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Post-Translational Regulation Of A Bidomain Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Catalyzing Glycerol Synthesis Under Salinity Stress In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Itzela Cruz-Powell, Binita Subedi, Yeongho Kim, Daniela Morales-Sánchez, Heriberto D. Cerutti

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Core chlorophytes possess glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases (GPDs) with an unusual bidomain structure, consisting of a glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase (GPP) domain fused to canonical GPD domains. These plastid-localized enzymes have been implicated in stress responses, being required for the synthesis of glycerol under high salinity and triacylglycerols under nutrient deprivation. However, their regulation under varying environmental conditions is poorly understood. C. reinhardtii transgenic strains expressing constitutively bidomain GPD2 did not accumulate glycerol or triacylglycerols in the absence of any environmental stress. Although the glycerol contents of both wild type and transgenic strains increased significantly upon exposure to high salinity, cycloheximide, an inhibitor of …

Accurate Measurement Of Field Size Is Essential For Analysis Of Smallholder Survey Data, Rica Joy Flor, Shen Yuan, Gonzalo Rizzo, Fahmuddin Agus, Anny Ruth P. Pame, Akhara Ouk, Rathmuny Then, Sokheng Keo, Virender Kumar, Particio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Context: Agronomic surveys play a vital role in identifying on-farm yield constraints and opportunities to increase productivity, input-use efficiency, and farmer profit. These surveys typically rely on farmer-reported data, where crop yield and applied inputs per hectare are estimated based on farmer-reported total harvested output and applied inputs per field and associated field size. At question is how accurate field size is, which is vital in the case of smallholders as small inaccuracies can lead to large biases in estimated yield and inputs.

Objectives: The goals of this study are to assess current approaches to determine field size …

Phenotypic Diversity For Morpho-Agronomic Traits In The Us Proso Millet (Panicum Miliaceum L.) Core Collection, Santosh G. Rajput, Rituraj Khound, Dipak K. Santra

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a short-season annual crop known for high water-use efficiency and drought tolerance. The low water requirement makes this ancient grain an excellent rotational crop for the winter wheat-based dryland cropping system in theHigh Plains of theUnited States. The genetic base of the commonly grown US cultivars is very narrow. Assessment of proso millet germplasm for agronomic traits is essential for its efficient utilization in the genetic improvement of this crop. The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize the US proso millet germplasm based on nine important morpho-agronomic traits and (2) classify …

The Identification Of The Flower Thrips, Frankliniella Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Intercepted At U. S. Ports Of Entry, Thomas L. Skarlinsky Ii

Insecta Mundi

United States port of entry interception data revealed that Frankliniella Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was the most frequently intercepted genus of Thripidae. No published identification resource for intercepted Frankliniella is available to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) port of entry entomology identifiers. A morphological review of intercepted species was conducted. A dichotomous key for the identification of intercepted slide mounted adult females was created. Morphological diagnosis, description of each species with their geographic region(s) of origin and frequency of interception is provided.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:403B362E-9A7F-4385-A0F1-9DB87FE09AD2

Predicting The Potential Distribution Of Pseudococcus Longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) In South Korea Using A Climex Model, Su Bin Kim, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a widely-distributed pest that feeds on many economically important hosts, particularly tropical fruits and ornamentals. The potential distribution of this mealybug pest in South Korea remains a primary concern because of its high incidence of interceptions screened during inspection. Hence, this species prompted a modelling effort to assess its potential risk of introduction. Potential risk maps were developed for this pest with a CLIMEX model based on occurrence records under environmental data. The potential distribution of these pests in South Korea in the 2020s, 2050s and 2090s was projected based on the RCP 8.5 …

A Taxonomic Review Of The Genus Psephenops Grouvelle Of The Lesser Antilles With Description Of New Species Psephenops Trini, And Reassignment Of Peruvian Species Psephenus Robacki Spangler (Coleoptera: Psephenidae: Psepheninae), Cheryl B. Barr, William D. Shepard

Insecta Mundi

An overview of the genus Psephenops Grouvelle (Coleoptera: Psephenidae: Psepheninae) is provided with geographic distributions of the species. The taxonomic history of Psephenops smithi Grouvelle, the type species from Grenada and St. Vincent, and junior synonym Xexanchorinus latus Grouvelle from Grenada, is discussed, and lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for both. Photographs of the type series and a non-type specimen with illustrated male genitalia, along with new distributional information for the species, are provided. The male, female, and associated larva of Psephenops trini Barr and Shepard, new species, are described and illustrated, as is the habitat of this species …

The Genus Centris Fabricius In Cuba, With A New Record And The Description Of A New Species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), Julio A. Genaro, Dayron Breto

Insecta Mundi

Members of the genus Centris Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) constitute a significant component of the Neotropical (including insular) bee fauna, exhibiting high species richness, a moderate to large body size, and extensive interactions with various important plant groups. Females of most species possess specialized morphology adapted for collecting oils from flowers. This study documents the presence of the genus in Cuba, recognizing six species: C. aethiops Cresson, C. cornuta Cresson, C. fulviventris Cresson, C. poecila Lepeletier, C. taina Genaro and Breto new species, and C. tarsata F. Smith. Detailed information is provided for …

Notes On The Tribe Chlorocorini With The Description Of A New Species Of Chlorocoris Spinola (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) From Panama, Donald B. Thomas

Insecta Mundi

A new species, Chlorocoris charluzae Thomas (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), is described from Panama. Eludocoris grandis Thomas is reported from Panama for the first time. The distribution of Chlorocoris rufispinus Dallas to include Panama is confirmed. Arawacoris Thomas, described as a subgenus of Chlorocoris Spinola, is elevated to full genus.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F4E45B6C-5BD8-4B3E-B599-3BB61855B392

Historical And Morphological Review Of The Subgenus Indonthophagus Kabakov, 2006 Of Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

The subgenus Indonthophagus Kabakov, 2006 of Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini) is reviewed. A morphological definition of it is provided. A diagnosis, based both on external and internal characters, of the seven species deemed to belong to the group according to literature, is supplied. As a result, Onthophagus spinifex (Fabricius, 1781), previously placed with some uncertainty in the subgenus, is definitively excluded. A key to Indonthophagus species is also provided, as well as images of male, aedeagus and endophallus for each species. New country records of Onthophagus turbatus Walker, 1858 for Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan are given.

ZooBank …

Diagnosis Of Spilococcus Pacificus (Borchsenius, 1949) And An Updated List Of Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) On Pears (Pyrus L.: Rosaceae) In South Korea, Jungyoun Ji, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Pears, Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.f.) Nak. (Rosaceae) are one of the most widely grown fruit trees in South Korea. Approximately 11% of the total pear production in 2022 was exported to countries such as the United States and Vietnam. Exported pears must be free of pest species that are considered of quarantine importance by the importing countries. Herein, a list of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) associated with pear trees is updated. Additionally, Spilococcus pacificus (Borchsenius) is added to the list of mealybugs affecting pears in South Korea and is briefly diagnosed based on non-type specimens and illustrated using photographs. Information on …

Review Of Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) Inhabiting Cones Of The Cycad Zamia L. (Cycadales) In Panama, With Descriptions Of Five New Species, William Tang, Paul E. Skelley, Alberto S. Taylor R., Shayla Salzman

Insecta Mundi

The beetle genus Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) is found in the cones of cycad genera in the New World, including species of Ceratozamia Brongn., Dioon Lindl., Microcycas (Miq.) A.DC, and Zamia L. Its presence and diversity are analyzed for the 17 species of Zamia known to occur in Panama. Nine species are recognized, and five new species are described: Pharaxonotha clarkorum Pakaluk, P. confusa Pakaluk, P. fortunensis Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. holzmani Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. kirschii Reitter, P. manicatae Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species …

Acalyptomerus Asiaticus Crowson (Coleoptera: Clambidae: Acalyptomerinae) New To The Faunae Of The United States, Dominican Republic And Vietnam, Michael A. Ivie, Susan E. Halbert

Insecta Mundi

Acalyptomerus asiaticus Crowson (Coleoptera: Clambidae: Acalyptomerinae) is recorded for the first time from the United States (Florida), Dominican Republic, and Vietnam.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F05EE9D0-7305-4C6B-BE7F-8D9E86C66AA7

Globe-Lfmc 2.0, An Enhanced And Updated Dataset For Live Fuel Moisture Content Research, Marta Yebra, Gianluca Scortechini, Karine Adeline, Nursema Aktepe, Turkia Almoustafa, Avi Bar-Massada, María Eugenia Beget, Matthias Boer, Ross Bradstock, Tegan Brown, Francesc Xavier Castro, Rui Chen, Emilio Chuvieco, Mark Danson, Cihan Ünal Değirmenci, Ruth Delgado-Dávila, Philip Dennison, Carlos Di Bella, Oriol Domenech, Jean-Baptiste Féret, Greg Forsyth, Eva Gabriel, Zisis Gagkas, Fatma Gharbi, Elena Granda, Anne Griebel, Binbin He, Matt Jolly, Ivan Kotzur, Tineke Kraaij, Agnes Kristina, Pınar Kütküt, Jean-Marc Limousin, M. Pilar Martín, Antonio T. Monteiro, Marco Morais, Bruno Moreira, Florent Mouillot, Samukelisiwe Msweli, Rachael H. Nolan, Grazia Pellizzaro, Yi Qi, Xingwen Quan, Victor Esco De Dios, Dar Roberts, Çağatay Tavşanoğlu, Andy F. S. Taylor, Jackson Taylor, İrem Tüfekcioğlu, Andrea Ventura, Nicolas Younes Cardenas

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Globe-LFMC 2.0, an updated version of Globe-LFMC, is a comprehensive dataset of over 280,000 Live Fuel Moisture Content (LFMC) measurements. These measurements were gathered through field campaigns conducted in 15 countries spanning 47 years. In contrast to its prior version, Globe-LFMC 2.0 incorporates over 120,000 additional data entries, introduces more than 800 new sampling sites, and comprises LFMC values obtained from samples collected until the calendar year 2023. Each entry within the dataset provides essential information, including date, geographical coordinates, plant species, functional type, and, where available, topographical details. Moreover, the dataset encompasses insights into the sampling and weighing procedures, …

Soil Health Cycle, Bijesh Maharjan, Saurav Das, Vesh R. Thapa, Bharat Sharma Acharya

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil health is pivotal to agricultural sustainability. Promoting and sustaining soil health management is challenging since it involves many interdependent components and steps and is an iterative process. Herein, the soil health cycle (SHC) is proposed as a soil health management cycle encompassing human dimensions, management practices, and their effects on soil health indicators (SHIs), leading to subsequent impacts on soil functions. The SHC provides a structure for an iterative testing of changes to improve soil health. A systematic review of research publications was also conducted using the Web of Science database supplemented by Elicit AI and Scopus API searches …

Swine Influenza A Virus: Challenges And Novel Vaccine Strategies, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Swine Influenza A Virus (IAV-S) imposes a significant impact on the pork industry and has been deemed a significant threat to global public health due to its zoonotic potential. The most effective method of preventing IAV-S is vaccination. While there are tremendous efforts to control and prevent IAV-S in vulnerable swine populations, there are considerable challenges in developing a broadly protective vaccine against IAV-S. These challenges include the consistent diversification of IAV-S, increasing the strength and breadth of adaptive immune responses elicited by vaccination, interfering maternal antibody responses, and the induction of vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease after vaccination. Current vaccination …

Sex Differences And Sex‑Specific Regulation Of Motivated Behavior By Melanin‑Concentrating Hormone: A Short Review, Isabel R. K. Kuebler, Mauricio Suárez, Ken T. Wakabayashi

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Recent preclinical research exploring how neuropeptide transmitter systems regulate motivated behavior reveal the increasing importance of sex as a critical biological variable. Neuropeptide systems and their central circuits both contribute to sex differences in a range of motivated behaviors and regulate sex-specific behaviors. In this short review, we explore the current research of how sex as a biological variable influences several distinct motivated behaviors that are modulated by the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neuropeptide system. First, we review how MCH regulates feeding behavior within the context of energy homeostasis differently between male and female rodents. Then, we focus on MCH’s role …

Fish & Wildlife News: Spring 2024

Fish and Wildlife News

No abstract provided.

A Guide For The Breeding Of The Blue Death Feigning Beetle, Joe Maloney

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Purpose

Asbolus verrucosus, often referred to as the Blue Death Feigning beetle (BDFB) is a species commonly exhibited by zoos, museums, and private individuals due to its beautiful blue color, long life, and fascinating death-feigning behavior. Despite being a very popular species, it is difficult to find specific information regarding breeding requirements and larval care. This is largely due to relatively little being known about the various stages of the BDFB life cycle. My intention in doing this project was to document verified information about the BDFB life cycle from reputable sources and use that information to develop a …

Unl Emeriti And Retirees Association Newsletter, Spring 2024

UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association: Newsletters and Other Materials

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association Newsletter, Spring 2024

Water Current, Volume 56, No. 1, Spring 2024

Water Current Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of The Mental Health Impacts Of Drought On Rural Nebraskans Via Remembered Perceptions, Grace Schleining

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Drought is a sociological phenomenon. It is a well-known occurrence across the midwestern United States; the drying out of the soil, the failing of crops, and the constant dryness and heat... this is all drought. Inspired by my earliest memory of this climate phenomenon, my research question: Can we identify negative effects of drought on rural Nebraskan mental health and/or wellbeing? In this study, rural Nebraska community members, who are involved with the agricultural sector, were interviewed. They were asked questions regarding their perceptions and stories of drought using purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods. Themes throughout indicate negative mental …

Hilling As A Management Tactic And Tool For Understanding Soybean Gall Midge (Resseliella Maxima Gagné), Pragya Gupta

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soybean gall midge (Resseliella maxima Gagné, SGM) emerged as a new species in the United States Midwest in 2019, causing injury to soybean (Glycine max L.) Infestation of R. maxima starts with females laying eggs in the fissures or cracks that develop at the base of soybean during the V2-V3 growth stage. The emerged larvae feed on the stem internally, leading to wilting and death of the plants. With knowledge gaps in biology and behavior, management strategies for this pest are challenging. Hilling is a cultural practice causing soil to cover the base of stems and is …

Characterizing And Developing Chemistry Students’ Data Analysis And Interpretation Of Chemical Data, Stephanie A. Berg

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

All chemistry students must develop competency in analyzing and making sense of data. However, there are many difficulties that chemistry students may experience while analyzing data. Many students may not use relevant prior knowledge to aid in making sense of data, or they may not form conclusions using all the data provided. Additionally, prior knowledge seems to influence one’s data analysis, but little is known about how students use it to make sense of data. Thus, I interviewed undergraduate students as they analyzed graphical data for a task and characterized how they used their prior knowledge throughout. My findings suggest …

"It's Profound To Be Understood": Negotiations Of Household Labor In Trans Families, Eliza Thor

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

The gendered division of household labor has long been of interest to family scholars. For heterosexual couples, labor is often unequally divided, with women normatively taking on more labor than their partners. This inequality is often justified through time availability, resource dependency, and gender ideology. However, less studied is the division of household labor in relationships in which at least one partner is transgender or gender diverse (TGD). Drawing on the framework of “doing gender,” I explore how performing labor that aligns with traditional gender expectations affirms the gender identities of TGD individuals, making the division of labor in the …

Interacting Effects Of Nutrient Availability And Environmental Change On Grassland Plant Communities, George Robert Wheeler

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

The availability of nutrients plays an important role in shaping the composition, productivity and diversity of plant communities. Such effects are particularly well documented in grassland ecosystems, where both independent studies and collaborations such as the Nutrient Network consistently show increasing productivity and decreasing diversity with the addition of limiting nutrients. The specifics of this pattern, however, vary widely from site to site, and within a single site, they may shift with changes in environmental conditions and disturbance regimes.

My research at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (Minnesota, USA), documents such a pattern through resampling of a long-term experiment on …

Examining The Role Of Immersive Technologies In Preparing Preservice Elementary Teachers: Augmented Reality, Integrated Stem, Teaching Self-Efficacy, And Technology Self-Efficacy, Deef Allah Al Shorman

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

This dissertation, utilizing a mixed-methods approach within a design-based research (DBR) framework, investigated the impact of augmented reality (AR) technology on the self-efficacy of preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) in integrated STEM teaching and technology. Incorporating both a pilot study and a subsequent dissertation study, the research specifically focused on the effects of AR GeoGebra. The key results that emerged from the pilot and dissertation studies highlight AR's potential to significantly enhance PSTs' STEM teaching self-efficacy. In both studies, the treatment group that engaged with AR GeoGebra showed substantial improvements in integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy. Additionally, in both studies, participants from …

Novel Insights Into The Autoimmune Mechanisms In Coxsackievirus B Infections And Their Prevention By Vaccination, Mahima Theresa Rasquinha

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

Coxsackievirus Bs (CVBs) are RNA viruses of the genus Enterovirus belonging to the Picornaviridae family. CVBs commonly infect humans, and multiple CVB types can induce similar diseases such as myocarditis, pancreatitis, and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Although CVB infections can lead to the generation of autoantibodies, their role in disease is poorly defined, and vaccines are not available to prevent or minimize these infections. To fill these gaps, we first analyzed the autoantibody repertoire in mice infected with CVB3 by Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq) and identified autoantibodies for several novel antigens not previously reported. The data were validated using enzyme-linked …

Demographic Consequences Of Off-River Nesting For Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) And Interior Least Tern (Sternula Antillarum Athalassos) In The Lower Platte River System, Nebraska, Elsa M. Forsberg

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

Piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter, plovers) and interior least terns (Sternula antillarum athalassos; hereafter, terns) are two avian species that nest along the Lower Platte River system (LPRS) in Nebraska. In the LPRS, river sandbars provide natural nesting habitat, but off-river sites provide substantial nesting habitat especially when sandbar habitat is scarce. Although presumed to be important for the persistence of plovers and terns, off-river habitat is not self-sustaining and predicted to decline. Understanding the vital rates of plovers and terns in the LPRS will inform the role of off- river sites in the future conservation …

The Effect Of Sample Grinding On Color-Based Predictions Of Soil Organic Carbon, Mason Rutgers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Measurements of soil color are widely accessible and can be used as indirect measures of soil organic carbon (SOC). Sensor-based soil color measurements, frequently used in quantitative studies to predict SOC, often use ground and sieved soil samples for color analysis. However, it is unknown whether the extra steps of drying, crushing, and sieving a sample improve the quantitative relationship between color and SOC. This study was conducted to evaluate color-based predictions of SOC using intact, sieved (<2 mm), and fine-ground soil samples from northwest Oklahoma. Moist soil color was measured using Munsell color charts (MCCs) and a Nix Mini 3™ portable color sensor (PCS). The color of the soil samples was measured before processing, after crushing to pass through a 2-mm sieve, and after mechanical grinding to less than 0.25-mm. Using Munsell value (from the MCC) and CIEL* (from the PCS) as predictor variables, regression analyses were conducted to develop SOC predictive functions for each physical state. The resulting coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean squared errors (RMSE) were used to assess model fits for predicting SOC. Model contrasts were calculated to evaluate significant differences between each predictive model. All models exhibited strong relationships (0.56 < R2 < 0.70, 0.20 < RMSE < 0.25) between soil lightness and predicted SOC. Models built using aggregated samples measured with both MCCs (R2= 0.70, RMSE= 0.20) and the PCS (R2= 0.69, RMSE= 0.21) produced the best results. Models built using intact samples measured using the PCS did perform significantly better on samples dark in color (CIEL* < 30). These results suggest that grinding soil samples does not improve color-based predictions of SOC using MCCs and the PCS.

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter Newsletter, Issue #64 Spring 2024

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President-Elect's message, John R. Ruberson

Nominations form for Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska chapter

2023 Outstanding Graduate Student Award nominations solicitation

2023 Teaching Award nominations solicitation

2023 Research Award nomination solicitation

2023 Extension Award nomination solicitation

2023 Award of Merit nomination solicitation

Annual dues notice

List of active members with expiration terms

Membership renewal form

Outstanding Graduate and Undergraduate Student Award fund solicitation

In memoriam:

Raymond "Gene" White (October 10, 1930-May 28, 2021)

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