Digital Commons Network^™

Improved Pressure Loss And Multiphase Flow Behavior Predictions For In-Line Gas-Liquid Contactors Using Experimental Measurements And Cfd Simulations, Evan Lowry

Theses and Dissertations

Treatment of gas by liquid absorption is a common unit operation in industry. Traditionally, contact between the gas and liquid is accomplished in co-current flow utilizing a tower or column. With the increased demand for natural gas and renewable gas, higher treating capacities for new installations and methods for de-bottlenecking existing plants are needed. Co-current gas treating with static mixers is an increasingly attractive alternative for process intensification. The corrugated plate (SMV-style) mixer is currently the most widely used mixing element for gas-continuous mixing with a liquid phase and has been recommended as the best standard option for this service. …

Non-Mendelian Segregation Of The Maize Embryo-Specific Mutation Und-9, Christopher D. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The maize mutant UND-9 is being studied in our lab as part of a larger study into the genes responsible for embryo development in maize. It is known as an embryo-specific mutant, which causes the embryo of the maize kernel to fail to develop fully while not hindering the development of the endosperm. During this study, it was discovered that the inheritance of this mutation appeared to behave in a manner contrary to the normal laws of Mendelian inheritance. This paper represents a deeper study into the mechanisms of this behavior, analyzing the data collected so far and in particular …

Optical Properties And Simulated X-Ray Near Edge Spectra For Y2o2s And Er Doped Y2o2s, Nicholas Dimakis, Eric Baldemar Rodriguez Jr., Kofi Nketia Ackaah-Gyasi, Madhab Pokhrel

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The electronic and optical properties of Y2O2S and its Er+3 doped counterparts at various concentrations are analyzed using density functional theory (DFT) and simulated x-ray near edge (XANES) spectra. Our simulations are complemented by absorption experiments, which show Y2O2S:Er+3 light emissions in the visible and near infrared. These emissions correspond to Er f–f intraband transitions. We use DFT and DFT+U to calculate the band structure of the Y2O2S and its Er+3 doped counterparts, whereas optical properties are calculated using the independent particle approximation (IPA). The host Y2O2S optical properties are also calculated using the random phase approximation (RPA) and …

December 2022 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Lifespan Benefits For The Combination Of Rapamycin Plus Acarbose And For Captopril In Genetically Heterogeneous Mice, Randy Strong, Kerry Kornfeld, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mice bred in 2017 and entered into the C2017 cohort were tested for possible lifespan benefits of (R/S)-1,3-butanediol (BD), captopril (Capt), leucine (Leu), the Nrf2-activating botanical mixture PB125, sulindac, syringaresinol, or the combination of rapamycin and acarbose started at 9 or 16 months of age (RaAc9, RaAc16). In male mice, the combination of Rapa and Aca started at 9 months and led to a longer lifespan than in either of the two prior cohorts of mice treated with Rapa only, suggesting that this drug combination was more potent than either of its components used alone. In females, lifespan in mice …

Incidence Of An Insulin-Requiring Hyperglycemic Syndrome In Sars-Cov-2-Infected Young Individuals: Is It Type 1 Diabetes?, Massimo Pietropaolo, Peter Hotez, Nick Giannoukakis

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Pancreatic ACE2 receptor expression, together with increased prevalence of insulin-requiring hyperglycemia in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), suggested that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pancreatic infection might trigger a β-cell-selective inflammation precipitating autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D). We examined T1D incidence in patients with COVID-19 inside a large, global population using a "big data" approach. The incidence in 0-30-year-old patients with confirmed COVID-19 over an ∼15-month period from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was compared with an age-matched population without COVID-19 inside the TriNetX COVID-19 Research Network (>80 million deidentified patient electronic medical records globally). …

A Novel, Brief, Fully Automated Intervention To Extend The Antidepressant Effect Of A Single Ketamine Infusion: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Rebecca B Price, Crystal Spotts, Benjamin Panny, Angela Griffo, Michelle Degutis, Nicolas Cruz, Elizabeth Bell, Kevin Do-Nguyen, Meredith L Wallace, Sanjay J Mathew, Robert H Howland

Staff and Researcher Publications

Objective: Intravenous ketamine, which displays rapid antidepressant properties, is posited to reverse depression by rapidly enhancing neuroplasticity. The authors tested whether an automated, computer-based approach could efficiently leverage enhanced neuroplasticity to extend the durability of rapid clinical response.

Methods: A total of 154 adults (ages 18-60) with treatment-resistant unipolar depression were randomized in a double-blind, parallel-arm design to receive an active/active treatment combination (ketamine plus active "automated self-association training" [ASAT]; N=53) or one of two control arms that lacked either the active drug component (saline plus active ASAT; N=51) or the active behavioral component (ketamine plus sham ASAT; N=50). One …

Human Loss-Of-Function Variants In The Serotonin 2c Receptor Associated With Obesity And Maladaptive Behavior, Yang He, Bas Brouwers, Hesong Liu, Hailan Liu, Katherine Lawler, Edson Mendes De Oliveira, Dong-Kee Lee, Yongjie Yang, Aaron R Cox, Julia M Keogh, Elana Henning, Rebecca Bounds, Aliki Perdikari, Vikram Ayinampudi, Chunmei Wang, Meng Yu, Longlong Tu, Nan Zhang, Na Yin, Junying Han, Nikolas A Scarcelli, Zili Yan, Kristine M Conde, Camille Potts, Jonathan C Bean, Mengjie Wang, Sean M Hartig, Lan Liao, Jianming Xu, Inês Barroso, Jacek Mokrosinski, Yong Xu, I Sadaf Farooqi

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and receptor agonists are used to treat obesity, anxiety and depression. Here we studied the role of the serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2CR) in weight regulation and behavior. Using exome sequencing of 2,548 people with severe obesity and 1,117 control individuals without obesity, we identified 13 rare variants in the gene encoding 5-HT2CR (HTR2C) in 19 unrelated people (3 males and 16 females). Eleven variants caused a loss of function in HEK293 cells. All people who carried variants had hyperphagia and some degree of maladaptive behavior. Knock-in male mice harboring a human loss-of-function HTR2C variant developed …

Anxiety Disorders In Children And Adolescents, Alicia Kowalchuk, Sandra J Gonzalez, Roger J Zoorob

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, affecting nearly 1 in 12 children and 1 in 4 adolescents. Anxiety disorders include specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Risk factors include parental history of anxiety disorders, socioeconomic stressors, exposure to violence, and trauma. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for anxiety disorders in children eight years and older; there is insufficient evidence to support screening in children younger than eight years. Symptoms of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents are similar to those in adults …

Scan4façade: Automated As-Is Façade Modeling Of Historic High-Rise Buildings Using Drones And Ai, Yuhan Jiang, Sisi Han, Yong Bai

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper presents an automated as-is façade modeling method for existing and historic high-rise buildings, named Scan4Façade. To begin with, a camera drone with a spiral path is employed to capture building exterior images, and photogrammetry is used to conduct three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and create mesh models for the scanned building façades. High-resolution façade orthoimages are then generated from mesh models and pixelwise segmented by an artificial intelligence (AI) model named U-net. A combined data augmentation strategy, including random flipping, rotation, resizing, perspective transformation, and color adjustment, is proposed for model training with a limited number of labels. As …

Draft Final Quarterly Operations And Maintenance Report Butte Treatment Lagoon System – Third Quarter 2022, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Cyber-Attack Detection In Network Traffic Using Machine Learning, Khalid Almulla

Theses

Rapid shifting by government sectors and companies to provide their services and products over the internet, has immensely increased internet usage by individuals. Through extranets to network services or corporate networks used for personal purposes, computer hackers can lead to financial losses and manpower/time consumption. Therefore, it is vital to take all necessary measures to minimize losses by detecting attacks preemptively. Due to learning algorithms in cyberspace security challenges, deep learning-based cyber defense has lately become a hot topic. Penetration testing, malware categorization and identification, spam filtering, and spoofing detection are just a few of the key concerns in cyber …

The Role Of Investment Treaties And Investor–State Dispute Settlement (Isds) In Renewable Energy Investments, Ladan Mehranvar, Sunayana Sasmal

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Achieving our global goals of universal access to clean energy and averting a climate crisis will require a mass scale-up of investments in renewable energy infrastructure, redirecting capital from carbon intensive energy and transport systems. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that the transformation of the energy system alone will need cumulative investments to reach USD 110 trillion by 2050 to keep the rise in global temperatures to well below 2°C and towards 1.5°C during this century. Of that amount, over 80% will need to be invested in renewables, energy efficiency, end-use electrification, and power grids and flexibility.

The private …

Creating A Better Browser Fingerprint, Scott Reiling

Interdisciplinary Informatics Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Web browser fingerprinting is used to analyze client behavior through retrieval of browser attributes unique to the user’s browser, network and hardware profile. Third-party trackers are prevalent on the top Alexa sites and use JavaScript to retrieve and store user machine information in a stateless fashion. Stateless fingerprinting is performed through acquisition of client machine specifiers through an embedded JavaScript, which then forwards the information to a server. The client information is purportedly used to provide tailored advertising and enhance the browsing experience. However, the depth of captured client information often extends into the realm of personally identifiable information. The …

Openet: Filling A Critical Data Gap In Water Management For The Western United States, Forrest S. Melton, Justin Huntington, Robyn Grimm, Jamie Herring, Maurice Hall, Dana Rollison, Tyler Erickson, Richard Allen, Martha Anderson, Joshua B. Fisher, Ayse Kilic, Gabriel B. Senay, John Volk, Christopher Hain, Lee Johnson, Anderson Ruhoff, Philip Blankenau, Matt Bromley, Will Carrara, Britta Daudert, Conor Doherty, Christian Dunkerly, Mackenzie Friedrichs, Alberto Guzman, Gregory Halverson, Jody Hansen, Jordan Harding, Yanghui Kang, David Ketchum, Blake Minor, Charles Morton, Samuel Ortega-Salazar, Thomas Ott, Mutlu Ozdogan, Peter M. Revelle, Mitch Schull, Carlos Wang, Yun Yang, Ray G. Anderson

AES Faculty Publications and Presentations

The lack of consistent, accurate information on evapotranspiration (ET) and consumptive use of water by irrigated agriculture is one of the most important data gaps for water managers in the western United States (U.S.) and other arid agricultural regions globally. The ability to easily access information on ET is central to improving water budgets across the West, advancing the use of data-driven irrigation management strategies, and expanding incentive-driven conservation programs. Recent advances in remote sensing of ET have led to the development of multiple approaches for field-scale ET mapping that have been used for local and regional water resource management …

An Unexpected Case Of Non-Uremic Calciphylaxis In A Patient With Multiple Risk Factors, Shannon Nugent, Fred Karaisz, Maisa Elbadawi, Andrew Touati, Neda Nikbakht, Jason B. Lee, Hasan Arif

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

A 58-year-old woman with a history of morbid obesity, asthma, and prior warfarin use presented to the hospital with shortness of breath and a three-month history of painful, ulcerated ulcers with retiform purpura of her bilateral distal extremities. A punch biopsy specimen demonstrated focal necrosis and hyalinization of the adipose tissue with subtle arteriolar calcium deposition, findings consistent with calciphylaxis. We discuss the presentation of non-uremic calciphylaxis and review the risk factors, pathophysiology, and interdisciplinary management approach of this rare disease.

Phosphate Mineralogy And Paragenesis Of The Fletcher Pegmatite, North Groton, New Hampshire, Susanna T. Kreinik

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Investigation of phosphate assemblages selectively collected at the Fletcher Mine pegmatite, North Groton, New Hampshire, yielded eighteen discrete secondary phosphate species. Secondary phases were formed via metasomatic (high temperature) and hydrothermal (low temperature) alteration of primary triphylite and fluorapatite. Mineral associations bear proximal phases known to occur under contrasting conditions, both oxidizing and reducing, suggesting the formation of microenvironments during concomitant mineral generation. Late-stage hydrothermal fluids provide ions taken up in low temperature secondary phases with calcium and magnesium most prevalent in these suites. High iron to manganese ratios in analyzed specimens establish the relative evolution of the pegmatite host. …

Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Spatial Ecology, Habitat Selection, And Use Of Restored Oak-Pine Barrens In Northwestern Michigan, Diana Paige Methner

Masters Theses

Habitat fragmentation and loss, predation, and illegal collection are among the many threats plaguing turtle species worldwide which have caused substantial population declines. In the United States and Canada, approximately 38% of turtle and tortoise species are under significant threat. The wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) a freshwater turtle species experiencing declines and in 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine if this species should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. We studied the spatial ecology of wood turtles in northwestern Michigan, USA to fill knowledge gaps that exist throughout their geographic range. Between May 2021 …

Authigenic Clay Mineral Evidence For Restricted, Evaporitic Conditions During The Emergence Of The Ediacaran Doushantuo Biota, Shujun Han, Stefan C. Lӧhr, April N. Abbott, Andre Baldermann, Martin Voigt, Bingsong Yu

Marine Science

The Ediacaran Period witnessed major environmental change and an expansion of eukaryotic life following the Marinoan glaciation. The Doushantuo Formation of south China has furnished much of our understanding of Earth System and biosphere evolution during this period, but its depositional setting–marine or non-marine–is still debated. Here we conduct mineralogical, petrographic and geochemical analyses of samples from the lower Doushantuo Formation in order to determine the origin of saponite clay minerals which are abundant in this interval. We find that the morphology and distribution of the saponite clays suggest they are of pre-compaction, authigenic origin. We infer that the lower …

Social Equity Is Key To Sustainable Ocean Governance, Katherine M. Crosman, Edward H. Allison, Yoshitaka Ota, Andrés M. Cisneros-Montemayor, Gerald G. Singh, Wilf Swartz, Megan Bailey, Kate M. Barclay, Grant Blume, Mathieu Colléter, Michael Fabinyi, Elaine M. Faustman, Russell Fielding, P. Joshua Griffin, Quentin Hanich, Harriet Harden-Davies, Ryan P. Kelly, Tiff Annie Kenny, Terrie Klinger

Honors College Faculty Publications

Calls to address social equity in ocean governance are expanding. Yet ‘equity’ is seldom clearly defined. Here we present a framework to support contextually-informed assessment of equity in ocean governance. Guiding questions include: (1) Where and (2) Why is equity being examined? (3) Equity for or amongst Whom? (4) What is being distributed? (5) When is equity considered? And (6) How do governance structures impact equity? The framework supports consistent operationalization of equity, challenges oversimplification, and allows evaluation of progress. It is a step toward securing the equitable ocean governance already reflected in national and international commitments.

Bringing A Cure Into A Discrete Mathematics Course And Beyond, Lipika Deka, Peri Shereen, Jeffrey Wand

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have been well developed in the hard sciences, but math CUREs are all but absent from the literature. Like biology and chemistry, math programs suffer from a lack of research experiences and many students are not able to participate in programs like REUs (Research Experiences for Undergraduates). CUREs are a great alternative, but the current definition of CURE (see [1]) has potential barriers when applied to mathematics (e.g. time, novelty of project). Our solution to these barriers was to develop a math CURE pathway in which students complete "Math CUREs" in targeted courses. After finishing …

The Impact Of Assistive Devices On Gait Biomechanics And Muscle Activity In Stroke Survivors: (A) The Impact Of Regulated Afo Plantarflexion And Dorsiflexion Resistance On Biomechanics And Muscle Activity Of Individuals Post-Stroke. (B) How Treadmill Handrail-Use Impacts The Paretic Side Margin Of Stability In Individuals’ Post-Stroke, Oluwaseye P. Odanye

Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate how different assistive devices impact the gait characteristics of stroke survivors. In two different sections, we investigated how an ankle foot-orthosis (AFO) impacts the gait and muscle activity of stroke survivors, and how the use of treadmill handrails impacts the stability margins of stroke survivors while walking on the treadmill. First, we used an articulated AFO device fabricated with an individual-specific design using a 3D scanner and a 3D printer to personalize the AFO foot plate and calf section, which we assembled with a triple action joint for each participant. The joints …

Debunking The Stigma: Solution Focused Brief Therapy With African American Couples: A Case Study, Deneen Holmes, Eman Tadros

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) allows both therapist and clients to place emphasis on future goals and changing the stigmatic perception for seeking mental help without attention to the conflict. SFBT is a culturally appropriate model that can be used with African American couples. This paper provides a case study of working with an African American couple and the important considerations taken.

No Theory Solution Focused Practices Is A Way Of Life: A Further Step To An Ecology Of Mind, Nick Drury

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

A Multistate Competing Risks Framework For Preconception Prediction Of Pregnancy Outcomes, Kaitlyn Cook, Neil J. Perkins, Enrique Schisterman, Sebastien Haneuse

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Preconception pregnancy risk profiles—characterizing the likelihood that a pregnancy attempt results in a full-term birth, preterm birth, clinical pregnancy loss, or failure to conceive—can provide critical information during the early stages of a pregnancy attempt, when obstetricians are best positioned to intervene to improve the chances of successful conception and full-term live birth. Yet the task of constructing and validating risk assessment tools for this earlier intervention window is complicated by several statistical features: the final outcome of the pregnancy attempt is multinomial in nature, and it summarizes the results of two intermediate stages, conception and gestation, whose outcomes …

Transcriptomic Signal Of Reproductive Modes And Early Speciation In Daphnia Pulex-Pulicaria System, Trung Viet Huynh

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Daphnia have been gaining recognition as a key model system for studies of evolution, ecology, toxicology, and more recently genomics. The defining characteristic of this particular model system is its phenotypic plasticity and its responsiveness to environmental cues. At the same time, the advent of RNA sequencing technology has helped researchers gain new insights on the plasticity of gene expression and its role linking environmental cues with the physiological response mounted by the organism. Although many RNA-seq studies have been conducted in Daphnia, surprisingly no one has recorded the gene expression profile of one of Daphnia’s most famous phenotypic plastic …

Analytics On Service Quality In Spectator Sports, Ahmet Ozkul, Gazi Duman

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Spectator sport events are made possible by the contributions of many different participants ranging from fans and players to coaches, managers and sponsors. Through the lens of co-creation of value in the spectator sports, we discuss how sport analytics can relate to spectator sport service quality by collecting and analyzing data from each participating actor.

Facilitators And Inhibitors To First Adult Care Visits In The Transition From Paediatric To Adult Orientated Inflammatory Bowel Disease Healthcare, Joanna Rea

Theses

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be a very debilitating disease and it is found to be more extensive in children with rapid early progression (Van Limbergen et al., 2008). As adolescents, these children transition from paediatric to adult oriented care. The first adult care visits are a pivotal phase of a successful transition process, where adolescents potentially begin to actively take control of their disease. The aim of this study is to explore the inhibitors and facilitators to first adult care visits in the transition process from paediatric to adult oriented IBD healthcare.

Methods: An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative approach …

The Development Of Cultural Intelligence (Cq) In The Secondary Social Studies Classroom, Asha Gillette

Senior Honors Theses

Cultural competence is an important skill in our globalized world. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is a good metric for cultural competence. CQ is used by businesses to improve cultural competence of their employees. There has been a lot of research on the development of CQ in undergraduate business students. Experiential teaching methods are the most effective in improving students’ CQ. CQ is a valuable skill for high school students to learn. The subject most appropriate to include training in CQ is social studies, and specifically World Geography. Pedagogical methods such as cultural interviews used in undergraduate business courses can also be …

The Dream Of Property: Law And Environment In William T. Vollmann’S Dying Grass And Leslie Marmon Silko’S Almanac Of The Dead, Ted Hamilton

Faculty Journal Articles

This article describes how the law inflects the narration of environmental conflict in William T. Vollmann’s Dying Grass (2015) and Leslie Marmon Silko’s Almanac of the Dead (1991). By focusing on the legal common sense of settler colonialism—its emphasis on private property in land and its subjugation of Indigenous peoples to the guardianship of the state—the article explores the ways in which Vollmann’s and Silko’s novels present counternarratives to the law’s story of justified conquest. Combining a law and literature approach with ecocriticism, this article highlights the importance of the legal imagination in defining human-land relations in the United States. …