Life Sciences Commons^™

Probing The Boundaries Of Human Agency, Sook Mun Wong

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

In this dissertation, I aim to advance our understanding of human agency and how it is computed. First, I probe the limits of what behavior we can and cannot produce agentically. Secondly, I explore microdosing with psychedelic drugs as a method of perturbing and studying changes to the sense of agency. Thirdly, I use transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce body movements and investigate how the sense of agency is affected. Finally, I summarise my findings and synthesize insights to further our understanding human agency.

The Role Of Vsmc Mir-33a Expression On Apoa-I Mediated Cholesterol Efflux And Macrophage-Like Cell Transdifferentiation, Ikechukwu Esobi

All Dissertations

Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by cholesterol accumulating in arterial intimal cells and is a disease that kills more people in the United States and globally than any other disease. Atherosclerosis is commonly recognized to arise from arterial intimal macrophage cholesterol accumulation, but cell lineage tracing technology has shown that a large majority of cholesterol-laden intimal cells found in atherosclerotic arteries are actually vascular smooth muscle cells that have switched phenotypes to a macrophage-like cell. This vascular smooth muscle cell to macrophage-like cell phenotypic switch is known as transdifferentiation and can be triggered by vascular smooth muscle cell cholesterol accumulation. …

Effect Of Chlorine Dioxide Gas On The Properties Of Packaging Materials And Effect Of Chlorine Dioxide Gas To Maintain The Quality Of Fresh Strawberries, Duleeka Kuruwita, Duleeka Prasadani Kuruwita Arachchige

All Dissertations

ClO₂ as an antimicrobial gas in the headspace of produce package is a relatively novel approach. Gaseous ClO₂ is more effective than aqueous ClO₂ and can be used in the headspace of fresh food packages. ClO₂ gas can diffuse into product surfaces and films. As an oxidizer, it can react with and change polymeric package components, possibly affecting the product’s shelflife.

This research studied effects of ClO₂ gas treatments on produce packaging materials (APET, two PE types, Nylon). The treatment group (with ClO₂) and the control group (without ClO₂) of packaging …

Schramm Park Fall Field Days, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2022 NOU Fall Field Days were held at Schramm Park State Recreation Area, south of Gretna in Sarpy County, on September 21-23, with approximately 60 in attendance. The meeting had been scheduled and cancelled twice in the two previous years due to coronavirus concerns. The total species count was 119, including a Sandhill Crane, Prairie Falcon (early for away from breeding area), Winter Wren, and early Snow Bunting. A Limpkin, which had been found in late June at Wehrspann Wetlands mitigation pond in Sarpy County and was still seen through late November in the Wehrspann Lake area, was not …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Index To Volume 90

Nebraska Bird Review

From: Abbott, Sydney 56

To: Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha 66, 146

The Nebraska Bird Review Volume 90 December 2022 Number 4

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August - November 2022 by W. Ross Silcock ...126

Remembering Clem Klaphake by Don Paseka ...151

Schramm Park Fall Field Days, Sept. 21-23, 2022 ... 154

Index to Volume 90 ...159

Subscription and Organization Information …175

Comparison Of Kanamycin-Resistant Bacteria In Earthworm Digestive Tracts And Soil From Compost Bins, Samantha Dooyema, Martin Dolan, Abigal Morse

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming more prevalent in soil as humans have increased impacts on the environment. Previous research proposed that earthworms could affect bacteria distribution as soil is ingested and filtered through their bodies. This research aims to see if kanamycin-resistance bacteria is the same in earthworm digestive tracts as in the soil the earthworms inhabit. We expect that the gut contents and soil will vary in the occurrence of kanamycin-resistant bacteria. Earthworms and composted soil samples were collected from compost bins at a residential home in Nashville, Tennessee. Digestive tracts were dissected from the earthworms and homogenized. Kanamycin-resistant bacteria …

The Role Of Muscle Damage On Joint Tissue, Logan Nicholas Moore

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

The musculoskeletal system is a highly diverse network of tissue that operates in conjunction to one other, both mechanically and biochemically. In states of disorder such as musculoskeletal disorders, this cross-communication between tissues is pivotal in the progression of disease state in other tissues, or the prevention and healing of the effected tissue. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSkD) are a broad term encompassing disorders to bones, joints, muscles and connective tissues. These disorders include Osteoarthritis, Osteopenia, Sarcopenia, Tendonitis, Myopathies, and muscle weakness. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder, characterized as damage to the articulating cartilage and alterations in other joint …

Survey Of Fleas And Ticks For Rickettsia Rickettsii And Rickettsia Typhi And Surveys Of Humans And Wild Animals For Serological Evidence Of Infection By These Rickettsiae In Rural And Urban Areas Of El Paso, Texas And Other Areas Of Texas, Karen Rocio Valdez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The ecology and epidemiology of Rocky Mountain Spotted fever and typhus fever pathogens are poorly understood along the United Statesâ??Mexico border, especially in the far Southwestern region of Texas. The objective of this dissertation was to understand the prevalence and distribution of Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia typhi and associated tick and flea species and the prevalence of these Rickettsiae in domestic and feral mammals in urban and rural areas of the El Paso community and other areas of Texas. Also, the goal was to determine if humans are being infected by R. rickettsii and R. typhi in the El Paso …

Beef Bull Selection And Management Affecting Breeding Season Outcomes For California Cattle Producers On Rangelands, Megan Banwarth

Master's Theses

California’s approximately 660,000 head of beef cattle are highly dependent on range bulls used to produce offspring that can perform across the state’s diverse ecological regions. While knowledge of bull breeding behavior and the technology used to monitor cattle movement and behavior is critical to maximize conception rates and the overall efficiency in natural service sires on rangelands. Bulls need to be functional on rugged coastal landscapes, rolling foothills, deserts, and in high-elevation terrain. Few data exist that indicate factors related to selection, maintenance, and longevity of bulls used in rangeland landscapes. Objectives herein, were to assess factors influencing bull …

Causal Inference In Psychology And Neuroscience: From Association To Causation, Dehua Liang

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

In psychology and neuroscience, inferring causality in non-experimental studies is almost taboo, because data in these studies, e.g., survey data and resting-state neuroimaging data, are often contaminated by unmeasured confounders. Psychologists and neuroscientists are often cautious about their results, and reluctant to make false claims about causality in non-experimental studies. Therefore, they adopt less stringent statistical analysis techniques that can only infer associational relations. However, the ambiguity about causality in traditional statistical analysis creates much confusion in interpreting analytical results - some studies make implicit causal claims about their results using words such as “impacts”, “lead to” and “affects”. This …

Loan Survival: Are Socially Disadvantaged Farmers More Likely To Default Or Pay In Full?, Marie-Cécile Vekemans

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aims at identifying racial and gender discrimination in the usage of credit for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFR) in the United States. Usage of credit is considered successful when a loan has been paid in full and a failure is considered when the borrower defaults. Identifying such a pathway would provide useful information to the Federal government United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to evaluate the effectiveness and equity of loan programs. This study uses data from the USDA FSA farm loan programs that mainly target socially disadvantaged farmers and other underserved groups. …

Development, Characterization, And Application Of Pearl Millet Starch-Based Nanocomposite Films Reinforced With Kudzu Cellulose Nanocrystals, Sneh Bangar

All Dissertations

The accumulation of plastic waste has created serious human, wildlife, and environmental problems. Because of increasing consumer consumption, post-consumer packaging has become a major source of plastic waste. Therefore, there is a great need to develop alternative packaging materials which are environment-friendly, economical, and effective. The current research focused on developing pearl millet starch (PMS)-based biopolymer films reinforced with kudzu cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as an alternative to plastic packaging. Nanocomposite films were formulated by blending PMS and glycerol (30%) with different kudzu CNCs concentrations (1–7wt%) using the solution casting process. The prepared PMS/kudzu CNCs nanocomposite films were tested for various …

The Characterization Of Microglia In The Murine Dorsal Telencephalon In Development And Disease, Victoria Neckles

All Dissertations

Microglia are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system and contribute substantially to both development and maintenance of the brain. Negative alterations to microglia often result in detrimental outcomes and significant effort is being made to understand these powerful cells. The goal of this research is to characterize microglia in the developing and diseased murine dorsal telencephalon. In vivo cell labeling and confocal microscopy identified a transient cell type, amoeboid microglia cells (AMCs), that appear to contribute to the development of microglia. Moreover, the spatial distribution and morphological change of microglia was thoroughly characterized during postnatal development. The …

The Effect Of Freezing Rates And Storage On Atlantic Salmon And Peaches, Wesam Aljeddawi

All Dissertations

The effect of long-term frozen storage of Atlantic salmon and sliced peaches was studied to determine methods to optimize quality. The first experiment was conducted to determine the quality changes in Atlantic salmon stored at different freezer temperatures over 12 months. Fresh and pre-frozen salmon were placed in five different freezers set at –7°C, –12°C, –18°C, –29°C and –77°C and evaluated for quality at 30, 90, 180, 270 and 360 days of storage. In general, higher quality was retained to a greater extent in salmon held at –29°C and –77°C for 360 days compared to the other storage temperatures. No …

Etiology And Epidemiology Of Mini-Ring In Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Greens, Lukas Dant

All Dissertations

Mini-ring is a disease in ultradwarf bermudagrass (UDBG) [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis (Burtt-Davy)] putting greens caused by Waitea zeae (Voorhees) J.A. Crouch & Cubeta, (formerly Rhizoctonia zeae). Symptoms typically resemble frog-eye patches that are 10 to 40 cm in diameter with a bronze to orange outer ring and green center. In the southeastern United States, mini-ring symptoms appear in late-summer and generally persist until UDBG dormancy in late-fall. Mini-ring is often problematic in UDBG when nitrogen (N) fertility is reduced to manage organic matter production and improve putting green performance and perceived green speed. While …

Green On The Map - The Influence Of Conservation Easements On The Naturalness Of Landscapes In The United States, Nakisha Fouch

All Dissertations

Large protected areas have long been the cornerstone of conservation biology, however, in an era branded by the human dominance of ecosystems, regional landscape structure and function are often a consequence of accumulated land-use decisions that may or may not include a nod to conservation planning. With underrepresentation of habitats in publicly protected areas, attention has focused on the function of alternative land conservation mechanisms. Private conservation easements (CEs) have proliferated in the United States, yet assessing landscape-level function is confounded by holder and donor intent, national and regional policy, regional landscape contexts, varying extents, resolution, and temporal scale. Over …

Evaluating How Physical Activity Affects The Perception Of Resilience In Box Butte County, Nebraska, Eric Pulver

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Physical activity is one of the modern hallmarks for good health in individuals and the public, in general. Resiliency is a growing concentration in all levels of disaster preparedness where the focus is on how to deal with the growing number of disasters stemming from global climate change. This research project’s aim is to look at the possible relationships between physical activity and resiliency in a rural Nebraska population. This was done with the use of a cross-sectional study utilizing a fifteen-question survey to gather demographics, assess the amount of physical activity, and then apply a perception of resilience tool …

A Systematic Literature Review On The Capability Of Sio₂-Np’S Exposure To Exacerbate Parkinson’S (Pd) Pathology And The Risk Factors For Biomedical Applications In Pd, Seth Abdallah

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Silica Dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂-NP) have become increasingly ubiquitous in industry, which has stimulated research into the potential toxicity of these compounds. Recent studies have explored the association between amorphous silica nanoparticle exposure and the potential for neurotoxicity. Additionally, research has been conducted in the application of SiO₂-NP’s in theranostics and as drug directing agents , which based on current literature may be contraindicated for individuals with conditions such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) which is characterized by neuroinflammation. The following literature review will discuss evidence for silica dioxide nanoparticle exposure to induce neurotoxicity which may exacerbate neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. …

Evaluation Of Rice Tolerance And Weed Control With Acetochlor And Fenclorim, Tristen H. Avent, Jason K. Norsworthy, Thomas R. Butts, Trenton L. Roberts, Nicholas R. Bateman

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many problematic weeds have evolved resistance to herbicides in mid-southern U.S. rice fields. With the lack of new effective herbicides, rice producers seek alternatives that are currently not labeled for rice production. Inhibitors of very-long chain fatty acid elongase (VLCFA) are currently not labeled for use with U.S. rice crops but are labeled for use in other U.S. row cropping systems and rice production in Asia. Previous research has demonstrated the utility of VLCFA inhibitors for weed control in rice; however, these herbicides induce variable amounts of injury to the crop when applied early in the growing season. Experiments were …

(R2023) Analysis Of The Auto-Oscillation Of A Perturbed Sir Epidemiological Model, Seyive J. Degbo, Guy A. Degla

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, we study a class of compatimental epidemiological models consisting of Susceptible, Infected, and Removed (SIR) individuals with a perturbation factor or exterior effects such as noise, climate change, pollution, etc. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a limit cycle confined in a nonempty closed and convex set by relying on a recent result of Lobanova and Sadovskii. Moreover, we study the existence of Hopf and Bogdanov-Takens bifurcations by applying respectively Poincare-Andronov-Hopf bifurcation theorem and Bogdanov-Takens theorem. Eventually, using Scilab, we illustrate the validity of our results with numerical simulations and also interpret them.

Machine Learning Models For Human Synapse Genomics, Anqi Wei

All Dissertations

In the central nervous system, synapses are essential junctions that connect neurons and play important roles in neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. While there are many challenges in human synapse genomics, machine learning techniques, which are capable of mining and interpreting large amounts of genomic data, may be utilized to facilitate the functional studies of human synapses. In this study, we have developed machine learning models for human synapse genomics to address several biological problems.

RNA localization plays an important role at the synapse, allowing local protein synthesis required for synaptic plasticity during brain development. Previous studies were conducted in mice …

Characterizing The Cutaneous Microbiome Of Eurycea Lucifuga As A Potential Defense Against Chytridiomycosis, Madeline Key

Senior Honors Theses

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease that is significantly reducing global amphibian populations. The disease is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungus that lethally modifies amphibian skin. Recent research has suggested that the cutaneous microbiome of individual amphibians may play a role in susceptibility to the pathogen. In this study, twelve cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga) were collected. Cutaneous bacteria from each salamander were isolated and identified using Sanger Sequencing. Additionally, a Bd-challenge assay was performed to determine each isolate’s antifungal activity. Results indicated many microbial isolates possessed inhibitory capabilities against Bd, which may …

Evaluating The Viscoelastic Properties Of Alligator Skin Gelatin, Alligel, Compared To Mammalian And Fish Gelatins, Sarah E. Jimenez

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Examining The Symbioses Between Bioluminescent Vibrio Species And Ponyfishes In The Indian Ocean And Between Vibrio Species And Crassostrea Virginica In The Gulf Of Mexico, Alexandra Chauvin

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Determination Of Some Seed Characteristics Of False Flax (Camelina Sativa L. Crantz) Genotypes Grown Under Semi-Temperate Conditions, İlhan Subaşı, Yusuf Arslan, Tamer Eryigit, Vahdettin Çiftçi, Mahmut Çamlıca

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Camelina is an alternative low-input oil plant grown in marginal areas in Turkey. This study aimed to determine some quality characteristics of 39 camellia genotypes in ecological conditions in Bolu, Turkey. The field experiments were carried out in an augmented design with randomized blocks. In this work, some important properties such as thousand seed weight, oil content, fatty acid composition, and protein ratio were investigated. Results showed that mean data for thousand seed weight, oil ratio, and protein ratio were 0.63 – 1.5 g, 26.69 – 39.17%, and 21.81 – 29.81%, respectively. Considering the oil content of the genotypes used …

Sub-Acute Oral Toxicity Evaluation Of Philippine Bignay (Antidesma Bunius (L.) Spreng Cv. ‘Kalabaw’) Fruit In Icr Mice, Jonina Marie Tengco, Liezl Atienza, Maria Amelita Estacio, Mark Joseph Desamero, Roxanne Gapasin, Jonna Rose Maniwang, Katherine Ann Castillo-Israel, Rohani Navarro, Dianne Jane Sunico, James Ryan Aranzado, Ann Cayetano, Joan Delomen, Loraine Ancheta

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study evaluated the safety of Bignay (Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng cv. ‘Kalabaw’) fruits through a sub-acute oral toxicity test in male and female ICR mice. The evaluation was done through oral gavage of the aqueous fruit sample at 2,000 mg kg^-1 body weight dose for 28 d. Results showed that there were no significant changes in feed and water intake of male and female ICR mice as compared to the control groups that received distilled water (p < 0.05). Blood chemistry and hematology values for all mice groups were comparable to the controls and published values. All mice groups also had appreciable body weight gain (10.89% – 21.69%) with zero morbidity and mortality. Lastly, the gross and microscopic examination of the brain, heart, lungs, GI tract, liver, spleen, and kidneys showed normal architecture and histology, suggesting that the fruits did not induce any morphological abnormalities. Results of this study showed that Bignay (cv. ‘Kalabaw’) fruits are safe for consumption with an LD₅₀ of greater than 2,000 mg kg^-1 body weight.

Micropropagation Of Grammatophyllum Multiflorum Var. 'Tigrinum' Lindley And Evaluation Of Its Antimicrobial Activities, Eufrocinio Marfori

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Grammatophyllum multiflorum var. ‘tigrinum’ Lindley is an endangered orchid species endemic to the Philippines. To ensure its sustainable utilization as a source of phytochemicals, the types and concentrations of cytokinin, and auxin for shoot and root induction using nodal explants from in vitro germinated seedlings for its mass propagation were established. Seeds were germinated in vitro using MS medium without growth regulator. The nodal explants from the in vitro germinated seedlings were placed in MS medium containing different cytokinins and auxins to optimize multiple shoots and root formation, respectively. Thidiazuron (TDZ) at 2.5 μM was found to be the best …

Mixed Infections Of Ca. Liberibacter Asiaticus And Citrus Tristeza Virus Affecting Calamansi (Citrofortunella Microcarpa Bunge) In Oriental Mindoro, Philippines [Research Note], Alliah Czarielle Mañugo, Julie Ann Mae Bolo, Julianne Camacho, Jamil De Guzman, Edna Aguilar, Filomena Sta Cruz

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Huanglongbing (HLB) and tristeza are the most destructive diseases affecting citrus crops worldwide, including calamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa Bunge Wijnands) in the Philippines. Oriental Mindoro is the largest calamansi-producing province contributing to about 33% of the country’s production. This study was conducted to determine the current status of the occurrence of HLB and tristeza diseases affecting calamansi in the province through visual observation of symptoms in field surveys and detection of the causal pathogen. Both HLB and tristeza were found in all the nine villages surveyed located in the municipalities of Naujan, Pola, Roxas, and Victoria. Plants were showing the …

Increased Bundle-Sheath Leakiness Of Co2 During Photosynthetic Induction Shows A Lack Of Coordination Between The C4 And C3 Cycles, Yu Wang, Samantha S. Stutz, Carl J. Bernacchi, Ryan A. Boyd, Donald R. Ort, Stephen P. Long

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

Use of a complete dynamic model of NADP-malic enzyme C4 photosynthesis indicated that, during transitions from dark or shade to high light, induction of the C4 pathway was more rapid than that of C3, resulting in a predicted transient increase in bundle-sheath CO2 leakiness (ϕ). Previously, ϕ has been measured at steady state; here we developed a new method, coupling a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscope with a gas-exchange system to track ϕ in sorghum and maize through the nonsteady-state condition of photosynthetic induction. In both species, ϕ showed a transient increase to > 0.35 before declining to a steady state …