Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Editorial: Leveraging Multi-Omics Approaches To Understand And Manage Gastrointestinal And Hepatic Diseases, Isis Trujillo-Gonzalez, Paul G. Thomes, Isin Tuna Sakallioglu, Kusum K. Kharbanda

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

The Research Topic “Leveraging multi-omics approaches to understand and manage gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases” proposed by the Frontiers in Pharmacology has attracted a total of four articles on preclinical studies that were covered in three original research manuscripts and one review article. Two research articles were on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously named non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is now recognized as a predominant cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting over 30% of the adult population (Teng et al., 2023; Miao et al., 2024). Current pharmacological treatments for MASLD are limited and, until a recent FDA-approved …

Hell You Talmbout: Mixtapes As Method For Online Environmental Justice Pedagogy, Elspeth Iralu, Caitlin Grann

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This paper takes on the mixtape as a pedagogical method for approaching urgent and critical topics within the undergraduate online classroom. Drawing on two case studies from different sections of an introductory course on environmental and social justice taught in an American studies department, we demonstrate how mixtape-inspired assignments offer a method for theorizing and enacting the connections between popular culture and critical scholarship around injustice in the humanities and social sciences while also altering the space of the classroom to promote deeper student engagement, comprehension, and reflection. We argue that introducing popular culture as both content and method within …

The Costs Of Ecosystem Disturbances, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Presents an illustration of the interdependencies inherent in natural ecosystems. An ecosystem may be defined as: “… a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between its different elements” (Knapp 2020). In such interdependent systems, removal of one or more of the essential “elements” can severely disrupt the functioning of the system and such disruptions can give rise to negative impacts on the environment and human health and well-being.

Perspectives Through The Lens Of Educators And Students: Teaching Flood Mitigation And Other Controversial Food, Energy, Water Nexus Issues In The Classroom, Sumaiya Tabassum

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Science and society are inseparably linked, shaping each other in ways that define our world, emphasizing the need to teach science for empowering students capable of taking meaningful action toward building a sustainable and just society. Developing sustainability competencies in students is an important step toward this goal, with controversial socio-scientific issues (SSIs) providing a valuable teaching context, that encourage students in analyzing interdisciplinary evidence while considering the social, economic impacts of potential solutions. However, recognizing the unique perspectives individuals bring to the classroom is prerequisite for tailoring effective, inclusive instruction, as perspectives often shape learning and classroom-engagement. This study …

Wics Conference 2024: Creating Connections Together: Agenda And Abstracts, Daren D. Redfearn, Christopher A. Proctor

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

WICS Conference 2024: Creating Connections Together

Agenda and Abstracts

Water Security (Quantity/Quality)

Nebraska Groundwater Quality Clearinghouse; Augustine Adjei, Martha Rhoades, and Kent Eskridge

Assessing the AquaCrop model’s accuracy for soybean under variable irrigation; Anmol Singh

Yield response of irrigated maize hybrids to water availability; Thais Murias Jardi, Saleh Taghvaeian, Chris Proctor, Daran Rudnick, and Chuck Burr

Using the DSSAT CERES-Maize model to evaluate farmers' irrigation decisions; Rintu Sen

Nutrient Management and Cycling

Effect of cover crop mixtures and crop rotation on nitrogen dynamics and crop yield in southeast Nebraska; Madhusudhan Adhikaari

Nitrogen inhibitors reduce nitrogen losses via ammonia volatilization, nitrous …

Subterranean Medicinal Bottles Are Treasures That Reveal The Growth Of Lincoln's Early Drug Stores, Mark Griep, June Weber, Erik Schulz, Effie Athanassopoulos

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Archeologists unearthed medicine bottles embossed with the names of nine early Lincoln (Nebraska) drug stores, giving insight into the rapid growth of pharmacies and health care from the 1880s up to the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

Water Current, Volume 56, No. 3, Fall 2024

Water Current Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Battery Recycling In Nebraska, Kathryn Singh, Keegan Dunn, Emily Klinger

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Battery Recycling in Nebraska for clients Douglas County Environmental Services and Recycling Council.

The Green Office Initiative: Managing Waste With Purpose, Allison Page, Lauren Smith, Naomi Mark

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled The Green Office Initiative: Managing Waste with Purpose for client Lincoln Electric System (Katie Gutierrez and Dalton Johnson).

Optimizing Local Access To Information On Saving The Planet!, Sami Garcia

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Optimizing Local Access to Information on Saving the Planet! for client Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.

Local Energy For Local Water: Urban-Rural Collaboration, Meg Brady, Clementine Ewomsan

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Local Energy for Local Water: Urban-Rural Collaboration for client James Persson.

Voltage-Controlled Spintronics And Fundamentals Of Magnetoelectricity In Magnetoelectric Antiferromagnetic Chromia, Syed Qamar Abbas Shah

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Spintronics, which exploits both the spin and charge of electrons, offers a path to more energy-efficient and functionally enhanced devices compared to traditional CMOS electronics. A significant development in this field is voltage-controlled spintronics, where electric fields manipulate magnetic and spin states without the large power dissipation seen in current-based technologies. Among the materials explored for this purpose, magnetoelectric (ME) antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials show promise for energy-efficient, non-volatile memory technologies. Controlling AFM ordering via voltage application is essential for realizing these devices.

This dissertation focuses on ME AFM materials, specifically chromia (Cr₂O₃), to advance voltage-controlled spintronics. …

Intrinsic And Environmental Drivers Of Pairwise Cohesion In Wild Canis Social Groups, John F. Benson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Animals within social groups respond to costs and benefits of sociality by adjusting the proportion of time they spend in close proximity to other individuals in the group (cohesion). Variation in cohesion between individuals, in turn, shapes important group-level processes such as subgroup formation and fission–fusion dynamics. Although critical to animal sociality, a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing cohesion remains a gap in our knowledge of cooperative behavior in animals. We tracked 574 individuals from six species within the genus Canis in 15 countries on four continents with GPS telemetry to estimate the time that pairs of individuals within …

Climate Smart Agriculture, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

There are several programs encouraging producers to reduce their carbon intensity, including United States Department of Agriculture climate-smart agriculture programs, the 2024 Nebraska Climate Action Plan, and the 2024 Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act. The hope is that producers with lower carbon intensity (CI) scores will receive a premium for their products. Producers would be well advised to learn more about these programs, as reducing carbon intensity in agriculture seems to be an emerging agricultural policy trend that will be with us for some time to come.

Institutional Data Repositories Are Vital, Jen Darragh, Mikala R. Narlock, Halle Burns, Peter A. Cerda, Wind Cowles, Leslie M. Delserone, Seth Erickson, Joel Herndon, Heidi Imker, Lisa R. Johnston, Sherry Lake, Michael Lenard, Alicia Hofelich Mohr, Jennifer Moore, Jonathan Petters, Brandie Pullen, Shawna Taylor, Briana Wham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

As funding agencies and publishers reiterate research data sharing expectations (1), many higher-education institutions have demonstrated their commitment to the long-term stewardship of research data by connecting researchers to local infrastructure, with dedicated staffing, that eases the burden of data sharing. Institutional repositories are an example of this investment (2). They provide support for researchers in sharing data that might otherwise be lost: data without a disciplinary repository, data from projects with limited funding, or data that are too large to sustainably store elsewhere. The staffing and technical infrastructure provided by institutional repositories ensures responsible access to information while considering …

Appraising Groundwater Quality And Probabilistic Human Health Risks From Fluoride-Enriched Groundwater Using The Pollution Index Of Groundwater (Pig) And Gis: A Case Study Of Adama Town And Its Vicinities In The Central Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, Hassen Shube, Shankar Karuppannan, Muhammed Haji, Balamurugan Paneerselvam, Nafyad Kawo, Abraham Mechal, Ashu Fekadu

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

This research's main objective is to identify the level of contamination in drinking water in Adama town and its environs by employing PIG, GIS and HHRA. The physical–chemical parameters of groundwater were determined, and the results were compared to regional and global drinking water quality guidelines. The pH of groundwater is alkaline, and the contents of Ca₂⁺, Na⁺, HCO₃ ⁻, and F⁻ in the majority of samples surpassed the permissible drinking limit. The hydrochemical facies were identified in the following order: Ca–Mg–HCO₃, Na–Ca–HCO₃, and Na–HCO₃. Cation …

Dirt/Μ: Automated Extraction Of Root Hair Traits Using Combinatorial Optimization, Peter Pietrzyk, Neen Phan-Udom, Chartinun Chutoe, Lise Pingault, Ankita Roy, Marc Libault, Patompong Johns Saengwilai, Alexander Bucksch

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

As with phenotyping of any microscopic appendages, such as cilia or antennae, phenotyping of root hairs has been a challenge due to their complex intersecting arrangements in two-dimensional images and the technical limitations of automated measurements. Digital Imaging of Root Traits at Microscale (DIRT/μ) is a newly developed algorithm that addresses this issue by computationally resolving intersections and extracting individual root hairs from two-dimensional microscopy images. This solution enables automatic and precise trait measurements of individual root hairs. DIRT/μ rigorously defines a set of rules to resolve intersecting root hairs and minimizes a newly designed cost function to combinatorically identify …

Willingness To Pay And Market Potential For Biowrap: An Economic Study Of A New Biodegradable Mulch Product In Home Gardening, Gengchen Cai

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explores the market potential of BioWRAP, a biodegradable sprayable weed suppression product, by assessing the willingness to pay (WTP) among American home gardeners. Traditional plastic mulch offers significant agronomic benefits but poses considerable environmental challenges, making BioWRAP a promising alternative due to its similar benefits and reduced environmental impact. Using a double-bounded contingent valuation method, we analyze the WTP for BioWRAP among different demographic groups and gardening practices. Our findings indicate that the highest WTP for BioWRAP is among home gardeners who currently use chemical sprays for weed suppression, followed by those using physical barriers, with the lowest …

Imaging Photoinduced Dynamics In Gas-Phase Molecules Using Ultrafast Electron And X-Ray Diffraction, Sri Bhavya Muvva

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Investigating the ultrafast structural changes in photoexcited molecules provides essential information on their governing reaction mechanisms and product formation. Time-resolved electron and X-ray diffraction are crucial techniques for capturing the structural information of photoexcited molecules on femtosecond timescales. This thesis presents the investigations of photochemical reactions in gas-phase molecules using ultrafast electron and X-ray diffraction experiments.

Photoexcitation of conjugated diene molecules with ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses can lead to different reaction mechanisms, depending on their double bonds’ positions and molecular rigidity. Chapter 2 of this dissertation discusses the femtosecond time-resolved UV-induced excited-state structural dynamics of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene, an eight-membered cyclic conjugated …

How Much Green To Keep The Garden Clean? An Analysis Of The Willingness To Pay (Wtp) Of Home Gardeners For Biowrap Technology, Gengchen Cai, Kanij Fatema, Karina A. Schoengold

Cornhusker Economics

A research team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University, and South Dakota School of Mines are working on creating an alternative product that would use locally available materials to create a spray-on, biodegradable polymer that can suppress weeds and will biodegrade in a timeframe that is amenable to crop production. We broadly refer to this technology as BioWRAP (Bioplastics with Regenerative Agricultural Properties).

Our results show that the home garden market is potentially a significant one for a BioWRAP product. Continued work in the development of the BioWRAP technology is necessary to determine what the cost of a …

Ponca State Park Vascular Plant Species List, Robert F. Steinauer

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

A list of vascular plant species found in Ponca State Park. Arranged by plant family and then species name. Also included are descriptions of locations where the species is commonly found.

Wildcat Hills Rare Plant Survey Final Report, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

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

This survey report summarizes fifteen days of field work in eleven sites scattered across the Wildcat Ridge that were completed between May and August of 1996. Forty-five occurrences of 15 plant species on the Nebraska Natural Heritage element list were found. Ten tracts of high quality (or otherwise noteworthy) native communities were identified. Included in the report are site descriptions and element occurrences.

Groundwater Modeling Of The Ogallala Aquifer: Use Of Machine Learning For Model Parameterization And Sustainability Assessment, Tewodros Aboret Tilahun

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Addressing groundwater depletion problems in heterogeneous aquifer systems is a challenge. The heterogeneous Ogallala Aquifer, a critical source of groundwater in the central United States, has undergone decades of decline in water levels due to pumping. This project aims to build a robust groundwater model to evaluate optimal scenarios for sustainable use of the groundwater resource within a section of the Ogallala aquifer located in the Middle Republican Natural Resources District (MRNRD). This study follows a comprehensive approach involving parameterization, construction, and optimization. The model is parametrized using hydraulic conductivity and recharge values obtained from a random forest-based machine learning …

The Feasibility Of Utilizing The Open Dynamic Interaction Network (Odin) App To Assess Rema Data Across 30 Days Among Those Recovering From Alcoholism, Dennis E. Mcchargue, Bilal Khan, Jesscia Phelps, Patrick Duryea, Kimberly A. Tyler, Arthur Andrews, Ellie Reznicek, Lucy Napper, Mohamed Saad, Hsuan-Wee Lee

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

About ~4 million people with an alcohol use disorder receive treatment annually, and frequent relapse has produced a rapid revolving door between recovery and use. This paper presents preliminary data from a prospective micro-longitudinal study (30 days) that examines co-evolution of relapse risk processes of people with alcohol use disorders who entered a short-term residential substance use treatment. The primary goal of the current data was to assess the feasibility of using the open dynamic interaction network (ODIN) responsive ecological momentary assessment (rEMA). rEMA collected daily estimates on affect, urges, sober-support engagement, and use. The ODIN app administered twelve questions …

Conservation Decision Making And Agricultural Land Leasing - An Experimental Investigation Of The Role Of Gender, Diya Ganguly, Simanti Banerjee, Christopher Gustafson

Cornhusker Economics

This research investigated the impact of landowner gender and of the different types of contract leases offered by them to a male tenant, on the conservation (or non-conservation) choice made by the tenant. Specifically, we investigate if a) female and male landowners offer different rental contracts and b) whether tenants choose different actions based on the landowner’s gender. For this purpose, we implemented a controlled, gender-context-loaded economic experiment with university students, in which we tested contract and land use choice under different treatments for three types of rental contracts – fixed rent, fixed rent with penalty, and fixed rent with …

Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Applications For Metabolomics, Darcy Cochran, Robert Powers

Robert Powers Publications

Metabolomics is an interdisciplinary field that aims to study all metabolites < 1500 Da that are ubiquitously found within all organisms. Metabolomics is experiencing exponential growth and commonly relies on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) is a form of HRMS that is particularly well suited for metabolomics research due to its exceptionally high resolution (10⁵–10⁶) and sensitivity with a mass accuracy in parts per billion (ppb). In this regard, FT-ICR-MS can provide valuable insights into the metabolomics analysis of complex biological systems due to unique capabilities such as the easy separation of isobaric and isomeric species, isotopic fine structure analysis, spatial resolution of metabolites in cells and tissues, and a high confidence (error) in metabolite identification. Alternatively, the large and complex data sets, long acquisition times, high cost, and limited access mainly through national mass spectrometry facilities may impede the …

A Measurement Of The Differential Drell-Yan Cross Section As A Function Of Invariant Mass In Proton–Proton Collisions At √ S = 13 Tev, William Robert Tabb

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The Drell-Yan process, a crucial mechanism for producing lepton pairs in highenergy hadron collisions, serves as an essential probe for testing the Standard Model of particle physics. This dissertation presents a comprehensive measurement of the differential cross section with respect to the invariant mass of the lepton pairs, utilizing data collected by the CMS experiment at CERN from 2016 to 2018. Cross sections are essential for refining our understanding of parton distribution functions and the underlying quantum chromodynamics processes, thereby providing constraints on theoretical predictions. In this analysis, the cross sections are compared to theoretical models and simulations, offering new …

Assessing Soil Properties & Suitability For Optimized Irrigation Development In Sudan, Northern Africa, Suhib O. Hamid

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Masters Project Reports

In Chapter 1, soil properties essential for efficient irrigation are thoroughly assessed. Factors such as soil texture, infiltration rates, and nutrient content are analyzed to provide insights into the selection of modern irrigation systems. Utilizing data collected from 3,192 locations through GPS and laboratory analyses, alongside sophisticated ranking systems, the research determines the most suitable irrigation methods for specific soil series. Findings highlight the remarkable efficiency of drip irrigation across various soil types, contrasting with the consistently lower performance of surface irrigation. The chapter emphasizes the significance of considering soil variability, evapotranspiration, and investment factors in selecting irrigation methods for …

Smart Automatic Modal Hammer Predictor–Corrector Approach For Accurate Excitation Of Dynamical Systems, Mohammad Nasr

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This research introduces an innovative solution that revolutionizes the study of linear and nonlinear dynamical systems—a smart automatic modal hammer. With its affordability and intelligent capabilities, this automatic modal hammer becomes an invaluable tool for research and industry, enabling repeatable strikes with precise force control. This system's significance becomes particularly evident when studying nonlinear systems, which heavily rely on the excitation level for their dynamics. By offering a cost-effective design this proposed system proves to be robust in accelerating research on nonlinear dynamics, providing researchers with an efficient and accessible means to delve deeper into these complex systems. The proposed …

Studies Of Exotic Electronic, Optical, And Electrochemical Properties In Nanoparticle Assembly And Graphene, Jay Min Lim

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

It is well known that exotic properties and phenomena emerge as structural dimensions shrink to nanoscales. We self-assembled one-dimensional chains of gold nanoparticles in solution and quantified the growth process by monitoring the redshift of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Curiously, the redshift stopped while the chains continued to rearrange as manifested by gradual reduction in the LSPR peak. Using electromagnetic simulations, we quantitatively explained the phenomena as a rapid “addition-polymerization” followed by a sharp transition to “condensation-process.” Next, recognizing the significant electric field enhancement in the interparticle gap, a photoluminescent-active Eu³⁺ ion was used to probe Surface-Enhanced Photoluminescence …