Digital Commons Network^™

Piloting An Intervention To Provide Tailored Feedback On Health Behaviors To Adolescents In Pediatric Primary Care, Amy Adolfo Signore

Open Access Dissertations

Background:

The pediatrician’s office frequently provides the first opportunity for behavioral health intervention. However, pediatricians are limited in time, tools, and training to assess and treat behavioral health problems. Even a brief intervention Motivational Interviewing intervention more than doubles the length of a physical exam appointment. Studies investigating the usefulness of technology to assist with behavioral health interventions in pediatric primary care are limited, but one study found that technology was a feasible approach for use in pediatric primary care (Harris et. al., 2012). That study assessed for alcohol with computer technology and provided the findings to the attending physicians …

The Effects Of Climate Change On Macroalgal Growth, Trophic Interactions And Community Structure, Gordon Ober

Open Access Dissertations

Global climate change is threatening the structure, function, and health of ecosystems. While factors of climate change have been studied extensively over the past few decades, most research has focused on the response of single organisms or populations; as our ecosystems are comprised of complex interactions and relationships, it is of critical importance to understand how entire communities are going to be impacted by climate change. Ocean acidification (a by-product of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, CO₂), and nutrient loading are two major forces of global change that are projected to have detrimental impacts on coastal marine species and …

Dietary Antioxidants And Flight Exercise In Female Birds Affect Allocation Of Nutrients To Eggs: How Carry-Over Effects Work, Megan M. Skrip, Navindra P. Seeram, Tao Yuan, Hang Ma, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Physiological challenges during one part of the annual cycle can carry over and affect performance at a subsequent phase, and antioxidants could be one mediator of trade-offs between phases. We performed a controlled experiment with zebra finches to examine how songbirds use nutrition to manage trade-offs in antioxidant allocation between endurance flight and subsequent reproduction. Our treatment groups included (1) a non-supplemented, non-exercised group (control group) fed a standard diet with no exercise beyond that experienced during normal activity in an aviary; (2) a supplemented non-exercised group fed a water- and lipid-soluble antioxidant-supplemented diet with no exercise; (3) a non-supplemented …

You Are What You Eat: Investigating Food Discourse And Digitally-Mediated Identities, Katelyn Leigh Burton

Open Access Dissertations

My dissertation, You Are What You Eat: Understanding Food Discourse and Digitally-Mediated Identities, investigates the rhetorical nature of digital identity creation and management and the role of food discourse within these practices. According to Pierre Bourdieu (1984), “Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier. Social subjects, classified by their classifications, distinguish themselves by the distinctions they make, between the beautiful and the ugly, the distinguished and the vulgar” (6)… and perhaps also between the delicious and the unappetizing, fast food and haute cuisine. Within this project, I use a rhetorical lens to explore digital identity constructions within the food …

Nanoparticles Toxicity On Escherichia Coli: Batch And Kinetic Approach, Nelson M. Anaya-Archila

Open Access Dissertations

Silver and dysprosium oxide are two examples of materials used for the manufacturing of nanoparticles with current and future commercial relevance, respectively. Silver nanoparticles (nAg or AgNPs) are one of the most commonly used nanomaterials in consumer products and medical applications due to their antimicrobial properties. Dysprosium oxide nanoparticles (nDy₂O₃) are gaining interest for biomedical applications because of their fluorescence and paramagnetic properties, which can be used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance analysis. However, the fate of nAg and nDy₂O₃ and their possible negative impacts on the environment and public health are …

Cadmium Contributes To Breast Cancer Development By Influencing Cell Adhesion Network, Zhengxi Wei

Open Access Dissertations

Cadmium (Cd) is carcinogenic and a well-established human health risk. Epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated that Cd is associated with breast cancer. We reported previously that Cd promoted breast cancer cell growth. Whether Cd treatment also causes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and progression to metastasis in breast epithelial cells is unknown. The dissertation described here investigated the effect of Cd in breast cancer progression.

Noncancerous breast epithelial MCF10A cells, non-metastatic HCC 1937 and HCC 38 cells, and metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with 1 or 3 µM Cd for 4 weeks. The increase in the expressions of N-cadherin and vimentin …

Parent Behaviors In Relation To Characteristics Of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amy C. Laurent

Open Access Dissertations

Emotional self-regulation (ESR) challenges are well documented in the developmental profiles of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, less is known about the development of ESR and the role of parents in ESR development for this population. This study explored the associations between diagnostically significant characteristics of children with ASD (i.e., social communication profile and sensory processing abilities) and parent behaviors associated with development of a child’s ESR.

Participants were 37 children previously diagnosed with ASD and their parents recruited throughout Southern New England. The children’s ages ranged between 30-48 months. The study was a cross sectional design involving …

Immigration Attitudes And Support For The Welfare State In The American Mass Public, James C. Garand, Ping Xu, Belinda C. Davis

Political Science Faculty Publications

In this article, we explore the relationship between Americans’ attitudes toward immigrants and immigration and their attitudes toward welfare. Using data from the Cumulative American National Election Study from 1992 to 2012, we find ample evidence of the influence of immigration attitudes on both individuals’ attitudes toward welfare recipients and their attitudes toward increased welfare spending. These immigration effects persist even in the face of statistical controls for attitudes toward African Americans and attitudes toward the poor; indeed, in our models, the magnitude of the effects of immigration attitudes surpasses the magnitude of effects of attitudes toward blacks. Further, our …

Curricular Affairs Committee Minutes December 14, 2015, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Curricular Affairs Committee Minutes November 23, 2015, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Food Safety Handling Practices At Farmers' Markets In Rhode Island Using A Smartphone Application, Elizabeth G. Vandeputte, Lori F. Pivarnik, Joshua Scheinberg, Robson Machado, Catherine N. Cutter, Ingrid E. Lofgren

Nutrition Faculty Publications

The number of foodborne illness outbreaks increased in the US from 2001 to 2010, and 17% of them were associated with produce. Higher risk, whole produce sold at farmers' markets presents unique challenges to food safety practices in regard to temperature controls, potable water, and exposure to contaminants. The purpose of this study is to use direct observations to identify unsafe food handling practices among vendors selling higher risk produce at Rhode Island farmers' markets. This study used, as a tool for data acquisition, a Smartphone application developed to allow concealed direct observations of actual vendors' practices at farmers' markets. …

Curricular Affairs Committee Minutes October 19, 2015, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Engagement With Ehealth Self-Monitoring In A Primary Care-Based Weight Management Intervention, Kathleen Y. Wolin, Dori M. Steinberg, Ilana B. Lane, Sandy Askew, Mary L. Greaney, Graham A. Colditz, Gary G. Bennett

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background:

While eHealth approaches hold promise for improving the reach and cost-effectiveness of behavior change interventions, they have been challenged by declining participant engagement over time, particularly for self-monitoring behaviors. These are significant concerns in the context of chronic disease prevention and management where durable effects are important for driving meaningful changes.

Purpose:

“Be Fit, Be Well” was an eHealth weight loss intervention that allowed participants to self-select a self-monitoring modality (web or interactive voice response (IVR)). Participants could change their modality. As such, this study provides a unique opportunity to examine the effects of intervention modality choice and changing …

Effects Of Co2 On Growth Rate, C:N:P, And Fatty Acid Composition Of Seven Marine Phytoplankton Species, Andrew L. King, Bethany D. Jenkins, Joselynn R. Wallace, Yuan Liu, Gary H. Wikfors, Lisa M. Milke, Shannon L. Meseck

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the primary substrate for photosynthesis by the phytoplankton that form the base of the marine food web and mediate biogeochemical cycling of C and nutrient elements. Specific growth rate and elemental composition (C:N:P) were characterized for 7 cosmopolitan coastal and oceanic phytoplankton species (5 diatoms and 2 chlorophytes) using low density, nutrient-replete, semi-continuous culture experiments in which CO₂ was manipulated to 4 levels ranging from post-bloom/glacial maxima (ppm) to geological maxima levels (>2900 ppm). Specific growth rates at high CO₂ were from 19 to 60% higher than in low CO_{2 …}

A Sense Of Belonging Among College Students With Disabilities: An Emergent Theoretical Model, Annemarie Vaccaro, Meada Daly-Cano, Barbara M. Newman

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Higher education research suggests that the development of a sense of belonging is key to academic success and persistence, yet we know little about how first-year students with disabilities develop a sense of belonging as they transition into and through their first year in postsecondary environments. Themes from a grounded theory study of 8 college students, most of whom had invisible disabilities, provided the foundation for an emerging model of belonging. Student narratives suggest there are interconnections between the development of a sense of belonging, self-advocacy, social relationships, and mastery of the student role for first-year students with disabilities.

The Impact Of A Mindfulness Based Program On Perceived Stress, Anxiety, Depression And Sleep Of Incarcerated Women, Ginette G. Ferszt, Robin J. Miller, Joyce E. Hickey, Fleet Maull, Kate Crisp

College of Nursing Faculty Publications

Incarcerated women enter the prison setting with remarkable histories of trauma, mental health and substance abuse issues. Given the stress of incarceration and separation from their children, families, and significant others, it is not surprising that many women experience increased anxiety, depression, and problems with sleep. Due to these negative outcomes, it is imperative to find efficient non-pharmacological interventions. This pilot study examined the impact of a 12-week mindfulness based program on the stress, anxiety, depression and sleep of women with a total of 33 completing the study. In one group, women’s perceived stress, anxiety and depression were all significantly …

Three-Year Improvements In Weight Status And Weight-Related Behaviors In Middle School Students: The Healthy Choices Study, Karen E. Peterson, Jennifer L. Spandano-Gasbarro, Mary L. Greaney, S. Bryn Austin, Solomon Mezgebu, Anne T. Hunt, Emily A. Blood, Chrissy Horan, Henry A. Feldman, Stavroula K. Osganian, Maria F. Bettencourt, Tracy K. Richmond

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Few dissemination evaluations exist to document the effectiveness of evidence-based childhood obesity interventions outside the research setting.

Objective:

Evaluate Healthy Choices (HC), a multi-component obesity prevention program, by examining school-level changes in weight-related behaviors and weight status and the association of implementation components with odds of overweight/obesity.

Methods:

We compared baseline and Year 3 school-level behavioral and weight status outcomes with paired t-tests adjusted for schools’ socio-demographic characteristics. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the odds of overweight/obesity associated with program components.

Setting/Participants:

Consecutive sample of 45 of 51 middle schools participating in the HC program with complete …

Public Services Annual Report 2014-2015, Deborah Mongeau

Public Services Reports

Annual report of the Public Services Department at the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Phytoplankton-Bacterial Interactions Mediate Micronutrient Colimitation At The Coastal Antarctic Sea Ice Edge, Erin M. Bertrand, John P. Mccrow, Ahmed Moustafa, Hong Zheng, Jeffrey B. Mcquaid, Thomas O. Delmont, Anton F. Post, Rachel E. Sipler, Jenna L. Spackeen, Kai Xu, Deborah A. Bronk, David A. Hutchins, Andrew E. Allen

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Southern Ocean primary productivity plays a key role in global ocean biogeochemistry and climate. At the Southern Ocean sea ice edge in coastal McMurdo Sound, we observed simultaneous cobalamin and iron limitation of surface water phytoplankton communities in late Austral summer. Cobalamin is produced only by bacteria and archaea, suggesting phytoplankton–bacterial interactions must play a role in this limitation. To characterize these interactions and investigate the molecular basis of multiple nutrient limitation, we examined transitions in global gene expression over short time scales, induced by shifts in micronutrient availability. Diatoms, the dominant primary producers, exhibited transcriptional patterns indicative of co-occurring …

Electronic Journals Overlap Analysis 2015, Michael A. Cerbo Ii

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Overlap analysis for the University of Rhode Island's electronic journals are complied alphabetically by database name. The report shows the number or titles that are exclusive to that database as compiled by Serials Solutions.

The table located under the report gives a brief explanation of the headings used in the analysis.

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").

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 …

Contextual And Cultural Influences On Parental Feeding Practices And Involvement In Child Care Centers Among Hispanic Parents, Noereem Z. Mena, Kathleen S. Gorman, Katie Dickin, Geoffrey Greene, Alison Tovar

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Parental feeding practices shape children's dietary preferences and behaviors, which can influence a child's weight status. Limited research exists on the precursors and contextual influences of feeding, particularly among Hispanic parents. Therefore, this study explored two areas potentially important for obesity prevention in young children: (1) precursors and contextual influences on parental feeding and (2) parental perceptions and knowledge of the child care food environment.

Methods: Four focus groups (n=36) were held with Hispanic parents, predominantly mothers, of preschool children at two child care centers. Parents were asked about influences on what and how they feed their …

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

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Fishery Performance Indicators: A Management Tool For Triple Bottom Line Outcomes, James L. Anderson, Christopher M. Anderson, Jingjie Chu, Jennifer Meredith, Frank Asche, Gil Sylvia, Martin D. Smith, Dessy Anggraeni, Robert Arthur, Atle Guttormsen, Jessica K. Mccluney, Tim Ward, Wisdom Akpalu, Håkan Eggert, Jimely Flores, Matthew A. Freeman, Daniel S. Holland, Gunnar Knapp, Mimako Kobayashi, Sherry Larkin, Kari Maclauchlin, Kurt Schnier, Mark Soboil, Sigbjorn Tveteras, Hirotsugu Uchida, Diego Valderrama

Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Faculty Publications

Pursuit of the triple bottom line of economic, community and ecological sustainability has increased the complexity of fishery management; fisheries assessments require new types of data and analysis to guide science-based policy in addition to traditional biological information and modeling. We introduce the Fishery Performance Indicators (FPIs), a broadly applicable and flexible tool for assessing performance in individual fisheries, and for establishing cross-sectional links between enabling conditions, management strategies and triple bottom line outcomes. Conceptually separating measures of performance, the FPIs use 68 individual outcome metrics—coded on a 1 to 5 scale based on expert assessment to facilitate application to …

Identifying The Education Needs And Conveying Related Information On Nutrition Topics For Pre-School Age Children By Educating Parents Through Writing And Media Communication., Melissa E. Lichtman

Senior Honors Projects

As nutrition topics continue to gain media attention the general public is increasingly exposed to nutrition recommendations. The mass communication of health information presents increased education opportunity to promote implementation of healthy habits. In contrast, this increased presence also presents a risk of increased communication of information unsupported by scientific evidence. As these unreliable recommendations are communicated with frequency through popular sources it is the responsibility of healthcare professionals to provide the public with accurate and scientifically supported information. This information must be presented in a clear and appealing way in order to gain the attention of the public, helping …

Risk Perception Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Healthcare Related Majors At The University Of Rhode Island, Iman Aberra

Senior Honors Projects

Objective: To determine risk perception of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in health orientated majors at the University of Rhode Island and if perceived risk is significantly different in those who have trouble affording nutritious foods.

Methods: An email was sent to an academic advisor for the doctorate of pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy, kinesiology, pre-professional health studies, nutrition, and health studies programs at the University of Rhode Island. Pre-pharmacy was included in pre-professional health studies. An additional email was sent to a professor in the nutrition department. The advisors and the nutrition professor then sent out an email with the …