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Evidence For Changes In Subsurface Circulation In The Late Eocene Equatorial Pacific From Radiolarian-Bound Nitrogen Isotope Values, Rebecca S. Robinson, Theodore C. Moore, Andrea M. Erhardt, Howie D. Scher

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Microfossil-bound organic matter represents an important archive of surface ocean environmental information. Sedimentary nitrogen (N) isotope reconstructions of surface nitrate consumption and nitrogen source changes are made using fossil diatom (autotrophs) and planktic foraminiferal (heterotrophs)-bound organic matter with success. However, because diatoms and planktic foraminifera are poorly preserved and sedimentary organic matter content is near zero during the late Eocene, our ability to examine nutrient dynamics across this important climate transition is limited. Here we present new data exploring the use of N isotope records from radiolarian tests. A comparison of surface ocean nitrate and core top bulk and radiolarian …

Empowering Girls With Chemistry, Exercise And Physical Activity, Emily Clapham, Lori E. Ciccomascolo, Andrew J. Clapham

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Research suggests that a girl's career interests in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) declines between grades 6 and 8. Similarly, in middle school, there is a decrease in physical activity among girls. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island (URI) conducted a chemistry-based science camp that took place over the public school spring break with the goal of increasing girls' interest in chemistry and physical activity. The camp included 42 middle school age girls in grades 6 through 8 from schools throughout Rhode Island. Interdisciplinary curricula were created to link chemistry with physical activity concepts used …

Serials Solutions Click-Through Statistics By Provider And Database 2014-2015, Andree Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics on the total number of database and journal-level clicks, by provider and database, of Serials Solutions tools at the University of Rhode Island Libraries by month for 2014-2015. Clicks may have originated from the A-Z full text electronic journal list (at http://zu4tq4pb5v.search.serialssolutions.com/), from OpenURL links ("360 Link"), or the 856 fields of Serials Solutions-generated MARC records ("360 MARC Updates").

Serials Solutions Click-Through Statistics By Journal Title And Issn 2014-2015, Andree Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics on the total number of journal-level clicks, by journal title (on all platforms), of Serials Solutions tools at the University of Rhode Island Libraries by month for 2014-2015. Clicks may have originated from the A-Z full text electronic journal list (at http://zu4tq4pb5v.search.serialssolutions.com/), from OpenURL links ("360 Link"), or the 856 fields of Serials Solutions-generated MARC records ("360 MARC Updates").

Serials Solutions Subject Search Report 2014-2015, Andree Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics on the total number of Serials Solutions subject searches at the University of Rhode Island Libraries by month for 2014-2015. Shows how many times the A-Z full text electronic journal list (at http://zu4tq4pb5v.search.serialssolutions.com/) was browsed by specific subjects.

Structure-Based Redesign Of Lysostaphin Yields Potent Antistaphylococcal Enzymes That Evade Immune Cell Surveillance, Kristina Blazanovic, Hongliang Zhao, Yoonjoo Choi, Wen Li, Regina S. Salvat, Daniel C. Osipovitch, Jennifer Fields, Leonard Moise, Brett L. Berwin, Steven N. Fiering, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Karl E. Griswold

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus infections exert a tremendous burden on the health-care system, and the threat of drug-resistant strains continues to grow. The bacteriolytic enzyme lysostaphin is a potent antistaphylococcal agent with proven efficacy against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains; however, the enzyme’s own bacterial origins cause undesirable immunogenicity and pose a barrier to clinical translation. Here, we deimmunized lysostaphin using a computationally guided process that optimizes sets of mutations to delete immunogenic T cell epitopes without disrupting protein function. In vitro analyses showed the methods to be both efficient and effective, producing seven different deimmunized designs exhibiting high function and reduced …

Migrating Songbirds On Stopover Prepare For, And Recover From, Oxidative Challenges Posed By Long-Distance Flight, Megan M. Skrip, Ulf Bauchinger, Wolfgang Goymann, Leonida Fusani, Massimiliano Cardinale, Rebecca R. Alan, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Managing oxidative stress is an important physiological function for all aerobic organisms, particularly during periods of prolonged high metabolic activity, such as long-distance migration across ecological barriers. However, no previous study has investigated the oxidative status of birds at different stages of migration and whether that oxidative status depends on the condition of the birds. In this study, we compared (1) energy stores and circulating oxidative status measures in (a) two species of Neotropical migrants with differing migration strategies that were sampled at an autumn stopover site before an ecological barrier; and (b) a species of trans-Saharan migrant sampled at …

Repeated, Long-Distance Migrations By A Philopatric Predator Targeting Highly Contrasting Ecosystems, James S.E. Lea, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Nuno Queiroz, Neil Burnie, Choy Aming, Laura L. Sousa, Gonzalo R. Mucientes, Nicolas E. Humphries, Guy M. Harvey, David W. Sims, Mahmood S. Shivji

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Long-distance movements of animals are an important driver of population spatial dynamics and determine the extent of overlap with area-focused human activities, such as fishing. Despite global concerns of declining shark populations, a major limitation in assessments of population trends or spatial management options is the lack of information on their long-term migratory behaviour. For a large marine predator, the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier, we show from individuals satellite-tracked for multiple years (up to 1101 days) that adult males undertake annually repeated, round-trip migrations of over 7,500 km in the northwest Atlantic. Notably, these migrations occurred between the highly …

Application Of M13 Phage Display For Identifying Immunogenic Proteins From Tick (Ixodes Scapularis) Saliva, Martin Becker, André Felsberger, André Frenzel, Wendy M.C. Shattuck, Megan C. Dyer, Jonas Kügler, Jonas Zantow, Thomas N. Mather, Michael Hust

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Ticks act as vectors for a large number of different pathogens, perhaps most notably Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. The most prominent tick vector in the United States is the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Tick bites are of special public health concern since there are no vaccines available against most tick-transmitted pathogens. Based on the observation that certain non-natural host animals such as guinea pigs or humans can develop adaptive immune responses to tick bites, anti-tick vaccination is a potential approach to tackle health risks associated with tick bites.

Results: The aim of this study …

Habitat Selection Of A Coastal Shark Species Estimated From An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, D. E. Haulsee, M. W. Breece, D. C. Miller, Bradley M. Wetherbee, D. A. Fox, M. J. Oliver

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Quantifying habitat selection in marine organisms is challenging because it is difficult to obtain species location information with multiple corresponding habitat measurements. In the ocean, habitat conditions vary on many spatiotemporal scales, which have important consequences for habitat selection. While macroscale biotic and abiotic features influence seasonal movements (spatial scales of 100-1000 km), selectivity of conditions on mesoscales (1-100 km) reflects an animal’s response to the local environment. In this study, we examined habitat selectivity by pairing acoustic telemetry with environmental habitat parameters measured by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), and demonstrate that migrating sand tiger sharks Carcharias taurus along …

Understanding Copyright & Transformative Fair Use, Andrée Rathemacher, Angel Ferria, Julia Lovett

Technical Services Faculty Presentations

Slides and workshop examples from a session, "Understanding Copyright & Transformative Fair Use," given at the Rhode Island Library Association Annual Conference, "RILA 2015," on May 28, 2015 in Newport, Rhode Island.

"This interactive workshop will outline the basics of copyright and fair use, emphasizing the notion of transformative fair use as highlighted in recent court decisions. The majority of the session will be devoted to real-life scenarios, and audience members will be able to analyze texts, images, video, and sound recordings to determine whether the proposed use is fair. You’ll also learn about handy alternatives for situations when fair …

Using Land-Based Surveys To Assess Sea Duck Abundance And Behavior In Nearshore Waters Of Southern New England, Usa, Adam Smith, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Kristopher J. Winiarski, Carol L. Trocki, Brian Harris, Jason E. Osenkowski, Peter W. C. Paton

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Nearshore waters provide very important habitat for sea ducks (Tribe Mergini) during migration and winter, but gathering information on sea duck use of shallow nearshore waters is challenging because traditional aerial and boat-based surveys are expensive, are usually conducted infrequently, and are often not feasible near the coast. The objective of this study was to use land-based surveys to characterize spatiotemporal variation in the abundance and behavior (e.g., foraging, flying) of Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) and scoters (Melanitta spp.) in nearshore waters of southern New England. Surveys (60–120 min per survey, n = 1,044 surveys) were conducted …

Different Populations Of Blacklegged Tick Nymphs Exhibit Differences In Questing Behavior That Have Implications For Human Lyme Disease Risk, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Howard S. Ginsberg, Richard Mcelreath, Jean I. Tsao

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Animal behavior can have profound effects on pathogen transmission and disease incidence. We studied the questing (= host-seeking) behavior of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) nymphs, which are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in the eastern United States. Lyme disease is common in northern but not in southern regions, and prior ecological studies have found that standard methods used to collect host-seeking nymphs in northern regions are unsuccessful in the south. This led us to hypothesize that there are behavior differences between northern and southern nymphs that alter how readily they are collected, and how likely they are …

Report Of The Nominating Committee May 7, 2015, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes May 7, 2015, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Development Of An In Vivo Exsheathment Assay Of Infective L3 Haemonchus Contortus Larvae In Fistualated Sheep, Holly N. Williams, Katherine Petersson, Carly Barone

Senior Honors Projects

Purpose: Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) hinder the sustainable production of small ruminants on pasture and parasite resistance to chemical dewormers is becoming a growing concern. Condensed tannin containing legume forages are being tested to evaluate their anti-parasitic properties and potential contribution to an overall parasite control program for small ruminants such as sheep and goats. One of the most pathogenic GIN of small ruminants is Haemonchus contortus. The final step to full infectivity of H. contortus third stage larvae (L3) is exsheathment in the rumen. The objective of this study was to establish an in-vivo exsheathment assay in fistulated sheep …

The Effects Of Rhein And Thymoquinone On Obesity And Diabetes In Diet-Induced Obese Mice., Emily Martell

Senior Honors Projects

Natural product extracts and chemicals isolated from natural products (e.g. plants, berries, seeds) have been commonly used in various types of traditional medicines. In addition, some drugs on the market today have been derived from natural product sources. The purpose of our study was to evaluate two natural products, Rhein and Thymoquinone, for as potential anti-diabetic and anti–obesity agents. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the number of people in the US diagnosed with diabetes has increase from 11.9 million people in the year 2000 to 20.8 million people in the year 2011. Rhein is a natural compound …

Combating Infectious Diseases In Aquaculture With An Original Probiotic Product, Meagan Hamblin, Saebom Sohn, Christine Ahn Dao, Marta Gomez-Chiarri, David R. Nelson, David Worthen, David Rowley

Senior Honors Projects

Oyster production in Rhode Island accounts for over $2.5 million in annual revenue, making it the top aquaculture product in the state. However, larval tank infections significantly constrain production and create substantial economic losses for commercial hatcheries. In most cases antibiotics may not be used to prevent or treat larval tank infections. A probiotic, or beneficial microbe which competes with pathogens, is a safer and “green” approach to preventing infections. Vibriosis, a common cause of oyster larval mortality, is the result of Vibrio species infections. Previous studies have shown that a native Rhode Island microbe, Bacillus pumilus RI06-95, protects oyster …

Urinformed May 2015, Urinformed

URInformed: The URI Employees' Newsletter

No abstract provided.

History And Recent Advances Of Stem Cell Biology And The Implications For Human Health, Hanaa Shihadeh

Senior Honors Projects

Stem cells are specialized cells that are found in multicellular organisms. The have the unique capability of being able to divide and differentiate into a variety of different kinds of specialized cells. This unique ability allows stem cells to play many roles, one being to contribute as an internal repair system. The ability to divide without limit allows them to help replenish certain cells types and tissues. Since the 1980’s when stem cells were first isolated, scientists have been working to understand their behavior and properties in hopes of altering care of individuals with hematologic, oncologic, dermatologic, ophthalmologic, and orthopedic …

A Survey Of Horse Training In New England, Shelby C. Ashworth, W. Michael Sullivan

Senior Honors Projects

New England no longer has a significant horse training industry. It has many small operations with no obvious and overlapping training philosophies or practices. Show and competition programs are intense and competitive at regional, national and even international levels leading to the observation that techniques employed are equally strategic and tediously designed in order to encourage the exemplary results in the show ring. This study aimed to examine the methods, routines, and strategies that are used by top tier trainers in the New England region of the United States. This information was collected both in survey form and in interview …

Examination Of Polymorphism In The Serine Proteinase Inhibitor Gene In The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica., Aine Lehane

Senior Honors Projects

Oysters are a keystone species; they are filter-feeders and reef-builders. Additionally, oysters are extremely important within the shellfish aquaculture industry; they are the second most widely produced species in world aquaculture production. Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are produced in aquaculture and are unfortunately susceptible to Dermo disease. Dermo is caused by a protozoan parasite, Perkinsus marinus, and infection is often fatal in oysters due to widespread tissue damage and blockage of blood vessels. Research in oyster disease is particularly needed because disease is one of the largest impediments faced by the aquaculture industry as entire oyster populations can …

The Woods Ate Them, Amanda J. Burgess

Senior Honors Projects

For this project I set out to write a hybrid novella-memoir, while reading novels by authors generating work of a similar aim. I also took an offset printing course to learn how to print completed work, because I was interested in being able to myself make a book. Throughout, the intention of this work was an exploration of the density of the imagination and the self - all the lives we create, even if we never live them.

During my time at the University of Rhode Island, I have made repeated visits to cetain arguments and ideas, questions that intrigue …

Elucidation Of The Microbial Consortium Of The Ubiquitous Shore Sponge, Tedania Ignis, Clarisse Sullivan

Senior Honors Projects

Sponges are filter-feeding organisms that contain a dense and diverse microbial community. These bacteria and archaea can comprise about 40% of the sponges’ total biomass often exceeding the microbial biomass of seawater by two to three orders of magnitude. The presence of bacteria during the reproductive stages of the sponge is an indicator of symbiosis. This study used culture-independent techniques to investigate the microbial community of Tedania ignis; an abundant marine sponge in the inshore coral reef environments around Bermuda. Sponge and water samples were collected from Ferry Reach, Helena’s Bay and Bailey’s Bay in Bermuda. Epifluorescent microscopy was …

The Cancer Genome Atlas (Tcga): Breast And Ovarian Cancers, Laura Ann Riccio

Senior Honors Projects

The field of genomics originated in the 1970’s starting with the sequencing of small organisms’ genomes such as the bacterium, Haemophilus influenzae, and the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A genome is the complete ordered sequence of DNA bases (A, C, G, and T) comprising all of the protein- and RNA-coding genes, as well as all of the regulatory sequences necessary for the construction of an organism. Over time, scientists sequenced the genomes of larger and more complex organisms, eventually leading to the sequencing of the human genome. The Human Genome Project (HGP) was initiated in 1990 and took over ten …

Cloning Of The Sox2 Gene From Diplosoma Listerianum, Jessica M. Simonelli, Steven Q. Irvine

Senior Honors Projects

Diplosoma listerianum is an invasive tunicate species that can reproduce asexually by pyloric budding. Tunicates, more commonly known as “sea squirts” or ascidians, are filter feeding marine invertebrates. Pyloric budding is a unique form of asexual reproduction among tunicate species in which the esophagus of a single animal will form two buds, each of which develops into parts of a new genetically identical animal. The overall goal of my research is to better understand the genes that are important for this organism’s asexual development. More specifically, this project examines the role of the SOX2 gene in Diplosoma, to find …

How Has The Domestication Of Dogs Impacted Native North American Culture And Way Of Life?, Mikaela E. Reisman

Senior Honors Projects

Dogs, as the only domestic mammal in North America, were a part of the life and culture of the people who migrated to the Americas from Eurasia. Originally domesticated from Eurasian wolves, the uses of dogs expanded once the Native American ancestors spread throughout the continents. I investigate the kinds of dogs Native Americans bred over thousands of years and how these dogs impacted native North American culture, through a review of recent genetic, biological, archaeological, oral historical, and historical evidence and research.

Evidence of Native American use of dogs ranges from hunting, to companionship, to using their fur for …

Laser Mimicking Mosquito Bites For Skin Delivery Of Malaria Sporozoite Vaccines, Chang Zhou, Xinyuan Chen, Qi Zhang, Ji Wang, Mei X. Wu

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) via mosquito bites has been shown to induce sterile immunity against malaria in humans, but this route of vaccination is neither practical nor ethical. The importance of delivering RAS to the liver through circulation in eliciting immunity against this parasite has been recently verified by human studies showing that high-level protection was achieved only by intravenous (IV) administration of RAS, not by intradermal (ID) or subcutaneous (SC) vaccination. Here, we report in a murine model that ID inoculation of RAS into laser-illuminated skin confers immune protection against malarial infection almost as effectively as IV immunization. …

Enhancement Of Radiation Effect On Cancer Cells By Gold-Phlip, Michael P. Antosh, Dayanjali D. Wijesinghe, Samana Shrestha, Robert Lanou, Yun Hu Huang, Thomas Hasselbacher, David Fox, Nicola Neretti, Shouheng Sun, Natallia Katenka, Leon N. Cooper, Oleg A. Andreev, Yana K. Reshetnyak

Physics Faculty Publications

Previous research has shown that gold nanoparticles can increase the effectiveness of radiation on cancer cells. Improved radiation effectiveness would allow lower radiation doses given to patients, reducing adverse effects; alternatively, it would provide more cancer killing at current radiation doses. Damage from radiation and gold nanoparticles depends in part on the Auger effect, which is very localized; thus, it is important to place the gold nanoparticles on or in the cancer cells. In this work, we use the pH-sensitive, tumor-targeting agent, pH Low-Insertion Peptide (pHLIP), to tether 1.4-nm gold nanoparticles to cancer cells. We find that the conjugation of …

Clinical Implications Of Vancomycin Heteroresistant And Intermediately Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus, Diane M. Gomes, Kristina E. Ward, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has proven to be a major pathogen with the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections and recently with heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA) and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) infections. Although vancomycin is traditionally a first-line and relatively effective antibiotic, its continued use is under question because reports of heteroresistance in S. aureus isolates are increasing. Both hVISA and VISA infections are associated with complicated clinical courses and treatment failures. The prevalence, mechanism of resistance, clinical significance, and laboratory detection of hVISA and VISA infections are not conclusive, making it difficult to apply research …