University of Nebraska Omaha

About: University of Nebraska Omaha is a education organization based out in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 4526 authors who have published 8905 publications receiving 213914 citations. The organization is also known as: UNO & University of Omaha.

Limited sex-biased neural gene expression patterns across strains in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract: Male and female vertebrates typically differ in a range of characteristics, from morphology to physiology to behavior, which are influenced by factors such as the social environment and the internal hormonal and genetic milieu. However, sex differences in gene expression profiles in the brains of vertebrates are only beginning to be understood. Fishes provide a unique complement to studies of sex differences in mammals and birds given that fish show extreme plasticity and lability of sexually dimorphic characters and behaviors during development and even adulthood. Hence, teleost models can give additional insight into sexual differentiation. The goal of this study is to identify neurotranscriptomic mechanisms for sex differences in the brain. In this study we examined whole-brain sex-biased gene expression through RNA-sequencing across four strains of zebrafish. We subsequently conducted systems level analyses by examining gene network dynamics between the sexes using weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Surprisingly, only 61 genes (approximately 0.4% of genes analyzed) showed a significant sex effect across all four strains, and 48 of these differences were male-biased. Several of these genes are associated with steroid hormone biosynthesis. Despite sex differences in a display of stress-related behaviors, basal transcript levels did not predict the intensity of the behavioral display. WGCNA revealed only one module that was significantly associated with sex. Intriguingly, comparing intermodule dynamics between the sexes revealed only moderate preservation. Further we identify sex-specific gene modules. Despite differences in morphology, physiology, and behavior, there is limited sex-biased neural gene expression in zebrafish. Further, genes found to be sex-biased are associated with hormone biosynthesis, suggesting that sex steroid hormones may be key contributors to sexual behavioral plasticity seen in teleosts. A possible mechanism is through regulating specific brain gene networks.

Non-chaotic behaviour in three-dimensional quadratic systems

Abstract: It is shown that three-dimensional dissipative quadratic systems of ordinary differential equations with a total of four terms on the right-hand side of the equations do not exhibit chaos. This complements recent work of Sprott who has given many examples of chaotic quadratic systems with as few as five terms on the right-hand side of the equations. PACS Number: 0545

Is Business Discourse Colonizing Philanthropy? A Critical Discourse Analysis of (PRODUCT) RED

Abstract: Increasingly, traditional notions of philanthropy are colonized by a market discourse that promotes consumption as an effective way to solve social ills, resulting in what scholars have termed “marketized philanthropy.” This paper examines the implications of marketized philanthropy through a discourse analysis of the (PRODUCT) RED campaign benefiting the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis in Africa through consumption of (RED)-branded products. This paper explores the implications of a business-oriented model of philanthropy for bringing about social change, the repercussions of campaigns like (RED) that explicitly shed the label of philanthropy; and how they impact political engagement.

Space-based assessment of glacier fluctuations in the Wakhan Pamir, Afghanistan

Abstract: Alpine glaciers directly and indirectly respond to climate and play a significant role in mountain geodynamics. Many glaciers around the world have been found to be retreating and downwasting, although these patterns are highly variable due to variations in local topography, regional climate and ice-flow dynamics. Unfortunately, limited information is available on glacier fluctuations in the Wakhan Pamir of Afghanistan, and no data exist from there in the World Glacier Monitoring Services (WGMS) database. Our general circulation model (GCM) climate simulations represent a double carbon-dioxide-loading scenario, and results suggest that glaciers in this region should be downwasting and retreating. Therefore, as part of the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, we evaluated ASTER and Landsat MSS data to assess glacier fluctuations from 1976–2003, in the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan. We sampled 30 alpine valley, compound alpine valley or cirque-type glaciers of varying size and orientation. Results indicate that 28 glacier-terminus positions have retreated, and the largest average retreat rate was 36 m year − 1. Satellite image analysis reveals non-vegetated glacier forefields formed prior to 1976, as well as geomorphological evidence for apparent glacier-surface downwasting after 1976. Climatic conditions and glacier retreat have resulted in disconnection of tributary glaciers to their main trunk, the formation of high-altitude lakes, and an increased frequency and size of proglacial lakes. Collectively, these results suggest increased hazard potential in some basins and a negative regional mass balance.

ThinkLets as Building Blocks for Collaboration Processes: A Further Conceptualization

Abstract: In the past decade, there has been a steady increase in the importance of collaboration to value creation in organizations, which has given rise to a new research field. Collaboration Engineering aims to model, design, and deploy repeatable collaboration processes to be executed by practitioners themsleves of high-value recurring collaborative tasks. Thus the aim of collaboration engineering is to create ready made designs for group processes. A key concept in Collaboration Engineering is a thinkLet – a codified facilitation intervention in a group process to create a desired pattern of collaboration. This paper presents an analysis of the thinkLet concept and possible thinkLet classification schemes to support collaboration engineers in effectively designing collaboration processes.