Digital Commons Network^™

Stormwater Management Within Greenwich Bay Rhode Island, Vincent Deingeniis

Open Access Master's Theses

Stormwater runoff from municipalities bordering Greenwich Bay degrades the water quality and potentially the health of stakeholders. Monitoring bay water and effluent from sewage treatment plants is used to identify where management efforts need to be directed. Hypoxic water conditions and high concentrations of fecal coliform are the most pressing issues within Greenwich Bay. Observed concentrations of fecal coliform in shallow embayment’s within the northern reaches of Greenwich Bay are often unsafe for the consumption of shellfish and unsafe for primary contact through swimming. Regional precipitation and discharge from a major river through statistical analysis suggest that the likelihood of …

Knockoff Methods For Nonlinear Feature Selection In Data With Categorical Features, Behrooz Khalil Loo

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis addresses the challenge of nonlinear feature selection in datasets that include categorical features. Conventional feature selection methods often struggle with nonlinear relationships and are ineffective in handling categorical variables. This limitation leads to suboptimal model performance and interpretability issues. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop methodologies that can robustly handle nonlinearities and categorical features simultaneously.

To tackle this problem, this thesis proposes and explores novel knockoff methods. Knockoff methods have shown promise in feature selection tasks by generating "knockoff" features that mimic the statistical properties of the original features, enabling robust variable selection while controlling the …

The Interaction Of Early Life Experiences, Physical Health, And Socio-Economic Status On Neurocognitive Function In Youth, Janis Gaudreau

Open Access Master's Theses

Previous research demonstrates that cognitive and brain function and development during childhood are associated with greater physical activity (PA) levels, fitness, income, less adverse early life experiences (ELE), healthier body mass index (BMI), body composition of lean and fat mass, and fewer experiences of mental health disorders.

We used the Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Brain Network open-access dataset to evaluate neurocognitive outcomes in children. We predicted that children with combined greater SES and positive physical health outcomes, alongside fewer adverse ELE, will exhibit greater cognitive function and resting state electroencephalography (EEG) outcomes, and fitness and PA will positively protect neurocognitive …

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 …

Surveying Seafood Preferences And Potential Neophobia Of Underutilized Species In Rhode Island Consumers, Alejandro Rojas

Open Access Master's Theses

Commercial fish stocks are currently in decline with over eighty seven percent at fully exploited or overexploited levels. The overfishing of economically valuable target species is one major cause of these population declines, which is why there has been significant focus on urging consumers to try more underutilized or unheard-of species. However, the question remains: are consumers willing to try these species? Given potential barriers like food neophobia, which is a biological human avoidance of unknown foods, it is important to find out the current seafood preferences of consumers to influence marketing and legislation. The goals of this study were …

Testing The Ontogenetic Migration Hypothesis In The Emerging Rhode Island Jonah Crab (Cancer Borealis) Fishery Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Lindsay Agvent

Open Access Master's Theses

In southern New England, rapid ocean warming over the past two decades has caused substantial redistributions of fishes, invertebrates, and the fisheries they support. The rapid emergence of the warm water-tolerant Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) fishery, once discarded as bycatch from the now declining lobster fishery, illustrates a prime example of climate-adaptive shifts in southern New England fisheries. However, limited data exist on the basic life history of Jonah crab, despite their growing economic and societal value. This lack of knowledge hinders ocean management capacity to meet multiple ecological, economic, and socio-cultural goals of sustainable harvest. Off the …

Cross-Laminated Timber For Sustainable Construction - Long-Term Performance And Environmental Impacts, Arthiha Tharmrasan

Open Access Master's Theses

As concerns about climate change and its extensive impacts continue to grow, the construction industry has become focus of attention due to its substantial role in contributing to carbon dioxide emissions and resource depletion. This research thesis delves into the potential of timber structures, particularly cross-laminated timber (CLT), to offer sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials. The study is structured into two main parts: an examination of the long-term performance of CLT and an evaluation of its environmental impacts through life cycle assessment (LCA).

The initial section of the study focuses on the durability and mechanical integrity of CLT structures, …

Benthic Landers In Oceanography – The Design And Justification Of A Multi-Use Novel Benthic Lander System, David M. Nadeau

Open Access Master's Theses

Benthic lander systems can empower researchers with access to long-term high-resolution data streams in challenging to access marine environments. In recent years, landers have emerged as key components for oceanographic research, particularly in the deep ocean due to their ability to work autonomously over long periods. However, these systems are expensive and complex, requiring specialized equipment and knowledge to design, develop, deploy, and recover that reduces broad accessibility to ocean data. Lightweight, cost effective, and multi-use benthic lander systems have the potential to provide economical platforms that reduce logistical barriers to support the next generation of oceanographic research. This project …

Underwater Vehicle Maneuvering With A Singlebladed Propeller, Benjamin C. S. Rahming

Open Access Master's Theses

Current convention in underwater vehicle propulsion utilizes a symmetrical propeller with fins or additional thrusters for maneuvering. These systems can become mechanically and electronically complex requiring multiple sensors and actuators such as motors, motor controllers, encoders and water tight seals. This creates many failure modes. Conversely, an asymmetrical propeller has fewer failure modes as the propeller can maneuver the vehicle by itself. By varying the speed of the blade within the rotation, the resulting force imbalance creates a turning moment in addition to forward thrust. This thesis designs, develops and utilizes a test bed to decipher the six axis dynamic …

Characterization And Dynamics Of Beach-Upland Transition: Insights From Southwestern Rhode Island, U.S.A, Bess Points

Open Access Master's Theses

Ocean coastlines, including barrier systems, are important environmentally and economically, providing valuable habitat as well as key infrastructure for communities and coastal resilience. Oceanfront relief, including foredunes, varies along coastlines and serves as the first barrier to ocean-driven wave and surge damage. Forecasted increases in storm frequency, intensity, and sea levels are anticipated to enhance coastal erosion, and as a result, the beach and upland transition areas are likely to continue to undergo changes. The land-sea transition is variable along the New England coast with a mixture of sedimentary and rocky coasts, hardened structures, and a geology that reflects its …

Comparative Analysis Of Smartwatch Data In Children With Adhd And Non-Adhd, Friederike Hicking

Open Access Master's Theses

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which often lead to significant challenges in academic and social settings. Diagnostic methods for ADHD rely on subjective assessments which are prone to bias. Researchers have explored technology-based objective assessment methods to help diagnose ADHD. In particular, this thesis investigates behavioral differences between children with ADHD and neurotypical children (6-11 years old) using smartwatch data collected from both hands during various classroom-like activities including drawing, math and English worksheets, and magnetic tiles puzzles. The primary objective is to identify distinct behavioral patterns to enhance …

Cysteine Arylation Via Unconventional Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution, Gregory Bassett

Open Access Master's Theses

Bioconjugation is a synthetic technique enabling the construction of a covalent bond between two molecules, at least one of which is a biomolecule.^[1] Such modifications of biomolecules can impart various new functions, including modified enzymatic activity, enhanced fluorescence emission, and improved metabolic stability. Moreover, bioconjugation is applied to produce antibody-drug conjugates, a novel class of targeted therapeutics for cancer treatment.

Previous work by our group using pyridinium salts has enabled us to achieve effective cysteine arylation with rapid kinetics and remarkable selectivity. The bioconjugates produced with these reagents are susceptible to carbon-sulfur bond cleavage under certain conditions, such as …

Effects Of Water Temperature On Solemya Velum Porewater Nutrient Consumption, David Jay Dickey

Open Access Master's Theses

Despite playing a potentially important role in seagrass bed climate resilience, the effects of global warming on Solemya velum metabolism have not been thoroughly explored. The Atlantic Awning clam (Solemya velum) is a gutless, soft shelled, infaunal clam native to the intertidal, eastern coast of North America, which hosts endosymbiotic bacteria in its gills that oxidize sulfide as the energy source for its nutrition. This clam and other symbiotic species with similar metabolisms increase seagrass bed resilience to global warming by oxidizing excess sulfide in sediment porewater. This study used an outdoor temperature controlled mesocosm system to simulate …

Developing Smart Textiles Encapsulated With Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes For Biomedical Applications, Devleena Chowdhury

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the creation of core-shell nanofibers for enhanced wound healing applications using a variety of polymer combinations. Chronic wounds are a major worry in the biomedical sector, and researchers are looking at new materials to help the healing process. The PVDF/PVA core-shell structure with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was chosen due to its balanced mechanical strength, high biocompatibility, and DNA-SWCNT complex stability. PVDF is a preferred shell material due to its biocompatibility and water solubility, making it excellent for wound dressings, implanted scaffolds, and sensors that monitor healing.

The study focuses on improving the electrospinning method to produce …

A C-Met Receptor Targeting Nanoparticle Platform For Combination Therapy Against Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Subarna Das

Open Access Master's Theses

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant global health challenge, being the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death, with over 906,000 new cases and 830,000 fatalities globally in 2020. Conventional HCC treatments like surgery, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and chemotherapy are limited by high recurrence rates, limited patient eligibility - particularly applicable only to a subset with early-stage disease and optimal liver function - and chemoresistance, complicating effective disease management. Existing targeted drug therapies are often hampered by limited efficacy, with many patients experiencing rapid disease progression or significant adverse effects. This situation is further exacerbated …

Rcs-Slam: Range Of Communication Swarm Slam, Adam J. Hoburg

Open Access Master's Theses

This work presents Range of Communication Swarm SLAM (RCS-SLAM) as a novel approach to simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) that is better suited for swarm robotic systems. RCS-SLAM introduces a novel SLAM front-end that leverages the effective range of an inter-robot communication medium to add inequality constraints between nodes in a pose graph whenever two robots communicate or relay communications. The centralized SLAM back-end then converts the inequality constrained pose graph into an unconstrained optimization problem using the penalty method to enforce the maximum possible range between communicating nodes. Converting to an unconstrained problem allows for the estimate to optimized …

Differential Gene Expression Analysis: Genomic Response In Human Peripheral Blood Following Neutron Exposure For Radiation Biodosimetry Applications, Rashmi Basavaraj

Open Access Dissertations

Radiation Biodosimetry is a crucial method for evaluating the biological consequences of radiation exposure on health outcomes. This technique estimates radiation dose by analyzing the biological effects it causes in the body becomes especially valuable in situations where traditional physical dosimeters, like badges, are unavailable or unreliable. In these scenarios, Radiation Biodosimetry enables accurate dose assessment, which is critical for making informed decisions during emergency response (triage), treatment planning, and long-term health risk evaluation.

Current biodosimetry methods struggle to accurately estimate radiation doses, especially for low-dose exposures or complex scenarios involving both neutrons and photons, like those arising from improvised …

Telechelic Polymers As High-Performance Rheological Modifiers In Biomimetic Polymer-Linked Emulsions, Daniel P. Keane

Open Access Dissertations

Due to the complexity of biological tissue and the numerous challenges associated with research into biological particle transport, it is of interest to scientists to develop a synthetic mimic that can replicate key attributes of multicellular tissue. The work presented in this dissertation details the design, characterization, and application of a synthetic material for use as a phantom material in research into biological particle transport. Furthermore, the designed materials introduce exciting polymer physics problems and present broad potential uses as rheological modifiers for colloidal systems and 3D printing inks. The polymer-linked emulsions which form the basis of this work are …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Hospital Practices That Support Breastfeeding In The United States, Jane Lazar Tucker

Open Access Dissertations

Breastfeeding is the optimal form of infant nutrition and has many health benefits for mothers as well as infants (CDC, 2022a; Victora et al., 2016). Though rates of breastfeeding have improved in recent years, disparities in breastfeeding persist among Black and Hispanic women compared to White women (Beauregard et al., 2019; Chiang et al., 2021), despite similar intentions to breastfeed across all racial/ethnic groups (Hamner et al., 2021). Hospital practices that support breastfeeding, such as the baby being placed skin-to-skin immediately after delivery or staying in the room with the mother throughout the hospital stay, are known to predict breastfeeding …

Mechanistic Approach To Understanding Adverse Liver Outcomes Related To Pfas Exposure In Neonatal And Adult Mice, Emily Kaye

Open Access Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a unique class of over 15,000 manmade chemicals that are still widely used in manufacturing and are resistant to degradation. Accumulation in the environment and general population has been associated with an array of adverse health outcomes. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) specifically have been associated with markers of liver injury, high serum cholesterol, thyroid disease, low fetal birth weight, suppressed vaccine response, and cancer. Exposure to PFAS is commonly investigated individually, however, humans are exposed to a multitude of PFAS daily. Additionally, with the pervasive nature of these …

Drivers Of Phytoplankton Diversity And Primary Production Across Time And Space: Insights From The Northeast U.S. Shelf, Diana N. Fontaine

Open Access Dissertations

In the ocean, a group of drifting, photosynthetic cells called phytoplankton are vital to Earth’s carbon cycle. Through primary production, a process whereby phytoplankton remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it to organic carbon, these cells play a pivotal role in supporting marine food webs. Primary production is generated by numerous different types and sizes of phytoplankton; this myriad of phylogenetic diversity and large size range influences the fate of organic carbon in the global ocean. Due to their importance, phytoplankton community dynamics, including primary production and taxonomic diversity, are routinely studied. Much of this work, however, tends …

Dna Damage, Modification And Repair, Xianhao Zhou

Open Access Dissertations

DNA is necessarily to be stable and intact since it is the repository of genetic information in each living cell. However, DNA is not inert, and it is vulnerable to the endogenous and environmental assaults including reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultraviolet (UV) light, and various carcinogens. Exposure to these DNA damaging agents is associated with various adducts ranging from small methyl or etheno adducts to bulky adducts such as acetylaminofluorene. These resulting damages, if not repaired, will lead to replication block or mutation which can eventually cause cancer or other genetic diseases.

The research covered by this dissertation falls into …

Identification Of Cellulose Synthase Structural Features Involved In Cellulose Synthesis Complex Formation, Jamie Lamkin

Open Access Dissertations

Cellulose is a microfibrillar polysaccharide component of plant cell walls and consists of bundles of β-1,4-linked glucan chains. In addition to being important for plant cell walls, cellulose is also used by humans for a variety of purposes such as biofuels and building materials. Cellulose is produced by the integral plasma membrane enzyme Cellulose Synthase (CESA) and multiple CESA proteins can combine to form a six-lobed rosette structure called a Cellulose Synthesis Complex (CSC). In seed plants CSCs appear to be hetero-oligomeric, comprising three different CESA isoforms. However some non-seed plants, such as the bryophyte Physcomitrium patens, can form …

Health Screenings In College Health Centers: Variations In Practice, Melissa A. Sutherland, M. Katherine Hutchinson, Bing Si, Yu Ding, Erica Liebermann, Somatra L. Connolly, Hans Saint-Eloi Cadely, Jacqueline F. Hayes, Susan D. Mueller

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the routine screening of female students in college health centers for six priority health-related behaviors and experiences (tobacco use, alcohol use, eating disorders [EDs], obesity, anxiety and depression, intimate partner violence/sexual violence [IPV/SV]), and to identify variations in practice. Participants: A nationally representative sample of 1,221 healthcare providers (HCPs), including nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants, from 471 U.S. college health centers. Methods: HCPs completed surveys (on-line or paper) and reported on routine screening of female college students. Results: HCPs reported consistently high rates (75–85%) of screening for tobacco use, alcohol …

Considerations And Challenges In Support Of Science And Communication Of Fish Consumption Advisories For Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, Jonathan Michael Petali, Erin L. Pulster, Christopher Mccarthy, Heidi M. Pickard, Elsie M. Sunderland, Jacqueline Bangma, Courtney C. Carignan, Anna Robuck, Kathryn A. Crawford, Megan E. Romano, Rainer Lohmann, Katherine Von Stackelburg

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Federal, state, tribal, or local entities in the United States issue fish consumption advisories (FCAs) as guidance for safer consumption of locally caught fish containing contaminants. Fish consumption advisories have been developed for commonly detected compounds such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. The existing national guidance does not specifically address the unique challenges associated with bioaccumulation and consumption risk related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). As a result, several states have derived their own PFAS-related consumption guidelines, many of which focus on one frequently detected PFAS, known as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). However, there can be significant variation between …

Effect Of Nutrient Reductions On Dissolved Oxygen And Ph: A Case Study Of Narragansett Bay, Hongjie Wang, Daniel L. Codiga, Heather Stoffel, Candace A. Oviatt, Kristin Huizenga, Jason Grear

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

To assess the consequences of nutrient reduction strategies on water quality under climate change, we investigated the long-term dynamics of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH in Narragansett Bay (NB), a warming urbanized estuary in Rhode Island, where nitrogen loads have declined due to extensive wastewater treatment plant upgrades. We use 15 years (January 2005-December 2019) of measurements from the Narragansett Bay Fixed Site Monitoring network. Nutrient-enhanced phytoplankton growth can increase DO in the upper water column while subsequent respiration can reduce water column DO and enhance bottom water acidification, and vice-versa. We observed significant decreases in surface DO levels, concurrent …

Bioconcentration Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances And Precursors In Fathead Minnow Tissues Environmentally Exposed To Aqueous Film-Forming Foam–Contaminated Waters, Nicholas I. Hill, Jitka Becanova, Simon Vojta, Larry A. Barber, Denis R. Leblanc, Alan M. Vajda, Heidi M. Pickard, Rainer Lohmann

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with toxicity in wildlife and negative health effects in humans. Decades of fire training activity at Joint Base Cape Cod (MA, USA) incorporated the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which resulted in long-term PFAS contamination of sediments, groundwater, and hydrologically connected surface waters. To explore the bioconcentration potential of PFAS in complex environmental mixtures, a mobile laboratory was established to evaluate the bioconcentration of PFAS from AFFF-impacted groundwater by flow-through design. Fathead minnows (n = 24) were exposed to PFAS in groundwater over a 21-day period and tissue-specific …

Online Video-Mediated Compassion Training Program For Mental Health And Well-Being Of University Students, Thupten Tendhar, Melissa Ann Marcotte, Paul Bueno De Mesquita, Manob Jyoti Saikia

Political Science Faculty Publications

College students experiencing psychological distress have significantly greater negative emotions than students who practice compassionate thinking. We have developed Eight Steps to Great Compassion (ESGC), an innovative brief and no-cost online video training program about how to increase compassion among busy and young adult university students. To examine the effectiveness and benefits of the ESGC, a single-group pre-test–post-test quantitative design with undergraduate university students (N = 92; M_age = 20.39) evaluated its effects. The results from the post-test showed that the ESGC had a significant positive impact on increased feelings of compassion towards oneself, compassion for others, and the …

Cryptic Lineages Matter For Coral Conservation Under Climate Change, Matías Gómez Corrales

Open Access Dissertations

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, yet we do not fully grasp the extent of their diversity or the mechanisms driving the evolution of these rich ecosystems. In recent decades, coral cover has decreased worldwide due to rising seawater temperatures caused by human activities. This thermal stress leads to coral bleaching (i.e., the loss of endo-photosymbiotic microalgae), resulting in widespread coral mortality. Despite this, some corals can withstand increased temperatures that are lethal to most conspecifics. These unprecedented coral losses and different species-specific responses to global warming pose the challenge of losing biodiversity …

Societal Impacts Of Harmful Macroalgal Blooms On Caribbean Communities, Kenneth Hamel

Open Access Dissertations

Pelagic Sargassum species, long considered a vital component of Caribbean ecosystems, began to arrive on and near shore in unprecedented quantities starting in 2011; these arrivals have transformed many Caribbean people’s perspectives of these macroalgae from a native benefit to an alien invader, and are now regarded widely as a harmful algal bloom (HAB). HABs often receive attention for the ecological and economic damage they present, but other human dimensions are less commonly considered, and this is doubly true of Sargassum events. This dissertation was intended to fill increasingly pronounced research gaps by providing exploratory evidence that can be useful …