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Momentum: Research & Innovation For Fall 2021, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Fall 2021 issue of Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Table Beet Variety Trial, Rebecca Brown

University of Rhode Island Vegetable Production Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Beyond Subculture The Meaning Of Style: Chronicling Directions Of Scholarship On Dress Since Hebdige And Muggleton, Monica Sklar, Jessica Strübel, Katharine Freiberg, Sara Elhabbassi

Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design Faculty Publications

Youth and music-oriented subcultures use dress to embody lifestyle, ethos, individuality, and showcase their perspectives. This literature review analyzes academic writing on dress in conjunction with subculture that has emerged since Dick Hebdige wrote a defining text, Subculture: The Meaning of Style in 1979 and David Muggleton wrote a reaction book, Subculture: The Postmodern Meaning of Style in 2000. Twenty years later, at the same interval between those volumes, and using Joanne Eicher’s comprehensive definition of “dress,” this article reviews the current topics, methods, theories, and priorities. Findings indicate that academic literature on dress and subculture as joint primary variables …

Article: "An Indian Captive In Germany", Major General Syed Ali Hamid

Special Collections (Miscellaneous)

This is the first of two articles in which Major General Syed Ali Hamid writes about captivity during the Second World War – this article is about Anis Ahmed Khan, an Indian officer held as a Prisoner of War in Germany for five years.

This text is part of a digital images collection, "The Unremembered: Indian Soldiers of World War II" by Professor Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, available at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/wwii-indian-soldiers/

Metabolomic Shifts Associated With Heat Stress In Coral Holobionts, Amanda Williams, Eric N. Chiles, Dennis A. Conetta, Jananan S. Pathmanathan, Phillip A. Cleves, Hollie M. Putnam, Xiaoyang Su, Debashish Bhattacharya

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Understanding the response of the coral holobiont to environmental change is crucial to inform conservation efforts. The most pressing problem is “coral bleaching,” usually precipitated by prolonged thermal stress. We used untargeted, polar metabolite profiling to investigate the physiological response of the coral species Montipora capitata and Pocillopora acuta to heat stress. Our goal was to identify diagnostic markers present early in the bleaching response. From the untargeted UHPLC-MS data, a variety of co-regulated dipeptides were found that have the highest differential accumulation in both species. The structures of four dipeptides were determined and showed differential accumulation in symbiotic and …

Fenamates As Potential Therapeutics For Neurodegenerative Disorders, Jaunetta Hill, Nasser H. Zawia

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Neurodegenerative disorders are desperately lacking treatment options. It is imperative that drug repurposing be considered in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Fenamates have been studied for efficacy in treating several neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively present the past and current research on fenamates in the context of neurodegenerative diseases with a special emphasis on tolfenamic acid and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, this review discusses the major molecular pathways modulated by fenamates.

Potentiation Of Recombinant Np And M1-Induced Cellular Immune Responses And Protection By Physical Radiofrequency Adjuvant, Yibo Li, Zhoufan Li, Yiwen Zhao, Xinyuan Chen

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Nucleoprotein (NP) and matrix protein 1 (M1) are highly conserved among influenza A viruses and have been attractive targets to develop vaccines to elicit cross-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Yet, external antigens are often presented on major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and elicit humoral immune responses. In this study, we present a physical radiofrequency adjuvant (RFA) to assist recombinant NP and M1 to elicit potent CTL responses. We found recombinant NP/M1 immunization in the presence of RFA could elicit potent anti-NP CTLs and confer significant protection against homologous viral challenges, while NP/M1 immunization alone failed to elicit significant CTL …

Autonomy Of Nations And Indigenous Peoples And The Environmental Release Of Genetically Engineered Animals With Gene Drives, Zahra Meghani

Philosophy Faculty Publications

This article contends that the environmental release of genetically engineered (GE) animals with heritable traits that are patented will present a challenge to the efforts of nations and indigenous peoples to engage in self-determination. The environmental release of such animals has been proposed on the grounds that they could function as public health tools or as solutions to the problem of agricultural insect pests. This article brings into focus two political-economic-legal problems that would arise with the environmental release of such organisms. To address those challenges, it is proposed that nations considering the environmental release of GE animals must take …

An Inexpensive, 3d-Printable Breast Muscle Meter For Field Ornithologists, Luke L. Powell, Adam Metallo, Crinan Jarrett, Nathan W. Cooper, Peter P. Marra, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Ulf Bauchinger, Bryant C. Dossman

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

The size of the pectoral muscle is an important component of body condition in birds and has been linked to indices of fitness and migratory performance. Bauchinger et al. (2011. Journal of Ornithology 152: 507–514) developed, calibrated, and validated an aluminum “muscle meter” device that estimates the size of pectoral muscles noninvasively. To make this tool more widely available, we created a CAD model from 3D-scan data of the aluminum muscle meter that can be 3D-printed in durable plastic for ~ $30 USD. We tested this device on seven species of songbirds in Jamaica, The Bahamas, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and …

Modern Cities Modelled As “Super-Cells” Rather Than Multicellular Organisms: Implications For Industry, Goods And Services, Jie Chang, Ying Ge, Zhaoping Wu, Yuanyuan Du, Kaixuan Pan, Guofu Yang, Yuan Ren, Mikko P. Hein, Feng Mao, Kang Hao Cheong, Zelong Qu, Xing Fan, Yong Min, Changhui Peng, Laura A. Meyerson

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

The structure and “metabolism” (movement and conversion of goods and energy) of urban areas has caused cities to be identified as “super-organisms”, placed between ecosystems and the biosphere, in the hierarchy of living systems. Yet most such analogies are weak, and render the super-organism model ineffective for sustainable development of cities. Via a cluster analysis of 15 shared traits of the hierarchical living system, we found that industrialized cities are more similar to eukaryotic cells than to multicellular organisms; enclosed systems, such as factories and greenhouses, paralleling organelles in eukaryotic cells. We further developed a “super-cell” industrialized city model: a …

Flight And Dietary Antioxidants Influence Antioxidant Expression And Activity In A Migratory Bird, Kristen J. Demoranville, Wales A. Carter, Barbara J. Pierce, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Ecologically relevant factors such as exercise and diet quality can directly influence how physiological systems work including those involved in maintaining oxidative balance; however, to our knowledge, no studies to date have focused on how such factors directly affect expression of key components of the endogenous antioxidant system (i.e., transcription factors, select antioxidant genes, and corresponding antioxidant enzymes) in several metabolically active tissues of a migratory songbird. We conducted a three-factor experiment that tested the following hypotheses: (H1) Daily flying over several weeks increases the expression of transcription factors NRF2 and PPARs as well as endogenous antioxidant genes (i.e., CAT, …

How Birds During Migration Maintain (Oxidative) Balance, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Wales Carter, Clara Cooper-Mullin, Kristen Demoranville, Abigail Frawley, Barbara Pierce, Megan Skrip

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Animals dynamically adjust their physiology and behavior to survive in changing environments, and seasonal migration is one life stage that demonstrates these dynamic adjustments. As birds migrate between breeding and wintering areas, they incur physiological demands that challenge their antioxidant system. Migrating birds presumably respond to these oxidative challenges by up-regulating protective endogenous systems or accumulating dietary antioxidants at stopover sites, although our understanding of the pre-migration preparations and mid-migration responses of birds to such oxidative challenges is as yet incomplete. Here we review evidence from field and captive-bird studies that address the following questions: (1) Do migratory birds build …

Sectoral Impacts Of Invasive Species In The United States And Approaches To Management, Anne S. Marsh, Deborah C. Hayes, Patrice Klein, Nicole Zimmerman, Alison Dalsimer, Douglas A. Burkett, Cynthia D. Huebner, Robert Rabaglia, Laura A. Meyerson, Bonnie L. Harper-Lore, Jamie L. Davidson, Marla R. Emery, Travis Warziniack, Rebecca Flitcroft, Becky K. Kerns, Vanessa M. Lopez

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Invasive species have a major effect on many sectors of the U.S. economy and on the well-being of its citizens. Their presence impacts animal and human health, military readiness, urban vegetation and infrastructure, water, energy and transportations systems, and indigenous peoples in the United States (Table 9.1). They alter bio-physical systems and cultural practices and require significant public and private expenditure for control. This chapter provides examples of the impacts to human systems and explains mechanisms of invasive species’ establishment and spread within sectors of the U.S. economy. The chapter is not intended to be comprehensive but rather to provide …

Analyzing Long-Term Water Quality Of Lakes In Rhode Island And The Northeastern United States With An Anomaly Approach, J. W. Hollister, D. Q. Kellogg, B. J. Kreakie, S. D. Shivers, W. B. Milstead, E. M. Herron, L. T. Green, Arthur J. Gold

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Addressing anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems is a focus of lake management. Controlling phosphorus and nitrogen can mitigate these impacts, but determining management effectiveness requires long-term datasets. Recent analysis of the LAke multi-scaled GeOSpatial and temporal database for the Northeast (LAGOS-NE) United States found stable water quality in the northeastern and midwestern United States; however, sub-regional trends may be obscured. We used the University of Rhode Island’s Watershed Watch Volunteer Monitoring Program (URIWW) dataset to determine if there were sub-regional (i.e., 3000 km²) water quality trends. URIWW has collected water quality data on Rhode Island lakes and reservoirs …

Incrimination Of Shrews As A Reservoir For Powassan Virus, Heidi K. Goethert, Thomas N. Mather, Richard W. Johnson, Sam R. Telford Iii

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Powassan virus lineage 2 (deer tick virus) is an emergent threat to American public health, causing severe neurologic disease. Its life cycle in nature remains poorly understood. We use a host-specific retrotransposon-targeted real time PCR assay to test the hypothesis that white-footed mice, considered the main eastern U.S. reservoir of the coinfecting agent of Lyme disease, is the reservoir for deer tick virus. Of 20 virus-infected host-seeking nymphal black-legged ticks 65% fed on shrews and none on mice. The proportion of ticks feeding on shrews at a site is positively associated with prevalence of viral infection, but not the Lyme …

Why Lyme Disease Is Common In The Northern Us, But Rare In The South: The Roles Of Host Choice, Host-Seeking Behavior, And Tick Density, Howard S. Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Russell L. Burke, Nicholas H. Ogden, Lorenza Beati, Roger Lebrun, Isis M. Arsnoe, Richard Gerhold, Seungeun Han, Kaetlyn Jackson, Lauren Maestas, Teresa Moody, Genevieve Pang, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Jean I. Tsao

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Lyme disease is common in the northeastern United States, but rare in the southeast, even though the tick vector is found in both regions. Infection prevalence of Lyme spirochetes in host-seeking ticks, an important component to the risk of Lyme disease, is also high in the northeast and northern midwest, but declines sharply in the south. As ticks must acquire Lyme spirochetes from infected vertebrate hosts, the role of wildlife species composition on Lyme disease risk has been a topic of lively academic discussion. We compared tick–vertebrate host interactions using standardized sampling methods among 8 sites scattered throughout the eastern …

Four Priority Areas To Advance Invasion Science In The Face Of Rapid Environmental Change, Anthony Ricciardi, Josephine C. Iacarella, David C. Aldridge, Tim M. Blackburn, James T. Carlton, Jane A. Catford, Jaimie T.A. Dick, Philip E. Hulme, Jonathan M. Jeschke, Andrew M. Liebhold, Julie L. Lockwood, Hugh J. Macisaac, Laura A. Meyerson, Petr Pyšek, David M. Richardson, Gregory M. Ruiz, Daniel Simberloff, Montserrat Vilà, David A. Wardle

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Unprecedented rates of introduction and spread of non-native species pose burgeoning challenges to biodiversity, natural resource management, regional economies, and human health. Current biosecurity efforts are failing to keep pace with globalization, revealing critical gaps in our understanding and response to invasions. Here, we identify four priority areas to advance invasion science in the face of rapid global environmental change. First, invasion science should strive to develop a more comprehensive framework for predicting how the behavior, abundance, and interspecific interactions of non-native species vary in relation to conditions in receiving environments and how these factors govern the ecological impacts of …

Momentum: Research & Innovation For Spring 2021, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Spring 2021 issue of Momentum: Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Momentum: Research & Innovation For Spring 2021, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Spring 2021 issue of Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Coastal And Marine Socio-Ecological Systems: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Sonia Refulio-Coronado, Katherine Lacasse, Tracey Dalton, Austin T. Humphries, Suchandra Basu, Hirotsugu Uchida, Emi Uchida

Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Faculty Publications

The socio-ecological systems (SESs) framework provides cross-disciplinary insight into complex environmental problems. Numerous studies have applied the SES framework to coastal and marine environments over the last two decades. We review and analyze 98 of those studies to (i) describe how SES concepts were examined and measured, (ii) describe how the studies included feedbacks and thresholds, and (iii) identify and analyze elements unique to coastal and marine SES frameworks. We find that progress has been made in understanding key SES properties in coastal and marine ecosystems, which include resilience, adaptive capacity, vulnerability, and governance. A variety of methods has been …

Vectra 3d (Dinotefuran, Pyriproxyfen And Permethrin) Prevents Acquisition Of Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Stricto By Ixodes Ricinus And Ixodes Scapularis Ticks In An Ex Vivo Feeding Model, Djamel Tahir, Btissam Asri, Leon Nicolaas Meyer, Alec Evans, Thomas N. Mather, Byron Blagburn, Reinhard K. Straubinger, Valérie Choumet, Frans Jongejan, Marie Varloud

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Background

We evaluated the efficiency of an ex vivo feeding technique using a silicone membrane-based feeding chamber to (i) assess the anti-feeding and acaricidal efficacy of a spot-on combination of dinotefuran, pyriproxyfen and permethrin (DPP, Vectra® 3D) against adult Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes ricinus ticks, and to (ii) explore its effect on blocking the acquisition of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto.

Methods

Eight purpose-bred dogs were randomly allocated to two equal-size groups based on body weight assessed on day 2. DPP was administered topically, as spot-on, to four dogs on day 0. Hair from the eight dogs was collected individually by …

Mesophotic Gorgonian Corals Evolved Multiple Times And Faster Than Deep And Shallow Lineages, Juan A. Sánchez, Fanny L. González-Zapata, Carlos Prada, Luisa F. Dueñas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) develop on a unique environment, where abrupt environmental changes take place. Using a time-calibrated molecular phylogeny (mtDNA: mtMutS), we examined the lineage membership of mesophotic gorgonian corals (Octocorallia: Cnidaria) in comparison to shallow and deep-sea lineages of the wider Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico and the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Our results show mesophotic gorgonians originating multiple times from old deep-sea octocoral lineages, whereas shallow-water species comprise younger lineages. The mesophotic gorgonian fauna in the studied areas is related to their zooxanthellate shallow-water counterparts in only two clades (Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae), where the bathymetrical gradient could serve as a …

High Levels Of Genetic Divergence Detected In Sacramento Perch Suggests Two Divergent Translocation Sources, Amanda E. Coen, Max Fish, Randy Lovell, Jeff Rodzen, Rachel Schwartz, Andrea Schreier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Translocation has been used to conserve imperiled fishes and create new fisheries. One species for which translocation has played a significant role is the Sacramento Perch Archoplites interruptus. Extirpated from its native range, the Sacramento Perch has been introduced throughout California and Nevada through multiple translocation events, though historical records are incomplete. Recent assessments of eight previously uncharacterized Sacramento Perch populations have prompted reevaluation of range-wide population structure to inform a genetic management plan for long-term resiliency of this species. We examined Sacramento Perch genetic diversity and population structure across the current range of the species using 12 microsatellite …

Sequence Dependent Repair Of 1,N6-Ethenoadenine By Dna Repair Enzymes Alkbh2, Alkbh3, And Alkb, Rui Qi, Ke Bian, Fangyi Chen, Qi Tang, Xianhao Zhou, Deyu Li

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Mutation patterns of DNA adducts, such as mutational spectra and signatures, are useful tools for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Mutational spectra of carcinogens derive from three sources: adduct formation, replication bypass, and repair. Here, we consider the repair aspect of 1,N⁶-ethenoadenine (εA) by the 2-oxoglutarate/Fe(II)-dependent AlkB family enzymes. Specifically, we investigated εA repair across 16 possible sequence contexts (5′/3′ flanking base to εA varied as G/A/T/C). The results revealed that repair efficiency is altered according to sequence, enzyme, and strand context (ss- versus ds-DNA). The methods can be used to study other aspects of mutational spectra or …

New Micropeptins With Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity Isolated From A Cyanobacterial Bloom, Riley D. Kirk, Haiyin He, Paul G. Wahome, Shibiao Wu, Guy T. Carter, Matthew Bertin

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Metabolite mining of environmentally collected aquatic and marine microbiomes offers a platform for the discovery of new therapeutic lead molecules. Combining a prefractionated chromatography library with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based molecular networking and biological assays, we isolated and characterized two new micropeptins (1 and 2) along with the previously characterized micropeptin 996. These metabolites showed potency in anti-neuroinflammatory assays using BV-2 mouse microglial cells, showing a 50% reduction in inflammation in a range from 1 to 10 μM. These results show promise for cyanobacterial peptides in the therapeutic realm apart from their impact on environmental health and provide …

Synthesis And Biological Evaluations Of Oleanolic Acid Indole Derivatives As Hyaluronidase Inhibitors With Enhanced Skin Permeability, Hao He, Huifang Li, Toyosi Akanji, Shengli Niu, Zhujun Luo, Dongli Li, Navindra P. Seeram, Panpan Wu, Hang Ma

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a natural cosmeceutical compound with various skin beneficial activities including inhibitory effect on hyaluronidase but the anti-hyaluronidase activity and mechanisms of action of its synthetic analogues remain unclear. Herein, a series of OA derivatives were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory effects on hyaluronidase. Compared to OA, an induction of fluorinated (6c) and chlorinated (6g) indole moieties led to enhanced anti-hyaluronidase activity (IC50 = 80.3 vs. 9.97 and 9.57 µg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, spectroscopic and computational studies revealed that 6c and 6g can bind to hyaluronidase protein and alter its secondary structure leading …

Extreme Levels Of Ocean Acidification Restructure The Plankton Community And Biogeochemistry Of A Temperate Coastal Ecosystem: A Mesocosm Study, Carsten Spisla, Jan Taucher, Lennart T. Bach, Mathias Haunost, Tim Boxhammer, Andrew L. King, Bethany D. Jenkins, Joselynn R. Wallace, Andrea Ludwig, Jana Meyer, Paul Stange, Fabrizio Minutolo, Kai T. Lohbeck, Alice Nauendorf, Verena Kalter, Silke Lischka, Michael Sswat, Isabel Dörner, Stefanie M. H. Ismar-Rebitz, Nicole Aberle, Jaw C. Yong, Jean-Marie Bouquet, Anna K. Lechtenbörger, Peter Kohnert, Michael Krudewig, Ulf Riebesell

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

The oceans’ uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) decreases seawater pH and alters the inorganic carbon speciation – summarized in the term ocean acidification (OA). Already today, coastal regions experience episodic pH events during which surface layer pH drops below values projected for the surface ocean at the end of the century. Future OA is expected to further enhance the intensity of these coastal extreme pH events. To evaluate the influence of such episodic OA events in coastal regions, we deployed eight pelagic mesocosms for 53 days in Raunefjord, Norway, and enclosed 56–61 m³ of local seawater …

Farci: Fast And Robust Connectome Interference, Saber Meamardoost, Mahasaweta Bhattacharya, Eun Jung Hwang, Takaki Komiyama, Claudia Mewes, Linbing Wang, Ying Zhang, Rudiyanto Gunawan

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

The inference of neuronal connectome from large-scale neuronal activity recordings, such as two-photon Calcium imaging, represents an active area of research in computational neuroscience. In this work, we developed FARCI (Fast and Robust Connectome Inference), a MATLAB package for neuronal connectome inference from high-dimensional two-photon Calcium fluorescence data. We employed partial correlations as a measure of the functional association strength between pairs of neurons to reconstruct a neuronal connectome. We demonstrated using in silico datasets from the Neural Connectomics Challenge (NCC) and those generated using the state-of-the-art simulator of Neural Anatomy and Optimal Microscopy (NAOMi) that FARCI provides an accurate …

Neuroendocrine Response To Exogenous Ghrelin Administration, Combined With Alcohol, In Heavy-Drinking Individuals: Findings From A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Human Laboratory Study, Mehdi Farokhnia, Kelly M. Abshire, Aaron Hammer, Sara L. Deschaine, Anitha Saravanakumar, Enoch Cobbina, Zhi-Bing You, Carolina L. Haass-Koffler, Mary R. Lee, Fatemeh Akhlaghi, Lorenzo Leggio

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Accumulating evidence has established a role for the orexigenic hormone ghrelin in alcohol-seeking behaviors. Accordingly, the ghrelin system may represent a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for alcohol use disorder. Ghrelin modulates several neuroendocrine pathways, such as appetitive, metabolic, and stress-related hormones, which are particularly relevant in the context of alcohol use. The goal of the present study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of neuroendocrine response to exogenous ghrelin administration, combined with alcohol, in heavy-drinking individuals.

Methods: This was a randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled human laboratory study, which included 2 experimental alcohol administration paradigms: i.v. alcohol self-administration and i.v. alcohol …

Vaccine Delivery Alerts Innate Immune Systems For More Immunogenic Vaccination, Zhoufan Li, Yan Cao, Yibo Li, Yiwen Zhao, Xinyuan Chen

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Vaccine delivery technologies are mainly designed to minimally invasively deliver vaccines to target tissues with little or no adjuvant effects. This study presents a prototype laser-based powder delivery (LPD) with inherent adjuvant effects for more immunogenic vaccination without incorporation of external adjuvants. LPD takes advantage of aesthetic ablative fractional laser to generate skin microchannels to support high-efficient vaccine delivery and at the same time creates photothermal stress in microchannel-surrounding tissues to boost vaccination. LPD could significantly enhance pandemic influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine immunogenicity and protective efficacy as compared with needle-based intradermal delivery in murine models. The ablative fractional laser was …