Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Osborne Healthy Living Club, Margaret Osborne

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Variation And Tracking Of Climate Niche Of A Migratory Bird, Javier Gutiérrez Illán, Guiming Wang, D. Tommy King, Fred L. Cunningham

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migratory birds inhabit different areas during breeding and non-breeding seasons. Depending on the time of the year, they may utilize different resources available in seasonal habitats, but also are subjected to changing climate regimes during their annual life cycle. Migratory birds may adopt ecological niche tracking to cope with different environmental conditions between breeding and non-breeding grounds. The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, hereafter ‘AWPE’) is a short-distance migrant between the Gulf of Mexico coastal regions (nonbreeding grounds) and the Northern Great Plains (breeding grounds) of Canada and the US. The American White Pelican is a piscivore, feeding …

Evaluation Of Selected Computer Software For Concussion Recovery And Diagnosis, J.P. Jensen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Acquired traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions, impact many athletes participating in sports, particularly at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. The risks posed by concussions – particularly when an athlete suffers repeated injuries – demands that protocols and tools be developed to maximize athlete health and safety. Computer technology can perform critical roles in the analysis and management of concussions. While specialized devices in the areas of imaging and impact sensing, are most associated with concussion management, researchers within the last two decades have increasingly explored the incorporation of various consumer technologies into the identification and treatment of …

Stem Club, Camden Jones, Erica Gesner, Amber Gadeken

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

The goal of this club is to introduce various topics stemming from different fields in science. We hope to excite the students about science and show them how important it is to their everyday lives. This club also aims to provide free education to underserved communities.

Relative Palatability And Efficacy Of Brodifacoum-25d Conservation Rodenticide Pellets For Mouse Eradication On Midway Atoll, Peter J. Kappes, Shane R. Siers, Israel L. Leinbach, Robert T. Sugihara, Wesley J. Jolley, Jonathan H. Plissner, Elizabeth N. Flint, Kelly L. Goodale, Gregg R. Howald

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive mice (Mus spp.) can negatively impact island species and ecosystems. Because fewer island rodent eradications have been attempted for mice compared to rats (Rattus spp.), less is known about efficacy and palatability of rodenticide baits for mouse eradications. We performed a series of bait acceptance and efficacy cage trials using a standard formulation of brodifacoum-based rodenticide on wild-caught mice from Sand Island, Midway Atoll, to help inform a proposed eradication there. Mice were offered ad libitum brodifacoum pellets along with various alternative food sources, and a “no choice” treatment group received only bait pellets. Mortality in the no choice …

Intercontinental Movement Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5n1) Clade 2.3.4.4 Virus To The United States, 2021, Sarah N. Bevins, Susan A. Shriner, James C. Cumbee Jr., Krista E. Dilione, Kelly E. Douglass, Jeremy W. Ellis, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti, Julianna B. Lenoch

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We detected Eurasian-origin highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus belonging to the Gs/GD lineage, clade 2.3.4.4b, in wild waterfowl in 2 Atlantic coastal states in the United States. Bird banding data showed widespread movement of waterfowl within the Atlantic Flyway and between neighboring flyways and northern breeding grounds.

Egypt’S Pediatric Oncology Hospital 57357: A Case Study Analysis, Ashley A. Clegg

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Hospital 57357 is the foremost pediatric oncology hospital in Egypt and provides treatment free of charge to children with cancer. Since its establishment in 2007, the hospital has grown to a capacity of 380 patient beds across three locations. Its quest for continuous improvement led to the development of a new performance management system emphasizing the tracking and measurement of a multitude of Key Performance Indicators across all departments. While this new system enables objective and perpetual monitoring of key patient care metrics, its integration into the existing structure introduces challenges that must be addressed. To analyze the external environment …

Evaluating The Microbial Quality And Use Of Antimicrobials In Raw Pet Foods, Leslie Pearl Cancio

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

Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) are emerging pet foods that pose food safety risks because of the potential presence of pathogens that could cause illness to humans. In this research, the microbial quality of select RMBD products sold by pet food companies online and the use of chemical antimicrobials to reduce the microbial load in chicken liver, a common RMBD ingredient, were evaluated.

Ground meat blends and livers from four animal species (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) were purchased from four online companies that delivers directly to consumers through parcel businesses. Products were procured at three different times during one year and …

Covid‑19 Vaccine Distribution: Exploring Strategic Alternatives For The Greater Good, Arben Asllani, Silvana Trimi

Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics: Faculty Publications

The dire state of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis symbolized the urgency for efficient distribution and administration of vaccines to combat the virus as the most urgent public health service. This paper presents a prototype multi-criteria decision support model based on goal programming that can effectively support vaccination plans for the greater good of society. The optimization goals of the model include minimizing the number of fatalities and risk of spreading the disease, while complying with government health agency’s priority guidelines for vaccination. This study applied the model to a real-world dataset to demonstrate how it can be effectively applied as …

Individual Trophic Niche Specialization In American Beaver (Castor Canadensis), Jimmy Taylor, Robert Francis, Scott Rush, Bronson Strickland, Guiming Wang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The American beaver (Castor canadensis) has been described as a choosy generalist at the species/population scale, yet observational studies have shown little variation in diet among individuals. We compared isotopic values of δ¹³C or δ¹⁵N taken from hair of 32 beaver, representing seven colonies in northern Alabama, USA to determine 1) if colonies of beaver show overlap in isotopic niche width as a result of the similar use of food resources and 2) if individual trophic niche specialization occurs within colonies. Total Trophic Niche Width varied across the wetland with the widest being twice …

Differential Associations Of Conduct Disorder, Callous‑Unemotional Traits And Irritability With Outcome Expectations And Values Regarding The Consequences Of Aggression, J. Elowsky, S. Bajaj, J. Bashford‑Largo, R. Zhang, A. Mathur, A. Schwartz, M. Dobbertin, K. S. Blair, E. Leibenluft, D. Pardini, R. J.R. Blair

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: Previous work has examined the association of aggression levels and callous-unemotional traits with outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression. Less work has examined the outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression of adolescents with Conduct Disorder (CD). Also, no studies have examined links between irritability (a second socio-affective trait associated with CD) and these social cognitive processes despite the core function of anger in retaliatory aggression and establishing dominance.

Method: The current study, investigating these issues, involved 193 adolescents (typically developing [TD; N = 106], 87 cases with CD [N = 87]). Participants completed …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2022, 142nd Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Second Annual Meeting, April 22, 2022

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Biological Sciences

Biomedical Sciences

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Environmental Sciences

Physics

2022 Maiben Lecture: Dan Sitzman

2022 Friend of Science Award: Julie Sigmon and Chris Schaben

Editorial: Special Issue “Innovative Techniques And Approaches In The Control And Prevention Of Rabies Virus”, Amy T. Gilbert, Ryan M. Wallace, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies is an ancient lethal scourge that has plagued humankind for centuries. Globally, 60,000 human deaths are estimated to occur each year from rabies virus (RABV) transmission in domestic dogs, mostly affecting children. While rabies is recognized as a neglected disease, there is cause for optimism in the context of growing global recognition, collaboration and commitment to advance a tripartite agenda to eliminate human deaths transmitted from rabid dogs by 2030, also known as “Zero By Thirty” (ZBT). Nevertheless, the ZBT goal must also confront competing challenge(s) of tracking and mitigating human morbidity and mortality during a global pandemic caused …

The Impact Of Afghan Opium Cultivation On The U.S. Opioid Epidemic, Zachary Wahab Cheek

UNL Student Research Days Posters, Undergraduate

I argue here that increases in Afghan opium cultivation, the most prolific in the world, has depressed American prescription opioid and heroin prices, thereby increasing abuse risk in U.S. addict populations and increasing death rates. Utilizing a two-stage regression model with a sparse dataset from several national and international sources, I find evidence that a one percent increase in Afghan opium production is associated with a 0.122 percent increase in prescription opioid overdose deaths, and a 0.367 percent increase in heroin overdose deaths. Assessing the 2001-2002 Taliban opium ban with an identification strategy, I find that in this timeframe prescription …

Can We Use Antipredator Behavior Theory To Predict Wildlife Responses To High-Speed Vehicles?, Ryan B. Lunn, Bradley Blackwell, Travis L. Devault, Esteban Fernández-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Animals seem to rely on antipredator behavior to avoid vehicle collisions. There is an extensive body of antipredator behavior theory that have been used to predict the distance/time animals should escape from predators. These models have also been used to guide empirical research on escape behavior from vehicles. However, little is known as to whether antipredator behavior models are appropriate to apply to an approaching high-speed vehicle scenario. We addressed this gap by (a) providing an overview of the main hypotheses and predictions of different antipredator behavior models via a literature review, (b) exploring whether these models can generate quantitative …

Peptidomics Analysis Reveals Changes In Small Urinary Peptides In Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome, Md Shadman Ridwan Abid, Haowen Qiu, Bridget A. Tripp, Aline De Lima Leite, Heidi Roth, Jiri Adamec, Robert Powers, James W. Checco

UNL Student Research Days Posters, Graduate

Interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic and debilitating pain disorder of the bladder and urinary tract with poorly understood etiology. Symptomatic criteria to aid in the diagnosis of IC/BPS includes bladder pain, an increase in urinary urgency or Hunner’s ulcers on the bladder wall.

Our study revealed differences in the profiles of small urinary peptides for IC/BPS patients compared to age-matched controls which is consistent with increased protease activity in IC/BPS. Our study also enabled the direct measurement of APF peptide abundance in IC/BPS and control urine. Our results indicate that the full-length APF peptide was …

The Chromosome-Level Rambutan Genome Reveals A Significant Role Of Segmental Duplication In The Expansion Of Resistance Genes, Jinfang Zheng1, Lyndel W. Meinhardt, Ricardo Goenaga, Tracie Matsumoto, Dapeng Zhang, Yanbin Yin

Food for Health: Publications

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum var. lappaceum), a tropical fruit tree native to southeastern Asia, belongs to the family Sapindaceae. Rambutan is a popular table fruit and is also processed into preserves, juices, wines, and sorbets [1]. At present, only three Sapindaceae genomes are publicly available: Xanthoceras sorbifolium [2], Dimocarpus longan (longan) [3], and Acer yangbiense [4]. During the process of submitting this manuscript, the genome paper for the rambutan cultivar Baoyan7 became available online, but its genome sequence has not yet been released [5].

Antibody Dependent Enhancement Of Infectious Bronchitis Virus In Poultry, Zachary Hamilton, Barry Simpson, Donald L. Reynolds

UCARE: Research Products

Avian infectious bronchitis (IB) is a coronavirus infection of chickens that causes respiratory disease and reproductive problems in chickens. Currently, there are vaccines that are effective against IB. However, new variants and strains of avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) routinely emerge. A vaccine that is not the same strain as the virus is not completely effective in protecting against other variants because the vaccine will not allow the host antibodies to completely neutralize the strain. This is a problem because it makes IB difficult to control and diagnose.

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is a phenomenon whereby non-neutralizing antibodies, or low levels …

Economic Consequences Of The Wolf Comeback In The Western United States, Dana Hoag, Stewart W. Breck, Kevin Crooks, Becky Niemiec

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Gray wolves were eradicated from most of the United States in the 1940’s but have made a comeback in parts of their historic range over the last two decades. First reintroduced into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and central Idaho in the mid-1990’s, wolves have subsequently dispersed into at least 7 western states. Coloradoans became the latest state to take interest in bolstering wolf populations, as residents passed a ballot initiative in November 2020 to reintroduce a self-sustaining population of gray wolves by the end of 2023. Conflicts between people in rural areas that might incur costs (such as livestock loss) …

Evaluation Of Protective Efficacy Of Viral Vector Based Swine Influenza Vaccine And A Method For B Cell Culture For Monoclonal Antibody Generation, Sushmita Kumari

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Influenza A virus of the swine (IAV-S) is an economically important swine pathogen that has the potential to spread to humans, thus posing an ongoing public health concern due to its zoonotic potential. Hemagglutinin (HA), the most abundant viral envelope protein, is known to be the key protective antigen. Anti-HA antibodies alone, have been shown to prevent IAV infection. In this study we evaluated the feasibility of a recombinant tri segmented Pichinde virus (PICV) as a viral vector to deliver IAV-S hemagglutinin antigen in pigs. Four groups of weaned pigs (T01-04) were immunized twice with PBS, rPICV-GFP as a vector …

Understanding Continent-Wide Variation In Vulture Ranging Behavior To Assess Feasibility Of Vulture Safe Zones In Africa: Challenges And Possibilities, Adam Kane, Ara Monadjem, H. K.Ortwin Aschenborn, Keith Bildstein, André Botha, Claire Bracebridge, Evan R. Buechley, Ralph Buij, John P. Davies, Maria Diekmann, Colleen T. Downs, Nina Farwig, Toby Galligan, Gregory Kaltenecker, Chris Kelly, Ryno Kemp, Holger Kolberg, Monique L. Mackenzie, John Mendelsohn, Msafiri Mgumba, Ran Nathan, Aaron Nicholas, Darcy Ogada, Morgan Pfeiffer, W. Louis Phipps, Matteuns D. Pretorius, Sascha Rösner, Dana G. Schabo, Gabriel Lita Shatumbu, Orr Spiegel, Lindy J. Thompson, Jan A. Venter, Munir Virani, Kerri Wolter, Corinne J. Kendall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Protected areas are intended as tools in reducing threats to wildlife and preserving habitat for their long-term population persistence. Studies on ranging behavior provide insight into the utility of protected areas. Vultures are one of the fastest declining groups of birds globally and are popular subjects for telemetry studies, but continent-wide studies are lacking. To address how vultures use space and identify the areas and location of possible vulture safe zones, we assess home range size and their overlap with protected areas by species, age, breeding status, season, and region using a large continent-wide telemetry datasets that includes 163 individuals …

European Starling Use Of Nest Boxes Relative To Human Disturbance, Bradley Blackwell, Bruce N. Buckingham, Morgan B. Pfeiffer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

gars and to engine and flight surfaces of moored aircraft. We questioned whether consistent removal of nest material would negatively affect use of a nest site, measured by a reduction in material accumulation. We conducted our study on a 2,200-ha site in Erie County, Ohio, USA (41° 22’ N, 82° 41’ W), from April 15 through June 2, 2020. We used 120 wooden nest boxes on utility poles, protected by an aluminum predator guard below the box. Our treatments included (1) twice weekly, repeated nest material removal (RMR; n = 40 nest boxes); (2) complete nest removal, but only after …

Stepping-Stones And Mediators Of Pandemic Expansion: A Context For Humans As Ecological Super-Spreaders, Eric P. Hoberg, Walter A. Boeger, Daniel R. Brooks, Valeria Trivellone, Salvatore J. Agosta

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Humans represent ecological super-spreaders in the dissemination and introduction of pathogens. These processes, consistent with the dynamics of the Stockholm paradigm, are exemplified in the origin and globalized distributions of SARS-CoV-2 since initial recognition in central Asia during 2019 and 2020. SARS-like viruses are not widespread in mammals but appear widespread in chiropterans. Bats are isolated ecologically from most other assemblages of mammals in terrestrial systems. Humans may be the stepping-stone hosts for broad global dissemination and wider infection (given the opportunity) among diverse assemblages of mammals in which host and viral capacity are compatible. Human globalization mediated insertion in …

Livestock Performance In Response To High Intensity Rotational Grazing System, Austin Kennedy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The production of livestock is composed of a variety of factors all effecting the outcome. For grazing livestock, a key factor in production is the grazing management system. Two of the most common grazing management systems are continuous grazing and rotational grazing. There has been evidence found proving benefits of rotational grazing in regard to vegetation productivity, and prevention and restoration of degraded rangeland. However, there is a lack of clear evidence on the relationship between grazing system and production metrics of livestock. Understanding this relationship can provide the necessary information for livestock producers in order to increase their production …

A Guide To Common Nutrition, Troy Scheer

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The purpose of this project was to use the knowledge I have gained through my undergraduate courses and apply it in a format that would be beneficial for the average consumer. This project was researched, written, and designed to be accessible by someone without a background in science or nutrition with the goal of educating the reader of some basic nutrition principles. With this knowledge, it is my hope that the reader will be able to make better nutritional choices and liver a longer and healthier lifestyle by first learning how to choose the right foods. While putting this project …

Creation Of An Influenza A Virus Neuraminidase Consensus Vaccine In An Adenoviral Vector, Leigh Jahnke

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In the last decade, the estimated annual burden of the flu includes 12,000-52,000 deaths, 140,000-710,000 hospitalizations, and 9 million – 41 million illnesses (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Disease burden of the flu). Influenza A virus can mutate and infect a variety of different hosts, which results in frequent antigenic changes and even pandemics. This has led to increased attention on the creation of a universal Influenza A vaccine containing broader immunogenic coverage than current vaccines. Our research involved detailing the steps of the cloning process utilizing a consensus neuraminidase antigen. We utilized the pAdEasy Adenoviral Vector …

Predicting Autism From Infant Characteristics: A Systematic Review, Alysha Y. Henrichs, Cynthia Cress Ph.D.

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A literature review was conducted of 73 articles to explore 12-month-old characteristics in infants that predicted later diagnosis with autism (ASD). Articles were reviewed if they discussed ASD, infants with siblings diagnosed with autism (high-risk) and/or infants later diagnosed with autism without known family history of ASD (low risk). Articles were not reviewed if the participants were 36 months or older at the start of the study. More factors were identified that discriminate characteristics associated with later ASD diagnosis in infants between 12-24 months compared to characteristics of infants below 12 months. Characteristics of infants under 12 months that were …

Assessment Of Diversity Of Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes And Genotypes Of Mannheimia Haemolytica Isolates From Bovine Nasopharyngeal Swabs, Hannah F. Carter, Robert W. Wills, Matthew A. Scott, Alexis C. Thompson, Randall S. Singer, John Dustin Loy, Brandi B. Karisch, William B. Epperson, Amelia R. Woolums

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The threat of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) for cattle operations is exacerbated by increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Mannheimia haemolytica, a leading cause of BRD. Characterization of AMR in M. haemolytica by culture and susceptibility testing is complicated by uncertainty regarding the number of colonies that must be selected to accurately characterize AMR phenotypes (antibiograms) and genotypes in a culture. The study objective was to assess phenotypic and genotypic diversity of M. haemolytica isolates on nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) from 28 cattle at risk for BRD or with BRD. NPS were swabbed onto five consecutive blood agar plates; …

Understanding Queer Women’S Satisfaction With Healthcare Providers: The Role Of Positive Lgb Identity And Communication, Maddie Luebe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Much research has explored the negative effects of having a queer identity in healthcare, such as stigmatization and discrimination, but little research examined the potential benefits of a positive LGBTQ identity in healthcare. This study investigated the relationship between having a positive LGBTQ identity and provider satisfaction through comfort communicating with a provider. This study also considered the potential effect of participants’ fear of provider heterosexism in this relationship. Survey data were collected from 506 queer-identified women in the United States. Using moderated mediation, results found that more positive feelings associated with one’s queer identity was associated with increased comfort …

An Overlooked Epidemic: Pediatric Oral Health Concerns On The Rise In Rural Communities, Emma Verbrugge

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Pediatric oral health is a concern for many dentists and parents as they lay the foundation for long-term proper hygiene in children. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a disease of chronic tooth decay marked as the most common chronic disease of childhood in the world. Children living in rural areas are even more susceptible to this disease and thus significant attention is needed to curve these numbers. The consequences of ECC are much more than just cosmetic, but include heightened risk of gingivitis, periodontal disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and much more. A foundational cause of poor dental hygiene lies with …