Marcel Van Tuinen, Sarath Vijayakumar, Timothy A. Jones, Sherri M. Jones, Michael Anne Gratton, Xiao-Ming Xia, Ebenezer N. Yamoah, Sonja J. Pyott

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

potassium (K+) channels shape the response properties of neurons. Although enormous progress has been made to characterize K+ channels in the primary auditory neurons, the molecular identities of many of these channels and their contributions to hearing in vivo remain unknown. Using a combination of RNA sequencing and single molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization, we localized expression of transcripts encoding the sodium-activated potassium channels KNa1.1 (SLO2.2/Slack) and KNa1.2 (SLO2.1/Slick) to the primary auditory neurons (spiral ganglion neurons, SGNs). To examine the contribution of these channels to function of the sGNs in vivo, we measured auditory brainstem responses in KNa1.1/1.2 double …

A New Genus And Seven New Species Of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) From Central And South America, Eugenio H. Nearns, Francisco E. De L. Nascimento

Insecta Mundi

Thomsonista Nearns and Nascimento, a new genus of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), is described and illustrated. Seven new species of Onciderini are described and illustrated: Hesychotypa antonkozlovi from Ecuador; Hesychotypa danilevskyi from Panama; Lingafelteria pandolfii from Brazil; Oncideres antonkozlovi and Oncideres erwini from Peru; Oncideres johnmarvini from Costa Rica and Panama; and Thomsonista antonkozlovi from Colombia.

Thomsonista Nearns y Nascimento, un nuevo género de Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), es descrito e ilustrado. Siete nuevas especies de Onciderini son descritas e ilustradas: Hesychotypa antonkozlovi de Ecuador; Hesychotypa danilevskyi de Panamá; Lingafelteria pandolfii de Brasil; Oncideres antonkozlovi y …

Notes On Some Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) Associated With Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) In The Republic Of Korea, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

A survey of the parasitoids associated with Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) in the Republic of Korea in 2014 resulted in the documentation of one species of Aphelinidae, Marietta picta (Andre), and two species of Encyrtidae, Metaphycus eriococci (Timberlake) and Zaomma eriococci (Ferrière). Of these, M. eriococci and Z. eriococci are newly recorded from Korea. In addition, one species of encyrtid is newly recognized as a parasitoid associated with A. lagerstroemiae from Korea. In this paper, the list of parasitoid species of A. lagerstroemiae that occur in Korea is updated and a brief diagnosis and photographs of these species are …

New Species And Taxonomical Notes In Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), James E. Wappes, Juan Pablo Botero, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Piezocerini), species from Bolivia are described: G. martinsi Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva new species; G. galileoae Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species; and G. clarkeorum Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species. In addition, G. bispinosa Martins, Galileo and Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2009 is proposed as a synonym of G. castanea (Gounelle, 1909) and G. maculosa Martins, 1976 as a synonym of G. apatheia Martins, 1976.

A Revision Of The Aphodiini Genus Cnemargulus Semenov, 1903 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

The aphodiine genus Cnemargulus Semenov (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae) is revised. Two species are recognized as belonging to the genus. A new synonymy (C. krulikovskyi Semenov vs C. pusio Semenov) is proposed. A new country record for Iran is given. Lastly, a key to species is provided.

Global Responses Of Resistant And Susceptible Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) To Sugarcane Aphid (Melanaphis Sacchari), Hannah M. Tetreault, Sajjan Grover, Erin Scully, Tammy Gries, Nathan A. Palmer, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis, Scott E. Sattler

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) has emerged as a significant pest for sorghum. The use of sugarcane aphid-resistant sorghum germplasm with integrated pest management strategies appears to be an excellent solution to this problem. In this study, a resistant line (RTx2783) and a susceptible line (A/BCK60) were used to characterize the differences in plant responses to the sugarcane aphid through a series of experiments, which examined global sorghum gene expression, aphid feeding behavior and inheritance of aphid resistance. The global transcriptomic responses to sugarcane aphids in resistant and susceptible plants were identified using RNA-seq and compared to the …

The Influence Of Fetch On The Holocene Thermal Structure Of Hidden Lake, Glacier National Park, Jeffery R. Stone, Jasmine E. Saros, Trisha L. Spanbauer

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

We use three-dimensional modeling of the basin of Hidden Lake, Montana, to assess the influence of effective fetch on diatom-inferred changes in mixing depths throughout the Holocene. The basin of Hidden Lake is characterized by a complex morphometry; for example, three-dimensional modeling of the lake basin indicates that a decrease in lake level of 2 m would result in complete isolation of the deepest part of the lake basin from the rest of the lake. Our model suggests that small changes in the lake surface elevation at Hidden Lake would produce threshold-like responses in effective fetch, which in turn would …

Resistance To Greenbugs In The Sorghum Nested Association Mapping Population, Sajjan Grover, Braden Wojahn, Suresh Varsani, Scott E. Sattler, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum, is a serious pest of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). For the past several decades, resistant sorghum hybrids have been used to control greenbug populations. However, the durability of plant resistance is frequently challenged by evolution of new greenbug biotypes, and there is a continuous need for screening of resistant germplasm for its effective management in the field. Natural variation in sorghum plants/populations provides distinct approaches to identify novel sources of resistance against greenbugs. In this study, we used the recently developed sorghum nested association mapping (NAM) population parental lines to understand sources of sorghum resistance to greenbugs. …

Three Key Factors To Balance When Choosing A Calving Season Based On Profitability, Matthew Stockton, Devin Broadhead

Cornhusker Economics

Cow producers base major decisions such as calving season on expected economic outcomes which include productivity, input costs, personal capability, individual preferences, markets, and so on. Calving systems are generally categorized into three seasons, spring, summer and fall. Many producers select the spring calving season to maximize the weaned calf weight at the end of the summer grass season. Unfortunately this increases feeding costs since extra nutrition is needed in the spring, prior to pastures being opened. Also due to the widespread adoption of this early spring calving, the mass marketing in late fall often results in depressed calf prices …

Quantifying And Correcting For Clay Content Effects On Soil Water Measurement By Reflectometers, Jasreman Singh, Tsz Him Lo, Daran Rudnick, Suat Irmak, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The presence of clay particles increases the specific surface area of a soil and can affect the calibration of electromagnetic soil water sensors including reflectometers. To quantify and correct for this effect in two relatively new reflectometers, three TDR315 and three CS655 sensors were installed in each of five soils with clay content ranging from 5 to 49%. As the soils were dried in a temperature controlled room, sensor reported soil volumetric water content (θ_v) according to the factory calibration was compared against reference θ_v determined by weighing the soils. Sensor reported θ_v was similar to …

Aesthetics, Ethics, And Lose-Lose Dilemmas In The Anthropocen, Adam Liska

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Anthropogenic climate change will cause violence to increase globally, and nonlinear increases in sea level could cause a major escalation in global conflict. After 2100, a 22-meter sea-level rise is estimated here to dislocate two billion people from coastal areas. These impending civilization-changing events require us to again reevaluate our prevalent aesthetic preferences for luxury that produce a significant fraction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Due to industrial inertia, a central dilemma discussed here is the contradictions between the goals and impacts of aesthetics and ethics. Either we lose our own well-being (a loss of high-emission aesthetics) for the benefit …

Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Responsive Genes In The Juvenile Rat Cerebellum, Aaron A. Mehus, Aaron M. Dickey, Timothy P. L. Smith, Kathleen M. Yeater, Matthew Picklo

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

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) influence postnatal brain growth and development. However, little data exist regarding the impacts of dietary n-3 PUFA in juvenile animals post weaning, which is a time of rapid growth. We tested the hypothesis that depleting dietary n-3 PUFA would result in modifications to the cerebellar transcriptome of juvenile rats. To test this hypothesis, three week old male rats (an age that roughly corresponds to an 11 month old child in brain development) were fed diets containing either soybean oil (SO) providing 1.1% energy from α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n-3; ALA-sufficient) or corn oil (CO) providing …

Divergent Switchgrass Cultivars Modify Cereal Aphid Transcriptomes, Kyle G. Koch, Erin D. Scully, Nathan A. Palmer, Scott M. Geib, Gautam Sarath, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Jeff D. Bradshaw

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Schizaphis graminum Rondani (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Sipha flava Forbes (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are two common pests of bioenergy grasses. Despite the fact that they are both considered generalists, they differ in their ability to colonize Panicum virgatum cultivars. For example, S. flava colonizes both P. virgatum cv. Summer and P. virgatum cv. Kanlow whereas S. graminum can only colonize Summer. To study the molecular responses of these aphids to these two switchgrass cultivars, we generated de novo transcriptome assemblies and compared the expression profiles of aphids feeding on both cultivars to profiles associated with feeding on a highly susceptible sorghum host …

Wyoming’S Ucross Ranch: Its Birds, History, And Natural Environment, Jacqueline Lee Canterbury, Paul Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

This book profiles 60 of the most abundant, characteristic, and interesting birds that have been regularly reported from the Ucross Ranch and the adjacent Powder River Basin. The 20,000-acre Ucross Ranch lies on the western edge of the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming. Ucross is a textbook example of the prairie grassland/ shrubland habitat type referred to as the sagebrush steppe, a landscape that is an icon of Wyoming’s vast open spaces. We focus especially on those species that occur year-round or are present as breeders during the summer months, and we place emphasis on a unique group of …

The Nature Of Science As A Foundation For Fostering A Better Understanding Of Evolution, Craig E. Nelson, Lawrence C. Scharmann, Jean Beard, Lawrence I. Flammer

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Misunderstandings of the nature of science (NOS) contribute greatly to resistance to evolutionary theory especially among non-scientific audiences. Here we delineate three extended instructional examples that make extensive use of NOS to establish a foundation upon which to more successfully introduce evolution. Specifically, these instructional examples enable students to consider evolutionary biology using NOS as a lens for interpretation of evolutionary concepts. We have further found, through our respective research efforts and instructional experiences, that a deep understanding of NOS helps students understand and accept the scientific validity of evolution and, conversely, that evolution provides an especially effective context for …

Orphan Genes Shared By Pathogenic Genomes Are More Associated With Bacterial Pathogenicity, Sarah Entwistle, Yanbin Yin

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Orphan genes (also known as ORFans [i.e., orphan open reading frames]) are new genes that enable an organism to adapt to its specific living environment. Our focus in this study is to compare ORFans between pathogens (P) and nonpathogens (NP) of the same genus. Using the pangenome idea, we have identified 130,169 ORFans in nine bacterial genera (505 genomes) and classified these ORFans into four groups: (i) SS-ORFans (P), which are only found in a single pathogenic genome; (ii) SS-ORFans (NP), which are only found in a single nonpathogenic genome; (iii) PS-ORFans (P), which are found in multiple pathogenic genomes; …

Yap1-Lats2 Feedback Loop Dictates Senescent Or Malignant Cell Fate To Maintain Tissue Homeostasis, Chunbo He, Xiangmin Lv, Cong Huang, Guohua Hua, Bowen Ma, Xingcheng Chen, Peter C. Angeletti, Jixin Dong, Jin Zhou, Zhengfeng Wang, Bo R. Rueda, John S. Davis, Cheng Wang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Dysfunction of the homeostasis-maintaining systems in specific cell types or tissues renders the organism susceptible to a range of diseases, including cancers. One of the emerging mechanisms for maintaining tissue homeostasis is cellular senescence. Here, we report that the Hippo pathway plays a critical role in controlling the fate of ovarian cells. Hyperactivation of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), the major effector of the Hippo pathway, induces senescence in cultured primary human ovarian surface epithelial cells (hOSEs). Large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2), the primary upstream negative regulator of YAP1, is elevated in both YAP1-induced and natural replicative-triggered senescence. Deletion of LATS2 …