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Curricular Affairs Committee Minutes January 30, 2017, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Sustained Epidermal Powder Drug Delivery Via Skin Microchannels, Yan Cao, Prateek Kakar, Md. Nazir Hossen, Mei X. Wu, Xinyuan Chen

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs is challenging. This study presents a novel sustained epidermal powder delivery technology (sEPD) for safe, efficient, and sustained delivery of hydrophilic drugs across the skin. sEPD is based on coating powder drugs into high-aspect-ratio, micro-coating channels (MCCs) followed by topical application of powder drug-coated array patches onto ablative fractional laser-generated skin MCs to deliver drugs into the skin. We found sEPD could efficiently deliver chemical drugs without excipients and biologics drugs in the presence of sugar excipients into the skin with a duration of ~ 12 h. Interestingly the sEPD significantly improved zidovudine bioavailability by …

Differential Feedback Regulation Of Δ4-3- Oxosteroid 5Β-Reductase Expression By Bile Acids, Leila Valanejad, Christina Nadolny, Stephanie Shiffka, Yuan Chen, Sangmin You, Ruitang Deng

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Δ⁴-3-oxosteroid 5β-reductase is member D1 of the aldo-keto reductase family 1 (AKR1D1), which catalyzes 5β-reduction of molecules with a 3-oxo-4-ene structure. Bile acid intermediates and most of the steroid hormones carry the 3-oxo-4-ene structure. Therefore, AKR1D1 plays critical roles in both bile acid synthesis and steroid hormone metabolism. Currently our understanding on transcriptional regulation of AKR1D1 under physiological and pathological conditions is very limited. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects of primary bile acids, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and cholic acid (CA), on AKR1D1 expression. The expression levels of AKR1D1 mRNA and protein in vitro and in …

Arts And Humanities: Senate Report (1976): Report 10

Arts and Humanities: Senate Report (1976)

No abstract provided.

In Vivo Detection Of Cucurbit[6]Uril, A Hyperpolarized Xenon Contrast Agent For A Xenon Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biosensor, Francis T. Hane, Tao Li, Peter Smylie, Raiili M. Pellizzari, Jennifer A. Plata, Brenton Deboef, Mitchell S. Albert

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The Hyperpolarized gas Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (HyperCEST) Magnetic Resonance (MR) technique has the potential to increase the sensitivity of a hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI contrast agent. Signal enhancement is accomplished by selectively depolarizing the xenon within a cage molecule which, upon exchange, reduces the signal in the dissolved phase pool. Herein we demonstrate the in vivodetection of the cucurbit[6]uril (CB6) contrast agent within the vasculature of a living rat. Our work may be used as a stepping stone towards using the HyperCEST technique as a molecular imaging modality.

Design, Synthesis, And Evaluation Of Dasatinib–Amino Acid And Dasatinib–Fatty Acid Conjugates As Protein Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, Rakesh K. Tiwari, Alex Brown, Neda Sadeghiani, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Jared Bolton, Amanda Tse, Gennady Verkhivker, Keykavous Parang, Gongqin Sun

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Derivatives of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib were synthesized by esterification with 25 carboxylic acids, including amino acids and fatty acids, thereby extending the drug to interact with more diverse sites and to improve specificity. The dasatinib–l-arginine derivative (Das-R, 7) was found to be the most potent of the inhibitors tested, with IC50values of 4.4, <0.25, and <0.45 nm against Csk, Src, and Abl kinases, respectively. The highest selectivity ratio obtained in our study, 91.4 Csk/Src, belonged to compound 18 (Das-C10) with an IC50value of 3.2 μm for Csk compared with 35 nm for Src. Furthermore, many compounds displayed increased selectivity toward Src over Abl. Compounds 15 (Das–glutamic acid) and 13 (Das–cysteine) demonstrated the largest gains (10.2 and 10.3 Abl/Src IC50ratios). Das-R (IC50=2.06 μm) was significantly more potent than the parent dasatinib (IC50=26.3 μm) against Panc-1 cells, whereas both compounds showed IC50<51.2 pm against BV-173 and K562 cells. Molecular modeling and binding free energy simulations revealed good agreements with the experimental results and rationalized the differences in selectivity among the studied compounds. Integration of experimental and computational approaches in the design and biochemical screening of dasatinib derivatives facilitated rational engineering and diversification of the dasatinib scaffold, providing useful insight into mechanisms of kinase selectivity.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For January 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For February 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For April 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For March 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For July 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For May 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For June 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For August 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For October 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For September 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For December 2017, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

A Multigenerational Field Experiment On Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Of The Influential Lizard Anolis Sagrei: A Mid-Term Report, Thomas W. Schoener, Jason J. Kolbe, Manuel Leal, Jonathan B. Losos, David A. Spiller

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Only a handful of multi-generational experiments in natural systems of eco-evolutionary dynamics currently exist, despite Fussmann et al.'s call for more such studies nearly a decade ago. To perform such a study, in 2008 we introduced the lizard Leiocephalus carinatus, a predator (and possible food competitor) of the lizard Anolis sagrei, to seven islands having A. sagrei, with seven unmanipulated islands having A. sagrei as controls. Almost immediately, L. carinatus, which is larger and more terrestrial than A. sagrei, caused a major habitat shift in A. sagrei away from the ground and toward higher and …

Biogeophysical And Physiological Processes Drive Movement Patterns In A Marine Predator, Lucy A. Howey, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Emily R. Tolentino, Mahmood S. Shuvji

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are among the most abundant and widely distributed of oceanic elasmobranchs. Millions are taken annually in pelagic longline fisheries and comprise the highest component of auctioned fin weight in the international shark fin trade. Though studies of blue sharks outnumber those of other large pelagic sharks, the species’ complicated and sexually segregated life history still confound current understanding of Atlantic movement patterns. Lack of detailed information regarding movement and vertical behavior continues to limit management efforts that require such data for stock assessment and sustainable catch modeling. Therefore, this study aims to …

Degrees Of Virtue In The Nicomachean Ethics, Doug Reed

Philosophy Faculty Publications

I argue that Aristotle believes that virtue comes in degrees. After dispatching with initial concerns for the view, I argue that we should accept it because Aristotle conceives of heroic virtue as the highest degree of virtue. I support this interpretation of heroic virtue by considering and rejecting alternative readings, then showing that heroic virtue characterized as the highest degree of virtue is consistent with the doctrine of the mean.

Reproductive Biology And Natural History Of The White-Lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus Albolabris Gray, 1842) In Hong Kong, Anne Devan-Song, Paolo Martelli, Nancy E. Karraker

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

The White-lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) is broadly distributed through South and Southeast Asia, and very little is known about the natural history of the species. In this study, we report on the ecology, demography, reproductive states, and growth rates of T. albolabris in Hong Kong, China. The sex ratio is even in Trimeresurus albolabris populations. This species displays sexual dimorphism from birth. Females attain larger sizes, and all males, including neonates, displaying a white supralabial stripe on the head and have longer relative tail lengths. Males attain sexual maturity at about 410 mm snout-vent length (SVL). Females …

Environmental Factors Affecting Survival Of Immature Ixodes Scapularis And Implications For Geographical Distribution Of Lyme Disease: The Climate/Behavior Hypothesis, Howard S. Ginsberg, Marisa Albert, Lixis Acevedo, Mwgan C. Dyer, Isis M. Arsnoe, Jean I. Tsao, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. Lebrun

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Recent reports suggest that host-seeking nymphs in southern populations of Ixodes scapularis remain below the leaf litter surface, while northern nymphs seek hosts on leaves and twigs above the litter surface. This behavioral difference potentially results in decreased tick contact with humans in the south, and fewer cases of Lyme disease. We studied whether north-south differences in tick survival patterns might contribute to this phenomenon. Four month old larvae resulting from a cross between Wisconsin males and South Carolina females died faster under southern than under northern conditions in the lab, as has previously been reported for ticks from both …

Does A Grill Menu Redesign Influence Sales, Nutrients Purchased, And Consumer Acceptance In A Worksite Cafeteria?, Maya Vadiveloo, Vasanti S. Malik, Donna Spiegelman, Walter C. Willett, Josiemer Mattei

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Worksite cafeterias are compelling venues to improve diet quality through environmental changes.

We conducted a pre-post study to evaluate how a cafeteria-initiated grill menu redesign influenced sales, revenue, and nutrient content of foods purchased. Secondly, we evaluated consumer opinions about menu changes to inform practices for worksite environment interventions. Monthly sales data (2012-2015) were used to compute gross sales and revenue of entrées and side dishes pre-post menu changes. Alternative protein sources replaced red meat; nutrient composition and nutrients purchased were compared using Food Pro software. Consumer responses were queried using online surveys; open-ended responses were analyzed using NVivo. Differences …

Review Of Neely, Nick: Coast Range: A Collection From The Pacific Edge, Judith B. Barnett

Technical Services Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Genome Sequencing Of The Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia Tabaci Med/Q, Wen Xie, Evan L. Preisser, Et Al

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a highly destructive agricultural and ornamental crop pest. It damages host plants through both phloem feeding and vectoring plant pathogens. Introductions of B. tabaci are difficult to quarantine and eradicate because of its high reproductive rates, broad host plant range, and insecticide resistance. A total of 791 Gb of raw DNA sequence from whole genome shotgun sequencing, and 13 BAC pooling libraries were generated by Illumina sequencing using different combinations of mate-pair and pair-end libraries. Assembly gave a final genome with a scaffold N50 of 437 kb, and a total length of 658 Mb. …

College Of Pharmacy Annual Report For Fy2017, Uri College Of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy Reports

Annual report for the College of Pharmacy of the University of Rhode Island for the year 2016-2017.

Includes information and statistics for the academic programs, research work and developments by faculty and students, community engagement and donations.

Delivering Safer Immunotherapies For Cancer, Lauren Milling, Yuan Zhang, Darrell J. Irvine

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Cancer immunotherapy is now a powerful clinical reality, with a steady progression of new drug approvals and a massive pipeline of additional treatments in clinical and preclinical development. However, modulation of the immune system can be a double-edged sword: Drugs that activate immune effectors are prone to serious non-specific systemic inflammation and autoimmune side effects. Drug delivery technologies have an important role to play in harnessing the power of immune therapeutics while avoiding on-target/off-tumor toxicities. Here we review mechanisms of toxicity for clinically-relevant immunotherapeutics, and discuss approaches based in drug delivery technology to enhance the safety and potency of these …

Hepatic Lipid Accumulation And Nrf2 Expression Following Perinatal And Peripubertal Exposure To Bisphenol A In A Mouse Model Of Nonalcoholic Liver Disease, Prajakta C. Shimpi, Vijay R. More, Maneesha Paranjpe, Ajay C. Donepudi, Jaclyn M. Goodrich, Dana C. Dolinoy, Beverly Rubin, Angela L. Slitt

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Exposure to chemicals during critical windows of development may re-program liver for increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Bisphenol A (BPA), a plastics component, has been described to impart adverse effects during gestational and lactational exposure. Our work has pointed to nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) being a modulator of hepatic lipid accumulation in models of NAFLD.

Objectives: To determine if chemical exposure can prime liver for steatosis via modulation of NRF2 and epigenetic mechanisms.

Methods: Utilizing BPA as a model exposure, pregnant CD-1 mice were administered 25μg/kg/day" role="presentation">25μg/kg/day BPA via osmotic …

Ecosystem Functions At The Island Scale: A Contribution To The Design Of Ecological Structure, Marta Vergílio, Pete V. August, Helena Calado, Catarina Fonseca

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

The concept of ecological structure (ESt), as implemented through spatial planning, has been recently used to protect ecosystem functions (EFs) and services and their contribution to human well-being. This study intends to provide an exploratory analysis to operationalize the inclusion of EFs in the design of ESt in territories lacking detailed individual studies on EFs. The objective is to advance this concept in small island ecosystems and use Pico Island (Portugal) as case study. The proposed methodology identifies EFs contributing to the objectives of ESt. It uses (i) geographic data available from studies on individual EFs and (ii) definition of …

T‐Cell Epitope Content Comparison (Epicc) Of Swine H1 Influenza A Virus Hemagglutinin, Andres H. Gutiérrez, Vicki J. Rapp-Gabrielson, Frances E. Terry, Crystal L. Loving, Leonard Moise, William D. Martin, Anne S. De Groot

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Predicting vaccine efficacy against emerging pathogen strains is a significant problem in human and animal vaccine design. T‐cell epitope cross‐conservation may play an important role in cross‐strain vaccine efficacy. While influenza A virus (IAV) hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers are widely used to predict protective efficacy of 1 IAV vaccine against new strains, no similar correlate of protection has been identified for T‐cell epitopes.

Objective: We developed a computational method (EpiCC) that facilitates pairwise comparison of protein sequences based on an immunological property—T‐cell epitope content—rather than sequence identity, and evaluated its ability to classify swine IAV strain relatedness to …