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Habitat Use By Waterfowl Wintering In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, Richard A. Mckinney

Open Access Dissertations

Coastal areas near urban centers often provide waterfowl habitat, but little is known of the effects of human development on wintering waterfowl. We used energetic and modeling approaches to examine habitat use by wintering waterfowl along a gradient of human disturbance in an urban estuary in the northeast U.S. Using estimates of the energetic costs of thermoregulation and different behaviors, we developed a model to estimate daily energy expenditure (DEE) of wintering buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) at six sites in Narragansett Bay, RI. Bufflehead DEE ranged from 46.9-52.4 kJ/hr, and energetic costs of thermoregulation comprised as much as 28% of their …

Native And Exotic Phragmites Australis In Rhode Island: Distribution And Differential Resistance To Insect Herbivores, Adam Matthew Lambert

Open Access Dissertations

In this research, I studied an introduced strain of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex. Steudel that is displacing native P. australis in the United States and altering ecological processes of native environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of native and exotic P. australis in Rhode Island and determine if there is a difference in resistance to native and exotic insect herbivores among the various P. australis haplotypes. I also studied possible factors that may cause these differences. I conducted experiments using field surveys and field and laboratory insect feeding experiments. All exotic insects tested fed …

The Ecology Of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes And Their Antagonists On Golf Course Greens Turf In Southern New England, Katerina Serlemitsos Jordan

Open Access Dissertations

A two-year survey was conducted to determine the ecology of plant-parasitic nematodes and their antagonists on golf course greens turf in southern New England. Soil samples were collected from three greens each at 38 golf courses, for a total of 114 samples. Samples were collected in May, July, and September of each year. Nematodes were extracted from soil samples, identified to genus and counted. Genus diversity and seasonal fluctuation of nematode populations, both within each season and between the two sampling years, were analyzed. Additionally, data on soil physical and chemical properties, as well as management practices on each golf …

The Relationship Between Articular Cartilage Damage And Lubricin Integrity Following Injury And In Inflammatory Arthritis, Khaled Ahmed Elsaid

Open Access Dissertations

The two major constituents of cartilage are collagen type II (CII) and aggrecan. Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are characterized by irreversible damage to cartilage. Knee injury is recognized as a cause of secondary OA. Understanding the mechanism by which OA develops following injury can lead to emergence of intervention strategies to slow the progression of OA. Lubricin is a protein that is responsible for the lubrication of articular surfaces. The loss of lubricin can precipitate cartilage damage. This research aimed to investigate the role that proteolytic degradation of lubricin, following knee injury, plays in cartilage damage. The hypothesis …

Meanings In The Lives Of Older Adults: In Their Own Voices, Isabel A. Trombetti

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to advance our understanding of how we as human beings perceive, judge, and evaluate our lives, particularly in the last stage of the life cycle. The primary goal was to counterbalance the predominantly quantitative approach to meaning in life with a qualitative approach by interviewing 21 older adults as they reflected on and attempted to find purpose and value in the totality of their experiences. This goal was explicit on the point of wanting older adults, those ideally positioned in the lifespan to inform us about meaning in life, to speak without the restriction associated with response …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Survey Of Assessment Practices By School Psychologists, Teresa L. Miller

Open Access Dissertations

This research was conducted to survey the assessment and diagnostic practices of school psychologists who assess individuals referred for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Results showed that a substantial number of school psychologists routinely provide ADHD assessments despite concerns about the quality of the psychological instruments available to them or a lack of an agreed-upon gold standard for ADHD assessment. Participants reported that ADHD-related referrals were accurate approximately 65% of the time, and teachers were rated as both the most common and accurate of all referral sources. Most of the school psychologists used the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Behavior Assessment …

A Four-Year Retrospective Study Of Domestic Violence And Police Response In Asians Using The Rhode Island Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Police Reporting Forms, Tu Anh Ngo

Open Access Dissertations

Problem. Domestic violence (DV) results in the death of four women daily in the US and affects all racial/ethnic groups. Due to immigration, cultural values, and attitude toward authority, there may be unique factors influencing the DV experience for Asian victims that are not well understood due to a paucity of research. Objective. This study examined DV homicide and arrests, victims' reporting, violence severity, and police response to DV calls for Asian victims compared to African American, Hispanic, and White victims. Method. This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study (2001-2004) of DV incidents in Rhode Island based on secondary data analysis …

An Analogue Study Of Stigma, Help-Seeking Attitudes, And Symptom Severity In Postpartum Depression, Christine Dias-Vieira

Open Access Dissertations

The primary goal of the present study was to test the effect of presenting young adults with educational information that was designed to decrease stigma and increase the favorability of attitudes toward seeking treatment for postpartum depression. The effect of information and symptom severity on ratings of stigma and attitudes toward help-seeking were investigated through the use of a 2 X 2 factorial design. Approximately 500 undergraduate students recruited from various classes at the University of Rhode Island were randomly assigned to receive information about pregnancy or postpartum depression. They were also assigned to read a vignette about a target …

Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help In A Multi-Ethnic Sample: The Roles Of Beliefs About Mental Illness Etiology, Religious Orientation, And Acculturation, Pascal Jean-Pierre

Open Access Dissertations

The present research examined the roles of various cultural and demographic characteristics (i.e., beliefs about mental illness etiology, religious orientation and acculturation) in individuals' attitudes toward seeking professional help. Data collected from a multiethnic sample of 255 English fluent adult participants [Haitians (n = 55), Cape Verdeans (n = 30), Dominicans (n = 41), Puerto Ricans (n = 39), Irish (n = 44), and Italians (n = 46)] were included in this secondary analysis. Participants voluntarily completed questionnaire packets for a previous study by the present author. Previously analyzed variables (e.g., beliefs about mental illness etiology and acculturation) and new …

Marine Growth And Morphometrics For Three Populations Of Atlantic Salmon From Eastern Maine, Usa, Timothy F. Sheehan, John F. Kocik, Steven X. Cadrin, Christopher M. Legault, Ernest Atkinson, David A. Bengtson

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Significant differences in growth and prespawning body morphology were detected among three stocks of Atlantic salmon reared in a common marine environment. Smolts originating from river-specific broodstock of the Machias, East Machias, and Dennys populations were reared at two marine net-pen facilities for 25 months. Significant differences in stock-specific growth were observed among two stocks at both sites, suggesting a genetic basis for the observed phenotypic variation. There was a significant stock effect to the total measured phenotypic variation based on collected truss network analyses. Linear discriminant function analysis of a truss network of morphometric distances allowed for 73% accuracy …

Catch Basin Ecosystems And Effects Of The Mosquito Larvicide Methoprene, Mari Butler

Open Access Dissertations

The mosquito larvicide methoprene is a juvenile growth hormone mimic that is widely used to control mosquitoes. This chemical disrupts normal mosquito development, drastically inhibiting emergence from the pupal to the adult stage. Methoprene is active at extremely low levels and is widely used; so it could affect arthropods, other than mosquitoes, that have similar endocrine systems. This study evaluates the efficacy at controlling mosquitoes in storm water drainage catch basins and potential nontarget effects of methoprene. Secondly, whether methoprene attracts or deters mosquitoes likely to oviposit in catch basins was examined. Thirdly, the catch basin community was described and …

Aspects Of Bacterial Community Ecology Within The American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica), And Surveillance Of Post-Harvest Vibrio Vulnificus Occurrence, Kenneth John La Valley

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation research addressed the fundamental question of what the general microbial flora within the oyster is and what influence depuration and relay have on bacterial communities in the oyster. Comparisons of bacterial community profiles were made using culture-dependent and culture-independent isolation techniques and a nested PCR-DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) approach. Differences in the composition of the bacterial community between culture-dependent and culture-independent profiles were detected. The effect of culture-based techniques is significant and results in a biased representation of community structure. This bias may be minimized for the oyster compared to the large differences typically detected between culturable …

Effects Of An 8-Week Training Program On Performance In Female High School Volleyball Players, Richard Armstrong

Open Access Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an 8-week training program on performance measures in high school aged female volleyball players. Twenty-five female volleyball players from the Rhode Island Junior Rams volleyball club program (mean age 15.6 ± 1.15) completed the study. The subjects trained two nights per week for 8 weeks using different methods of resistance training techniques. The resistance training program involved a full body workout consisting of 2 sets of 10 exercises during each training session. Training sessions took place on court during normal practice times for the club teams using affordable and …

Weight Loss And Health Outcome Differences Between African Americans And Caucasions Following Gastric Bypass Surgery, Wendy A. Anderson

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Data suggest that African Americans lose less weight and show fewer improvements in cardiovascular diseases such as blood pressure following gastric bypass surgery (GBP).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe differences in weight loss between Caucasian and African American patients following GBP and to identify if these differences are related to dietary intake. This study also sought to identify differences in blood pressure and serum lipid levels between African Americans and Caucasians after GBP.

Methods and Subjects: This was a retrospective database review of a sample of 84 adult patients, 24 African American and 60 Caucasian …

Hydrodynamics Of Marine Macroalgae: Biotic And Physical Determinants Of Drag, Michael Louis Boller

Open Access Dissertations

The drag generated by breaking waves is one of the primary determinants of the distribution and abundance of organisms in the wave-swept rocky intertidal. Drag on macroalgae is modified by three main biological factors: morphology, reconfiguration and the surrounding canopy. These studies investigated the interplay among these factors by defining a mechanistic model of reconfiguration, examining the effects of morphological and material variation on reconfiguration, and measuring the effects of the canopy on hydrodynamic forces in situ. In Manuscript I, reconfiguration in Chondrus crispus was examined by direct measurement of changes in size, shape, and drag of individuals in a …

The Impact Of A Parasitic Gill Copepod On The Demography Of A Reef Fish Host, Rachel Jeanne Mahr Petrik-Finley

Open Access Dissertations

I examined the demographic impacts of the parasitic copepod Pharodes tortugensis that infects the gill cavities of small reef-associated fish. Laboratory and observational field studies were used to address questions concerning the distribution of the parasite in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the physical damage and differences in body condition, growth and mortality caused by the parasite. Transmission of the parasite in a free living host population was examined using spatial analysis. P. tortugensis was found infecting three congeneric gobies in the BVI: bridled gobies, Coryphopterus glaucofraenum, colon gobies, C. dicrus, and palid gobies, C. eidolon. During 2001-2004, the parasite …

The Influence Of Geomorphic Setting On Ground Water Denitrification In Forested Riparian Wetlands, Dorothy Q. N. Kellogg

Open Access Dissertations

Riparian wetlands are potentially significant landscape features for controlling groundwater nitrate export to surface waters. Reach- and watershed-scale variability hinder efforts to predict riparian denitrification potential and manage riparian zones based on functional assessments. Groundwater denitrification is influenced by the presence of subsurface carbon and by flow paths. Of the three major geomorphic settings of glaciated regions (glacial till, glacial outwash, and alluvium), outwash and alluvium were considered. Riparian wetlands situated in outwash and alluvium are frequently characterized by low-gradient, deep, stratified sediments transmitting high groundwater fluxes, with considerable retention times possible. Research objectives were to (1) compare the vertical …

Involvement Of Transcription Factors In Cadmium-Induced Apoptosis And Cell Cycle Arrest In Rat Kidney Cells, Jianxun Xie

Open Access Dissertations

Cadmium (Cd) may induce renal toxicity by modifying the activity of oxidative stress sensitive transcription factors that are responsible for regulating apoptotic gene expression and the genes that modulate the cell cycle. The present study was designed to elucidate the involvement of two such transcription factors, NF-κB and p53, in Cd-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Cells from a normal rat kidney epithelial cell line, NRK-52E, were incubated with CdCl2 for 5h and maintained in Cd-free medium for an additional 12h. The DNA binding activity of NF-κB was decreased by Cd in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment of the …

Women's Marital Surname Choice And The Rhetorical Act, Mary-Rebecca Ebeling

Open Access Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to determining whether surname choice of women who kept their name after marriage was a rhetorical choice. Five women provided a written narrative of their choice to retain their birth surname upon marriage. Investigators aimed to determine themes present in the narratives provided, and compare them to themes identified in previous studies. Analysis revealed evidence that the choice to keep their names was a rhetorical choice. Underlying this choice was the intent to be perceived as independent women with personal and professional identities. Pride in cultural and familial traditions was also apparent, as was a belief …

Experimental Populations: Do They Really Work And How Would We Know?, Jessica Anna Anthony

Open Access Master's Theses

In response to the severe decline of the last remnant population of wild Atlantic salmon in the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic salmon as endangered on November 17, 2000, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) as amended.

Other rivers within the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment have suitable salmon habitat, but currently do not support wild populations. These river systems could be potential sites for the reintroduction of a population through the utilization of the riverspecific hatchery …

Women-Writing-Women: Three American Responses To The Woman Question, Theresa Defrancis

Open Access Dissertations

The Woman Question served as a catalyst in Kate Chopin's, Nella Larsen's, and Willa Cather's portrayal of the eroticized female body. The question evolved, in part, from Herbert Spencer's 1873 article "Psychology of the Sexes" and centered around Spencer's "theories" on woman's nature, her function, and her differences--biological, sexological, and sociological--from man. Chapter one historicizes the Woman Question by examining its influence in these three areas. The sciences, however, did not hold a monopoly on the debate. Rather, the question elicited reactions from many arenas--popular newspapers and magazines, literature, political cartoons, public policy--and in different forms--articles, music, caricatures, legislature. Throughout …

Underway Profiling Of Photosynthesis And Dissolved Oxygen In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, Donald Christopher Melrose

Open Access Dissertations

Comparisons of primary productivity measured by 14C uptake and a fast repetition rate fluorometer (FRRF) for samples taken from Massachusetts Bay and Narragansett Bay demonstrated a linear relationship between the two techniques. The slope of the regression for different phytoplankton samples varied by over a factor of 4 ranging between 0.23 and 1.04 with the 0.4-0.5 being the most common range. The r2 was usually high, with r2 greater than 0.9 in the best cases. The results indicated that the FRRF typically underestimated primary productivity relative to 14C. The variability. An additional comparison of 14C and the FRRF techniques was …

Problematic Interactions Between Parents And Their Children With Adhd: Role Of Attributions, Emotions, Discipline Practices, And Comorbid Odd, Danielle Alexandra Ruskin

Open Access Dissertations

Two empirical studies are presented that specifically examine three parenting factors known to contribute to the problematic relationships observed between mothers and their children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Mothers causal attributions for, their emotional reactions to, and their discipline towards their children's misbehaviors. Parenting factors in both studies were elicited using a written scenario methodology. In the first study, mothers' attributions, emotional reactions, and discipline towards their children's inattentive-overactive (IO) and oppositional-defiant (OD) behaviors were compared in 41 mothers of children with ADHD, 44 mothers of children with ADHD and comorbid Conduct Problems (ADHD+CP), and 59 mothers of children without …

The Use Of Microsatellite Dna Fingerprinting For Aquaculture And Fisheries Science, Arpita Choudhury

Open Access Dissertations

In the past, world fisheries appeared to have unlimited growth and potential. Although consumer demand continues to increase, landings from traditional capture fisheries have fallen dramatically. This has led to the growth of world aquaculture production as well as the development of marine conservation science. It has also fostered the use of molecular techniques in the aquatic sciences. Several types of molecular markers have been employed to assess stock structure, genetic variability, and kinship in fisheries and aquaculture. Currently microsatellite markers appear to be one of the most appropriate tools for research in these areas. The overall objective of this …

Regulation Of Cytochrome P450-3a (Cyp3a) And Pregnane X Receptor (Pxr): Implications To Drug-Drug Interactions, Karuna Sachdeva

Open Access Dissertations

The nuclear receptor, pregnane x receptor (PXR) is a key regulator of expression of genes involved in drug metabolism and transport. Among these genes, the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme superfamily is involved in the metabolism of more than 90% of clinically used drugs and xenobiotics. Among the CYP450 enzymes, CYP3A enzyme sub-family is the most abundantly expressed in the adult liver and intestine and is responsible for the metabolism of almost two-thirds of prescription drugs. One of the interesting features of the CYP3A enzymes is that their expression can be regulated by either enzyme inhibition or enzyme induction. The induction …

Advanced Glycation Endproducts Analysis Of Glucosamine With Reducing Sugars, Dna Nucleosides And Serum Proteins, Udayan Dutta

Open Access Dissertations

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) are a complex and heterogeneous group of compounds formed by the nonenzymatic reactions of reducing sugars with amino acids and proteins. The reaction is called the Maillard reaction and is central to all protein glycation studies. Accumulation of AGE in human tissue has been associated with the pathology of various diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, renal failure and ageing and has generated great interest in methods for characterizing the glycated products. Glucosamine GlcN is an unregulated high profile dietary supplement used for the treatment of osteoarthritis with few side effects. There is very little understanding on …

Validation Of A Tool To Measure Drug Knowledge: Evaluating Bioterrorism Preparedness Activities, Gregory A. Low

Open Access Dissertations

Background. Pharmaceutical supplies sufficient to protect millions of people are positioned to respond to a bioterrorist attack in the United States of America, but the educational resources, programs, material, and health professional staffing, to utilize those supplies optimally may be underdeveloped. Professionals and municipalities require objective tools to measure their ability to communicate necessary drug information to adhere to emergency prophylactic regimens. Objective. This research project created a survey tool and laid the foundation to establish the tool's validity to measure patient drug knowledge in bioterrorism preparedness activities that involve the dispensing of prophylactic medications. Methods. Test construction was based …

Angular Dependent Interaction Of Metastable Helium Molecules On The Surfaces Of Helium Nanodroplets, Raghuram Petluri

Open Access Dissertations

A metastable helium molecule is produced in a helium nanodroplet by electron bombardment. The molecule, identified as the long lived triplet state ([special characters omitted]), is found to reside on the surface of the droplet. Upon absorbing an infrared photon, it becomes detached from the surface of the droplet. The molecule is subsequently detected when it releases a secondary electron by striking a metal surface in the detector region. The photo-induced detachment process, which we call "Molecular Detachment Spectroscopy", is used to study the ro-vibrational structure of [special characters omitted] electronic transition in 910-985 nm region. The high resolution spectrum …

Effect Of Dietary Fatty Acid Composition On Depot Fat And Exercise Performance In A Migrating Songbird, The Red-Eyed Vireo, Barbara J. Pierce, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Timothy P. O'Connor, Allen R. Pace, Christopher G. Guglielmo

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Most migrating birds accumulate lipid stores as their primary source of energy for fueling long distance flights. Lipid stores of birds during migration are composed of mostly unsaturated fatty acids; whether such a fatty acid composition enhances exercise performance of birds is unknown. We tested this hypothesis by measuring metabolic rate at rest and during intense exercise in two groups of red-eyed vireos, a long-distance migratory passerine, fed either a diet containing 82% unsaturated fat (82%U), or one containing 58% unsaturated fat (58%U). Vireos fed the 82%U diet had fat stores containing (77%) unsaturated fatty acids, whereas vireos fed the …

Destruction Of Tnt And Rdx Residues And Devices, Junqi Yue

Open Access Dissertations

Concentrations of TNT and RDX in soil (10%) decomposed similar to the neat explosive. First-order rate constants ranged from 1.14 × 10 -7/sec (100°C) to 4.42 × 10-4/sec (250°C) for soil with 10% TNT compared to neat TNT [1.21 × 10-7 (100°C) and 7.78 × 10-5/sec (250°C)]. The 10% RDX is soil had rate constants that ranged from 1.86 × 10-5/sec (175°C) to 4.60 × 10-4/sec (210°C) compared to neat RDX [3.01 × 10-5/sec (175°C) and 1.03 × 10-3/sec (175°C). Low concentrations of TNT and RDX (i.e. 0.1%) decomposed faster than the neat explosives with rate constants ranging 2.81 × …