Digital Commons Network^™

Cowboys And Shoguns: The American Western, Japanese Jidaigeki, And Cross-Cultural Exchange, Kyle Keough

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Time Post-Hatch Caloric Value Of Artemia Salina, Jessie M. Sanders

Senior Honors Projects

In aquatic animal collections, such as those in the collection of Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration’s Fish & Invertebrate department, live food is an essential part of the diet of animals that are on display, used in education, and kept in reserve for exhibits. For Mystic Aquarium’s Fish & Invertebrate department, newly hatched Artemia salina, or brine shrimp, are fed to an assortment of fishes and invertebrates, including soft corals and jellyfish. Hatch brine is an important source of fatty acids, which are essential for proper growth and development. Hatch brine starts encapsulated in a cyst form and are …

System Analysis Of The Uri Hurricane Preparedness Plan, Rebecca Harlow

Senior Honors Projects

If a hurricane were to hit URI in the upcoming fall semester what would happen? This project is a thorough evaluation of the current URI plan, how it works, how it doesn’t and who has the answers. The project is framed from an information systems perspective. The analysis of the system is based on where vital information is stored, how it is communicated when needed and who is involved. To find the answers to these questions, in depth interviews were conducted with key emergency personnel. Among them are URI’s Director of Safety and Risk, J Kevin Culley, Major Baker of …

Greenpeace, Earth First! And The Earth Liberation Front: The Progression Of The Radical Environmental Movement In America, Christopher J. Covill

Senior Honors Projects

Causes of worldwide environmental destruction created a form of activism, Ecotage with an incredible success rate. Ecotage uses direct action, or monkey wrenching, to prevent environmental destruction. Mainstream conservation efforts were viewed by many environmentalists as having failed from compromise inspiring the birth of radicalized groups. This eventually transformed conservationists into radicalists. Green Peace inspired radical environmentalism by civil disobedience, media campaigns and direct action tactics, but remained mainstream. Earth First’s! philosophy is based on a no compromise approach. They took direct action tactics further than Green Peace was willing too. Earth First’s! direct action campaigns epitomize modern environmental radicalism. …

Traditional Natural Resource Use And Development In Northeast Thailand, Christie Moulton

Senior Honors Projects

This paper explores the effects of development projects on traditional natural resource use in three communities in Northeast Thailand, a region known as Isan. I interviewed villagers in each community and asked them to describe their environmental perceptions, management practices and livelihood strategies. Participants described several subsistence livelihoods that have traditionally been present in Isan. These include rice farming, fishing, community forestry, and wetland use. Residents from the three communities all described various cultural activities, knowledge systems, and religious ceremonies that are closely tied to their local resources. Raising silk worms, making clay pots, and performing rituals for a spirit …

Midnight Dawning: A Reconciliation, Astrid Drew

Senior Honors Projects

Within the past several years, best-seller lists have witnessed a growth in popularity of memoirs or creative non-fiction writing. Being an avid bookstore wanderer, I noticed this influx and wondered about the reasons behind it. What is so appealing about this genre to readers, and why do people write these kinds of books? What sort of mental processes within the author’s mind are expressed on the page, and how do those processes reflect or interact with the reader? Is it all merely cathartic writing/reading? Or is it a mode of solidifying one’s identity and place in the world, both for …

Promoting Locally Grown Foods In Schools Through Developed Classroom Curriculum And Foodservice Educational Tools, Meredith F. Carter

Senior Honors Projects

The Massachusetts’ Farm-to-School Project has worked for years to bring local farmers and school districts together. Focused on improving the markets and economic stability of farmers, while also improving the quality of foods available to students, the project implemented the first annual “Massachusetts Harvest for Students Week” during the week of September 24, 2007. As part of Harvest Week, selected schools in Massachusetts purchased and served foods grown and made by local farmers. Marketing materials were used in the participating school cafeterias, and classroom education regarding local agriculture, nutrition, and sustainability was provided. Harvest Week had the potential to improve …

Hip Hop Is Dead: The Rhetoric Of Hip Hop, Kalyana Champlain

Senior Honors Projects

There is no doubt that Hip Hop has become a most influential international force. This animal has had many faces: two of these faces have been as a political tool as displayed by Public Enemy, and as a therapeutic release-- as I discovered while in AmeriCorps interning at AS220 for a program called Hip Hop 220, in which we took underprivileged youth and helped them to channel their energy through this art form. However, there is a dark side to this culture that includes extreme misogyny, self- sabotage, hatred, and an unhealthy obsession with status. As I reflected on these …

Novice Coach’S Guide To Coaching Novice, Catherine Pruszynski

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

A Foray Into Food Writing: A Philosophical Approach To Contemporary Food Movements, Rebecca Long

Senior Honors Projects

For my Honors Project I chose to explore one of my passions, food writing. To accomplish this I did extensive research into several food movements with which I was previously unfamiliar. On the basis of this research I generated short papers that became appendices to my final product. The research grounded subsequent journalistic pieces, which explore intriguing aspects of these food movements but in a prose style and at a scale more appropriate to a general readership.

Lowering Cholesterol: Through The Use Of Plant Sterols And Stanols, Nicole St. Jean

Senior Honors Projects

Heart disease has been the number one killer of American men and women over the past hundred years, with high blood cholesterol as a major risk factor of this disease. High Cholesterol can be a result of a number of different lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise. However, genetics and family history also play a role in the levels of cholesterol in the human body. Those who have high blood cholesterol levels are usually advised by their health professionals to consume a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol, high in fiber and to exercise frequently. However, sometimes these …

Sparkle: What Every Teenage Girl Should Know, Alexandria D’Angelo

Senior Honors Projects

As a journalism major with an interest in women’s studies, I took time to educate myself about the tactics that the magazine media use to sell themselves. I focused on magazines, because I am a print-oriented journalism student with the goal of working for a newspaper or a magazine after graduation. During my research, I found that there are few publications in this country offering sound advice to problems that teenage girls face on a daily basis. Most magazines for teenage girls focus on celebrity style, gossip and make-up tips. There is nothing wrong with this form of entertainment, especially …

Rendre Compte De L’Inconscient : Une Exploration Surréaliste D’Expression Créatrice, Emily Macaux

Senior Honors Projects

The realm of Surrealist creation is essentially that of the interior human experience, a space of diverse layers and textures, of contrasting, often confounding dimensions. Indeed, in works of evocative emotional power and visceral intensity, Surrealist artists have evinced an ideal of expressive freedom that, conceptually bold, offers a singular means of accessing and knowing life’s eternal ambiguities. Thus, as I have long been irresistibly drawn to the Surrealist notion of such an unconditional, unfiltered creative freedom, I was eager, through my own research and writing, to explore the possibilities of such a non-rational approach to creative expression. I initiated …

Native American Flute Meditation: Musical Instrument Design, Construction And Playing As Contemplative Practice, Daniel Cummings

Senior Honors Projects

For almost two years now, I have been involved in hand-crafting and playing my own Native American-style flutes. In the course of that time, this hobby has gradually merged with my interests in mindfulness and meditation practices to produce a unique result, nearly a fully fledged form of contemplation in its own right. For me, flute making and playing have become inseparable and vital components of a seamless process, one whose various stages can all be undertaken as occasions for the application of meditative techniques. Defining meditation in essence as the expansion of awareness in any activity—whether focused on a …

The Katrina Project, Alison Traver

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Rnai-Mediated Gene Silencing In Tick Synganglia: A Proof Of Concept Study, Shahid Karim, Bronwyn Kenny, Emily Troiano, Thomas N. Mather

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Progress in generating comprehensive EST libraries and genome sequencing is setting the stage for reverse genetic approaches to gene function studies in the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis). However, proving that RNAi can work in nervous tissue has been problematic. Developing an ability to manipulate gene expression in the tick synganglia likely would accelerate understanding of tick neurobiology. Here, we assess gene silencing by RNA interference in the adult female black-legged tick synganglia.

Results: Tick β-Actin and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase were chosen as targets because both genes express in all tick tissues including synganglia. …

Numerical Quantification Of Perkinsus Marinus In The American Oyster Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin, 1791) (Mollusca: Bivalvia) By Modern Stereology, Antonio Remacha-Trivino, Doranne Borsay-Horowitz, Christopher Dungan, Ximo Gual-Arnau, Javier Gomez-Leon, Luisa Villamil, Marta Gomez-Chiarri

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Species of Perkinsus are responsible for high mortalities of bivalve molluscs world-wide. Techniques to accurately estimate parasites in tissues are required to improve understanding of perkinsosis. This study quantifies the number and tissue distribution of Perkinsus marinus in Crassostrea virginica by modern stereology and immunohistochemistry. Mean total number of trophozoites were (mean ± SE) 11.80 ± 3.91 million and 11.55 ± 3.88 million for the optical disector and optical fractionator methods, respectively. The mean empirical error between both stereological approaches was 3.8 ± 1.0%. Trophozoites were detected intracellularly in the following tissues: intestine (30.1%), Leydig tissue (21.3%), hemocytes (14.9%), digestive …

Division Of Research And Economic Development Annual Report For Fy2008, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

Annual report for the Division of Research and Economic Development of the University of Rhode Island for the year 2007-2008.

Includes statistics of project proposals, expenditures, URI Foundation Awards, previous annual report summaries and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For November 2008, 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 2008, 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.

Synergistic Effects Of Climate-Related Variables Suggest Future Physiological Impairment In A Top Oceanic Predator, Rui Rosa, Brad A. Seibel

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

By the end of this century, anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are expected to decrease the surface ocean pH by as much as 0.3 unit. At the same time, the ocean is expected to warm with an associated expansion of the oxygen minimum layer (OML). Thus, there is a growing demand to understand the response of the marine biota to these global changes. We show that ocean acidification will substantially depress metabolic rates (31%) and activity levels (45%) in the jumbo squid, Dosidicus gigas, a top predator in the Eastern Pacific. This effect is exacerbated by high …

Exploitative Competition Between Invasive Herbivores Benefits A Native Host Plant, Evan L. Preisser, Joseph S. Elkinton

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although biological invasions are of considerable concern to ecologists, relatively little attention has been paid to the potential for and consequences of indirect interactions between invasive species. Such interactions are generally thought to enhance invasives' spread and impact (i.e., the “invasional meltdown” hypothesis); however, exotic species might also act indirectly to slow the spread or blunt the impact of other invasives. On the east coast of the United States, the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae, HWA) and elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa, EHS) both feed on eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Of the two insects, HWA is considered far more …

Dexamethasone Suppresses The Expression Of Multiple Rat Carboxylesterases Through Transcriptional Repression: Evidence For An Involvement Of The Glucocorticoid Receptor, Deshi Shi, Jian Yang, Dongfang Yang, Bingfang Yan

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Carboxylesterases play important roles in the metabolism of xenobiotics and detoxication of insecticides. Without exception, all mammalian species studied express multiple forms of carboxylesterases. Several rat carboxylesterases are well-characterized including hydrolase A, B and S, and the expression of these enzymes is significantly suppressed by glucocorticoid dexamethasone. In this study, we used multiple experimental systems and presented a molecular mechanism for the suppression. Rats receiving one or more daily injections of dexamethasone consistently expressed lower HA, HB and HS. The suppression occurred at the levels of mRNA, protein and hydrolytic activity. In hepatoma cell line H4-II-E-C3, nanomolar dexamethasone caused significant …

A Comparison Between Warm-Water Fish Assemblages Of Narragansett Bay And Those Of Long Island Sound Waters, Abby Jane M. Wood, Jeremy S. Collie, Jonathan A. Hare

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Fish species of warm-water origin appear in northeastern U.S. coastal waters in the late summer and remain until late fall when the temperate waters cool. The annual abundance and species composition of warm-water species is highly variable from year to year, and these variables may have effects on the trophic dynamics of this region. To understand this variability, records of warm-water fish occurrence were examined in two neighboring temperate areas, Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound. The most abundant fish species were the same in both areas, and regional abundances peaked in both areas in the middle of September, four …

Severity Of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Depends On Developmental Stage Of Long–Evans Rats, Chun-Shiang Chung, Jian Wang, Monh Wehman, Dennis E. Rhoads

Past Departments Faculty Publications (CELS)

To investigate alcohol dependency and the potential role of age of initial alcohol consumption, Long–Evans (LE) rats were fed an ethanol-containing liquid diet starting at postnatal (P) ages (days): P23–27 (juvenile), P35–45 (adolescent) or P65–97 (young adult). Severity of subsequent withdrawal symptoms was dependent on age when consumption began and on duration of alcohol consumption. Frequency of withdrawal seizures was highest for rats starting consumption as juveniles, intermediate for adolescents and lowest for adults. Normalized to body weight, alcohol consumption was significantly higher for adolescent and juvenile rats than for adults. Sprague–Dawley rats that began alcohol consumption as adolescents (P35) …

Activation Of Natural Regulatory T Cells By Igg Fc-Derived Peptide "Tregitopes", Anne S. De Groot, Leonard Moise, Julie A. Mcmurry, Erik Wambre, Laurence Van Overtvelt, Philippe Moingeon, David W. Scott, William Martin

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

We have identified at least 2 highly promiscuous major histocompatibility complex class II T-cell epitopes in the Fc fragment of IgG that are capable of specifically activating CD4⁺CD25_HiFoxP3⁺ natural regulatory T cells (nT_Regs). Coincubation of these regulatory T-cell epitopes or “Tregitopes” and antigens with peripheral blood mononuclear cells led to a suppression of effector cytokine secretion, reduced proliferation of effector T cells, and caused an increase in cell surface markers associated with T_Regs such as FoxP3. In vivo administration of the murine homologue of the Fc region Tregitope resulted in suppression of …

Saving Camels From Straws: How Propagule Pressure-Based Prevention Policies Can Reduce The Risk Of Biological Invasion, Jamie K. Reaser, Laura A. Meyerson, Betsy Von Holle

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Nonnative species that harm or have the potential to cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health are known as invasive species. Propagule pressure may be the most important factor in establishment success of nonnative species of various taxa in a variety of ecosystems worldwide, and strong evidence is emerging that propagule pressure determines both the scale of invasion extent and impact. In a limited way, the US government is applying a “propagule pressure approach” in a variety of prevention policy contexts aimed at minimizing the impact of harmful organisms. However, there are also readily apparent opportunities for enacting …

A Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium Succinate Dehydrogenase/Fumarate Reductase Double Mutant Is Avirulent And Immunogenic In Balb/C Mice, Regino Mercado-Lubo, Eric J. Gauger, Mary P. Leatham, Tyrrell Conway, Paul S. Cohen

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Previously we showed that the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle operates as a full cycle during Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SR-11 peroral infection of BALB/c mice (M. Tchawa Yimga et al., Infect. Immun. 74:1130-1140, 2006). The evidence was that a ΔsucCD mutant (succinyl coenzyme A [succinyl-CoA] synthetase), which prevents the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate, and a ΔsdhCDA mutant (succinate dehydrogenase), which blocks the conversion of succinate to fumarate, were both attenuated, whereas an SR-11 ΔaspA mutant (aspartase) and an SR-11 ΔfrdABCD mutant (fumarate reductase), deficient in the ability to run the reductive branch of the TCA …

Freshman Record : The University Of Rhode Island, The Interfraternity/Panhellenic Councils

Freshman Record

No abstract provided.

Fluid Dynamics Of Feeding Behaviour In White-Spotted Bamboo Sharks, Sandra Nauwelaerts, Cheryl Wilga, George V. Lauder, Christopher P. Sanford

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although the motor control of feeding is presumed to be generally conserved, some fishes are capable of modulating the feeding behaviour in response to prey type and or prey size. This led to the ʻfeeding modulation hypothesisʼ, which states that rapid suction strikes are pre-programmed stereotyped events that proceed to completion once initiated regardless of sensory input. If this hypothesis holds true, successful strikes should be indistinguishable from unsuccessful strikes owing to a lack of feedback control in specialized suction feeding fishes. The hydrodynamics of suction feeding in white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) was studied in three behaviours: …