Life Sciences Commons^™

Nebraska Food Products Featured At The 2005 State Fair, Jill D. Gifford, Vicki Miller

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: News Releases

Nebraska State Fair visitors can taste the state's diverse food products at an exhibit sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Food Processing Center. More than 20 Nebraska food companies will display their products and distribute samples Aug. 27-Sept. 5 in State Fair Park's University of Nebraska building. Visitors to the Nebraska Food Manufacturers' Exhibit can taste popcorn, pickles, cheeses, sauces, jellies, meats and many more products. This is the 10th year for the popular free exhibit. Companies scheduled to participate are: Bluestem Herb Farm, Beatrice; Jisa's Farmstead Cheese, Brainard; Pastabilities Unlimited, Firth; Garvin Meats, Franklin; HR Poppin' Snacks, Gibbon; Solid …

Summer 2005, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Vine Lines, Volume Viii, Issue 4. August/September 2005.

Nebraska Vine Lines (2003–2006)

• Imad Dami to speak at November 5th Workshop

• Cutting Edge Cultivars: A Report on the Eastern Region ASEV Meeting by Paul E. Read

• Grape Crown Gall Biology and Strategies for Control by Thomas J. Burr

• Fermenter’s Supply and Equipment

• Interdisciplinary Research Program by Chelsey Wasem

• Nebraska Vine Lines by E-mail

• Be sure to put the 9th Annual Forum on your calendar

• Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles: Good guys with some bad habits by Dr. Frederick Baxendale

• Insect Spotlight: Grape Phylloxera

• Apple Flea Beetles found in Ogallala by Chelsey Wasem

Feasibility For Utilization Of A Freshwater Pulmonate Snail, Physa Acuta, As A Model Organism For Environmental Toxicity Testing, With Special Reference To Cadmium Ion Toxicity, Valerie Woodard

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The benefits of developing the pond snail, Physa acuta, as a model species for testing acute and chronic toxicity of aquatic pollutants include its wide North American distribution, ease of field collection and laboratory maintenance, and efficacy in testing toxicity responses including mortality, crawling behavior, reproduction and metabolism under both field and laboratory conditions. Mortality, as 50 % sample lethal concentration (LC50) and 50 % sample lethal time (LT50) values with increased cadmium chloride (CdCl2) concentration in both acute 192 h and chronic 672 h tests. A new endpoint of 50 % sample crawl-out response (CO50) proved to be a …

Use Of Reovirus Monoreassortants To Define Lysis Of Transfomed Cells, Christine Nora Mutsoli

Biology Theses - Archive

Reovirus is known to selectively destroy transformed cells while establishing a persistent infection in normal cells. For this study the transformed cell lines used were L929, WI-38 VA13 2RA, T1, N1, and MYC-3. Additionally, the normal cells WI-38 and MMEC were used to examine differential sensitivity to reovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3. Reovirus is able to replicate efficiently in L929 cells because it induces a transition from capped to uncapped translation of viral mRNA. Reovirus maintains a persistent infection in WI-38 cells, but lyses WI-38 VA13 2RA cells. Reovirus has also been demonstrated to lyse and produce more virus …

The Influence Of Landing Technique Versus Technique And Strength Training On Valgus Knee Deformity In Females, Kirsten R. Holmes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of landing technique training versus landing technique and plyometric/strength training program on knee valgus during landing in females. Subjects participated in a 6-week training program. A 2 X 3 repeated measures ANOVA with two within subjects’ factors Test and Group was used to test for differences in the knee valgus angle in the landing condition and the five jump condition. A 2 x 2 repeated measures ANOVA with two within subjects’ factors, was used to test for difference in knee extension strength and knee flexion strength. Pre-test knee-valgus 4.76 ± …

Farnesol Concentrations Required To Block Germ Tube Formation In Candida Albicans In The Presence And Absence Of Serum, Daniel D. Mosel, Raluca Dumitru, Jacob M. Hornby, Audrey L. Atkin, Kenneth W. Nickerson

Papers in Microbiology

Concentrations of (E,E)-farnesol needed to inhibit germ tube formation were determined for Candida albicans strains A72 and SC5314 by using six different conditions known to trigger germination. For defined media, 1 to 2 μM farnesol was sufficient. However, with serum at 2 to 20%, up to 250 μM farnesol was required. Farnesol blocked germ tube formation but did not block elongation of existing germ tubes.

Forage News [2005-08], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• International Grassland Congress
• Grazing School
• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• U.K. All Commodity Field Day
• Alfalfa Hay Acres Up
• Time to Line Up Seed for Fall Planting
• Hay/Barn Fires
• Remember to Stockpile Fescue Starting Now
• USDA-ARS Forage-Animal Production Research Unit
• Field Experience with Strip Grazing Standing Corn as an Economical Alternative for Wintering Beef Cows in the Midwest
• Grazing Corn: Impact of Harvest Date on Yield
• Poultry Litter Rate Study in Tall Fescue
• Upcoming Events

Authors’ Response To The Letter To The Editor By Schinckel, R. K. Johnson, E. P. Berg, R. Goodwin, J. W. Mabry, R. K. Miller, O. W. Robison, H. Seller, M. D. Tokach

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In this letter, we provide responses to the issues raised by A. P. Schinckel in his Letter to the Editor regarding the manuscript by Johnson et al. (2004), “Evaluation of procedures to predict fat-free lean in swine carcasses,” J. Anim. Sci. 82:2428–2441. General responses to Schinckel’s letter are made first, followed by specific responses to each issue raised.

Genetic Parameters For Stayability, Stayability At Calving, And Stayability At Weaning To Specified Ages For Hereford Cows, G. E. Martinez, R. M. Koch, L. V. Cundiff, K. E. Gregory, Stephen D. Kachman, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Genetic parameters for stayability to six ages (ST1, . . ., ST6), for five measures of stayability to calving (SC2, . . ., SC6), and for five measures of stayability to weaning (SW2, . . ., SW6), were estimated using records of 2,019 Hereford cows collected from 1964 to 1979 from a selection experiment with a control line and three lines selected for weaning weight, yearling weight, and an index of yearling weight and muscle score. The model included birth year of the cow as a fixed effect and the cow’s sire as a random effect. Analyses were performed with …

Extended Visions, July/August 2005

Extended Visions Newsletter (ARDC)

Contents:
Introducing the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building
Extension
About the People
Ag & Natural Resources
Agro-Environmental Trail Project
Behind the Scenes - Program
Planning and Management
Building Leaders for a Stronger Future
Community Resource Development and Leadership
4-H Program
Health and Living
Horticulture Extension in Saunders County
Livestock Production
Science-Based School Enrichment
The Structure of Extension
Calendar of Events
Director's Comments
Introducing the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building
Farm Safety Topic of UNMC Tours
It’s Fair Time In Saunders County
Upcoming Training and Field Days
Crop Management Diagnostic Clinics
Solution Days
Soybean Management Field Days

Endangered Species Bulletin, August 2005 - Vol. Xxx No. 1

Endangered Species Bulletin

In this issue:
4 The Crucians are Coming!
7 How the Scanlans Got their Range Back
10 Banking on Gopher Tortoises
12 Rare Species are Welcome on Arizona Ranch
14 Cactus Comeback in the Caribbean
16 Meet the Beetles!
18 Bull River: A New Wildlife Haven
20 Sneezeweed Conservation Bears Fruit
22 Keeping Family Forests

Implications Of Spatial Autocorrelation And Dispersal For The Modeling Of Species Distributions, Volker Bahn

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Modeling the geographical distributions of wildlife species is important for ecology and conservation biology. Spatial autocorrelation in species distributions poses a problem for distribution modeling because it invalidates the assumption of independence among sample locations. I explored the prevalence and causes of spatial autocorrelation in data from the Breeding Bird Survey, covering the conterminous United States, using Regression Trees, Conditional Autoregressive Regressions (CAR), and the partitioning of variance. I also constructed a simulation model to investigate dispersal as a process contributing to spatial autocorrelation, and attempted to verify the connection between dispersal and spatial autocorrelation in species’ distributions in empirical …

Integrating First-Order Logic Programs And Connectionist Systems - A Constructive Approach, Sebastian Bader, Andreas Witzel, Pascal Hitzler

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Significant advances have recently been made concerning the integration of symbolic knowledge representation with artificial neural networks (also called connectionist systems). However, while the integration with propositional paradigms has resulted in applicable systems, the case of first-order knowledge representation has so far hardly proceeded beyond theoretical studies which prove the existence of connectionist systems for approximating first-order logic programs up to any chosen precision. Advances were hindered severely by the lack of concrete algorithms for obtaining the approximating networks which were known to exist: the corresponding proofs are not constructive in that they do not yield concrete methods for building …

"Sibling Species, Advertisement Calls, And Reproductive Isolation In Frogs Of The Leptodactylus Pentadactylus Species Cluster (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae), W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá, A. Rettig

Biology Faculty Publications

A recent re-evaluation of morphological and advertisement call variation in the large species of frogs of the Leptodactylus pentadactylus cluster discovered more examples of sibling species as defined by Ernst Mayr in his influential book Animal Species and Evolution. All previously documented instances of sibling species in frogs demonstrated advertisement call differentiation consistent with the calls serving as pre-mating isolating mechanisms. However, we find one instance of two species with nondistinguishable adult morphologies as well as nondistinguishable advertisement calls. Presumably, the new instances of sibling species reflect retention of ancestral adult morphologies and advertisement calls. Larval and habitat differentiation appear …

Hedgehog Regulated Slit Expression Determines Commissure And Glial Cell Position In The Zebrafish Forebrain, Michael J.F. Barresi, Lara D. Hutson, Chi Bin Chien, Rolf O. Karlstrom

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Three major axon pathways cross the midline of the vertebrate forebrain early in embryonic development: the postoptic commissure (POC), the anterior commissure (AC) and the optic nerve. We show that a small population of Gfap+ astroglia spans the midline of the zebrafish forebrain in the position of, and prior to, commissural and retinal axon crossing. These glial 'bridges' form in regions devoid of the guidance molecules slit2 and slit3, although a subset of these glial cells express slit1a. We show that Hh signaling is required for commissure formation, glial bridge formation, and the restricted expression of the guidance molecules slit1a, …

For The Healing Of The Nations, Winston J. Craig

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Benthic Biological Monitoring Program Of The Elizabeth River Watershed (2004), Daniel M. Dauer

Elizabeth River Reports

Executive Summary

Macrobenthic communities of the Elizabeth River watershed have been quantitatively sampled since summer 1999. This report presents the data from the sixth year of sampling in 2004. The three objectives of the Benthic Biological Monitoring Program of the Elizabeth River watershed are: (1) To characterize the health of the tidal waters of the Elizabeth River watershed as indicated by the structure of the benthic communities. ( 2) To conduct trend analyses on long-term data at 14 fixed-point stations to relate temporal trends in the benthic communities to changes in water and/or sediment quality. Trend analyses will be updated …

Nebline, August 2005

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

4-H Food Booth at County Fair: Volunteers Have Fun, Rewarding Experience
Support 4-H by Supporting the 4-H Corner Stop
Booth Funds 4-H Council Activities
Household Hints: Energy Saving Ideas
  President’s Notes — Janet’s Jargon
Praise and Encouragement
2005 Scholarship Winner
Pack Your Street Sense When You Pack Your Bags
New Effective Mosquito Repellents Less Greasy, Odor Free
Control Mosquito Populations
Scrap Tire Collection Sept. 24 & 25
Using Natural Enemies to Control Pests
Some Beneficial Predators
Soybean Management Field Day, Aug. 12
Plant Alfalfa in August
St. Johnswort in Lancaster County
Free Soybean Cyst Nematode Sample Kits Available
Ammoniate Wheat …

The Leading Object: August 2005

Leading Object

Contents:
Perspectives: John C. Owens
IANR Research Advances Smart Chicken
Plant Pathologists Honored
NCTA to Offer New Associate Degree
Messersmith’s Path Leads to Agriculture Broadcasting
State Fair Resurrects Bigger and Better 4-H Cyber Fair
Animal Science Awards Given
Dickey Takes CSREES Position
Entomologist Identifies Beetle Fossil
Lindgren Receives Society’s Award
Educators Receive Awards at Meeting
Crews Honored

Ecology Of The Missouri River: Missouri River Creel Survey, Bellevue Bridge To Camp Creek, 3 April Through 29 May 2004, Gerald Mestl

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's strategic plan has stated the following management goal for the Missouri River: Restore, protect, and maintain the diversity of historic Missouri River habitats, resources, and ecosystem functions in order that present and future generations may enjoy consumptive and non-consumptive outdoor recreational opportunities (NGPC 1996). To accomplish this goal the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission identified the following five objectives: • To restore terrestrial and aquatic floodplain habitat types by 2008. This would include old oxbows, chutes, side channels, sand bars, backwaters, wetlands, and other shallow water habitats. To restore ftows that reflect the natural …

Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District Bird List, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The Rainwater Basin of south central Nebraska has attracted millions of migratory birds each spring for generations. During migration, millions of snow geese, Canada geese, white-fronted geese, ducks, and 1/2-million sandhill cranes use the Rainwater Basin and the adjacent Platte River. The shallow wetland basins and surrounding croplands of the area provide the birds with critical resting and feeding sites during their migration north. The Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) of the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District (WMD) are managed as grassland-playa lake ecosystems. The Rainwater Basin WMO staff currently manages 59 WPAs in the Rainwater Basin. Most of the WPAs …

Using Three Dimensional Motion Capture Technology To Describe And Assess Piano Technique: A Case Study, Brenda Wristen, Nikolaos Stergiou, Sharon Evans

Journal Articles

The purpose of the study was to examine any differences that exist in the quality of motions employed by pianists when they are sight-reading versus performing repertoire. A secondary question of interest was whether or not an improvement in the efficiency of motion could be observed between two sight-reading trials of the same musical excerpt. While data analysis for the full study is ongoing, the following results from a case study are illustrative.

Transcriptional Regulation Of The Gnrh Receptor Gene In Lines Of Swine Divergent For Ovulation Rate, Emily A. Mcdonald

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The interaction between GnRH and its receptor on gonadotropes within the anterior pituitary gland represents a central point for regulation of reproduction. Additionally, the close proximity of the porcine GnRHR gene to a quantitative trait locus for ovulation rate makes it a positional candidate for genes influencing ovulation rate. We isolated the GnRHR gene promoter from three lines of swine (Control, Index and Meishan) with different ovulation rates. Transient transfection of gonadotrope-derived αT3-1 cells with vectors containing approximately 5000 bp of GnRHR gene promoter fused to the cDNA encoding luciferase resulted in a 2- to 4-fold difference in luciferase activity …

Expression Analysis Of Gnrh Responsive Anterior Pituitary Genes In Lines Of Swine Divergent For Ovulation Rate, Benjamin E. Bass

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The interaction of GnRH with its receptor represents a crucial point for control of reproduction. Additionally, the porcine GnRH receptor (GnRHR) gene is a positional candidate for genes influencing reproductive efficiency, residing in a similar chromosomal region as a QTL for ovulation rate (OR). Gonadotropic gene expression in lines of swine divergent for OR may provide insight into the phenomena of increased litter size. Chinese Meishan (OR=14.5), a white crossbred line selected based on an index of OR and embryonic survival (OR=17.8), and a Control line (OR=13.2) were evaluated. Following three (Index and Control) or six (Meishan) estrous cycles, gilts …

Extracting Reduced Logic Programs From Artificial Neural Networks, Jens Lehmann, Sebastian Bader, Pascal Hitzler

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Artificial neural networks can be trained to perform excellently in many application areas. While they can learn from raw data to solve sophisticated recognition and analysis problems, the acquired knowledge remains hidden within the network architecture and is not readily accessible for analysis or further use: Trained networks are black boxes. Recent research efforts therefore investigate the possibility to extract symbolic knowledge from trained networks, in order to analyze, validate, and reuse the structural insights gained implicitly during the training process. In this paper, we will study how knowledge in form of propositional logic programs can be obtained in such …

A Mechanistic Explanation For Global Patterns Of Liana Abundance And Distribution, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

One of the main goals in ecology is determining the mechanisms that control the abundance and distribution of organisms. Using data from 69 tropical forests worldwide, I demonstrate that liana (woody vine) abundance is correlated negatively with mean annual precipitation and positively with seasonality, a pattern precisely the opposite of most other plant types. I propose a general mechanistic hypothesis integrating both ecological and ecophysiological approaches to explain this pattern. Specifically, the deep root and efficient vascular systems of lianas enable them to suffer less water stress during seasonal droughts while many competitors are dormant, giving lianas a competitive advantage …

Pressure Canning Hydrated Wheat, Brian Nummer

All Current Publications

This is a statement regarding the untested canning practices of hydrated wheat berries.

Using Three Dimensional Motion Capture Technology To Describe And Assess Piano Technique: A Case Study, Brenda Wristen, Nikolaos Stergiou, Sharon Evans

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

The purpose of the study was to examine any differences that exist in the quality of motions employed by pianists when they are sight-reading versus performing repertoire. A secondary question of interest was whether or not an improvement in the efficiency of motion could be observed between two sight-reading trials of the same musical excerpt. While data analysis for the full study is ongoing, the following results from a case study are illustrative.

Bioluminescence Intensity Modeling And Sampling Strategy Optimization, I. Shulman, D.J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., M.A. Moline, S.H.D. Haddock, J.C. Kindle, D. Nechaev

Faculty Publications

The focus of this paper is on the development of methodology for short-term (1-3 days) oceanic bioluminescence (BL) predictions and the optimization of spatial and temporal bioluminescence sampling strategies. The approach is based on predictions of bioluminescence with an advection-diffusion-reaction (tracer) model with velocities and diffusivities from a circulation model. In previous research, it was shown that short-term changes in some of the salient features in coastal bioluminescence can be explained and predicted by using this approach. At the same time, it was demonstrated that optimization of bioluminescence sampling prior to the forecast is critical for successful short-term BL predictions …