Life Sciences Commons^™

Testing The Hypothesized Antipredator Defence Function Of Stridulation In The Spiny Orb-Weaving Spider, Micrathena Gracilis, Tyler B. Corey, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

The observable diversity of antipredator defenses across organisms demonstrates predation’s impact on trait evolution. The functions of many traits that are presumed to have an antipredator function have never been directly tested. The spiny orb-weaving spider, Micrathena gracilis, for example, stridulates when grasped. While stridulation was first hypothesized to be an antipredator defense nearly 50 years ago, no data exist to support this hypothesis. To explore the form and function of M. gracilis stridulation, we first quantified the behavioral and acoustical properties of sound production. Next, using laboratory assays, we directly tested the effect of stridulation on survival with …

Spotted Owls And Forest Fire: Comment, Gavin M. Jones, R. J. Gutiérrez, William M. Block, Peter C. Carlson, Emily J. Comfort, Samuel A. Cushman, Raymond J. Davis, Stephanie A. Eyes, Alan B. Franklin, Joseph L. Ganey, Shaula Hedwall, John J. Keane, Rodd Kelsey, Damon B, Lesmeister, Malcolm P. North, Susan L. Roberts, Jeremy T. Rockweit, Jamie S. Sanderlin, Sarah C. Sawyer, Ben Solvesky, Douglas J. Tempel, Ho Yi Wan, A. Leroy Westerling, Gary C. White, M. Zachariah Peery

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Western North American forest ecosystems are experiencing rapid changes in disturbance regimes because of climate change and land use legacies (Littell et al. 2018). In many of these forests, the accumulation of surface and ladder fuels from a century of fire suppression, coupled with a warming and drying climate, has led to increases in the number of large fires (Westerling 2016) and the proportion of areas burning at higher severity (Safford and Stevens 2017, Singleton et al. 2018). While the annual area burned by fire is still below historical levels (Taylor et al. 2016), some forest types in the west …

Dissecting The Regulatory Network Of Sphingolipid Biosynthesis In Plants, Ariadna Gonzalez-Solis

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sphingolipids are a diverse group of lipids recognized as important components of cellular membranes and regulators of processes during development and in response to environmental stresses. Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) catalyzes the first step in sphingolipid biosynthesis and is a primary regulatory point for homeostasis. ORM proteins have been identified as negative regulators of SPT activity, however the mechanistic details of the regulation are only beginning to be understood. In this work, we show that ORM1 and ORM2 are essential for life cycle completion in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, the study of a structural ORM1 variant provided information about a transmembrane …

Investigating Microbial And Host Factors That Modulate Severity Of Clostridioides Difficile Associated Disease, Armando Lerma

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Clostridioides difficile is recognized as one of the most important pathogens in hospital and community healthcare settings. The clinical outcome of infection of toxigenic C. difficile infection (CDI) ranges from asymptomatic colonization to fulminant pseudomembranous colitis and death. In recent studies, it has been suggested that a high proportion of nosocomial CDI cases are transmitted from asymptomatic carriers which might be acting as infection reservoirs. Understanding what causes the different responses to infection could lead to the development of novel prevention and treatment strategies. Although several explanations have been proposed to explain variations in susceptibility, understanding of the exact mechanisms …

A Scientometric Analysis Of Journal Of Agronomy And Crop Science (2000 -2019) Indexed In Web Of Science, Ali K. S., Ghouse Modin Nabeesab Mamdapur, Manjunath D. Kaddipujar, Manjunath B. Hadimani, Engin Senel

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present study attempts to analyze the publication productivity of the "Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science" during the year 2000-2019. The study was based on the data extracted from the Web of Science database. The primary purpose of the study is to analyze the research contributions of the journal under review. Through this investigation, the authors have tried to know the publication trend in the field of agronomy and related areas. The analysis covers the number of articles, year-wise distribution of articles along with citations, authorship pattern, institutions/organizations with the highest contributions, and the study also gives year-wise h-index …

First Report Of Brachyplatys Subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) In The United States, Joseph E. Eger Jr., Adam J. Pitcher, Susan E. Halbert, Cory Penca, Amanda C. Hodges

Insecta Mundi

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is reported from Miami Beach, FL, the first report from the United States. It was noticed first on a photo-sharing site (iNaturalist) providing an example of the importance of these sites for helping to track introduced species. Information on distribution, host plants and potential spread are provided along with photos and taxonomic characters to assist with identification of this recently introduced species.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:332C0E76-9AE9-4069-9240-F55CADC64165

Additional Type Designations For Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Of The Biologia Centrali Americana Housed In The Natural History Museum, London, Gavin J. Martin, Natalie A. Saxton

Insecta Mundi

Firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) taxonomy has undergone numerous changes over the past 100 years. In order to help provide stability to the group, types for several of the Lampyridae of the Biologia Centrali Americana were determined or designated in early 2019. Here we provide treatments for the remaining Lampyridae and determine the holotype specimens for four species and designate lectotype specimens for 33 species.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1EBF8DAB-3EC5-4671-9E15-C3D2213E3164

A New Species Of Parorectis Spaeth From The North-Central United States, With Notes On Prothoracic And Head Morphology Of The Genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Cassidini), Edward G. Riley

Insecta Mundi

A new species of tortoise beetle from the north-central United States, Parorectis arenaria new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Cassidini), is described and illustrated. Comparative remarks and a key are provided to distinguish the new species from the three other species comprising the genus. Adults and larvae of the new species feed on Physalis L. (Solanaceae). The circum-foraminal ridge and antennal groove of the prothorax are described in detail. The pars stridens (file) of the stridulatory apparatus on the male cranium of the new species is illustrated. The pars stridens is present only in males of Parorectis Spaeth species. A patch …

The Genus Ochodaeus In Italy: Taxonomy And Distribution (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

The author provides a taxonomic, nomenclatural and distributional review of the genus Ochodaeus Dejean, 1821 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae) in Italy. All Italian populations have been confirmed to belong to a single species, O. chrysomeloides (Schrank, 1781). After the study of a syntype, O. cychramoides Reitter, 1892, formerly considered an Italian endemic, is confirmed to be a junior synonym of O. chrysomeloides. Type material of O. chrysomeloides is believed to be destroyed, therefore a neotype is here designated and deposited at the Natural History Museum of Vienna, Austria. A lectotype is here designated for O. cychramoides and deposited in the Hungarian …

Checklist Of The Caddisfly Family Rhyacophilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) In India, Tabaraq Ali, Sajad H. Parey, Manpreet S. Pandher, Malkiat S. Saini

Insecta Mundi

The present checklist covers the fauna of the Trichopteran family Rhyacophilidae Stephens, 1836. Based on extensive surveys done during 2003–2019 and previous species records, we find that the family Rhyacophilidae is represented by two genera and 184 species in India. The genus Rhyacophila Pictet contains 165 species in India while the genus Himalopsyche Banks contains 19 described species. The Indian Himalayan region is inhabited by more species than the rest of India.

Dos Nuevas Especies De Gorgojos Que Barrenan Los Frutos De Palma De Chontaduro De Los Géneros Parisoschoenus Y Cylindrocerus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae) De La Costa Pacífica De Colombia, Luis Miguel Constantino, Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno

Insecta Mundi

Actualmente existen dos especies de gorgojos (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) que barrenan los frutos de la palma de chontaduro Bactris gasipaes Kunth en Colombia y que ocasionan pérdidas de hasta el 100% de la producción. Palmelampius heinrichi O’Brien es la principal plaga del cultivo en toda la costa pacífica y en vastas regiones de la amazonia y el piedemonte llanero. En este trabajo se describe una nueva especie del género Parisoschoenus Faust, P. bactrisae Constantino y Pardo-Locarno que ocurre simpátricamente con P. heinrichi en la costa pacífica de Colombia causando un daño similar y que se diferencia de la especie anterior por …

First Record For Cypherotylus Dromedarius (Lacordaire) (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) From Panama, Brian J. Armitage, Alonso Santos Murgas

Insecta Mundi

Cypherotylus dromedarius (Lacordaire, 1842) (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) was described from French Guiana. Information about its current distribution is scattered throughout the literature and the internet. Specimens of this species were recently observed and photographed in the Boquete area, Chiriqui Province, Panama, and constitute a new record for the country of this species. Subsequently, we located two specimens deposited in the National Reference Collection of the G. B. Fairchild Museum of Invertebrates, University of Panama, from the same locality in Chiriqui Province. We summarize the distribution of this species from scattered sources and provide five new records.

Cypherotylus dromedarius (Lacordaire, 1842) (Coleoptera: …

A New Central American Genus Of Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) From The Ischyrus-Megischyrus Complex, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Antoinettia, new genus (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae: Tritomini), is erected for three species: A. audbala (Skelley), new combination, A. huhnei Skelley, new species, and A. kovariki (Skelley), new combination. A genus complex involving Ischyrus Lacordaire, 1842, and Megischyrus Crotch, 1873, is defined and a preliminary key to neotropical genera of Tritomini with coarsely facetted eyes is presented.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7CF5D30C-C46E-4135-A188-B53B0A77B34E

Making A First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do And Say On The First Day Of Introductory Stem Courses, A Kelly Lane, Clara L. Meaders, J Kenny Shuman, Mackenzie R. Stetzer, Erin L. Vinson, Brian A. Couch, Michelle K. Smith, Marilyne Stains

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Student impressions formed during the first day of class can impact course satisfaction and performance. Despite its potential importance, little is known about how instructors format the first day of class. Here, we report on observations of the first day of class in 23 introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses. We first described how introductory STEM instructors structure their class time by characterizing topics covered on the first day through inductive coding of class videos. We found that all instructors discussed policies and basic information. However, a cluster analysis revealed two groups of instructors who differed primarily in …

Pork In The Future: The New Futures And Options Contracts On Pork Cutout, Fabio Mattos

Cornhusker Economics

The CME Group has announced its plan to launch futures and options contracts on pork cut-out. The new contracts are scheduled to start trading on November 9, 2020. The exchange has al-ready been offering futures and options contracts on lean hogs and now adds another contract that the industry can use for risk management. While the existing futures contract on lean hogs is based on prices paid for hogs in the U.S., the new con-tract on pork cutout is based on prices paid for wholesale cuts of pork.

Developing A Computer-Controlled Treat Dispenser For Canine Operant Conditioning, Walker Arce, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty and Staff Publications

When performing canine operant conditioning studies, the delivery of the reward can be a limiting factor of the study. While there are a few commercially available options for automatically delivering rewards, they generally require manual input, such as using a remote control, in accordance with the experiment script. This means that human reaction times and transmission distances can cause interruptions to the flow of the experiment. The potential for development of non-supervised conditioning studies is limited by this same factor. To remedy this, we retrofitted an off-the-shelf treat dispenser with new electronics that allow it to be remotely controllable as …

Using Dna Barcoding For Identification Of Some Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) Intercepted At South Korea Ports-Of-Entry, Soo-Jung Suh, Deuk-Soo Choi

Insecta Mundi

Quick and accurate identification of intercepted psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) is an essential requirement for effective pest management and phytosanitary procedures. However, due to lack of morphological characters in the immature stages that can be used to distinguish species, other molecular methods, such as DNA barcoding are proving to be useful. The current study was to designed to generate comprehensive information on the identification of all developmental stages of eight species of psyllids intercepted on consignments of infested fresh cut flowers at the ports of entry in South Korea using DNA barcoding. It is considered that DNA barcoding is a reliable …

Anthropogenic Change On The Distribution Of Marine Megafauna And Their Prey, Baylie Fadool

Honors Theses

Anthropogenic change is impacting the distribution and survival of marine megafauna and their prey. Humans are changing every aspect of the marine environment, with effects reaching as large as changing the composition of marine environments to directly overexploiting species through the fishing industry. The role that marine megafauna play in balancing ecosystems, including as top apex predators, leads to detrimental results in the absences and population declines of these species. Migrations and declines due to threats on marine apex predator species will alter their environments by causing mesopredator release and changes in community structure, which is often associated with reduced …

Energy Balance In The Dssat-Csm-Cropgro Model, Santiago V. Cuadra, Bruce A. Kimball, Kenneth J. Boote, Andrew E. Suyker, Nigel Pickering

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

One potential way to improve crop growth models is for the models to predict energy balance and evapotranspiration (ET) from first principles, thus serving as a check on “engineered” ET methodology. In this paper, we present new implementations and the results of an energy balance model (EBL) developed by Jagtap and Jones (1989) and then implemented in DSSAT’s CROPGRO (CG-EBL) model by Pickering et al. (1995) as a linked energy balance-photosynthesis model that has not been field-tested until now. The energy balance code computes evapotranspiration and other energy balance components, as well as a canopy air temperature, based on three …

Curie Temperature Engineering In A Novel 2d Analog Of Iron Ore (Hematene) Via Strain, Renu Singla, Timothy A. Hackett, Sarvesh Kumar, Jyotsna Sharma, Manish K. Kashyap

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

As a newly exfoliated magnetic 2D material from hematite, hematene is the most far-reaching ultrathin magnetic indirect bandgap semiconductor. We have carried out a detailed structural analysis of hematene via prefacing strain by means of first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Hematene in the pristine form emerges out to be a magnetic semiconductor with a bandgap of 1.0/2.0 eV for the majority/minority spin channel. The dependence of magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE), T_C, and the bandgap on compressive and tensile strains has been scanned exclusively. It is examined that T_C depends firmly on the compressive strain …

Inheritability Of Ciprofloxacin-Induced Mitochondrial Mutations From Parental To Offspring Generation Using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Rose Mccoy

Honors Theses

In all eukaryotes, mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell (Siekevitz, 1957). In plants, however, their mitochondrial genome is especially strange. Plant mitochondrial genomes are extremely large and contain both linear and circular subgenomic DNA fragments. Plant mitochondrial genomes undergo a significant amount of mutations in the form of rearrangements. However, it is not known how often these rearrangements are inherited by the next generation. It is thought that plant cells that are still dividing have higher rates of DNA repair, such as double-strand break repair, to ensure the quality of that plant lineage. As follows, it is …

Loci Associated With Antibody Response In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) Infected With Brucella Suis, Courtney F. Pierce, Vienna R. Brown, Steven C. Olsen, Paola Boggiatto, Kerri Pedersen, Ryan S. Miller, Scott E. Speidel, Timothy J. Smyser

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are a destructive invasive species widespread throughout the United States that disrupt ecosystems, damage crops, and carry pathogens of concern for the health of domestic stock and humans including Brucella suis—the causative organism for swine brucellosis. In domestic swine, brucellosis results in reproductive failure due to abortions and infertility. Contact with infected feral swine poses spillover risks to domestic pigs as well as humans, companion animals, wildlife, and other livestock. Genetic factors influence the outcome of infectious diseases; therefore, genome wide association studies (GWAS) of differential immune responses among feral swine can provide …

Detailed Genetic Analysis For Identifying Qtls Associated With Drought Tolerance At Seed Germination And Seedling Stages In Barley, Yasser S. Moursi, Samar G. Thabet, Ahmed Amro, Mona F.A. Dawood, P Stephen Baenziger, Ahmed Sallam

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Drought induces several challenges for plant development, growth, and production. These challenges become more severe, in particular, in arid and semiarid countries like Egypt. In terms of production, barley ranks fourth after wheat, maize, and rice. Seed germination and seedling stages are critical stages for plant establishment and growth. In the current study, 60 diverse barley genotypes were tested for drought tolerance using two different treatments: control (0-PEG) and drought (20%-PEG). Twenty-two traits were estimated for seed germination and seedling parameters. All traits were reduced under drought stress, and a significant variation was found among genotypes under control and stress …

A New Species Of Diolcus Mayr (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae: Pachycorinae) With A Reexamination Of The Subfamily And Generic Placement Of Nesogenes Boscii (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae: Elvisurinae Or Pachycorinae), Joseph E. Eger Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Diolcus thomasi Eger new species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae: Pachycorinae), is de­scribed from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Island and compared to D. chrysorrhoeus (Fabricius), its closest congener. Nesogenes boscii (Fabricius) is removed from the Elvisurinae and placed in the Pachycorinae. The relationship of N. boscii to D. thomasi and D. chrysorrhoeus is discussed.

Diolcus Mayr (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae: Pachycorinae) currently contains six valid species: D. cassi­doides (Walker) from Hispaniola, D. chrysorrhoeus (Fabricius) from the southeastern US and Texas, D. disjunctus Barber from Puerto Rico, D. irroratus (Fabricius) from Florida and many of …

A Review Of Avian Influenza A Virus Associations In Synanthropic Birds, Susan A. Shriner, J. Jeffrey Root

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Avian influenza A viruses (IAV) have received significant attention due to the threat they pose to human, livestock, and wildlife health. In this review, we focus on what is known about IAV dynamics in less common avian species that may play a role in trafficking IAVs to poultry operations. Specifically, we focus on synanthropic bird species. Synanthropic species, otherwise known as peridomestic, are species that are ecologically associated with humans and anthropogenically modified landscapes, such as agricultural and urban areas. Aquatic birds such as waterfowl and shorebirds are the species most commonly associated with avian IAVs, and are generally considered …

Mandibulofacial Dysostosis Attributed To A Recessive Mutation Of Cyp26c1 In Hereford Cattle, Renae L. Sieck, Anna M. Fuller, Patrick S. Bedwell, Jack A. Ward, Stacy K. Sanders, Shi-Hua Xiang, Sichong Peng, Jessica Lynn Petersen, David J. Steffen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In spring 2020, six Hereford calves presented with congenital facial deformities attributed to a condition we termed mandibulofacial dysostosis (MD). Affected calves shared hallmark features of a variably shortened and/or asymmetric lower mandible and bilateral skin tags present 2–10 cm caudal to the commissure of the lips. Pedigree analysis revealed a single common ancestor shared by the sire and dam of each affected calf. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 20 animals led to the discovery of a variant (Chr26 g. 14404993T>C) in Exon 3 of CYP26C1 associated with MD. This missense mutation (p.L188P), is located in an α helix of …

The Economic Impacts Of Social Activism In Food Markets, Anubrata Deka, Emie Yiannaka, Konstantinos Giannakas

Cornhusker Economics

Private politics, usually led by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and social activists, focuses on changing the behavior of private economic agents through social pressure rather than through government action (although government action is also possible) (Baron, 2003). The food sector has been experiencing increased social pressure from social activist organizations to achieve diverse goals, ranging from improving food safety and food fortification to increasing transparency in food markets. A primary reason for the increase in organized activism in the food sector is the proliferation of the provision of credence attributes which are attributes unobservable through search or experience (consumption and use). …

Wetland Edge Trampled By American Bison (Bos Bison) Used As Basking Site For Painted Turtles (Chrysemys Picta), Keith Geluso, Carter Kruse, Mary Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Prairies of the Great Plains once were influenced by large-scale disturbances, such as fire and herbivory by large ungulates, that promoted ecosystem functioning. American Bison (Bos bison) created many types of disturbances as they traversed grassland landscapes. Trampling, a common type of bison disturbance, occurred when large herds moved through an area denuding aboveground vegetation, exposing prairie soils, and restarting succession. Bison reintroductions now allow researchers to use contemporary observations to examine influences of these large, hoofed mammals on system functions. Herein, we report on the immediate benefit of trampling along a wetland edge for another vertebrate species. …

Description Of A New Species Of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) From The Sierra Azul, Oaxaca, Mexico, A New Synonymy, And Notes On Chrysina Species Found In The Sierra Azul, José Monzón Sierra, Julian Federico Blackaller-Bages, David C. Hawks

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Chrysina Kirby, C. clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, and Hawks (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) is described from Santiago Clavellinas in the Sierra Azul in Oaxaca, Mexico. Chrysina cosijoezai (Ramírez-Ponce and Curoe) is placed as a junior synonym of C. lacordairei (Boucard), and notes on the Chrysina fauna of this mountain range are included.

Se describe una nueva especie de Chrysina Kirby, C. clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, y Hawks (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) de Santiago Clavellinas en la Sierra Azul en Oaxaca, México. Chrysina cosijoezai (Ramírez-Ponce y Curoe) se sitúa como un sinónimo de C. lacordairei (Boucard) y se incluyen notas …

Impact Of Mixed Biofilm Formation With Environmental Microorganisms On E. Coli O157:H7 Survival Against Sanitization, Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Maggie Weinroth, Christian Elowsky, You Zhou, Angela Anandappa, Rong Wang

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Biofilm formation by foodborne pathogens is a serious threat to food safety and public health. Meat processing plants may harbor various microorganisms and occasional foodborne pathogens; thus, the environmental microbial community might impact pathogen survival via mixed biofilm formation. We collected floor drain samples from two beef plants with different E. coli O157:H7 prevalence history and investigated the effects of the environmental microorganisms on pathogen sanitizer tolerance. The results showed that biofilm forming ability and bacterial species composition varied considerably based on the plants and drain locations. E. coli O157:H7 cells obtained significantly higher sanitizer tolerance in mixed biofilms by …