Digital Commons Network^™

Pfas Toxicity: What’S True, What’S Not, And What Really Matters, Jamie C. Dewitt, Ian T. Cousins, Gretta Goldenman, Dorte Herzke, Rainer Lohmann, Mark Miller, Carla A. Ng, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Zhanyun Wang

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

A substantial body of evidence exists demonstrating that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) poses a risk to human health. Data from epidemiological studies of those exposed occupationally or environmentally demonstrate adverse health risks, and these health effects are concordant with data from toxicological studies. Systematic reviews, conducted by agencies, organizations, and independent scientists that synthesize and integrate these data streams, have concluded that a range of health risks arise from PFAS exposure, including different types of cancer, especially kidney and testicular cancer, metabolic alterations such as increased liver enzymes and increased cholesterol, immune dysfunction such as reduced vaccination …

Building Resilience: The Influence Of The Format On The Effectiveness Of News Literacy Messages, Patrick F. A. Van Erkel, Peter Van Aelst, David N. Hopmann, Claes H. De Vreese, Joren Van Nieuwenborgh

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Although academic interest in news literacy messages (NLM) has grown, many questions about them remain unresolved. First, it remains unclear how the format of the NLM influences its effectiveness. Second, we still know little about their long-term effectiveness. To answer these questions, this study conducted a two-wave experiment in Belgium. We compared NLMs in the format of a text, an infographic, and video. We also manipulated elements in the false news article that participants had to evaluate. Our findings show that NLMs are effective and that the effects remain over a middle-long period of two weeks. Second, we find that …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2025 - Journal Requests (Controlled) By Title, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests (Controlled)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 850,324

Unique Item Requests - 628,581

Emerging Trends In Supply Chain Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review, Cemre Şerbetçioğlu, Bengü Sevil Oflaç

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased geopolitical tensions and trade wars and increased frequency of extreme weather conditions due to climate change revealed the importance of building resilience to mitigate the impact of such unforeseen challenges. Understanding supply chain resilience and building capabilities is essential for quickly responding to and recovering from disruptions. With the PRISMA approach, 335 articles were analyzed to illuminate the multifaceted nature of supply chain capabilities by synthesizing existing research on resilience, identifying key trends, and highlighting areas for future investigation.

By identifying key trends in supply chain resilience, this study makes significant contributions to the …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2024 - Journal Requests (Excluding Oa_Gold) By Title, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests (Excluding OA_Gold)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 805,131

Unique Item Requests - 602,267

Molecular Interactions Between The Shellfish Pathogen Vibrio Coralliilyticus Re22 And The Probiont Phaeobacter Inhibens S4sm, Jessica Coppersmith

Open Access Dissertations

Oyster larvae aquaculture is an important industry, both economically and environmentally, helping to create sustainable food systems by supplying seed oysters to farms, and also to restoration projects aimed at building coastal resilience and improving water quality by rejuvenating wild populations. However, oyster larvae are highly susceptible to rapid mortality events, crashes, which can seriously impact the industry. One source of these crashes in hatchery systems is vibriosis, caused by pathogenic species of Vibrio bacteria that are ubiquitous in temperate coastal waters, and with rising surface water temperatures their prevalence and virulence are increasing. To prevent these larval crashes from …

Financial Resilience: A Scoping Review, Conceptual Synthesis, And Theoretical Framework, Jing Jian Xiao

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: Financial resilience is becoming increasingly important in socioeconomic environments, yet research on the topic remains in its early stages and is subject to debate. This study aims to provide an overview of the existing literature on financial resilience and develop a heuristic map.

Methodology: A four-step scoping review was conducted to extract data on research features, measures, determinants, outcomes, and definitions from 44 empirical studies on financial resilience across five academic databases.

Findings: Most studies have examined financial resilience over the past five years utilizing cross-sectional secondary data from specific countries. The included studies have used various …

Queer Coasts: Beach Space, Climate Change, And The American Queer Community, Erin Cardoza

Open Access Master's Theses

Queer coastal spaces and beaches have been culturally and historically significant to the LGBTQ+ community for decades. These sites provide visibility, acceptance, and community allowing for LGBTQ+ folks to connect, organize, and find refuge from societal stigma and discrimination. However, these spaces face increasing threats from climate change, gentrification and privatization, and shifting societal dynamics. This research was conducted at two historically queer beaches on the American East Coast, Herring Cove in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Jacob Riis Park in Queens, New York. This study examined the similarities and differences between these sites regarding (1) the importance of beach spaces for …

Investigating Mono-Driver Versus Multi-Driver Oncogenesis Via Alterations To Cell Signaling Pathways, Abygail Chapdelaine

Open Access Dissertations

The latest edition of Global Cancer Statistics released by the American Cancer Society reported approximately 20 million newly diagnosed cancer cases worldwide in 2022 with 9.7 million deaths. This ranks cancer as the second leading cause of death worldwide. For the majority of cancer patients, the standard treatment approach is chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, and while this has been successful in some patients, a lack of specificity to cancer cells causes severe side-effects when these agents damage healthy cells. Despite extensive efforts that have gone into developing targeted cancer therapeutics that block functions specific to cancer, they have not been …

The Effect Of Maternal Diet On Developmental Programming: A Cross Species Analysis, Lindsey Eileen Eaton

Open Access Dissertations

Maternal nutrition plays an important role in shaping offspring health through developmental programming, with lasting implications on metabolic function and disease susceptibility. This dissertation explores the molecular and physical consequences of maternal nutrition, particularly its effects on pancreatic development and function in offspring. Chapter one provides a comprehensive review of the literature, detailing the mechanisms of fetal development, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic programming. It highlights the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, the role of DNA methylation and histone modifications, and the impact of maternal nutrition, emphasizing how nutrient availability during pregnancy influences fetal organogenesis and long term metabolic health.

Chapter two examines …

Navigating Online Perceptions Of Offshore Wind On Social Media: Facebook Discussions On Recent Whale Strandings, Giselle Hausmann

Open Access Master's Theses

The Biden-Harris administration implemented a goal to achieve 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 (US Department of Interior, 2021). The rapid increase in offshore wind activity on the East Coast, combined with NOAA’s declared unusual mortality event in 2016/2017, has sparked a discussion about offshore wind being a potential cause of whale deaths. This paper aims to analyze the discourse on offshore wind and whales through a content analysis of Facebook comments. Facebook pages from Massachusetts (The New England Aquarium), Rhode Island (Rhode Island DEM), New York (The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society), New Jersey (Marine Mammal Stranding Center), …

Impact Of The Jumpstart Service—Learning Experience On Leadership Skills Among University Student Ameri-Corp Volunteers, Susan T. Brand, Hyunjin Kim

College of Education Faculty Publications

This study aimed to explore the motivation for university students to become JumpStart AmeriCorps members (volunteers) and to examine the relationship between volunteers’ participation in the program and their leadership skills development. A total of 46 participants were surveyed to identify their two main reasons for becoming a JumpStart AmeriCorps volunteer. The results showed that most of the participants were motivated by the opportunity to gain field experience with children and to fulfill their passion of working with children. Furthermore, the program was found to provide a valuable platform for college students to engage in community service and volunteerism and …

Overall, Direct, Spillover, And Composite Effects Of Components Of A Peer-Driven Intervention Package On Injection Risk Behavior Among People Who Inject Drugs In The Hptn 037 Study, Raúl Hernández-Ramírez, Donna Spiegelman, Judith J. Lok, Laura Forastiere, Samuel R. Friedman, Carl A. Latkin, Sten H. Vermund, Ashley L. Buchanan

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

We sought to disentangle effects of the components of a peer-education intervention on self-reported injection risk behaviors among people who inject drugs (n = 560) in Philadelphia, US. We examined 226 egocentric groups/networks randomized to receive (or not) the intervention. Peer-education training consisted of two components delivered to the intervention network index individual only: (1) an initial training and (2) “booster” training sessions during 6- and 12-month follow up visits. In this secondary data analysis, using inverse-probability-weighted log-binomial mixed effects models, we estimated the effects of the components of the network-level peer-education intervention upon subsequent risk behaviors. This included contrasting …

Investigation Of Serum Resistance In Haemophilus Parainfluenzae, Morgan J. Mcpartland

Open Access Master's Theses

Around 50% of the United States adult population suffers from some form of periodontal disease. From gingivitis to severe periodontitis, periodontal disease is associated with a plethora of chronic and systemic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, type-two diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Prevention of periodontitis relies on the establishment and maintenance of a resilient, eubiotic oral microbiome. A key member of the healthy oral microbiome is Haemophilus parainfluenzae (Hp). Hp is a highly prevalent and abundant oral generalist. As a health-associated commensal, understanding its relationships within the microbial community and its interactions with the host may shed light …

Development And Modeling Of An Innovative Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Device For Quantitative Elisa, Ashutosh Kumar

Open Access Dissertations

This work contributes to the burgeoning field of paper-based analytical devices, with a particular focus on advancing global health outcomes through the development of an innovative paper-based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (p-ELISA) platform. At its core, this research seeks to address the critical need for accessible, efficient, and reliable diagnostic tools by leveraging the unique properties of paper as a substrate for fluid dynamics and biochemical reactions. The motivation behind this endeavor is the potential for such devices to significantly improve diagnostic capabilities, especially in resource-limited settings where traditional laboratory infrastructure is scarce.

The work is structured around a comprehensive exploration …

Developing Effective Physical And Chemical Adjuvants For Influenza And Tumor Vaccines, Yibo Li

Open Access Dissertations

An adjuvant is a pharmacological substance added to a vaccine to enhance the intensity, breadth and endurance of the immune responses. Traditional discovery and development of vaccine adjuvants mainly based on empirical experiences have been slow, but the situation has improved in the past two decades as more molecular mechanisms of vaccine adjuvants were revealed. Now it has been widely recognized that most adjuvants activate innate immune system by targeting pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as toll-like receptors (TLRs) to enhance adaptive immune responses. PRRs are proteins expressed mainly on innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, …

Probing The Anoxic World Of Coastal Marine Sediments In New England: Understanding The Novel Partnership Between Protists And Their Bacterial Symbionts, Raúl A. Gutiérrez

Open Access Master's Theses

In the oxygen-depleted environments of New England's coastal marine sediment, microbial communities engage in symbiotic interactions to overcome energy deficiencies from oxygen limitation. Among these interactions, ciliates, known for their ability to form diverse symbiotic relationships, play a prominent role. The ciliated protozoa, Metopus sp. commonly form symbiotic relationships with bacteria and archaea that support their fermentative metabolism (Fenchel and Finlay, 1995), though the diversity of these partnerships, particularly in the ocean, is poorly known. To gain insights into the interactions between Metopus ciliate cultures and their microbial partners, we employed Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) with species-specific probes. We …

Mapping Media And Information Literacy Skills During And After Covid-19, With Special Reference To Online Education, And Commerce And Trade, Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This paper examines literature from the COVID-19 period (2020-2022) to outline prevalent themes and essential competencies in the post-COVID era. Employing informetrics within a quantitative research approach, the study scrutinizes Scopus database data using COVID-19, e-learning, e-commerce, and media and information literacy terms. Results reveal a surge in scholarly focus on e-commerce, online learning, e-health, and ICTs, including social media. Identified were 355 media and information literacy terms, with digital, information, health, and media literacy at the forefront. Moreover, 244 corresponding competencies and skills were noted. The study emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive media and information literacy programs, diverse competencies, …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2023 - Journal Requests (Excluding Oa_Gold) By Title, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests (Excluding OA_Gold)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 836,365

Unique Item Requests - 625,288

Media Literacy And Covid-19 Communication: Work And Home Sphere Differences, Donnalyn Pompper, Tugce Ertem-Eray

Journal of Media Literacy Education

As a learning process wherein we ask questions to enhance knowledge, media literacy offers a powerful lens for examining how people practice communication across diverse applied contexts such as professional communicators shaping messages about COVID-19. Borrowing a page from Renee Hobbs’ (1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2021) media literacy education research, we sought to compare/contrast media content creators’ (journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing communication) information-seeking behaviors during the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic for both their paid work and unpaid volunteer work, as well as for their own and family edification. Blending the media literacy lens with social construction theory (Berger & Luckmann, …

Vaccines In The 20th Century, Samantha Valakos

Senior Honors Projects

In 1796 Edward Jenner marked a turning point in epidemiology after testing a theory and developing the first vaccination known to mankind: smallpox. Since his work, many scientists have discovered that virulent strains of a virus can be attenuated in humans, consequently aiding in the creation of many different vaccines. Nowadays, one of the most common vaccines for humans to receive is the influenza vaccine. The influenza vaccine is very effective in prevention of getting the virus, as well as reducing the risk of flu-like symptoms. However, each year many individuals continue to choose not to get the flu vaccine …

The Promise Of Media Literacy Education When “Everything Is At Stake” And “Everything Is Expected”, Monica Bulger, Gina Baleria, Renee Hobbs, Kimberly R. Moffitt

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In the midst of a tumultuous time in American and global history, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference 2021 hosted a panel to explore the promise and limits of media literacy. Panelists discussed the vital role of media literacy education in responding to challenges to democracy, social justice, and public health. With “everything at stake,” the panelists moved through responses to current crises while grounding in a historical context and offering recommendations for the future. Curated transcripts share a pivotal moment when much was expected of media literacy and media literacy experts explored promise and …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2022 - Journal Requests (Excluding Oa_Gold) By Title, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests (Excluding OA_Gold)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 771,947

Unique Item Requests - 578,437

Examining The Regulation Of The Bs21 Homologs In Francisella Tularensis, Sierra Schmidt

Open Access Master's Theses

Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen, which relies on a network of regulation for its virulence. It contains three homologs of the ribosomal protein bS21. These three ribosomal protein homologs can independently associate with ribosomes, leading to ribosomal heterogeneity. The second homolog, bS21-2, is implicated in the positive regulation of a number of virulence proteins. Additionally, transcriptomic data indicates that bS21-2 is autoregulated. The mechanism by which this autoregulation occurs is unknown, as is the regulation of the other two homologs, bS21-1 and bS21-3. In the following chapters, I will show that bS21-1 and bS21-3 do not autoregulate their …

13c Labeling For Cho Cell Metabolism Tracing And Ms Based Analysis For Advanced Upstream Culture Monitoring To Support Cqa Understanding, Xin Bush

Open Access Dissertations

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) make up a large part of biopharmaceutical sales due to their great success in treating cancer, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases. Due to an increasing number of mAbs using innovative approaches in drug development, combined with changes in the drug market, there is an increased need for optimizing process intensification and quality control. Thus, a profound understanding of cellular metabolism and how this impacts the protein product’s critical quality attributes (CQA) would be of great value. Among the quality attributes of mAbs, post-translational modifications such as N-linked glycosylation are of particular importance as they affect the activity, efficacy, …

Antibiotic Tolerance In Quiescent Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli, Daniel Alexander Banas

Open Access Master's Theses

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the leading cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). In about a quarter of these cases the patient experiences reoccurring infection after treatment with antibiotics. The prevalence of reoccurrence may be attributed to the ability of some UPEC populations to enter a growth state where they are tolerant to antibiotic treatment. In reduced metabolic, dormant, and quiescent states bacteria are less susceptible to antibiotics that target critical growth pathways, allowing for prolonged survival. In Manuscript I, we investigate antibiotic tolerance in the quiescent UPEC strain CFT073 in vitro. We demonstrate that during quiescence UPEC are tolerant …

Heterogeneous Ribosomes And Bs21: An Investigation Of Impacts And Mechanisms Of Altered Translation In Francisella Tularensis, Hannah Trautmann

Open Access Dissertations

Francisella tularensis is a pathogenic bacterium that requires coordinated regulation of gene expression to cause disease. In this dissertation, I explore a novel area of translation-level gene regulation in F. tularensis: heterogeneous ribosomes that preferentially translate specific mRNAs. Through mass spectrometry and immunoblotting, I find that wild-type F. tularensis ribosomes are heterogeneous with respect to the small ribosomal protein bS21 and all three bS21 homologs are able to be incorporated into ribosomes. Comparing proteomics and transcriptomics data, I determine that cells lacking one homolog, bS21-2, have genome-wide changes in protein abundance that are not explained by changes in transcript …

Perspective: Dimensions Of Environment And Health In Arctic Communities, Rainer Lohmann, Bonita Beatty, Jessica Graybill, Elena Grigorieva, Ketil Lenert Hansen, Anu Soikkeli

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

In the Arctic, environment and health are linked in myriad ways. A key emphasis has been on numerous long-lived contaminants in traditional foods, particularly marine mammals, and their well-documented impacts on human, animal and environmental health (“One health approach”). More recent concerns for Indigenous communities focus on the (side) effects of the switch to a modern, processed diet, which is accompanied by a loss of tradition and emerging health impacts. Furthermore, the availability of traditional foods is increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change, which also causes the emergence and spread of new and old diseases, such as anthrax. …

Signature Of Energetic Materials Under Pyrolysis And Ambient Conditions, Athina Kominia

Open Access Dissertations

Law enforcement and military personnel must be prepared to deal with explosives, unidentified chemicals, and even chemical warfare agents. This is a vast problem space. The included studies examine issues with characterization, mitigation, and disposal of energetic materials.

Among oxidizers those containing the ammonium cation have the potential of self-oxidization, making them of special hazard. We have examined ammonium nitrite and ammonium chlorate, two ionic compounds with well-known hazard potential, and compare their explosive performance with related materials. A novel protocol for assessment of explosivity on the gram-scale was employed.

Law enforcement and military personnel must deal with scenarios where …

Cranberry Vine And Its Effects On The Periparturient Ovine And Her Offspring, Delaney Smith

Open Access Dissertations

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major health concern globally, particularly for small ruminant producers. The most deadly of these GIN is an anemia-inducing parasite called Haemonchus contortus. Infections of H. contortus are most severe during what's known as the periparturient period (PPP), which is the last 6 weeks of gestation and first 8 weeks of lactation in maternal animals. Widespread genetic resistance of H. contortus to the traditionally used chemical dewormers have led producers and researchers alike to turn to the plant kingdom for answers. Plant based compounds have been used as bioactive compounds for centuries to cure a …