Digital Commons Network^™

The Big Garden Project: Omaha Community Foundation, R. K. Piper, Gerard Wellman

Past Publications

This executive summary of the final report documents the major findings of interviews and site visits conducted during the summer and fall of 2009 with representatives of BIG Garden and other community gardens in Omaha. The purpose of the study is to gather qualitative information for staff and sponsors on current gardening activities and other factors, relating to effective management and the implementation of best practices.

The Role Of Aeolian Dust In Nutrient And Solute Transport In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Kelly M. Deuerling, Berry W. Lyons, Kathleen A. Welch, Marie Sabacka

Geography and Geology Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), the largest ice-free expanse in Antarctica, are considered a polar desert with an average annual temperature of -20^oC and annual precipitation of <10cm. Despite the extremely arid climate, a hydrologic continuum exists during the austral summer when ephemeral streams formed from glacial meltwater flow into endorheic lakes. Dust is deposited by strong seasonal winds onto the glacier and lake surfaces, as well as in widespread aeolian landforms throughout the MDV. Katabatic winds from the west, probably responsible for the majority of lithogenic dust deposition, dominate during the winter months. Easterly winds from the coast, prominent during the summer, contribute to the dust budget through the addition of salts and marine aerosols. When considered in the context of the unique hydrologic continuum and the climate-sensitivity of the environment, the dissolution of deposited dust may have an impact on salt and nutrient transfer and thus the ecosystem of the MDV. We have simulated this dissolution by conducting a two-step H2O leaching experiment on aeolian sediments collected from select glaciers, lakes, aeolian landforms, and elevated sediment traps. Resulting leachates representing the interaction of 50mL H2O with 25 g of dust sample were analyzed for major ions. NO3^- concentrations (leach 1: <1.0-240 µM; leach 2: <1.0-94 µM) generally increase to the west and imply that aeolian deposition is potentially important to the nitrogen cycle in the MDV. Total dissolved solid concentrations (leach 1: 9-544 mg/L; leach 2: 6-150 mg/L), however, do not show any geographic/spatial correlation which is not consistent with previous work and suggests the significance of dust dissolution to the environment. Aliquots of the total dust were also analyzed for total C and N values. All but two samples, Lake Fryxell (0.12% N) and the eastern side of the Commonwealth Glacier (0.09% N), were below detection limit with respect to N (<0.08% N). Both samples are from the Fryxell basin, the youngest of the basins, that is nitrogen limited. C values ranged from below detection (<0.04% C) to 1.27% C. These results attest to the importance of dust as an addition to the ecosystem of the MDV. Further investigation of the dust is planned to constrain its chemical and mineralogical composition.

University Of Nebraska At Omaha, December Commencement 2009, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Project Animate: Promoting Student Civic Participation Through Latino Voter Mobilization - Ollas Report No. 6, Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

This project sought to expand voter outreach and mobilization of new registered and Latino voters through a series of activities in the greater Omaha metropolitan area. Following the successful development of a voter mobilization project undertaken in the 2006 election cycle, this project conducted door-to-door canvassing activities utilizing students to distribute nonpartisan voter information and engage in “get out the vote” activities with new Latino registered voters.

Natural Change (Births - Deaths) In Nebraska Counties By Decade: 1950s To Present, David Drozd

Past Publications

Source: Nebraska Vital Statistics Reports, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

The First Anniversary: Stress, Well-Being, And Optimism In Older Widows, Mary E. Minton, Melody Hertzog, Cecilia R. Barron, Jeffrey French, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

The first anniversary for older widows (n = 47) has been explored during Months 11, 12, and 13. Concurrent correlations show that optimism inversely correlates with psychological (intrusion and avoidance) stress as measured with the Impact of Event Scale (r = —.52 to —.66, p < .005) and positively correlates with well-being (physical: r = .36 to .46, p < .025; psychosocial: r = .58 to .72, p < .005; spiritual: r = .50 to .69, p < .005). Lagged correlation patterns suggest that higher levels of optimism at a given time are associated with higher life satisfaction and spiritual well-being at later times. Psychological stress is higher at Month 12 when compared to Month 13, t(43) = 2.54, p = .01, but not when compared to Month 11, t(43) = 1.49, p > .10. There are no significant differences in physiologic stress (salivary cortisol) or well-being during the first …

Infants Born Preterm Exhibit Different Patterns Of Center-Of-Pressure Movement Than Infants Born At Full Term, Stacey C. Dusing, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Vicki S. Mercer, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Infants born preterm are at risk for developmental impairments related to postural control.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether infants born preterm and infants born at full term differed in postural control at 1 to 3 weeks after term age.

Design: This study included 17 infants born preterm (mean gestational age=31.9 weeks, range=25.0–34.6) and 15 infants born at full term (mean gestational age=38.9 weeks, range=37.3–40.6). All infants were without diagnosed neurological or genetic conditions.

Measurement: Center-of-pressure (COP) data were recorded at 5 Hz while each infant was positioned supine on a pressure-sensitive mat …

Deans' Forum Summary, November 19, 2009, Uno Office Of Academic And Student Affairs

2009-2010 Academic Year

Notes from the November 19, 2009 OASA Leadership Forum.

Affective Well-Being In Retirement: The Influence Of Values, Money, And Health Across Three Years, Andrew Burr, Jonathan Bruce Santo, Dolores Pushkar

Psychology Faculty Publications

In this study, personal values, health, and financial status were investigated as determinants of affective well-bring in a sample of 371 recent retirees across 3 years. Personal values, measured with the Portrait Value Questionnaire (Schwartz et al. in J Cross Cult Psychol 32:519–542, 2001), were hypothesized to show direct links to positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) as well as to moderate the association between financial and health status and affective well-being. Using structural equation modeling, higher PA was predicted by female gender, better finances, fewer illnesses, and higher self-transcendence (ST), openness to change (OC), and conservation values. Higher …

11,000,000 Words: An Avalanche Of Academic Archive Photos At K-State At Salina, Heidi Blackburn, Pam Bower, Alysia Starkey

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Institutional archives have always provided a sense of history and unity for most universities. This is especially emphasized for the K-State at Salina photographic collection. The school has gone through four different name changes in the last fifty years and the library has amassed an ove1whelming assortment of photographs documenting various events on campus, from groundbreaking ceremonies to student social occasions. With an estimated total of over 11 ,000 unlabeled photographs, the K -State at Salina librarians have worked hard to begin the process of providing the university community with a useful resource for historical research in the future. Using …

The Surface Relaxation And Band Structure Of Mo(112), Ning Wu, Ya. B. Losovyj, Zhaoxian Yu, Renat F. Sabirianov, Wai-Ning Mei, N. Lozova, J. A. Colón Santana, Peter Dowben

Physics Faculty Publications

The experimental and theoretical surface band structures of Mo(112) are compared. This surface band structure mapping is presented with corrections included for the lattice relaxation of the Mo(112) surface. Quantitative low energy electron diffraction (LEED) has been used to determine the details of the Mo(112) surface structure. The first layer contraction is 14.9% by LEED intensity versus voltage analysis and is in general agreement with the 17.6% contraction found from total surface energy optimization. The electronic band structure is mapped out along ¯– ¯ X and ¯–¯Y of the surface Brillouin zone (SBZ). There is strong evidence of electron–phonon coupling …

Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci For Feed Consumption And Feeding Behaviors In A White Duroc × Chinese Erhualian Resource Population, Z. Y. Zhang, J. Ren, Dongren Ren, J. W. Ma, Y. M. Guo, L. S. Huang

Psychology Faculty Publications

To identify QTL for feed consumption and feeding behavior traits in pigs, ADFI, feed conversion ratio (FCR), number of visits to the feeder per day (NVD), and average feeding rate (AFR) were recorded in 577 F₂ animals from a White Duroc × Chinese Erhualian resource population during the fattening period of 120 to 240 d. A whole genome scan was performed with 183 microsatellites covering the pig genome across the entire resource population. A total of 8 QTL were identified on 5 pig chromosomes, including 3 genome-wide significant QTL for FCR on SSC2, 7, and 9, 1 significant QTL …

A Coherent Measurement Of Web-Search Relevance, William Mahoney, Peter Hospodka, William Sousan, Ryan Nickell, Qiuming Zhu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We present a metric for quantitatively assessing the quality of Web searches. The relevance-of-searching-on-target index measures how relevant a search result is with respect to the searcher's interest and intention. The measurement is established on the basis of the cognitive characteristics of common user's online Web-browsing behavior and processes. We evaluated the accuracy of the index function with respect to a set of surveys conducted on several groups of our college students. While the index is primarily intended to be used to compare the Web-search results and tell which is more relevant, it can be extended to other applications. For …

Nebraska Immigration: Deliberative Polling And Civic Engagement On Broadcast And New Media Coverage, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt, David C. Ogden, Hugh J. Reilly

Communication Faculty Publications

Data were analyzed from an October 2007 deliberative poll event in Omaha, Nebraska. The focus of pre-event survey questions was on the usefulness of media sources on the coverage of the global immigration issue. The goal of the project was to promote civic engagement of citizens on an important public issue. The focus of post-event survey questions was on attention paid to media. Additionally, a post-event focus group explored public opinion on credibility of various news sources. While the deliberative poll produced some evidence of short-term effects in terms of citizens learning about the immigration issue, attitudes about media credibility …

Online Reference Question Protocol, Nora Hillyer

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This presentation first provides a snapshot of internet habits of college-age patrons. Then, following topics are discussed: concerns with online reference; ideas to use online reference to its fullest potential; the human element online; personal space; and language of communication for the online environment; handling rude/impatient users; more issues to consider; and words of advice from veterans

The Status And Future Of Government Documents, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Depository libraries have traditionally enjoyed a pretty sweet deal—we receive free copies of documents in return for space, processing, and staff to help people use them. Depository libraries have served as key players in two areas of public policy: 1) public access to government information for the needs of today; and 2) widespread distribution of documents helps them survive to form a historical record.

Migration Into And Out Of Nebraska Based On Irs Tax Filing Data An Analysis Of New 2008 Data Versus Historic Annual Data Since 1989, David Drozd

Past Publications

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) compiles tax return data each year. They match returns from one year to the next utilizing social security numbers. The newest data for 2008 was released in October 2009. The 2008 data should be interpreted as tax returns filed in the spring of 2008 (April 2008) for tax year 2007. The comparison is made between where the people filed in the current year versus their address when filing in the previous year (spring of 2007 for the 2006 tax year). The data are limited to tax filers, which tend to under-represent certain groups, such as …

Cast A Net: Meshing Libraries With Service Learning, Joyce Neujahr, Nora Hillyer

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Common Missions and Goals; Tying UNO Faculty, Students, and Community Partners Together; Service Learning Defined; Where is the Library in Service Learning; Service Learning Projects at the Criss Library; Mesh Your Library with Service Learning; What can the Library Offer SL Projects?

The Terminological Problem In Africana Studies, Nikitah O. Imani

Black Studies Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Delivered lecture “The Terminological Problem in Africana Studies” at the Africana Studies Annual Interdisciplinary Symposium, 2009 "AFRICA AT THE CROSSROADS: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?" James Madison University, October 9th.

Reactivity And Distortions In The Self: Narcissism, Types Of Aggression, And The Functioning Of The Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis During Early Adolescence, William M. Bukowski, Alex Schwartzman, Jonathan Bruce Santo, Catherine Bagwell, Ryan Adams

Psychology Faculty Publications

A multisample, multistudy project aimed at understanding how individual differences in narcissism during early adolescence are related to distortions in the aggression, and the reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis to negative and positive experiences. The findings indicate that individual differences in narcissism are a remarkably stable aspect of personality during early adolescence. It is predictably related to an inflated view of the self that is not warranted by objective indices of social functioning. Further evidence shows that it promotes the continuity of aggressive behavior and is more strongly related to reactive aggression than to proactive aggression and more strongly related …

Using Video Clips To Teach Creative Destruction, Arthur M. Diamond Jr.

Economics Faculty Publications

Stories are memorable and convincing. One way to efficiently tell stories is through movie and video clips. I summarize several video clips that may be useful in teaching aspects of Schumpeter’s important theory of creative destruction. Among the clips discussed are: Hugh Laurie’s Protest Song, electric light segment from a documentary on the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition, eBay Toy Boat Ad, Miss Princess Fun Brick Ad, Moscow toilet paper queue scene, the New York coffee aisle scene from Moscow on the Hudson, and Peck and DeVito’s speeches from Other People’s Money.

JEL Codes: A2, O31, O43

Fact Book 2009, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Fact Book

The Fact Book presents important campus information in data tables and charts. Included are details regarding student and faculty. Generally, data are broken out by college, rank, level, gender, age and ethnicity for both spring and fall semesters.

A Guide For Evaluating Indian Education Services, Products, And Materials, Denise Juneau

Tribal Nations Documents

The following qualifications and criteria are designed to assist school districts in their decision-making process for professional development, curriculum, and other needs (see lists below) that are related to Indian Education for All and student achievement issues. The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) offers this guidance to help schools sort through the variety of available educational services and materials so that the most effective and culturally relevant services and materials will be highlighted for use in Montana schools. It is up to each local district to make choices that meet its needs. We hope this process will help tailor professional …

Common Data Set 2009, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Common Data Sets

Common Data Set (2009 - 2010) for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Book Review: The Concept Of Community: Lessons From The Bronx, Angela M. Eikenberry

Public Administration Faculty Publications

A book review of DeRienzo, H. (2008). The Concept of Community: Lessons From the Bronx. Milan, Italy: IPOC di Pietro Condemi.

Wii-Fit For Balance And Gait In Skilled Nursing Facility: A Retrospective Study, K. P. Padala, Nicholas Stergiou, M. A. Bissell, S. Davis, T. Malloy, J. Potter, W. J. Burke

Journal Articles

Background: Falls in elderly are a major public health problem. Poor balance and gait abnormalities are risk factors for falls. Exercise improves gait and balance in elderly. However, it is difficult to engage patients in exercise programs. Wii-Fit might bridge this gap by providing high level of engagement at an affordable price. Wii-Fit is a Nintendo game used for balance, yoga, aerobics, and strength training. It is a TV based self-directed activity. Virtual trainers talk the user through the activity and track progress while visual and auditory feedback improve engagement. Anecdotal reports suggest improvement in balance and social benefits with …

Enrollment Report - Fall 2009, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

The Enrollment Report provides administrative and delivery-site information on enrollment headcount and student credit hours, as well as the demographic characteristics of enrolled students. The purpose of this profile is to provide the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and student credit hour information by college or equivalent academic unit, class, gender and ethnicity.

The Health-Care Debate And Nebraska's Latino And Immigrant Populations - Ollas Policy Brief No. 2, Lourdes Gouveia, Yuriko Doku

Latino/Latin American Studies Policy Briefs

No abstract provided.

Conscientiousness Is Not Always A Good Predictor Of Performance: The Case Of Creativity, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Jody J. Illies, Lisa M. Kobe-Cross

Psychology Faculty Publications

Meta-analyses investigating the relationship between Conscientiousness and performance suggest a positive relationship for a variety of criteria. However, recently it has been argued that Conscientiousness is not always a good predictor of performance, particularly for creative performance. Additionally, it has been suggested that Conscientiousness includes two distinct components, achievement and dependability, which may have different relationships with criterion measures. Two studies were conducted to determine whether the components of Conscientiousness predict creativity better than the full factor. Students in each study completed a measure of the Five Factor Model and a measure of creative performance. In the first study, creative …

What The Text Is Happening? : Texting, Mobile Communications And The Academic Library, Audrey Defrank, Linda Parker

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Academic libraries are looking for ways to stay relevant to the Millennial/Internetgeneration. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Criss Library, we are conducting a pilot study on mobile computing to provide people to people (p2p) reference services. We will use smart phones and iPhones to interact with students who need information assistance. The study's objectives are the following: 1. Collect data to inform decisions about budgeting, reference services and staffing to re-tool for mobile computing; 2. Identify the audience for mobile computing; 3. Identify the skill sets needed by staff; 4. Create an action plan for redefining the …