Digital Commons Network^™

The Old Rhode Island Farm: History, Memory, And Interpretation At Bristol's Coggeshall Farm Museum, Michelle M. Just

Open Access Master's Theses

While larger living history museums have been frequently studied by scholars, smaller museums, like Coggeshall Farm Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island receive far less attention. Utilizing historical and institutional records, historical monographs, and literature from the fields of museum studies and anthropology, this study examines authenticity in the museum setting using Coggeshall Farm Museum as a case study, suggesting that despite the museum’s search for historical accuracy, the institution remains inauthentic to recorded history. It argues that the history and interpretation of Coggeshall Farm Museum was intimately intertwined and influenced by the historical perceptions, biases, and dynamics of the museum’s …

The Effect Of Humidification On Artificially Aged Tin-Weighted Silks, Sarah Gilcrease

Open Access Master's Theses

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries a variety of weighting agents were applied to silk yarns and fabrics to increase their weight in an attempt to make a greater profit on their sale. In addition, the weighting process imparted a more desirable drape to silk, making it more popular with consumers. Consequently, weighting became an almost ubiquitous practice during this time until sanctions on the amount of acceptable weighting were enacted in the 1930s due to concerns around the rapid deterioration of heavily weighted silks.

However, many of these textiles have been accessioned by museums and other cultural …

Instrumentation Of Measuring Cellular Capacitance Via Signal Processing Tool, Mosa Al Zowelei

Open Access Master's Theses

This master thesis pertains to a systematic testing and evaluation of three neuroscience instruments previously developed at the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of the University of Rhode Island. The three instruments are the Universal Clamp (UC), the Neuron Emulator (NE), and the Cell Capacitance Emulator (CCE). The UC is an innovative instrument that employs a fast-digital signal processor to deliver and integrate various experimental tools for electrophysiology. The NE is an electronic device that uses a capacitance source to represent the passive and active electrical properties of a neuron. The CCE presents a dynamic resistance-capacitance model of a neuron with the …

Behavior Of Frp Pedestrian Bridges Under Human Induced Excitation, Laura Schmidt

Open Access Master's Theses

The prediction of the dynamic response of pedestrian bridges under human-induced excitation is a challenge in the design of pedestrian bridges, caused by the wide range of variables and the complex interaction effects. The use of new, lightweight materials, like FRP, and the trend to design long span and slender constructions lead to structures more sensitive to dynamical impact, which caused some vibrational problems at newly built bridges in the recent past. This brought increased attention to this topic.

The present thesis aims to analyze the dynamic properties of the new material fiber reinforced polymer (FRP), to estimate the changes …

Quantifying Fisheries Balance With A Novel Production Estimation Method, Joseph Zottoli

Open Access Master's Theses

Balanced harvest is a controversial Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) concept conceived with intent to minimize ecosystem disruption and maximize human benefits compared to traditional management. However, most marine ecosystems lack comprehensive production estimates necessary for implementation. We developed and tested two new methods for estimating fish production at the species level with minimal data requirements. Application of our techniques to four ecological production units in the Northwest Atlantic (Mid-Atlantic Bight, Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine, and western Scotian Shelf) from 1991-2013 provided a direct estimate of 2032 kt yr^-1 of total fish production. The degree of balance between catch …

Carbon Nanotube Interactions With Human Cells Under Shear Using Microfluidics, Rolf Staud

Open Access Master's Theses

In recent years, nanotechnology has attracted significant interest in cancer therapeutics for its touted ability to offer innovative solutions to existing problems associated with chemotherapeutic agents. Specifically, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have garnered recent attention in the fields of bioimaging and biosensing. SWCNTs possess an intrinsic and unique near-infrared (nIR) photostable fluorescence and biocompatibility. Several past studies have revealed how SWCNTs interact with biological systems in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the specific effect of flow and shear stress on the interactions between SWCNTs and live cells in vitro are more closely investigated. The nature of binding …

Passive Object Detection Via An Artificial Lateral Line And A 2-D Viscous Flow Model, Jack H. Clark

Open Access Master's Theses

In the field of ocean exploration and marine vehicle design there is a heavy reliance on the use of acoustic and visual sensors for mapping, maneuvering, and obstacle avoidance. In low light regions, constricted spaces, or areas where water is turbid, however, passive systems similar to the lateral line of fish can be advantageous. Using a set of measurements like these, a digital twin could be constructed such that it represents the true physical system for use in mapping, control system design, or tracking the loading of a structure over time. For moving bodies in the presence of solid boundaries …

Assessment Of Ceramic Water Filters As A Point-Of-Use Water Treatment System For Treament Of Microbilogical, Organic, And Inorganic Contaminants In Drinking Water, Ryan K. Sullivan

Open Access Master's Theses

The use of ceramic water filters (CWFs) is common in many households in developing and rural communities worldwide. Currently, CWFs are a viable means of microbial contaminant removal from untreated drinking water sources, however, very little is known about their ability to remove other organic and inorganic contaminants, such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons. CWFs are also commonly impregnated with silver nanoparticle to increase antimicrobial properties. However, little is known about the effect of the surface functionalization of silver nanoparticles on the performance of ceramic water filters. Furthermore, CWFs are typically used as a household water treatment system, in the …

Expression And Activity Of Cyp2c8 And 2c9 In Diabetes Mellitus And Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Ghadah Alghaith

Open Access Master's Theses

Background and Objectives:

Diabetes mellitus and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) are two highly prevalent and related diseases. Research have shown that they can affect the expression and activity of enzymes integral in the clearance of xenobiotics. Such enzymes include the Cytochrome P-450 isoforms 2C8 and 2C9. Our objective is to study the effect of these diseases on CYP2C8 and CYP2C9 using in vitro tools.

Methods:

A bank of donated livers was utilized for in vitro studies. Hepatic microsomal incubations of S-warfarin, a (CYP2C9) probe substrate, were performed to measure CYP2C9 activity by product formation and S-warfarin, intrinsic clearance …

Metal Oxide Catalysts For The Detection Of Explosives: Methodology And Mechanism, Andrew S. Rossi

Open Access Master's Theses

At the University of Rhode Island’s Sensors and Surface Technology Partnership, a sensor platform has been fabricated that is capable of detecting explosive vapor at the ppb level. This sensor utilizes differential signal processing between a catalyzed microheater and a bare reference microheater to detect heat effects from catalyst-analyte interactions. The reaction mechanism behind these catalytic heat effects is highly debated and was originally thought to be due to chemisorption and catalytic decomposition of explosive vapor molecules [1]. The true mechanism of detection has been proven to be oxidation or reduction of the metal oxide catalyst to higher or lower …

Synthesis Of Thioflavin T Analogues, Jennifer Rodriguez

Open Access Master's Theses

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia and is characterized by the presence of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Thioflavin-T, a fluorescent molecule, is known to have a high binding affinity to beta-amyloid. The high binding association is optimal for use as an affinity tag in the synthesis of targeted molecular imaging probes for detection by hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI. An effort to move away from gadolinium-based contrasts for MRI is at the forefront of research due to evidence of toxic gadolinium build up in numerous organs. The goal of this project was to synthesize six Thioflavin-T analogues …

Sedimentary Catalysis Of Radiolytic Hydrogen Production, Justine Flore Sauvage

Open Access Dissertations

Hydrogen (H₂) and oxidants (O₂ and H₂O₂) are naturally produced by radiolysis of water in any environment where water is bombarded by α, β, and γ radiation generated during radioactive decay. The production of radiolytic H₂ in aqueous solutions and in some monomineral-water mixtures has been extensively studied. However, yields of radiolytic products in natural materials remain largely unexplored.

Quantification of radiolytic production in common geological materials is critical to assess the importance of water radiolysis as source of microbial reductants and oxidants in water-containing subsurface environments. Knowledge of radiolytic production is …

Metabolism And Gas Phase Reactions Of Peroxide Explosives Using Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry, Kevin Colizza

Open Access Dissertations

The toxicity or pharmacodynamics of many of the nitrated explosives have been well documented. Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is known to cause liver toxicity while nitrate esters (nitroglycerine) are known vasodilators. One class of explosive that has been on the rise due to the ease of manufacturing from household products are the peroxides. Of particular interest are the cyclic peroxides used for many home-made explosives (HME): triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and hexamethylene diamine triperoxide (HMTD). Very little is known about the toxicity or potentially beneficial effects of these compounds. This may be primarily due to the difficulty in detecting or working with these …

Effect Of Ethanol On Gastrointestinal Tight Junctions And P-Glycoprotein Expression And Functionality, Armin Sadighi

Open Access Dissertations

Alcoholism, alcohol abuse or alcohol use disorder (AUD) is considered as a major untreated epidemic health concerns in modern societies. According to the 2014 report of World Health Organization (WHO), alcoholism causes approximately 6% of all cases of death every year. It has been evident that chronic alcohol consumption leads to organ damage, and in some cases, it progresses to cirrhosis and carcinoma. Some pharmacotherapy strategies have been proposed during decades to treat AUD; however, the efficacy of these medications to reduce drinking or alcohol abstinence remained controversial. Naltrexon, acamprosate, desulfiram, and nalmefen have been approved by the US Food …

Field‐Testing Polyethylene Passive Samplers For The Detection Of Neutral Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances In Air And Water, Erik Dixon-Anderson, Rainer Lohmann

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), perfluorooctane‐sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs), perfluorooctane‐sulfonamides (FOSAs), and other poly‐ and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are common and ubiquitous byproducts of industrial telomerization processes. They can degrade into various perfluorinated carboxylic acids, which are persistent organic contaminants of concern. We assessed the use of polyethylene (PE) passive samplers as a sampling tool for neutral PFAS precursors during field‐deployments in air and water. A wide range of neutral PFASs was detected in polyethylene sheets exposed in wastewater treatment effluents in August 2017. Equilibration times for most neutral PFASs were on the order of 1 to 2 wk. Based on known sampling …

Design Of Complex Engineered Systems And The Effectiveness Of Organizational Networks, Bryan Still

Open Access Dissertations

Cost and schedule overruns have become increasingly common in projects that set out to design and deliver complex engineered systems. Noting the well-established relationship between products and the organizations that design them, this study evaluates the effectiveness of different organizational networks at designing complex engineered systems using agent-based modeling. Specifically, it compares matrix and military staff organizational networks to random and multiscale networks, modeling design as an activity that requires organizations to create design artifacts and share information. It examines the nature of design, the role of product architecture, the nature of complexity and how it affects projects, and the …

Analysis Of Band Pair Formation In Elasmobranch Vertebrae With Implications For Fisheries Management, Kelsey James

Open Access Dissertations

Sharks, skates, and rays are particularly sensitive to over-exploitation due to their life history traits (slow growth, late age at maturity, small litter size, and extended longevity). It is important to know the age of sharks, skates, and rays because it has implications for our ability to assess the status of populations and to manage fisheries. They are aged most often using the concentric bands that alternate in appearance: opaque and translucent in their vertebral centra. An opaque and translucent band together (a band pair) is assumed to represent one year of growth and is counted to estimate an individual’s …

A Multiphysics Computational Framework For Understanding Cell And Microtissue Morphogenesis, Bahador Marzban

Open Access Dissertations

A sophisticated computational model is developed to consider different interactive parts between cells and its components and their local microenvironment. The present work is mainly focused on the modeling of the coupling of the stress and concentration of the signaling proteins within the cell domain. In this research, the fundamental aspects and details of a coupled Contraction-Reaction-Diffusion (CRD), is presented. The model accounts for diffusion of the proteins and mechanical equilibrium of the cells simultaneously while considering different subunits which are affecting the cell migration. For instance, cell-cell interaction, nucleus effects, focal adhesion distribution, anisotropic stress fiber formation, membrane tension, …

Eastern Oyster Larval Transcriptomes In Response To Probiotic And Pathogenic Bacteria, Tejashree Modak

Open Access Dissertations

Oysters are described as keystone species serving an important ecological role. As filter-feeders they help in maintaining water quality. Oyster reefs provide refuge and support to different organisms. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, native to the East Coast of United States and Gulf of Mexico is a part of the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. Aquaculture production depends on a healthy and constant supply of oyster larvae that are provided by hatcheries. Several hatcheries on the east coast that provide C. virginica seed to oyster farms face significant losses owing to Vibrio infections causing massive larval mortalities. Use of antibiotics …

Compassion: Can Service Learning Make A Difference, And If So, How?, Edward Goldberg

Open Access Dissertations

The future of education is often framed in terms of bringing education into the second half of the 21^st century. Technology and along with it, faster and better ways to bring content to our students are important topics for discussion; but how our students treat each other and other members of their community is equally, if not more, important.

This study takes a look at how we may be able to encourage and foster compassion among our students. I wanted to know how compassionate thoughts and feelings develop following a service-learning experience focused on compassionate behavior. In this qualitative …

Analysis Of Atp-Dependent Chaperone Protein Interactions With Misfolded Proteins, Amyloids, And Aggregated Proteins, Shannon May

Open Access Dissertations

Protein aggregation occurs when proteins adopt non-native conformations, exposing hydrophobic surfaces due to misfolding. The exposed regions of two or more proteins associate to form amorphous deposits or highly ordered, stable fibrillar structures called amyloid aggregates. Within the cell, a robust network of proteins safeguard against protein misfolding and aggregation. This network is referred to as the proteostasis network and includes molecular chaperone proteins, co-chaperone proteins, and the ubiquitin proteasome system. Molecular chaperone proteins function in various cellular processes including intracellular transport, oligomeric assembly, and efficient protein folding. Moreover, molecular chaperones are required for folding denatured, misfolded, and de novo …

Dna Sequence Mediates Apparent Length Distribution In Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Mohammad Moein Safaee, Mitchell Gravely, Caroline Rocchio, Matthew Simmeth, Daniel E. Roxbury

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) functionalized with short single-stranded DNA have been extensively studied within the last decade for biomedical applications due to the high dispersion efficiency and intrinsic biocompatibility of DNA as well as the photostable and tunable fluorescence of SWCNTs. Characterization of their physical properties, particularly their length distribution, is of great importance regarding their application as a bioengineered research tool and clinical diagnostic agent. Conventionally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to quantify the length of DNA-SWCNTs by depositing the hybrids onto an electrostatically charged flat surface. Here, we demonstrate that hybrids of DNA-SWCNTs with different oligomeric …

Development Of A Pump-Driven Vertical Profiler For An Autonomous Surface Vehicle, Scott Hara

Open Access Master's Theses

A modified SCOUT autonomous kayak, owned by the Roman Lab, performs geo-referenced depth profiles at pre-defined spatial locations. The vehicle uses a single azimuth thruster to approach a goal location, and holds station while a depth profile occurs. Using an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) to deploy a vertical profiler enables precise but adaptive sampling in typically under-sampled environments. The profiler lowers tubing into the water column with a winch, and discrete fluid samples are taken using a peristaltic pump. A conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) probe relates the sample depth to sensor measurements by matching their timestamps. Water quality optical …

Active Contours Implementation, Steven D. Oberhelman

Open Access Master's Theses

Many image processing problems require the detection of objects in an image. In problems such as these, active contours are widely used to extract features of interest from an image or model for computer analysis. Many examples of active contour applications come from biomedical image processing, where both healthy and diseased areas of the body can be detected, counted, and/or measured; however, a number of other applications of active contours exist outside of the biomedical field. This paper will survey the state of active contours and deliver software that can be used to explore the various nuances of active contour …

Numerical And Experimental Study Of Flapping Foils With Dynamic Wall Effect, Jeong-Yong Park

Open Access Master's Theses

The existence of a wall near a foil body in a freestream influences the hydro-dynamic forces exerted on the body. In this research, numerical simulations are performed to investigate the hydrodynamics of a NACA 0012 foil with wall effects using open source software, a 2-D Navier-Stokes solver based on the Boundary Data Immersion Method (BDIM). The inherent difference between the 2-D and 3-D dynamic wall effects is shown by comparing experimentally obtained measurements of vortex shedding behind a flapping foil with a numerical simulation using the same kinematics. The differences are significant in terms of the thrust force coefficient profiles …

Utilizing A Lipid Bilayer-Based Solvent To Enhance Butanol Production From A Continuous Fermentation Of Clostridia Pasteurianum, John Nunes

Open Access Master's Theses

This work showcases the capabilities of a lipid bilayer based solvent for butanol extraction. Previous work in our group has shown that lipid bilayers have a high affinity for butanol extraction. Here, we show higher butanol partition coefficients than previously seen in other solvents. Our partition coefficients were found using a quantitative NMR method to allow for in situ measurements to be taken which resulted in higher partition coefficients than previously found by HPLC methods. Two lipids were used for these experiments in order to examine the effect that lipid bilayer phase has on the butanol partition coefficient and we …

Development And Modeling Of A Biomimetic Punting Unmanned Underwater Vehicle, Matthew Perkins

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis details the development of a novel propulsion system for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV's) inspired by the punting locomotion of the `Little Skate'. The hybrid legged, gliding and punting gait is a potential enabling technology for UUV access to complex littoral environments. Design, development and initial trials with the prototype vehicle are presented. A combination of video motion capture and on-board inertial sensing is validated and used for preliminary analysis of a limited set of punting gaits. The results indicate the importance of matching vehicle morphology and kinematics to achieve effective locomotion and that the prototype is viable to …

The Imprint Of Childhood Abuse On Trauma-Related Shame In Adulthood, Joan A. Reid

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Research has consistently linked residual trauma-related shame among child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors to sexual revictimization, health risk behaviors, and poorer response to mental health treatment. However, questions remain regarding the imprint of childhood maltreatment on trauma-related shame including which CSA characteristics or types of childhood maltreatment contribute to residual shame in adulthood. Using data drawn from a prospective study of 174 primarily African American women with histories of CSA and a matched comparison group, this study explores whether specific characteristics of CSA (familial CSA, CSA with penetration, force used by CSA perpetrator), repeat sexual victimization in adolescence, childhood physical …

Widening The Sphere: Mid-To-Late Victorian Popular Fiction, Gender Representation, And Canonicity, Anna J. Brecke

Open Access Dissertations

When Victorian fiction entered academic study in the mid-twentieth century, the texts that were considered essential had been influenced by a small group of scholars primarily concerned with studying the novel form across periods rather than studying literature of the Victorian Era. The collection of authors that became "the" Victorian canon included Dickens, Thackeray, Hardy, the Brontës, Trollope, Henry James and George Eliot, limiting the Victorian novel to realist fiction. The choices of these critics did not accurately represent the diverse range of authors and genres in fiction published during the period. Particularly absent from this canon are the popular …

In Vitro Drug Metabolism And Population Pharmacokinetics As Tools For Elucidating Pharmacokinetic Variability, Enoch Cobbina

Open Access Dissertations

Pharmacokinetic variability is an important consideration in pharmacotherapy to ensure safety and efficacy of medications, thus the understanding of the sources of variability in drug concentrations in the body is imperative. The goals of this dissertation were: (1) To use in vitro drug metabolism tools to characterize the influence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6)-mediated hydroxylation of bupropion in human liver microsomes; and (2) To use population pharmacokinetics to characterize the pharmacokinetics of PF-5190457, an inverse agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (hGHSR1a). This work has been organized in two parts. Part one is …