Life Sciences Commons^™

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 3, July 2025 (Special)

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 3, July 2025 (Special)

Acoustic Monitoring Of Oak Toads (Anaxyrus Quercicus), A Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Ecosystem Endemic Amphibian, Alex Ward Foote

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world with only 3% remaining. Many endemic species to the longleaf pine ecosystem are also in decline and suffer from habitat loss resulting from fire exclusion, urbanization, agriculture, and industrial silviculture. Oak Toads (Anaxyrus quercicus) are a longleaf pine ecosystem obligate; the species is experiencing declines across its range and only has protections in Virginia and North Carolina. We used data from an array of Automated Recoding Units across four years (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019) at three state-owned wildlife management areas to capture audio files …

Risk Appraisal: An Investigation Of Personality Traits And Prior Injury On Thrill And Adventure Seeking Behavior In A High-Risk Modern Circus Performance Art Task, Rachael German

Wayne State University Dissertations

Introduction. Individuals make decisions every day that involve some assessment of risk.. Relevant psychological factors that require a deeper investigation include sensation seeking (SS), personality traits, anxiety, and self-efficacy (SE). The theoretical framework for the study is the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat (BPSCT). Much of risk appraisal research has been done in a lab or on a computer, while this study presented a relevant, novel, and innovative physical task that incorporated risk in an ecologically valid setting. Purpose. The purpose of this research study was to examine participants' willingness to participate in a high-risk modern circus performance art …

A Metadata Analysis Of Unionid Mussels Of The Greenup Pool Of The Ohio River Using Occupancy Modeling And Species Area Curves, Tyler Mitchell Annarino

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Although North America contains the largest diversity of freshwater mussels in the world, only ~24% of species in the United States and Canada have stable populations. This group provides unique hurdles for surveying, and current unionid survey protocols include neither longitudinal studies nor randomization of sites. This project conducts a metadata analysis of freshwater mussels in the Greenup Pool of the Ohio River (GPOR) to answer three questions: 1. Does a combination of longitudinal scope, randomization of sites, and historic methodology of surveying result in useful occupancy/detection models (ODMs) of unionids in large streams at the family level? 2. Does …

Layer Industry Update: Nutrition Associated With Changes In Production Systems, Kenneth E. Anderson, Ishab Poudel

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This is not a hardcore research presentation but rather an overview of three North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Tests. I used the 39th, 40th, and 41st Layer Test Reports that cover the years 2013 through 2025. The proceedings cover white and brown egg strains as groups and the cage and cage-free production environments. Over all three of these tests the production environments were the same and met UEP Cage standards and the Humane Farm Animal Care cage-free standards. There are papers outlining the changes in more detail with all the statistics. This is an overview of visual trends in …

Field Experience And Production Challenges In Australia And New Zealand, Nick Rodgers

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Variability management represents the primary technical challenge facing the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) broiler industry's vertically integrated operations. This analysis examines systematic approaches to controlling seasonal performance fluctuations, raw material quality variations, emerging disease pressures, and evolving welfare demands. Key variability sources include climatic extremes, season to season raw material quality and nutrient value variability and intermittent [mostly enteric] disease challenges, particularly in no antibiotics ever (NAE) production systems. Solutions require a scientific, data-driven approach with insights from field experience for causation identification and a collaborative approach within business functional units, and across industry collaborators such as suppliers and …

Biological And Chemical Evaluation Of Amide-Based Cjoc42 Derivatives As Potential Gankyrin-Inhibitors For The Treatment Of Breast, Lung, And Liver Cancer, Benita Britton-George

Theses and Dissertations

Gankyrin is an ankyrin-repeat protein overexpressed in certain cancers and is responsible for cell growth and proliferation. Gankyrin is important to the development of many types of cancer, including breast, lung, and liver cancer. Consequently, gankyrin and its various protein-protein interactions, are prospective therapeutic targets for inhibiting the progression of certain cancers. In 2016, the first small molecule inhibitor of gankyrin, cjoc42, was discovered and subsequently demonstrated modest antiproliferative activity against liver cancer cells. Previous work from our lab demonstrated that replacing the sulfonate ester of cjoc42 with an amide group significantly improved gankyrin binding while enhancing antiproliferative activity against …

Expression And Function Of Floral Symmetry Genes In The Regulation Of Flower Shape In Fedia Graciliflora, Theresa A. Mustacchio

Theses and Dissertations

Shifts between radial symmetry (actinomorphy) and bilateral symmetry (zygomorphy) in flowers have occurred multiple times independently within angiosperms (flowering plants). Evidence across angiosperms indicate the transcription factors RADIALIS (RAD), DIVARICATA (DIV), and CYCLOIDEA (CYC) play a major role in regulating floral symmetry and morphology. The CYC-like genes have been shown to shift their expression dorsally independently in nearly all shifts to bilaterally symmetrical flowers examined. Three core eudicot clades of CYC-like genes have been identified: CYC1, CYC2 and CYC3, with only CYC2 genes being shown to have a role in floral symmetry. We use the non-model plant, Fedia graciliflora (Caprifoliaceae) …

Propelling Whole-Cell Biosensor Creation By Leveraging Gene Fusion To Assemble Synthetic Functional Transcription Factors For The Detection Of Biomarkers, Samuel J. Verzino

Theses and Dissertations

Biosensors are analytical devices that leverage biological modules for the detection of molecules of interest. As customizable tools designed to aid in a wide array of diagnostics, these instruments are rapidly advancing the field of synthetic biology. While varied in their construction and purpose, biosensors are ultimately concerned with converting a physicochemical stimulus into a detectable signal. Among the many existing variants, whole-cell biosensors (WCBs) stand out due to their versatility and engineering potential. WCBs are a type of biosensor in which a physiologically active cell sustains an array of biomolecular elements - receptors, transporters, regulators, etc. - capable of …

Analysis Of The Influence Of Telomere Length Variation On Flowering Time And Plant Fitness In Arabidopsis, Brianna Spadavecchia

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Telomeres are conserved structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that promote genome stability. In most eukaryotes, the DNA found within these protective end caps consists of short, G-rich nucleotide repeats. Cells with critically short telomeres face a variety of potential adverse outcomes such as end-to-end chromosome fusion, apoptosis, etc. The length of telomeric DNA varies substantially between different plant species and even between genotypes of the same species. A previous study using T-DNA mutants of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana with long or short telomeres suggested that telomere length may be an adaptive trait. Specifically, for reproductive fitness, the …

Nebraska Seed Focus, March 2025, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association

Nebraska Seed Focus

Nebraska Seed Focus, March 2025

Full Issue, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

No abstract provided.

Development Of Optogenetic Inhibition Of The Erk Pathway In Mammalian Cells, Pascalinegrace Phongo, Yuan Zhou, Alex Wang, Amna Mehfooz, Kai Zhang

Parkland Science Scholars

The Ras/ERK pathway controls key processes like cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Since its overactivation is linked to cancer and neurological disorders, optogenetic inhibition could complement existing tools for bidirectional control of this pathway.

Impacts Of Culture Conditions For Rhizobium Rhizogenes-Mediated Hairy Root Transformation Of Tomato, Jill Graner, Ellen Cha, Justin Larkin, Sarah Hind

Parkland Science Scholars

Rhizobium rhizogenes is a plant pathogen that is used to generate transgenic “hairy roots” in a variety of plant species. However, it was observed that repeated freeze-thaw cycles decreased transformation efficiency. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to determine if transformation efficiency could be recovered by re-culturing the bacteria. Rhizogenes was thawed either 1 or 5 times and then regrown using either solid or liquid media. We found that freeze-thawing alone was not enough to decrease transformation efficiency, as the 1 thaw and 5 thaw treatments both yielded a high number of transformed plants. Future work will investigate other …

Investigating Health Events In Dairy Cattle, Samantha Blocker

Capstone Projects

This research focuses on identifying the key predictors of mastitis and ketosis in dairy cattle, two common and costly diseases affecting milk production and animal health. The primary objective was to identify significant risk factors and evaluate the predictive performance of modeling approaches.

To analyze these complex relationships, a longitudinal dataset following a large sample of dairy cattle is studying using several advanced methods. Survival analysis techniques, like Kaplan-Meier estimations, help measure how long cows remain free from health issues. The Cox Proportional Hazards (CPH) model complements this approach by identifying risk factors associated with health-related events over time. These …

Climate And Gypsum Parent Material Shape Biocrust Communities And Moss Ecology In The Chihuahuan And Mojave Deserts, Katelyn Gobbie, Nicole Pietrasiak, Brian M. Jusko, Rebecca E. Drenovsky

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Biological soil crust communities (biocrusts) establishing on gypsum soils have been well-documented for their prolific appearance and rich diversity of lichens and bryophytes. However, studies characterizing gypsum biocrusts have occurred primarily outside of the U.S., most of which lack comparisons to other soil types. We conducted intensive field surveys to evaluate the ground cover and frequency of biocrust functional groups and moss species on gypsum and non-gypsum soils in the U.S. regions with the most extensive gypsum outcrops, the northern Chihuahuan and eastern Mojave Deserts. Study sites were stratified by geomorphology and paired, so that every gypsum site was matched …

Determining Localization Of Surf-4 In Drosophila Melanogaster In The Secretory Pathway, Jada Scott

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The purpose of this research is to determine the role of the Surfeit-4 gene, or Surf-4 locus protein, during Drosophila melanogaster development. Surf-4 was identified in the Srivastava lab in a biochemical screen for proteins that associate with the basement membrane (BM): a structure needed and required for normal development and its degradation is a hallmark of tumor metastasis. Surf-4 has been predicted to function within intracellular compartments and is known to be expressed in many parts of the developing fly. We are currently determining why Surf-4 is important in development and what role, if any, it could play during …

Movements And Habitat Use Of Silver Carp In The Arkansas And White River, A. L. Althoff, J. L. Kinschuh, D. K. Owens, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, J. N. Stevens, S. E. Lochmann

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Diversity And Risk Assessment Of Phytophthora Spp. Found On Plant Roots Innative Plant Nurseries And Interstate Shipping Nurseries In California, Rebecca Harkness, Karen Suslow, Supriya Sharma, Monique Sakalidis, Timothy Miles, Wolfgang Schweigkofler

Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Faculty Scholarship

For many nurseries, it is difficult to diagnose Phytophthora-infected plants in time to prevent disease incursion and spread, especially if the infection occurs on roots and causes no or limited symptoms on aerial plant parts. Rapid, accurate, and specific diagnostic methods can facilitate the identification and removal of infected plants. This study was conducted to investigate whether specific nursery types within California are more likely to have different Phytophthora species and which hosts are more likely to test positive for a Phytophthora species using immunological and molecular diagnostic tools. From fall 2016 to spring 2019, we collected 1,180 root samples …

Friend And Foe: Tgf-Beta, Its Role In Tumor Development, And An Analysis Of Chung Et Al. (2018), Yosef Sonbolian

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

This paper will analyze an important study performed by Chung et al. (2018) regarding transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta), which plays an important role in various cellular processes. Paradoxically, TGF-beta plays a different role in the development of cancer at various points. In early-stage tumors, TGF-beta has been known to inhibit cancer growth, but in later stages, it acts as a cancer promoter. Chung et al. (2018) attempted to ascertain the efficaciousness of the drug Sorafenib in suppressing TGF-beta responses, as well as the ways that this drug achieves its goal and the implications that their findings may have for future …

Nebraska Seed Focus, June 2025, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association

Nebraska Seed Focus

Nebraska Seed Focus, June 2025

Entomology Insect Pollinators And Predators-Flower Flies, Manju Yogi, Kaushalya Amarasekare

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Foraging Habits Of Two Species Of Long-Horned Bees (Melissodes, Apidae) Using Dna Barcodes Its2 And Trnl, Rebecca Jane Foy

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Sunflowers (Helianthus, Asteraceae) are an important crop used for oil, dye, fodder, and edible seeds. Long-horned bees (Melissodes, Apidae) are solitary species native to the Americas that specialize in sunflower pollination; they are among the most frequent visitors to sunflowers, and have been shown to enhance yield, offering considerable economic benefits to sunflower production. This study used metabarcoding to investigate the foraging habits of two understudied Melissodes species, M. trinodis and M. agilis. Using the ITS2 and trnL barcodes, our study aimed to (1) investigate the plants visited by M. agilis and M. trinodis and (2) assess the distances Melissodes …

Powdery Mildew On Crapemyrtle, Kripa Dhakal, Kaitlin Barrios, Karla M. Addesso, Fulya Baysal-Gurel Baysal-Gurel

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Cercospora Leaf Spot On Crapemyrtle, Kripa Dhakal, Kaitlin Barrios, Karla M. Addesso, Fulya Baysal-Gurel

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Behavioral And Physiological Responses Of Heifers With No Prior Exposure And Those Adapted To Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Tyler A. Purvis

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Data from year one of a three-year experiment was used to determine behavioral and physiological responses of heifers adapted to grazing endophyte-infected fescue (E+TF) compared to heifers naïve to grazing E+TF. In May, yearling beef heifers from KY (n=15) and MT (n=30) were stratified by body weight, hair coat score, and disposition into nine pastures and assigned to one of three treatments: KY grazing E+ (KY-E+), MT grazing E+ (MT-E+), or MT grazing endophyte-free tall fescue (E-TF) (MT-E-). Prior to grazing, two heifers per pasture were selected to be outfitted with a RumiWatch® halter (Itin+Hoch GmbH, Liestal, Switzerland) for monitoring …

Assessing Land Suitability For Agroforestry, Huseyin B. Tecimen

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Drone Applicator Technology, Jason P. De Koff, Joshua Howard

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Nutrition Security – Why It Matters?, Priscilla Ayine, Veronica Oates

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Potential Impacts Of Construction On Bat Populations In Warner Parks, Nashville, Tennessee, Jackson Whiteside, Wyatt Fooks, Jeremy Little

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Human development continues to alter natural landscapes, often with significant consequences for wildlife populations. Among the most sensitive taxa to such disturbances are bats, which serve vital ecological roles as insect predators, pollinators, and seed dispersers. Because bats depend on specific roosting and foraging habitats, even minor environmental changes can strongly influence their activity and diversity. A new road is proposed through an area of Warner Parks, Nashville, Tennessee which is otherwise untouched. This may affect the biodiversity and the populations of bats as a result. Wildlife Acoustic MiniBat 2 acoustic monitoring equipment was used to gather echolocation calls of …