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Trophic Ecology Of Oxygen Minimum Zone Zooplankton Revealed By Carbon And Nitrogen Stable Isotopes, Rebecca Williams

Open Access Dissertations

Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are areas in which midwater oxygen concentration can be significantly lower than in non OMZ areas at comparable depths. OMZs are of great interest because of the limits oxygen availability places on life. The potential for OMZ expansion with warming of the oceans has refocused attention on the importance of these areas and their potential impacts on the global carbon cycle. The large open ocean OMZs of the Eastern Tropical Pacific and Arabian Sea are notable for their size, thickness, and the intensity of oxygen depletion (

Here, I use measurements of natural abundance carbon and …

Adolescent Sleep And Cellular Phone Use: Recent Trends And Implications For Research, Sue K. Adams, Jennifer F. Daly, Desirée N. Williford

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Adolescent sleep needs range from 8.5–10 hours per night, with older adolescents requiring less sleep than younger adolescents. On average, however, American adolescents receive between 7.5–8.5 hours of sleep per night, with many sleeping fewer than 6.5 hours on school nights. Cellular phone use is emerging as an important factor that interferes with both sleep quality and quantity, particularly as smartphones become more widely available to teens. This review paper has three objectives. First, we will describe adolescent sleep patterns and the effects of sleep deprivation on adolescent physical and mental health. Second, we will describe current trends in technology …

Towards Independent Particle Reconstruction From Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy, W. Lewis Collier, Jean Yves Hervé, Lenore Martin

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Coronary heart disease is the single largest killer of Americans so improved means of detecting risk factors before arterial obstructions appear are expected to lead to a improvement in quality of life with a reduced cost. This paper introduces a new approach to 3-D reconstruction of individual particles based on statistical modeling from a sparse set of 2-D projection images. This paper introduces a new approach to 3-D reconstruction of individual particles based on statistical modeling from a sparse set of 2-D projection images. The method is in contrast to the current state of practice where reconstruction is performed via …

Transcriptome Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica In Response To Bacterial Challenge, Ian Mcdowell

Open Access Master's Theses

The Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, an ecologically and economically important estuarine organism, suffers mortalities as high as 90-100% in affected areas due to Roseovarius Oyster Disease (ROD), caused by the bacterial pathogen, Roseovarius crassostreae. Advanced genotypic breeding techniques necessitate information regarding markers and genes associated with disease resistance. As yet, the host-pathogen interaction between C. virginica and R. crassostreae is poorly understood at the molecular level. The identification of potential genes and pathways responsible for an effective host defense response in the Eastern oyster to R. crassostreae is important not only to provide a basis for enhanced breeding techniques, …

Myostatin And Tgf-Β Function In The Regulation Of Myogenesis In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), A Basal Teleost, Ian Morrison Jaffe

Open Access Master's Theses

Myogenesis in vertebrates is a complex and intricately regulated process, various mechanisms of which have been alternately conserved or lost throughout the course of vertebrate evolution. Mammalian myogenesis is highly regulated by myostatin, a member of the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) family of cytokines, however, a similar role for myostatin in fish currently remains the subject of inquiry. Myostatin initiates signal transduction by means of the activin type IIb receptor, and shares considerable sequence and structural homology across vertebrate taxa, though its functional homology remains unclear. Two families of transgenic (TG) rainbow trout (RBT), one in which myostatin was inhibited …

A Difference In Perspective: A Comparison Of Ecosystem And Single-Species Focused Fisheries Management, Catherine M. Foley

Open Access Master's Theses

Currently, most fisheries management bodies utilize a narrow, single-species focus in decision-making processes. These methodologies, however, fail to recognize the interrelated nature of ecosystems, and as such are unable to produce realistic and valid estimates of sustainable yield. One proposed method of integrating ecosystem data into the decision-making process of fisheries management involves quantifying ecosystem diversity. This study evaluates historical fisheries management success in terms of changes in biological diversity and evaluates the potential use of length and species diversity measurements to aid managers in understanding fishery-induced community changes. To evaluate these relationships, a comparison of ecological and management outcomes …

Limited Entry In Rhode Island Tracing An Idea From Open Access To License Limitation To Catch Shares, Jonathon M. Peros

Open Access Master's Theses

For centuries fisheries institutions have shaped Rhode Island’s storied fishing tradition, a hallmark of which has been access to marine resources by the residents of the state. In 2001, after a series of moratoriums on commercial fishing licenses, Rhode Island embarked on an extensive public process through the Coastal Institute at the University of Rhode Island to identify fishery management options based on the input of stakeholders. The outcome of that process was the passage of Senate Bill 2771 sub A – otherwise known as Rhode Island Gen. Law 20.2-1 (2002). The legislation ended a moratorium on the issuance of …

Making Vaccines "On Demand", Anne S. De Groot, Leo Einck, Leonard Moise, Michael Chambers, John Ballantyne, Robert W. Malone, Matthew Ardito, William Martin

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

The integrated US Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) has made great strides in strategic preparedness and response capabilities. There have been numerous advances in planning, biothreat countermeasure development, licensure, manufacturing, stockpiling and deployment. Increased biodefense surveillance capability has dramatically improved, while new tools and increased awareness have fostered rapid identification of new potential public health pathogens. Unfortunately, structural delays in vaccine design, development, manufacture, clinical testing and licensure processes remain significant obstacles to an effective national biodefense rapid response capability. This is particularly true for the very real threat of “novel pathogens” such as the avian-origin influenzas H7N9 …

Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan And Arginine As Src Kinase Inhibitors, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Alex Brown, Dindyal Mandal, Gongqin Sun, Keykavous Parang

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

A number of cyclic and linear peptides containing various combinations of amino acids were evaluated for their Src kinase inhibitory potency. Among all the peptides, cyclic decapeptide C[RW]₅ containing alternative arginine (R) and tryptophan (W) residues was found to be the most potent Src kinase inhibitor. C[RW]₅ showed higher inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 2.8 μM) than C[KW]₅, L(KW)₅, C[RW]₄, and C[RW]₃ with IC₅₀ values of 46.9, 69.1, 21.5, and 25.0 μM, respectively, as determined in a fluorescence intensity-based assay. Thus, the cyclic nature, the presence of arginine, ring size, …

Degradation Of Mangrove Tissues By Arboreal Termites (Nasutitermes Acajutlae) And Their Role In The Mangrove C Cycle (Puerto Rico): Chemical Characterization And Organic Matter Provenance Using Bulk Δ13C, C/N, Alkaline Cuo Oxidation‐Gc/Ms, And Solid‐State 13C Nmr, Christopher H. Vane, Alexander W. Kim, Vicky Moss-Hayes, Collin E. Snape, Miguel Castro Diaz, Nicole S. Khan, Simon E. Engelhart, Benjamin P. Horton

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Arboreal termites are wood decaying organisms that play an important role in the first stages of C cycling in mangrove systems. The chemical composition of Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, and Laguncularia racemosa leaf, stem, and pneumatophore tissues as well as associated sediments was compared to that of nests of the termite Nasutitermes acajutlae. Nests gave δ¹³C values of −26.1 to −27.2‰ (±0.1) and C/N of 43.3 (±2.0) to 98.6 (±16.2) which were similar to all stem and pneumatophores but distinct from mangrove leaves or sediments. Organic matter processed by termites yielded lignin phenol …

Regulatory T Cell Epitopes (Tregitopes) In Igg Induce Tolerance In Vivo And Lack Immunogenicity Per Se, Yan Su, Robert Rossi, Anne S. De Groot, David W. Scott

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Tregitopes are a set of epitopes, derived from IgG, that bind to MHCII, activate nTregs, and promote tolerance. We have now confirmed that coadministration of Tregitopes with a range of proteins (autoantigens and nominal antigens, such as OVA) in vitro and in vivo leads to suppression of T cell and antibody responses to the test antigens. In this study, we demonstrate that Tregitopes are not immunogenic in vivo even when emulsified with strong adjuvants, such as IFA or CFA. Moreover, in vivo administration of Tregitopes with IFA or CFA does not induce Th1 or Th2 cytokine expression under restimulation conditions …

Rebuilding Fish Communities: The Ghost Of Fisheries Past And The Virtue Of Patience, Jeremy Collie, Marie-Joëlle Rochet, Richard Bell

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

The ecosystem approach to management requires the status of individual species to be considered in a community context. We conducted a comparative ecosystem analysis of the Georges Bank and North Sea fish communities to determine the extent to which biological diversity is restored when fishing pressure is reduced. First, fishing mortality estimates were combined to quantify the community‐level intensity and selectivity of fishing pressure. Second, standardized bottom‐trawl survey data were used to investigate the temporal trends in community metrics. Third, a size‐based, multispecies model (LeMans) was simulated to test the response of community metrics to both hypothetical and observed changes …

Long-Term Survival And Colony Growth Of Acropora Palmata Fragments Transplanted By Volunteers For Restoration, Graham E. Forrester, Megan A. Ferguson, Caitlin E. O'Connell-Rodwell, Lianna L. Jarecki

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

1. Many branching corals are fragmented by storms, which can serve as a mechanism of asexual reproduction for species that are able to reattach themselves to the substratum and form new colonies. Fragments can also be manually reattached as a means of reef restoration.
2. The growth and survival of 832 fragments of Elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, that were transplanted for a restoration project in the British Virgin Islands was modelled.
3. Mortality was higher in the first year after transplanting than in subsequent years, perhaps reflecting stress from handling or failure of the attachment method.
4. Survival also varied with the year …

High Population Density Recruitment And Survival Of A Harvested Coral Reef Fish, Clare L. Wormald, Mark A. Steele, Graham E. Forrester

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

A negative relationship between population growth and population density (direct density dependence) is necessary for population regulation and is assumed in most models of harvested populations. Experimental tests for density dependence are lacking for large-bodied, harvested fish because of the difficulty of manipulating population density over large areas. We studied a harvested coral reef fish, Lutjanus apodus (schoolmaster snapper), using eight large, isolated natural reefs (0.4–1.6 ha) in the Bahamas as replicates. An initial observational test for density dependence was followed by a manipulation of population density. The manipulation weakened an association between density and shelter-providing habitat features and revealed …

Childhood Maltreatment, Posttraumatic Cognitions, And Health Outcomes Among Young Adults, Elizabeth Reichert

Open Access Dissertations

Childhood maltreatment is a significant public health issue that has been linked to a myriad of negative long-term mental and physical health consequences. While the devastating health outcomes have been well established in the literature, the potential mechanisms of this link are less understood. In an effort to elucidate this relationship, the present study examined maladaptive cognitions (i.e., posttraumatic cognitions related to the self and world) that can form as a result of experiencing the trauma of maltreatment. Specifically, this cross-sectional study investigated the association between childhood maltreatment and self-reported mental and physical health concerns among a sample of young …

Suppression Of Pxr Expression By Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress And Microrna, Thaveechai Vachirayonstien

Open Access Dissertations

The pregnane X receptor is a nuclear receptor, functioning as a ligand activated transcriptional factor. PXR is recognized as a major regulator of xenobiotic metabolism. Several important Phase I and Phase II enzymes, and drug transporters are regulated by PXR. PXR is also a master regulator of CYP3A4, which is one of the most important enzymes in drug metabolism. Thus, knowledge of regulation of PXR expression is crucial to understand alterations in drug metabolism. Many liver diseases such as steatosis and inflammatory liver diseases alter the expression of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters. CYP3A4 is down-regulated in these diseases. Endoplasmic …

Producing In-Situ Nanoparticles Of Griseofulvin Using Supercritical Antisolvent Methodology, Pratik Sheth

Open Access Dissertations

Poor aqueous solubility of drug candidates is a major challenge for the pharmaceutical scientists involved in drug development. Particle size reduction to nano scale appears as an effective and versatile option for solubility improvement. Unlike the traditional methods used for the particle size reduction, supercritical fluid (SCF) processing techniques offer advantages ranging from superior particle size control to clean processing. Amongst all of the SCF based techniques, supercritical antisolvent (SAS) processing is of particular interest because most pharmaceuticals, including the model drug for this study-griseofulvin, are insoluble in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), and SAS is one of the …

An In Vitro Study On The Non-Enzymatic Glycation Of Melamine And Serum Albumin By Reducing Sugars, Weixi Liu

Open Access Dissertations

Glycation is a non-enzymatic reaction with reactants including a reducing sugar and a free amino containing molecule such as protein, amino acids, DNA, RNA and lipids. In the initial phase of glycation, the carbonyl group of the reducing carbohydrate condenses with the free amino groups on the target biomolecule to form reversible glycosylamines, which are then converted to more stable Amadori products. Once formed, these Amadori products can with time undergo dehydration, cyclization, oxidation, and rearrangement to form a polymorphic group of compounds collectively referred to as Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The accumulation of AGEs in vivo has been implicated …

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Of Childhood Anxiety: Examining A Parent Consultation Model, Allison M. Smith

Open Access Dissertations

Strong evidence supports the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of clinical anxiety in children. As parents may play an etiological role in the development, progression, and maintenance of childhood anxiety, researchers have noted that including parents in child treatment confers some benefit upon child outcomes. Conducting CBT solely with the parents of anxious children may be equally beneficial and potentially more cost-effective than treatment modalities with only the child. The present study examined the efficacy of a ten-session parent-only CBT intervention delivered individually to parents of anxious children (ICBT) in comparison to a ten week wait-list control …

Compounds From A. Platanoides Bark, V. Corymbosum Roots & Topical Formulations Using Maple Syrup, Raed Omar

Open Access Dissertations

The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries and the world’s second largest producer of maple syrup. Maine is the nation’s leading producer of wild blueberries, harvesting 82.6 million pounds of wild blueberries. Similarly, the New England region represents roughly 75% of the total U.S. production of maple syrup. These plants play a vital role in New England’s economy and are commonly consumed; however, these plants benefit more than the economy. The secondary metabolites of these plants are both antioxidants, and also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-viral agents. Blueberries are commonly consumed and have been investigated exhaustively. On the …

Physical Properties Of Marine Sediments And Their Application Toward Climate Change Studies, Tania Lado Insua

Open Access Dissertations

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is the world’s largest collaborative research initiative for the study of the ocean seafloor, subseafloor, and their application to earth system science. The processing of recovered cores from the subseafloor by IODP has been standardized to maintain constant, reproducible results and to make the measurements available to the scientific community using a worldwide- web based database. The study of physical properties is a basic requirement for the study of marine sediments as they form a foundation data set for most of earth system dynamic studies.

This thesis focuses on solving four different scientific problems …

Synthesis Characterization And Applications Of Colloidal Supported Metal Nanoparticles, Kalyani Gude

Open Access Dissertations

Nanocatalysts show excellent catalytic activity because of their immense surface-to-volume ratio. In homogeneous nanocatalysis, the catalyst remains in the same phase as the reactants and products. Traditionally available homogeneous nanocatalysts include colloidal suspensions of transition metal nanoparticles. In heterogeneous nanocatalysis, the catalyst and the reactants are in different phases. Traditionally available heterogeneous nanocatalysts include metal nanoparticles adsorbed onto bulk supports such as silica, alumina, carbon etc. The main advantage associated with homogeneous nanocatalysts is that they have high selectivities compared to heterogeneous nanocatalysts. The main disadvantages associated with homogeneous nanocatalysts include poor thermal stability, metal contamination and difficulty recovering the …

Use And Unintended Consequences Of Antidepressant Medications By Depressed Older Adults, Eun Sun Noh

Open Access Dissertations

Background

National guidelines suggest 12-18 months of antidepressant treatment for depressed patients to maximize the benefits of treatment; however, patterns of medication use according to the guidelines are less well understood, especially in older adults who are at higher risk of adverse drug events. In addition, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are recommended as a first-line therapy for older adults because of their favorable adverse event profile; however, several observational studies have suggested an association between SSRI use and an increased risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. While this link remains controversial, it is important to evaluate the risk of GI …

Protein Structure Modeling And Its Application To The Mechanics Of Actomyosin Interaction, Cynthia N. Prudence

Open Access Dissertations

Study and modeling of protein structures provides an opportunity to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of key biological processes, as well as interpret experi- mental data obtained by variety of physical methods. The main goal of my work was to develop computational algorithms for the analysis of protein structures, the docking of protein-protein interactions, the implementation of these algorithms and the correlation of protein structure analysis with the results of steady-state and kinetics fluorescence measurements.

First, we developed and implemented algorithms for the decomposition of multi- component protein fluorescence spectra and the correlation of these spectral parameters with protein structural properties. …

Cyclic Peptides: Design, Characterization, Self-Assembly, And Applications As Nano Drug Delivery Systems, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi

Open Access Dissertations

Over the past two decades, drug delivery systems have become a subject of major interest in the pharmaceutical industry for the treatment of different diseases, such as cancer, viral infections, and genetic disorders. A wide range of compounds show high binding affinity and great potential in in vitro non-cellular assays through direct interacting with molecular targets. However, many compounds show low potency in cell-based assays due to their limited delivery across the cell membrane. The physicochemical properties of several compounds, such as size, poor water solubility, hydrophobic nature, and negative charge, limit their cellular uptake significantly. Thus, there is an …

Girl Talk: Analyzing Discourse Among Urban Middle School Girls, Carey Delauder Bledsoe

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation is a qualitative study of an all-girls’ advisory in a coeducational, urban middle school located in a mid-sized city in the northeast. The advisory group met daily over the course of the 2010-2011 academic year. Drawing from data collected over one year of fieldwork--including participant observation, analysis of discourse, dynamic interviews, and the analysis of social constructs --this study explores how a group of mostly African American and Latina students created a caring community in order to increase their academic and social success.

Each chapter of the dissertation examines the challenges and obstacles the girls in the advisory …

Responses Of Nitrogen Cycling To Nutrient Enrichment In New England Salt Marshes Over An Annual Cycle, Leanna Ruth Heffner

Open Access Dissertations

The excessive input of anthropogenic nutrients to coastal waters has impacted estuarine ecosystems worldwide, resulting in low oxygen conditions, increases in the severity and frequency of nuisance and harmful algal blooms, the loss of submerged aquatic vegetation, and changes to community diversity and structure. Salt marshes are ecologically important estuarine ecosystems that provide habitat for marine and terrestrial species, provide protection from storm surge, and transform nutrients at high rates. Because of these qualities there is much interest from scientific and management communities to understand the impacts of nutrient enrichment on salt marshes, as well as the potential for marshes …

4-Aryl-4h-Naphthopyrans Derivatives: One-Pot Synthesis, Evaluation Of Src Kinase Inhibitory And Anti-Proliferative Activities, Ali Rafinejad, Asal Fallah-Tafti, Rakesh Tiwari, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Deendayal Mandal, Abbas Shafiee, Keykavous Parang, Alireza Foroumadi, Tahmineh Akbarzadeh

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

A series of 2-amino-4-aryl-4H-benzo[h or f]chromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of Src kinase and cell proliferation in breast carcinoma (BT-20) cell lines.

Methods:

The one-pot, three-component reaction of α or β-naphthol, malonitrile and an aromatic aldehyde in the presence of diammonium hydrogen phosphate was afforded the corresponding 2-amino-4-aryl-4H-benzo[h or f]chromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives, All target compounds were evaluated for inhibition of Src kinase and cell proliferation in breast carcinoma (BT-20) cell lines.

Results:

Among all tested compounds, unsubstituted 4-phenyl analog 4a showed Src kinas inhibitory effect with IC₅₀ value of 28.1 μM and …

A Dominant Ev71-Specific Cd4+ T Cell Epitope Is Highly Conserved Among Human Enteroviruses, Ruicheng Wei, Chunfu Yang, Mei Zeng, Frances Terry, Kai Zhu, Chunhui Yang, Ralf Altmeyer, William Martin, Anne S. De Groot, Qibin Leng

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

CD4+ T cell-mediated immunity plays a central role in determining the immunopathogenesis of viral infections. However, the role of CD4+ T cells in EV71 infection, which causes hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), has yet to be elucidated. We applied a sophisticated method to identify promiscuous CD4+ T cell epitopes contained within the sequence of the EV71 polyprotein. Fifteen epitopes were identified, and three of them are dominant ones. The most dominant epitope is highly conserved among enterovirus species, including HFMD-related coxsackieviruses, HFMD-unrelated echoviruses and polioviruses. Furthermore, the CD4+ T cells specific to the epitope indeed cross-reacted with the homolog …

The Good 5 Cent Cigar (12/5/2012), University Of Rhode Island

The Good 5 Cent Cigar (Student Newspaper Archives)

This is a digitized, downloadable version of the University of Rhode Island school newspaper.