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Advancements In Biomimetic Underwater Propulsion: Boundary Interactions And Crossflow Compensation, Matthew Perkins

Open Access Dissertations

Biomimetic propulsion is an active area of research in the field of robotics. This work presents advancements to help improve the performance of vehicles employing oscillating foil propulsion. For vehicles operating near the sea floor, ground effect on rolling and pitching foils was investigated in Manuscript 1. The ‘ground effect’ was found to be present and to cause a repulsion force on the foil as well as an increased thrust force. It was also shown that ground effect can be activated by biasing the foil into the ground effect zone while the vehicle maintains a greater distance from the boundary. …

An Omics Based Approach For The Identification Of Biomarkers In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using In Vitro Models Of Hepatic Steatosis, Anitha Saravanakumar

Open Access Dissertations

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an “umbrella” term for the broad spectrum of the disease that begins from the simple steatosis to more progressive stages of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), that includes hepatocellular ballooning, inflammation, and fibrosis. NAFLD is a growing epidemic globally, with 25% of the population predicted to be diagnosed with this disease. Liver biopsy is the only definitive method of diagnosis, despite the widespread use of sonography and elastography to predict the disease state. There is no current FDA approved medication for NAFLD/NASH. This is partly due to the lack of translatable disease model to predict the …

Three Experimental Examinations Of Aspects Of Institutions Governing Natural Resource Use, Christopher Brozyna

Open Access Dissertations

Theory alone cannot accurately describe the characteristics of successful natural resource governance institutions. Laboratory economic experiments are needed to analyze the characteristics and validate theories in a controlled environment. Three such experiments on important, but frequently overlooked, aspects of institutions are reported: time allowed for decision-making, the strength of property rights, and how resource user groups impact each other. Chapter 1 analyzes how psychology can impact outcomes in institutions by forcing subjects to make decisions under time pressure, something not before analyzed in a dynamic Common Pool Resource management context. We find users under time pressure make decisions which reduce …

Laser-Assisted Transdermal Drug Delivery And Vaccination, Prateek Kakar

Open Access Dissertations

Oral drug delivery has been the major route of drug delivery due to the ease of drug administration and patient compliance. Transdermal drug delivery is highly attractive for alternative drug delivery and yet faces significant challenges, largely due to the barrier function of the Stratum Corneum (SC) layer of the skin. Different chemical and physical methods have been explored to disrupt the SC layer to facilitate transdermal drug delivery. However, those methods only received limited successes due to the low efficiency in SC disruption or the potential safety risks.

Ablative fractional laser (AFL) emerged in the last 2 decades as …

Design And Synthesis Of Molecular Probes For Medical And Environmetal Applications, Payagala Udawattage Ashvin Iresh Fernando

Open Access Dissertations

The main aim of this dissertation was to design and synthesize molecular probes with ease to be used in medical and environmental applications. The first chapter focuses on a novel pseudo-rotaxane probe that can be used in ¹²⁹Xe imaging, which was synthesized using commercially available cyclodextrin moieties with a one-step reaction. This is probe can be synthesized in high yields and results in an acceptable level of hyperCEST depletion percentage. The second chapter showcases pillararenes as a potential candidate for ¹²⁹Xe imaging. In addition, this chapter discusses the aid of a computational programs to design the supramolecular scaffold …

Relating Marine Mammal Distribution To Prey Abundance, Christopher D. Orphanides

Open Access Dissertations

Marine mammal foraging and diet in southern New England is not well known and has therefore been largely ignored as a component of habitat, distribution, and bycatch. Incorporating prey components into marine mammal management is key to improving management of these species, especially as fisheries management progresses towards ecosystem-based management, climate change results in shifting distributions of marine mammals, and we are faced with new management challenges stemming from offshore wind development. This dissertation aims to address data gaps for species highly impacted by human activities, specifically the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and the harbor porpoise …

Cascadia Subduction Zone Coseismic Subsidence Estimates From Northern California And Washington, Jason Scott Padgett

Open Access Dissertations

This study aims to supplement the paleogeodetic database of past Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes and further our understanding of the Cascadia subduction zone seismic and tsunami hazards. I first address a previously identified spatial gap within the Cascadia paleogeodetic database in southern Cascadia by refining the timing and magnitude of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes over the past 2000 years in northern Humboldt Bay, California (~44.8°N, -124.2°W). There, I mapped wetland stratigraphy consistent with past megathrust earthquakes across three marshes; Jacoby Creek, McDaniel Creek, and Mad River Slough. To improve the existing paleoseismic chronology at northern Humboldt Bay, I employed Bayesian …

Towards Sustainable Management Of The Sardinella Fishery In Ghana, Evans Kwasi Arizi

Open Access Dissertations

Many local fishermen in Ghana depend on the sardinella fishery for their livelihoods. Flat sardinella (Sardinella maderensis) and round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) are the two main fish species that are exploited in the fishery. Landings of the sardinella stocks, however, have been declining for over a decade now as a result of overfishing engendered by overcapacity, open access fishery and weak governance. The focus of this work was to chart the path towards a sustainable management of the fishery in Ghana by identifying the key extractive components of the fishery, ascertaining the interactions among them and …

Compassion And Well-Being: The Effects Of An Online Filmmediated Compassion Education On Undergraduate Students, Thupten Tendhar

Open Access Dissertations

An increasing number of college students in the US are reportedly experiencing significant levels of emotional distress and mental health challenges. College students who practice compassion have been found to have significantly lower negative emotions when compared to students who do not practice compassionate thinking. This underscores the need for compassion education programs. However, only a limited number of college students benefit from existing compassion programs because many are too busy to commit to eight or more weeks of such face to face training along with their regular course load and work schedule. This study used a quantitative method with …

Transcranial Focal Electrical Stimulation Via Concentric Ring Electrodes In Freely Moving Cats: Antiepileptogenic And Postictal Effects, Alejandro Valdés-Cruz, Benjamín Villasana-Salazar, Brandon Williams, David Martínez-Vargas, Víctor Manuel Magdaleno-Madrigal, Salvador Almazán-Alvarado, Walter Besio

Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Transcranial focal electrical stimulation (TFS) via tripolar concentric ring electrodes (TCRE), tripolar TFS, is proposed to treat pharmacoresistant epilepsy. We determined the effect of tripolar TFS on electrical amygdaloid kindling (AK) in freely moving cats. Fifteen cats were bilaterally implanted with electrodes in the amygdala (AM) and prefrontal cortex and assigned to three groups: the control group, which only received AK; the tripolar TFS before AK group, in which TCREs were placed over the vertex and tripolar TFS (300 Hz, 200 μs biphasic equal charge, square pulses) was delivered for 40 min just prior to AK; and the tripolar TFS …

Alternative Functional Strategies And Altered Carbon Pathways Facilitate Broad Depth Ranges In Coral‐Obligate Reef Fishes, Chancey Macdonald, Tom C.L. Bridge, Kelton W. Mcmahon, Geoffrey P. Jones

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

1. Spatial refuges in peripheral habitats will become increasingly important for species persistence as climate change and other disturbances progressively impact habitat quality and assemblage compositions. However, the capacity for persistence will be determined in part by species‐specific abilities to absorb costs related to altered or decreased quantities and quality of resources at range peripheries.

2. We compared variations in dietary strategies and energy acquisition trade‐offs along depth gradients in two obligate corallivores that differ in level of diet specialization. We also assessed depth‐related changes in energy pathways and energy content of their mixotrophic prey. We found no changes in …

Divergent Trophic Responses Of Sympatric Penguin Species To Historic Anthropogenic Exploitation And Recent Climate Change, Kelton Mcmahon, Chantel I. Michelson, Tom Hart, Matthew D. Mccarthy, William P.P. Patterson, Michael J. Polito

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

The Southern Ocean is in an era of significant change. Historic overharvesting of marine mammals and recent climatic warming have cascading impacts on resource availability and, in turn, ecosystem structure and function. We examined trophic responses of sympatric chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguins to nearly 100 y of shared environmental change in the Antarctic Peninsula region using compound-specific stable isotope analyses of museum specimens. A century ago, gentoo penguins fed almost exclusively on low-trophic level prey, such as krill, during the peak of historic overexploitation of marine mammals, which was hypothesized to have …

Growth Characteristics Of Newly Isolated Indonesian Microalgae Under Different Salinity, Wa Iba, Michael A. Rice, Lucie Maranda, Gary H. Wikfors

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to investigate the growth characteristics of microalgae strains isolated from Kendari Bay and the Wanggu River estuary, Indonesia. The growth of the isolates, denoted as Kb1-2, Kb1-3, Kb1-5, and Kb2-6, were evaluated under controlled conditions. A batch culture experiment of these strains except Kb2-6 was conducted for 15 days under salinity levels of 20, 25, 30 and 35 gL-1. Tetraselmis chui, Tisochrysis lutea and Chaetocero sneogracile were also culture and used as the growth references. Cell density was measured every day and cell size was measured from 50 live cells during the logarithmic …

Performance Of Riverbank Filtration Under Hydrogeologic Conditions Along The Upper Krishna River In Southern India, Thomas B. Boving, K. Patil, F. D’Souza, S. F. Barker, S. L. Mcguinness, J. O’Toole, M. Sinclair, A. B. Forbes, K. Leder

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Riverbank filtration (RBF) systems were installed in four rural villages along a 64 km stretch of the upper Krishna River in southern India; with each one designed to supply approximately 2500 people. Site selection criteria included hydrogeological suitability, land availability and access, proximity to villages and their population sizes, and electric power supply. Water samples were collected from the river and the RBF wells over more than one year (November 2015 to December 2017) and were analyzed for Escherichia coli bacteria, major ions, and a range of other physicochemical and chemical parameters. The shallow groundwater at the study sites was …

Ocean Deoxygenation And Zooplankton: Very Small Oxygen Differences Matter, Karen F. Wishner, Brad A. Seibel, Christopher Roman, C. Deutsch, Dawn Outram, C. T. Shaw, M. A. Birk, K. A. S. Mislan, T. J. Adams, D. Moore, S. Riley

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), large midwater regions of very low oxygen, are expected to expand as a result of climate change. While oxygen is known to be important in structuring midwater ecosystems, a precise and mechanistic understanding of the effects of oxygen on zooplankton is lacking. Zooplankton are important components of midwater food webs and biogeochemical cycles. Here, we show that, in the eastern tropical North Pacific OMZ, previously undescribed submesoscale oxygen variability has a direct effect on the distribution of many major zooplankton groups. Despite extraordinary hypoxia tolerance, many zooplankton live near their physiological limits and respond to slight …

Predator Cues Increase Silkmoth Mortality, Alex K. Baranowski, Evan L. Preisser

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

While prey responses to predators reduce the threat of consumption, the physiological costs of these responses can be considerable. This is especially true for organisms that lack effective anti-predator defenses and must rely on camouflage or mimicry for protection. The luna moth, Actias luna, is a large saturniid native to Eastern North America that is preyed on and parasitized by a wide variety of predators and parasitoids. We report the results of two separate experiments assessing the responses of Actias larvae to predatory wasps (Vespula maculifrons) that were rendered non-lethal but remained able to move freely, as …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R4 Book Report 2 (Br2) By Title 2017-2018, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R4 Book Report 2 (BR2) for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018. Book Report 2 is defined as "Number of Successful Section Requests by Month and Title." This report presents an annual total only.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results: 104,151 successful section requests for 6,475 reported titles.

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R4 Journal Report 1 (Jr1) 2017-2018, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R4 Journal Report 1 (JR1) for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018. Journal Report 1 is defined as "Number of Successful Full-Text Article Requests by Month and Journal." This report presents an annual total only.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results: 957,289 successful full-text article requests for 27,451 reported titles.

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes December 6, 2018, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Mid Year Monthly Report For December Fy2019 (Awards Report), Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The mid year monthly report includes awards report by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Mid Year Monthly Report For December Fy2019 (Expenditure And F/A Report), Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The mid year monthly report includes expenditures by academic departments, administrative divisions and facilities and administrative funds received at the University of Rhode Island.

Food Is Medicine, Katherine Keane

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

A Wandering Guide To Rhode Island: Short And Long Walks For All To Enjoy, Lianna Blakeman

Senior Honors Projects

Rhode Island, or the Ocean State, is known for its beautiful beaches but little is known about its beautiful hiking, walking, and wandering trails that cover the entire state. These trails offer breathtaking looks over the Narragansett Bay and calming trails through the woods. Talking to friends around school, though, it showed me how little many of them actually knew about these different trails around the state. When thinking about my own Honors Project, I wanted to create something that was useful for the readers and showed some of what Rhode Island can offer in terms of walks, as well …

Nephromyces Encodes A Urate Metabolism Pathway And Predicted Peroxisomes, Demonstrating These Are Not Ancient Losses Of Apicomplexans, Christopher Paight, Claudio H. Slamovits, Mary Beth Saffo, Christopher E. Lane

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Phylum Apicomplexa is a quintessentially parasitic lineage, whose members infect a broad range of animals. One exception to this may be the apicomplexan genus Nephromyces, which has been described as having a mutualistic relationship with its host. Here we analyze transcriptome data from Nephromyces and its parasitic sister taxon, Cardiosporidium, revealing an ancestral purine degradation pathway thought to have been lost early in apicomplexan evolution. The predicted localization of many of the purine degradation enzymes to peroxisomes, and the in silico identification of a full set of peroxisome proteins, indicates that loss of both features in other …

Development And Validation Of A Simple Convenience Store Shelf Audit, Tanya M. Horacek, Elif Dede Yildirim, Erin Kelly, Adrienne A. White, Karla P. Shelnutt, Kristin Riggsbee, Melissa D. Olfert, Jesse Stabile Morrell, Anne E. Mathews, Terezie T. Mosby, Tandalayo Kidd, Kendra Kattelmann, Geoffrey Greene, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Sarah Colby, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Onikia Brown

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background This paper describes the development, reliability, and convergent validity of a practical tool—the Convenience Store Supportive Healthy Environment for Life-Promoting Food (SHELF) Audit. Methods Audit items included: a variety of fresh, processed, and frozen fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy products; healthy staples and frozen meals; healthy food incentive programs; items sold in check-out areas; portion/cup sizes; and pricing. Each audit item was scored using a five-point semantic-differential scale (1 = provides little or no support for healthful foods to 5 = provides high support for healthful foods). Convergent validity was examined by comparing the SHELF audit to Ghirardelli et …

Exploring Echo-Systems: How Algorithms Shape Immersive Media Environments, James N. Cohen

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In the lead up to the 2016 election, fake news often “outperformed” actual news in users’ social media feeds (Silverman, 2016). This paper attempts to analyze the process in which fake news proliferates social networking sites and presents a method of understanding and articulating ways in which personalized feeds are shaped by algorithm-based user feedback. The algorithm systems are embedded programs that analyze past user data and search history in combination with other users’ searches and history to calculate digital outcomes, anticipate possible recommendations, and present consumers with feeds that represent their own unique immersive media environments.

As of August …

Perceptions Of Commercial And Recreational Fishers On The Potential Ecological Impacts Of The Block Island Wind Farm (Us), Talya S. Ten Brink, Tracey Dalton

Marine Affairs Faculty Publications

Offshore wind is gaining momentum in the United States as a viable source for meeting domestic energy needs. Although offshore wind farms have been developed in Europe and Asia, the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) is the first offshore wind farm built in North America. To improve marine resource management, it is critical to understand the impacts of the wind farm on marine resource users in context. Little is known about the impacts of offshore wind farms on marine resource users in the United States. This study investigates recreational and commercial fishers' perceptions of the impacts of the BIWF on …

The Past, Present, And Future Of The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges Tsugae) And Its Ecological Interactions With Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) Forests, Aaron M. Ellison, David A. Orwig, Matthew C. Fitzpatrick, Evan L. Preisser

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid is steadily killing eastern hemlock trees in many parts of eastern North America. We summarize impacts of the adelgid on these forest foundation species; review previous models and analyses of adelgid spread dynamics; and examine how previous forecasts of adelgid spread and ecosystem dynamics compare with current conditions. The adelgid has reset successional sequences, homogenized biological diversity at landscape scales, altered hydrological dynamics, and changed forest stands from carbon sinks into carbon sources. A new model better predicts spread of the adelgid in the south and west of the range of hemlock, but still under-predicts …

Curriculum And Standards Committee Report #2018-19-2: Curricular Changes, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.

Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling Of Students’ Dietary Intentions/Behaviors, Bmi, And The Healthfulness Of Convenience Stores, Tanya Horacek, Elif Dede Yildirim, Kendra Kattelmann, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Onikia Brown, Sarah Colby, Geoffrey Greene, Sharon Hoerr, Tandalayo Kidd, Mallory Koenings, Jesse Morrell, Melissa D. Olfert, Beatrice Phillips, Karla Shelnutt, Adrienne White

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: When dietary behaviors are habitual, intentions are low, and environmental cues, such as the consumer food environment, might guide behavior. How might intentions to eat healthily and ultimately actual dietary behaviors, be influenced by the consumer food environment (including the availability and affordability of healthy foods) in convenience stores? This study will determine pathways between the healthfulness of convenience stores and college students’ dietary intentions/behaviors, and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Through multilevel structural equation modeling, a comparison was made of students’ healthful meal intentions (HMI); intake (fruits/vegetables, %kcal/fat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and whole-grains); and measured BMI; …